can somebody tell me what halloween is all about and its spiritual as well as religious implications?

Answer 1

Halloween: Though celebrated as a Christian holiday, Halloween finds its origins in pre-Christian festivals that propagate false ideas about life after death. Interestingly, we read: “After the Reformation, Protestants rejected this feast along with other important ones such as Christmas and Easter. Nevertheless, Halloween folk customs of pagan origin flourished.”—Encyclopædia Britannica (1959), Volume 11, page 107.

The Encyclopedia Americana says: “Elements of the customs connected with Halloween can be traced to a Druid ceremony in pre-Christian times. The Celts had festivals for two major gods—a sun god and a god of the dead (called Samhain), whose festival was held on November 1, the beginning of the Celtic New Year. The festival of the dead was gradually incorporated into Christian ritual.”—(1977), Vol. 13, p. 725.

Just how concerned should you be about the dark past of Halloween and similar celebrations? After all, in most people’s minds, Halloween is little more than a time to dress up and have fun. But would you not agree that it is important for parents to make sure that whatever recreation their children pursue is wholesome and not harmful?

A school inspector from France with more than 20 years of experience in teaching was asked about the influence of Halloween on young children. He commented: “I am worried that going from house to house threatening adults in order to obtain sweets can have long-term negative consequences on children. It can foster a selfish and egocentric personality. They learn that by exerting pressure, by demanding with threats, by making others afraid, they can obtain what they want.” Parents must therefore ask themselves, ‘What “lessons” will my children learn from celebrating this holiday?’

Not surprisingly, many families find that giving in to childish demands for treats and costumes can be an expensive undertaking. “Halloween . . . is not a holiday,” observes Robert Rochefort, general director of France’s Research Center for the Study and Observation of Living Conditions, “it is event marketing.” Halloween fills a shopping lull prior to Christmas. In other words, it is just one more thing pressuring people to spend money—money that in many cases they cannot afford to spend. Do you really need to follow the crowd in this regard?

Of even greater concern to Christians, however, is the fact that Halloween and celebrations like it are steeped in paganism. The apostle Paul wrote: “I do not want you to be participants with demons. You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons.” (1 Corinthians 10:20-22, New International Version) He also asked: “What common interest can there be between goodness and evil? How can light and darkness share life together? How can there be harmony between Christ and the devil? What can a believer have in common with an unbeliever?” (2 Corinthians 6:14-16, Phillips) The Bible thus condemns the whole idea of putting a Christian mask on a pagan practice!

Halloween have no place in Christian worship; they are far from harmless.

Halloween. The Encyclopedia Americana says: “Elements of the customs connected with Halloween can be traced to a Druid [ancient Celtic priesthood] ceremony in pre-Christian times. The Celts had festivals for two major gods—a sun god and a god of the dead . . . , whose festival was held on November 1, the beginning of the Celtic New Year. The festival of the dead was gradually incorporated into Christian ritual.”

Halloween’s Horrible Roots,

Masks and costumes: “The Celts left out food, drink and other treats for the spirits and then tricked them into leaving by donning masks and costumes and parading to the edge of the village.”

Bonfires were “literally ‘bonefires’” wherein “the priests sought to appease the sun god by sacrificing animals and, often, people too.” (The Tampa Tribune) “By observing the way the sacrifices died, the Druids looked for omens of the future.”—Beaumont Enterprise.

Trick or treat: “The cry of the Druids was comparable to the modern day ‘Trick or Treat.’”—Central Coast Parent.

Scary stories: “The bloody Druid rites live on in the youthful emphasis on ghosts and spirits. . . . Halloween parties and the telling of scary tales also have their origin in the Druid times when spirits were believed to be abroad in the land.”—The Tampa Tribune.

Despite the pagan origins of these holidays, some will recoil at the thought of denying children the fun of modern celebrations. After all, what do informed children know of ancient Saturn, Astarte, and Samhain? Some know quite a bit. They also know that they want no part of them.

Answer 2

Its an ancient Celtic celebration from the British Isles (Britain and Ireland)

The pagan Celtic Britons and Irish celebrated their new year on 1 Novermber (known as "Samhain"). On 31st October - the last day of the "old" year they beleived that the veil between this world and the next was drawn aside, magical forces abounded and the dead walked with the living. It was a time to venerate the ancestors and celebrate the new year, and the passing of the old, light bonfires, tell fortunes, dress in animal skins, slaughter the cattle for the winter.

