Re: Should you allow your kids to celebrate Halloween?

I don't believe in celebrating Halloween. I think it's evil, many celebrate it not really thinking of what it really means. I've never been trick or treating my whole life. Now I'm too old to and I don't care about what I missed out on anyway. I hate that people call it a holiday, holiday means holy day, I wouldn't want to make the mistake of calling something evil a holy day. But many of my friends and family trick or treat and pass out candy, and I still love them, although I don't agree with the celebration of that. When I grow up and have children of my own, I won't let them trick or treat, and I'll tell them exactly why. You can go search the web for the stroy of Halloween and it'll tell you everything, it's not good. However of course, I don't judge those that participate in this event.

Re: Should you allow your kids to celebrate Halloween?

I have to admit that Halloween was always one of my favorite nights of the year. The weather beginning to change, the cold breeze picking up as the sun set and a chance to run around the neighborhood to collect candy. I always thought it was so much fun to dress up. GI Joe was always a personal favorite or mine and How cool was it that I could be snake eyes for one night. My mission was to collect candy from everyone I knew. I certainly never thought I was endorsing the devil by putting on a pathetic Bugs Bunny costume and going up to my neighbors house.
If I dressed up like the devil or a ghostly demon, I could see the problem but a giant crayon? I wasn't even red. To me it was a few hours of fun, imagination and freedom that I look back on with enjoyment.

Re: Should you allow your kids to celebrate Halloween?

Yeah Kelly I don't believe in celebrating Halloween either for its original cause and it must come down to a personal decision on how it affects your relationship with God. Halloween does have its roots in pagan tradition with the Druids, but there are elements of Christmas that have been borrowed from pagan traditions (the tree, the date of Christmas is far from Jesus' birthday, the gifts, or the ornaments) do we dwell on the negative and banish Christmas or do we recreate the holiday for the good and use it to promote Christ.

Re: Should you allow your kids to celebrate Halloween?

we usually choose an alternative- i don't like to support a day that encourages an already overweight nation to gorge themselves until they puke, and celebrate evil. Last year we went but had limits on the amount of candy our daughter could eat when she got home. when we do pass out candy- I try to keep it healthy- hey wouldn't it be cool if we could pass out bibles? Christains can participate without hiding their light! Attach a bible verse to a pack of crackers, or pass out one of those cool cedarcreek invitations.

the next level.....

I strongly dislike the whole Halloween celebration thing, and have some very strong personal convictions on the matter, the problem is, a big Halloween celebration is part of my job....... it is creating a big conflict within..... any input would be appreciated.....

Re: Should you allow your kids to celebrate Halloween?

I really like you idea Barbie. Oh and Doug Master, I don't think that you are doing something evil dressing up like Bugs Bunny for Halloween, I just don't agree with participating in the event, like I said, I won't judge anyone who will. You should go and read about how Halloween was started, and whether you still think that celebrating Halloween is okay, that's your desicion. Just keep in mind that this "holiday" is not Godly. However though, my parent's friends had this one party called "Hallelujah Night", instead of celebrating Halloween, we would go to that party and celebrate Christ, and of course, there was candy for the children. So you could do something else instead of Halloween.

Re: Should you allow your kids to celebrate Halloween?

Change of thought here, yes celebrating Halloween is wrong. But maybe so if you make sure your kids understand why it's wrong, then maybe it would be okay. I wouldn't want my kids to not understand and trick or treat, and certainly not want them to not participate, not understand, and hate my guts for not letting them do it. But maybe if your intentions are right, and your kids are old enough to understand, then maybe so. Just like the disagreement of the catholics baptizing their children as babies, the baby doesn't understand, baptizim is a decision to made by yourself, and you have to be old enough to understand, so maybe you wouldn't want to have your three year old trick or treat, but when old enough to understand, sure, why not?

Re: Should you allow your kids to celebrate Halloween?

Whats the big deal in letting kids have some candy? I ate candy everyday of my life and i am not over weight.

