I don't celebrate it and don't let my kids either, which has been hard over the years, but did wonder what other Christians did and why, especially the ones who do!
2006-10-04 11:57:26 · 42 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Halloween—Ancient Night of Terror
It is the last night of October. By the light of the moon, a small group of costumed figures move from house to house stating their demands with dire threats. Guarding some doorsteps are grimacing pumpkin heads glowing with burning candles—made from human fat. Other doors drip with human blood. It is the night of Samhain, Celtic lord of the dead.
Perhaps in no other “Christianized” celebration does Satan so blatantly honor himself and memorialize his war dead. The writer J. Garnier suggests that celebrations of suffering and death can be traced back to the ancient destruction of all of his human followers, as well as the hybrid sons of fallen angels, at the time of the Flood. Cultures the world over have festivals for the dead, “held by all on or about the very day on which, according to the Mosaic account, the Deluge took place, viz., the seventeenth day of the second month—the month nearly corresponding with our November.”—The Worship of the Dead, by J. Garnier.
The Druids were no exception. On October 31, Samhain was said to release the spirits of the dead to mingle with the living. Druids roamed the streets with lanterns, and on coming to a house, they demanded money as an offering for Satan.
Halloween is a major satanic ritual day. “It’s a religious holiday for the underworld, with satanists performing sacrifices and witches quietly celebrating with prayer circles or meals for the dead,” according to a USA Today article. It quoted Washington witch Bryan Jordan as saying, “[Christians] don’t realize it, but they’re celebrating our holiday with us. . . . We like it.”
Parents, do you want your children imitating these sinister rituals?
True Christians do not take part in such-like pagan holidays
2006-10-05 12:36:58 · answer #1 · answered by New ♥ System ♥ Lady 4 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Good for you!
In my country, we don't celebrate halloween, so I don't feel an urge to celebrate it here in US. It's not a big deal, since I'm too old for it, but still don't have my own kids. However, many people think it is a cute harmless custom, without thinking it my contradict their faith.
Only recently, when reading a book on the life of Blessed John the Wonderworker, Archbishop of Shanghai and San Francisco, I came across a passage where he opposed the Russian community organizing a halloween ball. As he was not a combative nature, what he did was to go there in the middle of the fun, and just walk in without a word, with a saddened face. They instantly knew they were doing something wrong. (Blessed John was Russian and was Archbishop of Shanghai when the Bolshevik revolution happened in Russia in 1917; he then became Archbishop of San Francisco and had an unexpectedly strong impact on American spirituality.)
Then I came across some articles on how Christians should look at Haloween. (In the source list you can find a link to four articles; I'm not sure if they are the same ones, but I looked over and the content is similar.) It seems it used to be a pagan feast in Britain, until the Church instituted a Christian feast of all saints on the same day in order to deturn the popular enthusiasm from wrong purposes. But pagan, decidedly anti-Christian practices and symbols have survived, such as the carved pumpkin lamp.
Well, you can find more details in those articles.
You're doing the right thing, don't give up!
2006-10-04 17:36:27 · answer #2 · answered by todaywiserthanyesterday 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I avoid it like the plague, which is far easier when one doesn't live in the United States, its country of origin. When people wish me "Happy Halloween!" I pointedly wish them a "Happy All Saints Day! " That is, after all, what it is! The evening before 1 November, which is All Saints Day!
I have heard of some churches holding a special celebration with kinds of games and goodies for children and teenagers to mark All Saints Day to get round the fact that other people are attending parties. If it had come to the crunch, I would have been prepared to organise a theatre trip or something to lure my children off the scene if they had been dead set on attending a Hallowe'en party (a situation which by the grace of God didn't arise).
I have been shocked in the past, when attending a church house group in the Caribbean on All Souls Day, to find that our leader's wife was more than happy to get up in the middle of the session to give presents to trick-and-treaters at the door. I couldn't understand this. I felt that it was inconsistent with the position of this family in the church. I think that in such circumstances I would have put a notice on the door asking people not to interrupt! And if one feels under an obligation to give things to youngsters at the door, perhaps one should give Christian bookmarks or things of that kind. The Word of God tells us to "have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them" (Ephesians 5:11).
Thank God for your faithfulness!
2006-10-05 01:43:17 · answer #3 · answered by Doethineb 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
No true Christians celebrate Halloween.
2006-10-04 14:40:38 · answer #4 · answered by LineDancer 7 · 3⤊ 0⤋
7
2006-10-04 12:00:38 · answer #5 · answered by hotfeat 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
We don't celebrate Halloween really, but we love to carve the pumpkins and roast the seeds. I decorate with fall leaves (fake) and un-carved pumpkins. A fall decor. But my kids ,and I too, love the jack-o-lantern. I hand out candy with Christian tracts for part of the evening, then we go out to dinner to escape the doorbell. We celebrated Halloween for many years before I was a Christian. Where we live the leaves and flowers are really beautiful this time of year. Fall is my favorite time. So we usually do some fun things like apple picking and grape picking and we make pies and apple sauce, jams. Try making a pie out of a pumpkin instead of a can, or a gingerbread house. Kids love to be in the kitchen. It will be messy, but fun.
2006-10-04 12:10:30 · answer #6 · answered by sunny 3 · 1⤊ 2⤋
I agree! I don't understand it either, it is a celebration of evil, and Christians should not have anything to do with such. We need to explain to our children the reasons why we don't celebrate it, but so that they don't feel they are missing out whilst others are dressing up, it is good to give them an alternative. We used to have a praise party in our church instead on halloween, and the children used to enjoy this. What satan intended for evil, turn it around for good!
2006-10-04 12:09:57 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
Why don't you celebrate it? Because you think it's a day of the devil? I think if you believe in heaven you have to believe in hell therefore if you celebrate a Heavenly holiday you should celebrate Halloween. Besides its just mainly a day for the little kids nothing specific happened on this day it has no significant religious meaning. Your just taking away from the kids, Halloween is a time for them to run around with their friends dressed silly and not have a care in the world and on top of that they'll be getting what they love most.....CANDY!!! The only thing they will have to worry about is a tummy ache from eating too much candy...... Don't be such a tightwad and let your kids have some fun.
2006-10-04 12:04:15 · answer #8 · answered by Jesse J 2 · 1⤊ 3⤋
A lot of churches are having Christ-centered activities on Halloween as an alternative to "traditional" celebrations. I've been putting together a list of ideas that churches or other ministry groups have come up with. Check out the first link below for details.
2006-10-04 12:02:02 · answer #9 · answered by Pastor Chad from JesusFreak.com 6 · 4⤊ 1⤋
I've never celebrated Halloween and I have been Catholic for 3 years and I am currently Christian for 9 years
2006-10-04 12:02:15 · answer #10 · answered by Rosie 3 · 4⤊ 1⤋