There were regional variations in how it was celebrated but it was basically a smiliar celebration all over the British Isles.

The Christians changed Samhain to All Hallows Day - a day to remember the saints and one's dead relatives. But the people still celebrated the night before - All Hallow's Eve or Hallowe'en - as a night when the "bad" spirits came out to play and magic and goblins were out and about. There were many different ways of celebrating. They would dress up and go "guising" (similar to trick or treat), carve lanterns out of turnips and swedes, play games, light bonfires, bob for apples etc.

Hallowe'en generally fell out of favour with the Christians however and died down very much in Britain at least although I beleive it carried on in some form in Ireland much longer.

The emigrants who went to America took it with them - they substitued pumpkins for turnips, changed guising into trick or treat and made much more of the festival.

Its now been "re-sold" back accross the Atlantic and today tends to be celebrated here in the UK in a very American form - all Pumpkins, trick or treat, parties etc although its nowhere near as big in Britain as it is in America.

I think the shops just realised it was a money maker they were missing out on.

Answer 3

Halloween is a tradition celebrated on the night of October 31, most notably by children dressing in costumes and going door-to-door collecting sweets, fruit, and other treats. It is celebrated in parts of the Western world, most commonly in the United States, Canada, the UK, Ireland, Puerto Rico, and with increasing popularity in Australia, New Zealand, as well as the Philippines. Halloween originated as a Pagan festival among the Celts of Ireland and Great Britain with Irish, Scots, Welsh and other immigrants transporting versions of the tradition to North America in the 19th century. Most other Western countries have embraced Halloween as a part of American pop culture in the late 20th century.

The term Halloween, and its older spelling Hallowe'en, is shortened from All-hallow-eve, as it is the evening before "All Hallows' Day"[1] (also known as "All Saints' Day"). The holiday was a day of religious festivities in various northern European Pagan traditions, until Popes Gregory III and Gregory IV moved the old Christian feast of All Saints Day to November 1. In Ireland, the name was All Hallows' Eve (often shortened to Hallow Eve), and though seldom used today, it is still a well-accepted label. The festival is also known as Samhain or Oíche Shamhna to the Irish, Calan Gaeaf to the Welsh, Allantide to the Cornish & Hop-tu-Naa to the Manx. Halloween is also called Pooky Night in some parts of Ireland, presumably named after the púca, a mischievous spirit.

Many European cultural traditions hold that Halloween is one of the liminal times of the year when spirits can make contact with the physical world and when magic is most potent (e.g. Catalan mythology about witches, Irish tales of the Sídhe).

Answer 4

Halloween is a celebration by some people (generally people who don't believe in God) based on celebrating the dead and the underworld and so forth.
It is effectively a hi-jacking of what was formerly St. Hallow's Eve whereby it was a celebration of the memory of those who had gone on before us.
Nowadays, because there've been a move away from religious beliefs, people celebrate it to accentuate their "freedom" to celebrate that which is not religious, i.e the dark / darkness / the occult etc...however, its dressed up to be just a celebration of people having fun with witches hats and pumpkins and children knocking at your door for a "trick or treat". The modern trend is to get people to believe its an "innocent" sort of celebration, but its not, and as a Christian I certainly dont celebrate it.

Answer 5

Halloween is the pagan Celtic New Year.
It was brought to the U.S and the rest of the world by the Irish and Scottish that immagrated.

Answer 6

You can find some religion or an obscure passage in either the bible or the qu'ran that will justify anything you wish people have been doing just that for several thousand years now.

Answer 7

It's the pagan holiday of Samhain. It's the celtic new year. It's to celebrate and remember those who have died. At this time, the veil between our world and those of the dead are at there thinest.

Answer 8

Its the Pagan Sabbat of Samhain, its a time to remember/celebrate those we have lost. Personally, I am in the middle of cooking a nice big feast to celebrate it tonight!!!

Answer 9

On this day the veil between worlds unseen and seen is weakest.

Answer 10

October 31st in ancient times was celebrated by the Druids with human sacrifices and a festival honoring their sun god and Samhain, the lord of the dead. They believed that the sinful souls of those who died during the year were in a place of torment, and would be released only if Samhain was pleased with their sacrifices.