How many "Christians" here celebrate Halloween?

Question

If you do, would you also celebrate Ramadan, Hannaka or some other non-christian festival if the Roman Catholic Church put a "Christian" spin on it?

Muffy, let's call a duck a duck; if you're dressing up in costumes and making jack 'o lanterns and trick or treating then, regardless of what you call it it is what it is. For all those who think this is a secular holiday, you must not know or think that paganism is a form of polytheistic religion that is also closely related to spiritism and magic, all of which the Bible condemns.

Paul Cyp, you've got it backwards, it was the Pagan festival of All Hallows Eve first and then the Catholic Church incorporated it into All Saints Day to make it easier for Pgans to convert to Christianity.

Grant K, you know what's up.

The rest of you that brought up Easter and Christmas and their origins; I agree totally. I think it's interesting the stance that people will take to justify their behavior so they can feel good about what it is that they want to do, even if it obviously goes against what they say they believe.

Answer 1

Alot of so-called (christians)folks that think they are Christians,
but really follow along with (Babylon the great)'the world empire of
false religion'do celebrate this supposed Holiday.There is an exam-
ple right here in answer to your question."Im a Christian but I cele-
brate it because its fun,their is nothing wrong with it". But is that
really the truth?In the book of Eph.5:10,11-"Keep on making sure of
what is acceptable to the Lord;and quit sharing with them in the
unfruitful works that belong to the darkness,but,rather,even be re-
proving them." Or 2Cor.6:14-18...1Cor.13:6....These celebrations
that honor the dead,and false Gods do not please God but dis--
honor Him.so you see it is not just innocent fun, it is a form of
false worship.At Rev.18:4 the Bible councels us about false rel-
igion and the pratices of pagen Idolitry.."Get out of her my people
if you do not want to share with her in her sins,and if you do not
want to recieve part of her plagues".......

Answer 2

The story of Halloween is a religious one. It is 'all hallow's eve.' Which is the the night before the Spirits ascended into Heaven. The trick or treat part comes in with the Irish (I believe it was the Irish) brought their custom with them to the U.S. of going door to door, in the fall, around the same time, the children would perform 'tricks' for a 'treat'. Somehow through time, the two were combined and celebrated at the same time. Commercialism started adding the ghouls we now think of at Halloween, of course stemming from the 'spirits' from All Hallows Eve. I don't really think it is celebrated by Christians or anyone else for that matter as a religious holiday anymore, just more of an American custom. Of course, there is always someone who can take anything and make it into something it was never intended to be. Christmas was never intended to be the commercialized custom it has become either. And anymore, I find more and more people are doing the same thing at Easter, just to a smaller degree.

Answer 3

If you are going to go that route then you best strike Christmas and Easter off your calender as well. The Roman Catholic Church, in an act of political genius, used existing pagan festivals and simply attached its own rights and rituals to these dates to increase the number of "believers." This is why we have the non-christian characters still hanging around. The Easter bunny and his eggs are classic symbols of fecundity and rebirth (Resurrection) perfect for the springtime. Pere Noel the spirit of giving and the evergreen tree symbolic for eternal life...what a gift to go along with the Christ child (really born in June by some accounts).

Finally Halloween...a festival where humans dressed as spirits to show they were not afraid and truly were embracing life.

I guess if you are going to be a "christian" and get picky about holidays...you really should do your homework and try to coincide your celebrations with the original roman calender...or you could dig up a calender in Aramaic or some Semitic tribe (Jesus was Jewish). Ultimately, I would like to spend my time focusing on the word of Christ and trying to spread his message of love and tolerance...if I get to have to Halloween candy, sing songs around a dradel with a close friend, or fast for three days to support someone in my family then I guess I would.

Shalom

Answer 4

You have it backwards. The Christian Church celebrated "Hallowed Eve", the Eve of All Saints, long before non-Christians put a pagan spin on it. We still celebrate it as the Church always did. We begin the evening with a worship service. Children come in costumes. many dress as their favorite saint, or as angels, but others come as doctors, firemen, atheletes, etc. There are no ghosts, ghouls, goblins, monsters, skeletons, etc. No gore, no blood, no horror. It is a holy day of the Church. After the service there are supervised games for the kids in the school gym, and goodies handed out in all the classrooms of the school building. It is a safe (both physically and spiritually) fun time for all.

Answer 5

I don't know who put a spin on what but I do not celebrate halloween, It is a lot of garbage. I like trick or treat for the kids and once upon a time in America that was what it was all about. I night to give the kids a little something during the harvest season. it is now like all other "holidays" a commercial enterprise to celebrate money and the greed that accompanys the love of money.

Answer 6

As with many Holy days in the Catholic Church, Halloween has also be embraced by the secular population.

Nov 1 is all Saints day; a feast day of the Church! All souls day occurs on all hallows eve (the day before all Saints day). All souls day is a day of remembrance of all deceased in Christ. As such, it was and is a solemn day of remembrance. Many times, this remembrance by individual family members would involve showing the younger generations in the family, belongings from the deceased (clothing, trinkets, etc).

Unholy worshipers would and still do utilize the feast days and sacraments of the Church; but to desecrate the Holy One, not worship him.

Peace,

MoP

Answer 7

I celebrate Halloween as a secular holiday, just like Memorial Day, Mother's Day, Father's Day, Thanksgiving Day, etc. In my part of the USA, Halloween hasn't had much of any connection to its roots in so long that the connection is barely remembered. It's a costume and candy fest. I respect those for whom it has a more significant meaning, but it's pretty much the same as celebrating the "sacred Christmas" and the "secular Christmas."


As for the second part of your question, that kind of gross and clumsy inculturation would be a lot less likely to happen nowadays than it did 1000 years ago. I'll attempt to be nice and play along, though. I would have to do some reading up on any "new" festival such as what you are talking about.

Answer 8

I love Halloween. As for it not being christian, perhaps you have heard of some other non-christian holidays? Easter (pagan fertility goddess) ? Christmas (celbrated on December 25th as that was the dat Constantine - the first Christian state - celebrated his sun god's birthday)

Holidays are excuses to enjoy oneself and get out of the mundane and exist for a short time in Sacred Time. It is important for religion, and for people. We need to remember that we exist in more than just the day to day monotony.

Answer 9

Do you mean like the time when the Roman Catholic Church put that spin on the Winter Solstice and called it Christmas?

Answer 10

No, I do not. A lot of people who call themselves Christians are doing things that are strictly against Gods will. A lot of old holidays or festivities that were celebrated in Babylon to honer they gods were modified Thur time in order to make them more appealing to everyone. However, it's roots are from celebrations that God hated.