I have a very good friend who is a born-again christian and attends a bible fellowship church. I have a one year old baby boy and I intend on dressing him up for Halloween and taking him out. I love Halloween and I have a lot of decorations and I love to give out candy and see all the costumes. My friend says I am commiting a great sin before the lord and that the lord sees this as "evil" and that Halloween is satan's holiday and we should not partake in it at all. I say it is just a great day for kids to be kids and have fun. What do you think???
2006-09-19 06:04:12 · 74 answers · asked by Misty Evenings 1 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
You friend is a judgmental moron. Dressing up for Halloween is a fun thing for kids to do, and it is not a sin. Halloween was originally an Irish pagan holiday that the American greeting card companies took over as an excuse to make money. Back during biblical times there was no Halloween, and if Jesus were alive today he would probably be more concerned with all of the drive-by shooting going on in the hood. It is a sin to to worship the devil or to kill people, not to dress up in funny costumes and eat candy. Let your kid enjoy being a kid. Tell your friend to mind his/her own business!
2006-09-19 06:12:28 · answer #1 · answered by badkitty1969 7 · 3⤊ 6⤋
I know that growing up in a Christian Family, my mom was never really crazy about Halloween either. She said it celebrated Satanic things and evil things and that was why we saw people dressed as demons, ghosts, witches, vampires, dark things....She always let us dress up because she did not want us to miss out on the one costume day of the year when all our friends were wearing costumes and eating fun. I do remember that she chose our costumes though. No evil things, we were dancers, and princesses, and fairies, and other cute things. And she always bought a lot of candy for us and the other children who would come knock on our door. We also went to church instead of going from door-to-door. We never felt like we were missing out because the church gave us plenty of treat bags and had many fun games and activities set up almost like a mini-fair or mini-carnival. I am a Christian and I will probably dress my baby up as a little princess or angel baby (She's only six months) and take pictures of her. And I will most likely take her to church. I will probably continue to do this through the years as she grows up. Plus, the time we live in is more dangerous than ever before. I just do not like the thought of her going door-to-door when she's an older child even if I am there with her. Some people are also sick minded or pranksters and they may poison candy, put something in it, or put a laxative in it....I would rather buy her candy and let her get candy from the trusted staff at my church. Halloween is a celebration of the dead. Knowing who God is and being in his will means knowing that he declares that good will reign over evil and that life will triumph over death.
2006-09-19 06:29:30 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
I agree with you on the "party" aspect of the day. The religious aspect is far more complicated.
As you should well know, early Christians did all that they could to stamp out paganism. Including the horror of the Inquisition with millions, primarily women, murdered. They were also very effective in twisting the basic tenants of paganism and tainted symbols like the five pointed star (pentacle) as being evil and the product of their mythological Satan. Even the Horned God was twisted to literally "become" the image of Satan. Neptune's Triton became Satan's pitchfork as well.
Halloween, which has its roots in early American culture (you won't find Halloween in Europe or anywhere else in the world) and was never considered religious, was in fact a harvest festival meant to frighten Native Americans. The jack-o-lantern, carved from a pumpkin and lit internally with a candle, was the means to create fear.
Halloween's date also falls closely to the pagan Sabbatt known as Samhain. Thus, yet another lie was born about how Halloween is an evil pagan celebration that is the product, yet again, of the Christian mythological construct known as Satan. Nothing, and I mean NOTHING could be further from the truth.
2006-09-19 06:17:08 · answer #3 · answered by gjstoryteller 5 · 2⤊ 1⤋
It sounds more like your friend is a Jehovah’s Witness. You can tell her that by the way. A lot of Christians feel the same as your friend. Halloween has roots in Paganism and Druids and stuff like that. However the word Halloween comes from "All Hallows Eve" which is the day before "All Saints Day." Each calendar day having a specific saint and November 1st celebrating all the saints. Or at least I think that's how it goes. Anyhoo. What are your exact motivations for taking your child out for trick or treating? Are you going to be worshiping the Devil? If you are then your friend has a valid point. If you are just doing it for fun, for candy, for dressing up to be something you are not for one day of the year is there any real harm in it? It's fun being scared sometimes, it's fun dressing up. If it wasn't fun dressing up would they have so much fantasy character lingerie? Ok, bad example. I think you should simply explain to your friend why you want to do what you do. Tell her you understand what she means (or find out exactly what she DOES mean) and understand that she is concerned for your well being. In fact, I can relate to much of what you are talking about. I have always loved Halloween. I love dressing up, I love candy, I love spooky stories. I am also a “Born again” Christian who loves Jesus. I do not like Satan and do not wish to give him any glory by any means. But what are my personal motives for celebrating such a holiday? Just for fun. I do not however, celebrate in such a manner to give the Devil any credit. No Ouija boards or séances or disgusting horror flicks or anything that might be tied to witchcraft. My wife on the other hand has always hated Halloween. It’s the Devils holiday! Evil! We have managed to meet in the middle. Give a little, take a little. Last year we made costumes (not the scary type). We went to a haunted jail and had FUN. We gave out candy in the name of fun, not it the name of Satan. We love God, and we can use whatever we want to glorify God. One thing your or your friend may want to look into are Chick tracts. They have about 4 that talk about Halloween. In fact they encourage people to hand them out to trick or treaters for ministry purposes. http://www.chick.com/seasonal/halloween/default.asp?wpc=halloween/default.asp&wpp=a
I wish you well, God bless.