Should we stop celebrating memorial day, and the 4th of july. Many people died for our country to let us live the way we live. Should we look down on them. I now i am to much of a wimp to get shot at.

Re: Should you allow your kids to celebrate Halloween?

Chappy here

My kids trick or treat. They have so much fun doing it. It is awesome to see the smiles on there faces. In reality they really don't eat much of the candy.
We are not celebrating nor do we think its a holiday.

Re: Should you allow your kids to celebrate Halloween?

I agree Chappy, I guess there's really no harm as long as you explain to your children what Halloween is really all about.

Re: Should you allow your kids to celebrate Halloween?

Seriously? This is a question people have? Wow. I never imagined having to take a stance on jack-o-lanterns and popcorn balls. Do people honestly think that good Christian children are somehow duped into satanism by costumes and candy? I am completely at a loss as to how this could in any way effect someone's faith.
Here's something that'll frighten the faint of heart as sure as any 3 foot goblin with a pillowcase : My husband and I were married on halloween. It was so much fun! We wore all orange and black, the best man was a zombie, and we had "just married" carved into pumpkins. Needless to say, I have always loved halloween. And perhaps at some point I will have the chance to share how graciously the Lord has blessed our marrige, evil "holiday" notwithstanding.

Re: Should you allow your kids to celebrate Halloween?

Sorry if I'm being rude, but when are you going to put up a new post Kyle?

Re: Should you allow your kids to celebrate Halloween?

It's coming my friends. Hang in there, stay the course:) I'm buried in my next message in two weeks...30 days to live. Any ideas? Now is your chance. -ha
What would you do if you found out you had one month to live? I'm guessing you would get some things in order...

What would you do if you found out you had one month to live?

I think that we should all be challenged to try it, I'm going to once the message starts. I like a good challenge, it makes me take action.

Re: Should you allow your kids to celebrate Halloween?

If I had one month to live I would probably start doing what I should probably be doing NOW, I would try to settle my problems with people, I would probably cry! And would try to live the rest of my life to its fullest. And I know, I should do all those things now, but it's so hard, when you would know what your time limit was on earth, you'd be a lot more prepared, just like if you knew when Jesus was coming back, we wish we knew, but we have no idea, so we should always be ready.

Re: Should you allow your kids to celebrate Halloween?

I would go sky diving and I would live like I was dying!!

Re: Should you allow your kids to celebrate Halloween?

Halloween is not truly a holiday it is a day that advertisers can make a mint off of costumes and candy, it is is reason for your children to get snockered on Candy. It is more a tradition I would say reguarding your family. I do not believe for one minute that when I take my children out that I am celebrating evil, but I do see many adults partaking in drinking, and wearing little to parties. It is just another reason to get into situations that you would not allow yourself into otherwise, a excuse if you will.!!

Re: Should you allow your kids to celebrate Halloween?

Being a Christian is like being a pumpkin. God lifts you up, takes you in, and washes all the dirt off of you. He opens you up, touches you deep inside and scoops out all the yucky stuff--including the seeds of doubt, hate, greed, etc. Then He carves you a new smiling face and puts His light inside you to shine for all the world to see. Ima Pumpkin, how 'bout you?

Re: Should you allow your kids to celebrate Halloween?

I can't believe that just happened.

Re: Should you allow your kids to celebrate Halloween?

THEN IMA PUMPKIN TOO!!!! That is sweet Ima. Being a Christian is also like being the moon. God made it. It is just a ball of dirt like us. But when the light of the sun (Son) hits it, it reflects light into a dark world. Get it? Man Ima, we are some crafty ones!

Re: Should you allow your kids to celebrate Halloween?

Why, did u get the email, too? Mine came all the way from Las Vegas, how about u?

Re: Should you allow your kids to celebrate Halloween?

That's a very odd way of putting int Ima Pumkin. You are very creative.

Re: Should you allow your kids to celebrate Halloween?

