Why do some Christians think it's ok to celebrate Halloween and others don't? Didn't it start as a Christian Holiday by trying to ward off evil spirits?
2006-09-23 17:36:14 · 16 answers · asked by apsuz73 3 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
No, it started as a Celtic religion in Wales known as Hallows eve. The Druids who acted as the priests foretold that october 31 was when all the spirits who were lost, rise. The Druids celebrated this becuase of the spirits would come and commun with them. You' were right as to say it was a time when the Druids would ward off evil spirits but they however, wern't Christians. This continued until the Americans adopted this and renamed it halloween and made an international holiday out of it. So, it wasn't neccisarily christians who started it, it was the Celts form Wales. So in a way its okay for everyone to celebrate Hallows Eve. This continued through out right to when the catholics were formed and they made it to All saints day.
2006-09-23 17:42:36 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Halloween started as a Pagan festival - Samhain - honoring the dead. It was believed that on that day the spirits of the dead could cross over and commune with the living. Also easier for evil spirits as well which is where dressing up to confuse them came about. It was attempted to Christianize it some with All Saints Day but it was so Pagan it was hard to do. It has kind of gone to commercialization and candy day but most Pagans I know do celebrate it with great revelry and reverence as well.
I can see where Christians would not celebrate due to it's origins. I don't celebrate a lot of their holidays either.
2006-09-24 00:49:45 · answer #2 · answered by Sage Bluestorm 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Here is some rubber stamp Christianity...."A Christian should never dress their children like little devils and witches to beg candy off from strangers in the middle of the night." Besides what's really wrong with Halloween, why would Christian parent's do this? Let's celebrate the Devil's high holy day? Right...Seems a little spooky to me.
2006-09-24 00:46:04 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
All Hallows Eve was the night before all Saints Day, the Catholic holiday celebrating all those who have died and gone to heaven, so there is a Christian religious connection.
Some Christians are freaked out because it is a Wiccan holiday. I think to equate treat-or-treating and using it as excuse to have a party to and get drunk with actual witchcraft and/or devil worship is a little Talibanish.
2006-09-24 00:43:07 · answer #4 · answered by roguetrader2000 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
halloween was never a Christian holiday. There was something called "All saints Day". Look up the history of that if you want to do some research.
I am a Christian and I don't celebrate the day. I feel that it doesn't honor God.
There are a lot of things that folks involved in witchcraft do on that day that are not something I want to be associated with.
2006-09-24 00:41:45 · answer #5 · answered by redeemed 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It actually started as an Irish Pagan holiday called Samhain. This is why some Christians are so offended by it, because they have tried to turn the world against all Pagan religions. The church has always needed to force and threaten people into belief. At some point the Christian church appropriated the holiday and gave it a different meaning. In some cultures it is a day to remember the dead, thus they paint themselves up as skeletons and ghosts and celebrate the lives of those who have passed.
2006-09-24 00:40:26 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 2⤋
I started as a high holiday for witch's. The Church has "all saints day" Nov.1. True Christians shouldn't celebrate Halloween.
2006-09-24 00:40:41 · answer #7 · answered by whataboutme 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
There are many differing opinions on how it started and why.
I always let my children celebrate by dressing up and having fun.
It is not a religious holiday in our house, its a fun time to celbrate the fall season with hayrides, apple cider, corn mazes and just plain fun.
As with all things, it can be used for bad. the trick is for enough people to use it for good, and the bad will look for another way to get the attention on them. Never let bad take over good, that is when we get into trouble.
2006-09-24 00:44:23 · answer #8 · answered by cindy 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It's just a matter of personal preference of the parents. I was raised Christian and we, along with my friends from church, dressed up and trick or treated. I let my kids dress up, but I also tell them of evil things being real in life all year round and not just on Halloween. I also don't let them dress up in evil costumes, because for us it's not the Evil of Halloween but the fun side and the candy.
2006-09-24 00:40:33 · answer #9 · answered by T 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
To my kids, it's just an excuse to dress in a funny or ridiculous costume and get candy.
And yeah, I think that is how Halloween started. Now its just another commercialized holiday so the stores can make money.
2006-09-24 00:39:23 · answer #10 · answered by creeklops 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