<FOR CHRISTIANS ONLY PLEASE> what do you think about "celebrating" halloween?

Question

i have a very conseritive way of life and am very strict in my religion. i am a non denominational christian and we dont celebrate halloween at my church. we have "hallelujah night" but would it be acceptable to take my child trick or treating. the whole halloween thing gives me an uneasy feeling but as far as my child goes is it ok or am i too strict

serious answers only
thank you

EXCUSE ME!!!!!!!!
TO ALL YOU UNBELIEVERS

I SAID CHRISTIANS ONLY!!!!!!!!!

THANK YOU TO THOSE WHO GAVE THEIR SINCERE CHRISTIAN MINDED OPINIONS

EXCUSE ME!!!!!!!!
TO ALL YOU UNBELIEVERS

I SAID CHRISTIANS ONLY!!!!!!!!!

THANK YOU TO THOSE WHO GAVE THEIR SINCERE CHRISTIAN MINDED OPINIONS

EXCUSE ME!!!!!!!!
TO ALL YOU UNBELIEVERS

I SAID CHRISTIANS ONLY!!!!!!!!!

THANK YOU TO THOSE WHO GAVE THEIR SINCERE CHRISTIAN MINDED OPINIONS

EXCUSE ME!!!!!!!!
TO ALL YOU UNBELIEVERS

I SAID CHRISTIANS ONLY!!!!!!!!!

THANK YOU TO THOSE WHO GAVE THEIR SINCERE CHRISTIAN MINDED OPINIONS

Answer 1

Hope2Love,

Even before I was saved I never really liked Halloween all that much I was always nervous and uneasy on that day.

I don't believe in celebrating a holiday that glorifies Satan and I don't like the witches, skulls and ghosts of the decorations out there they make me nervous.

I don't think you are too strict but the world we live in today is sick and perverted and people do mean things on Halloween.

I dint think getting candy is a bad thing door to door from neighbors you know and trust it is just the concept of black magic and superstition that I don't like. To us it is another day to pray to God and not much else

Answer 2

Halloween has been around so long you need an expert to tell where it came from, the roots, from what I understand are pagan. Now that being said, the book and movie “Da Vinci code” have everybody in an uproar over the ramifications, I personally read the book and it is FICTION. The reason I capitalized that is because I kept that in mind as I read, and do not believe any of what is in the book. My faith is in Christ I think I am un-shakable in that faith and as a result can take Halloween as an occasion that allows me to have fun decorating the house, my neighbors and myself to dress our kids up and everybody to have a good time trick-or-treating and because I do not believe in any goblin, ghoul or ghost, other than the Holy Ghost and do not worship any of the things Halloween stands for I can wake up to November the next day and know I am that much closer to celebrating my Lords Birthday!

Answer 3

Well, I have had to think about this more recently as both of my sisters said they were not even decorating for Halloween this year, and I see one or more answerers already said "Harvest Night" or "Harvest Time" is taking its place. Having said that, I do have a friend who builds haunted houses to raise money for charities, which I think is a good cause, plus church members my age traditionally set up a mild spook alley for children and have games and treats at the church building the week or the day before Halloween. I have won costume contests in the past - but they were always humorous costumes and not even particularly related to Halloween. I think that haunted houses may be a good way for people to confront their fears and then walk away from them. It is not the same as a gory horror movie - as long as the haunted houses are done from a reserved point of view. Trick-or-treating has already been approved by most dentists I know of - who say one night a year for sugar overload is okay - but don't make any sort of habit out of it, and brush those teeth right after consuming candy. I think you might want to strictly limit the candy consumption after the trick-or-treating haul, as it is possible for sugar to disrupt the digestion processes and attention levels of children so easily. Also there are always the warnings about watching what your child receives and only going to houses you know. But you probably already know that! I do know as a missionary in Puerto Rico, there was an entirely different feeling or spirit around in the air on the night of Halloween, and as missionaries we just stopped at church members' houses and stayed there. We also dressed up as Biblical characters. I don't see anything wrong with children dressing up one night a year - it is the same concept as acting in a play without a lot of rehearsals. Now I have been thinking lately about whether or not haunted houses will still exist after the Second Coming of Jesus Christ or if they will be done away with. It may be that they will only exist as a teaching tool to remind children and teenagers what the OPPOSITE of life under the reign of Jesus Christ would be like - which may even be their purpose at the present time as well. Okay, that's my two cents' worth, from a Mormon (and Christian) point of view.