So where does pumpkin pie come from?

Mikek

Idea

Hey Kyle, you should put up a post where people can tell of their testimonies. I have always found that the best way to bring people to Christ was through testimony. Also, testimonies are great faith raisers. Talking about the miracles of God is just so amazing.

Re: Should you allow your kids to celebrate Halloween?

That's a great idea!

Re: Should you allow your kids to celebrate Halloween?

Thanks:)

Re: Should you allow your kids to celebrate Halloween?

I wish I could take credit for the pumpkin thing, I just plagarized an email I received that kept knawing at me to copy it here...WISH I was that talented/inspired! Maybe pumpkin pie is evangelism...God takes the raw material that is US and mixes in some grace (seasonings), bakes us in the fire of tribulations (life) and we become precious food for the (spiritually) hungry. Hey, maybe I'm gettin the hang of this afterall...I'm workin on it anyway.

Re: Should you allow your kids to celebrate Halloween?

So, what are your thoughts on haunted houses?

Re: Should you allow your kids to celebrate Halloween?

Well Ben, my thoughts on haunted houses are that they are really spooky. What about you?

Re: Should you allow your kids to celebrate Halloween?

Too much cheese will do that to me.

Re: Should you allow your kids to celebrate Halloween?

Hey, I am new to this whole thing. What's a testimony? Oh, and I need some deep explaining on the reasons why people are opposed to celebrating Halloween. I never saw the harm, but if these pastors here do, I like to know why.

Re: Should you allow your kids to celebrate Halloween?

Jeremy ~ I believe your testimony is simply telling your story of how you came to faith in Christ...where you were before, what brought about the change and where you are because of it. As far as the Halloween thing, do a Google on "origin of Halloween" or "history of Halloween" and you'll find where all the fuss comes from. It's kind of a lot to type out...I personally have no objections to Halloween. I have neighbors who don't allow their kids to participate in it but let them watch rated R movies and play video games rated M (mature). THAT, to me, is far more detrimental that trick-or-treating. Also, you stated that the pastors here object to it, but I believe Kyle said he's NOT opposed to it and it should be a personal choice.

Re: Should you allow your kids to celebrate Halloween?

I think people object to Halloween because it has roots in paganism. But if you look at the origins of Christmas and Easter and their symbols, they have pagan roots as well. The celebrations of Easter and Christmas were centered around the winter solstice and spring equinox not on actual historical times of the events. The easter egg was chosen because it symbolized our new life in Christ. The Christmas tree since it is evergreen was chosen by pagans and later symbolized eternal life that would come from the baby Jesus. So I don't think the things of Halloween are necessarily bad unless you are worshipping pagan gods or engaging in some pagan ritual where those gods are glorified. Just keep the fun clean and wholesome.

Re: Should you allow your kids to celebrate Halloween?

Well, I looked that up and it seemed to be quite shocking news. But I still think that if you go celebrate Halloween with no wrong intentions, who cares? Some of my best childhood memories were trick or treating. I remember my buddies and I going as the greasers from the movie and the book. "The Outsiders", that was a great movie and book. The best movie of '83 in my opinion. I was about 12 then. My friends and I thought we were so tough, pretending to be greasers. That was the best Halloween that I can remember. It was cool becaue I lived in New York so we just went through apartments. I don't see anything evil about that. Does anyone think that sounds evil?

Re: Should you allow your kids to celebrate Halloween?

I personally do not celebrate Halloween and do not let my kids go trick or treating. I don't judge Christians who do, but I would challenge to think about what they are associating themselves with when they do. I don't think that they are evil or celebrating witchcraft and Satan, but they are associating themselves with people who do. It's kind of like marching with the KKK. We're not racists and we don't believe what they do, but we really do enjoy taking a walk.

Re: Should you allow your kids to celebrate Halloween?

