2007-10-19 08:43:30 · 19 answers · asked by hottie 2 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
No more than any other day. And each day is also an opportunity to share the saving message of Jesus Christ!
2007-10-19 08:47:06 · answer #1 · answered by In God I Trust (a.k.a. infohog) 3 · 1⤊ 7⤋
No, no no. First of all, the fact that you believe in the Devil as an actual being makes me think you might not understand this explanation. But anyways, check it:
Halloween (All Hallow's Eve, All Saints Eve) is actually a Pagan holiday called Samhein (prounced Saw-wen). Much like the pagan holiday on December 21st, Samhein was annexed by the Christians long ago in an effort to align their own holidays with that of the (at the time) more popular Pagan Religion's holidays. Samhein is simply the day of the year when the pagan God (who happens to have horns, and was used by the Christians as a rough sketch of this "Devil" you speak of) takes over for their Goddess.
Know what? I'm sick of educating the masses for now. Get on Wikipedia and search "Samhein."
2007-10-19 15:53:23 · answer #2 · answered by N.FromVT 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋
No, not at all; read this:
Ancient Origins
Halloween's origins date back to the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain (pronounced sow-in).
The Celts, who lived 2,000 years ago in the area that is now Ireland, the United Kingdom, and northern France, celebrated their new year on November 1. This day marked the end of summer and the harvest and the beginning of the dark, cold winter, a time of year that was often associated with human death. Celts believed that on the night before the new year, the boundary between the worlds of the living and the dead became blurred. On the night of October 31, they celebrated Samhain, when it was believed that the ghosts of the dead returned to earth. In addition to causing trouble and damaging crops, Celts thought that the presence of the otherworldly spirits made it easier for the Druids, or Celtic priests, to make predictions about the future. For a people entirely dependent on the volatile natural world, these prophecies were an important source of comfort and direction during the long, dark winter.
To commemorate the event, Druids built huge sacred bonfires, where the people gathered to burn crops and animals as sacrifices to the Celtic deities.
During the celebration, the Celts wore costumes, typically consisting of animal heads and skins, and attempted to tell each other's fortunes. When the celebration was over, they re-lit their hearth fires, which they had extinguished earlier that evening, from the sacred bonfire to help protect them during the coming winter.
By A.D. 43, Romans had conquered the majority of Celtic territory. In the course of the four hundred years that they ruled the Celtic lands, two festivals of Roman origin were combined with the traditional Celtic celebration of Samhain.
The first was Feralia, a day in late October when the Romans traditionally commemorated the passing of the dead. The second was a day to honor Pomona, the Roman goddess of fruit and trees. The symbol of Pomona is the apple and the incorporation of this celebration into Samhain probably explains the tradition of "bobbing" for apples that is practiced today on Halloween.
By the 800s, the influence of Christianity had spread into Celtic lands. In the seventh century, Pope Boniface IV designated November 1 All Saints' Day, a time to honor saints and martyrs. It is widely believed today that the pope was attempting to replace the Celtic festival of the dead with a related, but church-sanctioned holiday. The celebration was also called All-hallows or All-hallowmas (from Middle English Alholowmesse meaning All Saints' Day) and the night before it, the night of Samhain, began to be called All-hallows Eve and, eventually, Halloween. Even later, in A.D. 1000, the church would make November 2 All Souls' Day, a day to honor the dead. It was celebrated similarly to Samhain, with big bonfires, parades, and dressing up in costumes as saints, angels, and devils. Together, the three celebrations, the eve of All Saints', All Saints', and All Souls', were called Hallowmas.
2007-10-19 15:51:08 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 4⤊ 0⤋
Halloween is simply the night before All Saints Day. Just like Christmas Eve is the night before Christmas.
It is a contraction using an Old English word for Holy (Hallows) which is also used for "saint": Hence, Halloween = Hallows Eve = Saints Eve.
Read this Encyclopedia entry for more info:
http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/01315a.htm
2007-10-19 15:49:25 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
No...it's for little kids to dress-up as scary or cute outfits begging for candy. Only Christians or anyone afraid of fun would consider that something "of the Devil." It was also for the end of harvest for the pagans. Is the Mexican Day of the Dead the work of the Devil as well? Get over yourself...
2007-10-19 15:50:31 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 6⤊ 1⤋
NO!!! it is a christianized form of an ancient celtic celebration of the end of the harvest, and the coming of winter called Samhain. Why would that make it the work of the devil?
2007-10-19 15:47:51 · answer #6 · answered by Diane 4 · 5⤊ 1⤋
No more than Christmas is the work of Santa Claus.
Hallow's Eve is derived from an ancient Wicca celebration of the dead and, as such, deserves a degree of respect due any religious holiday whether or not it is YOUR religion.
2007-10-19 15:52:10 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 1⤋
Yes. Satan invented chocolate. Partake of this "forbidden fruit" and burn eternally.
Of course Halloween isn't the work of the devil ....
2007-10-19 15:51:35 · answer #8 · answered by ◦Delylah◦ 5 · 6⤊ 1⤋
Certainly not. The original holiday (Samhain) is celebrated by those who don't even believe this "devil" people speak of exists. And it certainly doesn't resemble an "evil" holiday- it's our new year and dia de los muertos combined into one.
2007-10-19 15:47:17 · answer #9 · answered by xx. 6 · 6⤊ 1⤋
Research Halloween and where it came from and then you tell me.
2007-10-19 15:52:17 · answer #10 · answered by Jeancommunicates 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
*blinks*
You dress up in costumes and go door to door begging for candy...
how is that the work of the devil?
Christians need to stop freaking out over nothing.
2007-10-19 15:46:42 · answer #11 · answered by Anonymous · 7⤊ 1⤋