2006-09-19 06:35:21 · answer #4 · answered by Bags 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Halloween is a detestable pagan holiday that Christians do well to condemn and they should have no part in it. Many who answered you feel it is ok for children to dress up and "beg" for candy. Where did the dressing up in costumes come from?
Dressing up on Halloween:
The ancient Celtic people would dress up in costumes on October 31st to confuse and ward off the evil spirits.
Does God approve of adults or children dressing up as his enemy, Satan the devil? What do you think? People dress up as ghosts, demons, and devils. Would Jesus or the first century Christians have dressed up as those things? The answer is no and true Christians today shouldn't either.
2006-09-19 06:41:20 · answer #5 · answered by Micah 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Ultimately the decision is yours, but it is nice to understand exactly why people have the opinions they do. Halloween has strong roots in paganism and is generally a holiday that celegrates the "darker" things of this world. If your friend is truly trying to live by the bible then she is doing exactly what she should. Jesus says "what fellowship can light have with darkness?" and Ephesians 5:11-12 "Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness" / "live as children of light". I agree with your friend and dont think she is a kook like other people have said. Some responses just prove how evil this world is, people can find nasty things to say and do all the time. Your friend is probably just trying to surrond herself with happy and good celebrations that would reflect the love of God , not celebrations that reflect the darkness of evil.
2006-09-19 06:14:14 · answer #6 · answered by Mleigh23 2 · 2⤊ 1⤋
It's not evil...I had fun during Halloween when I was young. HOWEVER...
Now that I'm older...ideologies mean more to me. Halloween is a celebration of the devil...at least its roots were in it. Our culture in an odd way has embraced it and made it fun. You are not only participating in such an event...but subjecting your child to it.
That may not be what you intend or mean....but that is what the celebration is about. It's hard to not participate, especially when friends and neighbors are. Alot of people have church festivities in place of Halloween...you may want to start a new tradition. If you stay and participate, stay away from the evil and scary costumes...stay away from the tricks...just focus on the fun.
2006-09-19 06:26:00 · answer #7 · answered by BowtiePasta 6 · 1⤊ 1⤋
LOL! I am Pagan, and Halloween, Hallow's Eve, or Samhain is an old Celtic holiday of honoring the dead, like your great Grandmother or another Ancestor. The "veil" between the worlds is thin at this time so people used to dress up like goblins and other spirits so they would "fit in" and not be carried off to faerie or the underworld. This is where we get costumes from. Offerings for the spirits and ancestors would be left out to show respect and honor, and a great feast was held. It was customary to give the goblins and spirits sweets because they were so rare (no processed sugar back in those days) but if you didn't, you would have to deal with the pranks of the disgruntled spirit. Hence, trick-or-treating. So, yes in its history it is a Pagan holiday, but I think that now for non-religious people, it is just a fun break from the tedium of day to day. My family observes the holiday with reverence for the ancestors and spirits, but also as a fun time to be together.
2006-09-19 06:13:12 · answer #8 · answered by Sterling 3 · 4⤊ 2⤋
devil's evening would desire to be any evening. that's what you're making it. This holiday grew to become into around for an prolonged time formerly, like many others, it grew to become into perverted by making use of whomever. i'm a Christian and for me that's a evening that my young ones get diverse candy and get to play gown up. I actual have not heard of any babies being sacrificed, or any demons working rampant by way of fact its Halloween. Halloween is not extra important than Thanksgiving. in case you want to chat approximately sinful, then you definately could remember gluttony is a sin besides. loosen up, you would be a lots happier person.
2016-10-01 03:41:02 · answer #9 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Some Christians say it's a holiday rooted in pagan tradition and glorifies the occult. I'm Christian, but for my kids, it's about dressing up and getting candy. No more, or no less. Last year mine went as an artist and the other was a princess. This year one is a puppy and the other an angel. No occult or devil-worship there! I think some parents go overboard and make it scary, but that's their preference. In fact, mine don't like the scary costumes even on other kids. Our church chooses to have the children dress up as kings and queens or as people from the bible.
For me, the real issue is Christmas. I work very hard to make my children understand the true meaning of Christmas and that it's about Jesus!
2006-09-19 06:08:19 · answer #10 · answered by Apple21 6 · 1⤊ 3⤋
The pagans celebrate halloween, aka samhain, as part of the changing of the seasons, and for other reasons as well.
When the romans were on their mission to convert everyone to catholicism way-back-when pagan holidays were ignored. Christian holidays were established, and catholics decided that all hallow's eve, a day believed to be magickal, where the viel that separates this world from the next is at its thinnest, should be considered evil, instead of a day to respect and remember loved ones who've passed. It's just part of their belief system, nothing personal.
2006-09-19 06:10:42 · answer #11 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 1⤋