Do you know the real meaning of halloween?

Answer 1

Sure, it was an attempt at luring more pagans into christianity by creating a holiday similar to one of theirs and placing it around the same time.

Answer 2

Several meanings, I think.
In historic Christianity, All Hallow's Eve means the eve of All Saints Day. Catholic Christians pray for their dead on Nov. 1st, and some Anglicans also honour that day.
Some more superstitious people thought the spirits of the dead were wandering around on the night before people prayed for them.
In pre-Christian days, other religions had a holiday at that time, honouring spirits or demons. There was probably quite a variety of beliefs and practices. An explanation for this would be that days were getting shorter, the sun seemed to be dying away, and people wondered if evil spirits were causing this. Perhaps a time when the different contagious disease hit as well, due to tiredness from the harvest, and cold damp weather. I'm just guessing here. But that kind of thing could have motivated people to seek solutions in the spirit world.

Answer 3

Read Ray Bradbury's magnificent book, _The Halloween Tree_. It tells the whole panoramic story of Halloween's varied history.

Answer 4

Halloween or Samhain?

Answer 5

Yes

Answer 6

a Holiday only has the meaning which you give it.

if you don't see it to have any meaning, then for you, it does not have meaning.

edit: >>"supposed to represent a time when the dead that hadn't gone to the afterlife could walk among the living."<<

umm, they still do...

Answer 7

Yes. It actually was supposed to represent a time when the dead that hadn't gone to the afterlife could walk among the living. So people would dress up like them to keep evil away and keep them from taking their souls.

Answer 8

Yes i do. Watch out for all the ghosts and ghoul's tonight. Jack"O Lantern

Answer 9

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 10

when each child puts on a mask, it is supposed to scare away a spirit.