Answer 4

I kind of went through the same thing when my kids were little.I think it depends on the child.My boys didn't really like getting dressed up and I felt uneasy with halloween so we did other things.We went to an October fest and out to pizza.Our church decided to have an alternative kind of thing and one year the church went to a farm that had unusual animals and a hay ride and a pot luck at the park.It was really fun.One year we all went bowling and that was fun too.My Grand daughters however like to take that opportunity to be who ever they want to be,My youngest wants to be Cinderella,and the oldest wants to be Bell from Beauty and the beast.I think that's fun for them and if it's done light hearted it's okay.The scary stuff is what I don't like,so you don't have to be strict but think of other things to do and let them dress up if they want to.

Answer 5

I am Episcopalian, which tends to run the spectrum of liberal and conservative views. I think there is nothing wrong with Halloween, especially in this day and age. To children, Halloween gives them a chance to be something else, to live a fantasy of sorts out in public without being committed to a hospital. The original event, All Hallows Eve, did not mean the devil was to come up from Hell and destroy everyone or trick kids into "turning to the dark side." Take your child out for Halloween and have fun, don't worry about some religious implication. Unless your child dresses like Jesus on the Cross or a bloody angel, I think he or she will be fine. Also, please note that "All Hallows Eve" is a festival celebration before the commonly accepted holiday of "All Saints' Day"; this is also referred to as "All Saints' Eve."

On a side note, Harry Potter falls under this same category. It's fantasy and children all over the world aren't going to learn how to turn a blonde boy into a ferret or worship false idols. Enjoy life.

Answer 6

I think that if you dont' do Halloween then Christmas, and Easter should be eliminated also except for the strictest of reasons. Halloween like the other holidays have become so far from the original religous origins that there is no reason to elimanate it.
Are you going to not put up a Christmas tree and put presents under it for your child and tell him/her about "Santa" what about Easter...no easter bunny, egg hunts, and easter baskets. Give me a break I really dislike all this Halloween is evil crap it is another money making holiday so enjoy yourself and take your child trick or treating. Dress you child in a costume that isn't "evil" an get all that free candy lol.

Answer 7

Most church alternatives to halloween are a reaction to believing the way people celebrate it is evil. The folks celebrating it are having a party, so the churches try to put on something better. Some succeed, others don't.

More important is to realise that halloween means hallows evening or all saints night & represents the victory of Christians over evil.

As for trick or treating, do you really want your kids to think it's OK to threaten & menace other people?

It's difficult to be seen to deny your kids something that's portrayed as innocent good fun, but I think you're right. Sometimes doing right isn't fun, but what quality of people do you want your kids to become?

Stick to what you believe bro/sis & find your kids something better to do & enjoy

Answer 8

this has been a hard one for me...I haven't let my kids go trick or treating or participate in halloween stuff at school in the past.

But on the other hand, a few years ago I started letting them go to the "Harvest Festivals" at the local churches. To me, that's contradicotry to my own belief...the kids are still dressing up and getting candy...just in a safer environment. The only difference is that there are no scary, bloody, revealing, or satanic costumes or activities allowed. It's still a "halloween" festival!

Now that my kids are old enough, they understand the difference between "halloween" and dressing up to go get candy. If you train them up in the ways of the Lord, they will know what is right and wrong...so pray they do what is right. I now let my kids dress up and go to neighbors houses to get candy. They know that the religious observance of Halloween is not acceptable to participate in as Christians, so they don't do thinkgs like the wearing witch hats at school or pretend to do magic or cast spells. But they do dress up as spiderman and go to a few houses to show off their costume and get candy....then we head to the harvest festival!

Answer 9

Although I don't share your stand, I don't think you're being too strict. You still allow for the partying and the trick-or-treating.

I love Halloween! It's a fine day to dress up, to give, to be creative, as well as to observe the darkening of the days, the harvest, and to confront or make fun of scary things like the occult.

Check this out:

Don't Fear the Terror! Scriptures for Halloween
http://members.tripod.com/mnl_1221/halloween.html

I would imagine that your kid doesn't dress in an occultic costume, but might dress up as a harmless character, maybe a Bible character.

You can give out tracts along with the candy!

Answer 10

I have struggled with this for a long time. Last year I was in tears over it because my kids want to trick or treat.

So what I have decided is that we will trick or treat only. No scary stuff, no jackolanterns, no decorating our home other than autumn stuff. Costums are to have no evil themes. I think that we are to be salt and light in the world so rather than staying in your home with your light off making your neighbors think that you are weird, tale it as a time to teach your kids and others about Jesus. We talk about the martyrs and we also talk about the evils of halloween and we pray before we go out.
I believe that if you are not glorifying satan in any way than it is okay to go out. My church is very much against it but it is between me and God. I understand why but we are not celebrating halloween we are just going trick ortreating.
There are other activities though that go on around Halloween that we who are Christians must be aware of...and wary of. In the past two decades there has been a resurgence of paganism and witchcraft in our culture, Prayer is very important.
I am still not secure in my decision but right now it is what I am doing.