Truthfully there is nothing evil in act trick or treating itself...the origins are bothersome and some of the customs are not tasteful, but at the end of the day....MOST people get hung up on stuff like Halloween to make a statement. The truth is, if we (Christ Followers) were to spend the same amount of time focusing on something more productive; like how we ourselves act and live our everyday lives; there would be no need to even discuss Halloween. The truth is that it is much easier to focus on the external things right! Why don’t we try making a statement about our faith by sharing it…so how many people have your invited to church recently? Let's stop making statements by what we don't do and try making a statement by something we do do!!

Re: Should you allow your kids to celebrate Halloween?

U r so lucky u were born in '74 Kyle, u r sooooo young. I was born in '62. Oh, and the by the way, I don't celebrate halloween, I think it's wrong, but that's just my opinion:)

Re: Should you allow your kids to celebrate Halloween?

It is all in your perspective. Do you tell your children Halloween is a Pagan holiday? Or do you spend quality time laughing at the funny costumes and decorations? Is this the only time in the entire year that you will interact with your neighbors and their children? What a great opportunity to share your faith with other parents who are out with their children. Invite someone to a service or a small group gathering or even to lunch...like the other symbols used at other holidays the origins of Halloween are lost on most people. So make the most of your opportunity to be light to a world in darkness...even on the scariest night?? of the year!

Re: Should you allow your kids to celebrate Halloween?

Great comment Daisy! Everyone has the right to form their own opinion...let's not use Halloween as a "dividing" tool. I allow my children to participate in trick or treating. Halloween is the perfect time to meet neighbors with their children...an earlier post suggested taping an invite card to a piece of candy - AWESOME IDEA!!!

Re: Should you allow your kids to celebrate Halloween?

Soon after I deceided to follow Jesus I took my kids once trick or treating, they were 1 & 3. I was convicted soon after not to trick or treat again. I justified in my mind why it was just for fun and getting free candy for my kids and dressing up. I was lead to go to the public library and see what the orgins of what All Hallows Eve was really about. Interestingly enough it is basically an evil holiday the Catholic church tried to christianize. I was amazed at what the orgins of apple bobbing, jack-o-lantrns, and other icons of Halloween were. I was amazed at my research in the secular area and not the church arena, and how the world openly says evil. Also why let your precious children take candy from stranger? Especially in this day and age and with all the professional folks, those nice looking (sheeps in wolves clothing type) middleclass Americans, involved in witchcraft and satanism? It was my conviction not to partake in this holiday. I find the scripture that states woe unto you to take something evil and call it good. Isaiah 5: 20. which was really my conviction. That was and is my conviction for over 25 years. I do not condem those that do. Like Paul says for some can eat meat and others are convicted not to. We really are under a lot of grace, so go a head and celebrate if not convicted. I think that is where it is at. Do we heed what Father God asks us to do or not to do? I choose not to eat meat because of my conviction. Does not make me any better or holier than kyle's choice. I will say that I always gave my kids an alternative. We would go bowling, play board games and I would buy them candy. I even organized a fall festivle at my church, with a "festivle of booths". Teaching them jewish fall holidays instead! Kids played games that taught them about the armor of God etc. This year my grandkids wonder why I do not celebrate the holiday. (sad to say my children's spouses celebrate) I still have the same conviction. I love Jesus so much I must deny myself pick up the cross and follow him (Matthew) where he leads me. thos none go with me still I will follow. I have to to trust and obey him in all things, and it is not always easy. He might lead you somewhere else.

30 days to live?

I would move in with my in-laws... longest 30 days of my life!!

Re: Should you allow your kids to celebrate Halloween?

I would like to submit this essay for comment. It has changed my view on Halloween.
Open Book Newsletter
Concerning Halloween
by James B. Jordan
August, 1996

OPEN BOOK, Views & Reviews, No. 28
Copyright (c) 1996 Biblical Horizons
August, 1996

It has become routine in October for some Christian schools to send out letters warning parents about the evils of Halloween, and it has become equally routine for me to be asked questions about this matter.

"Halloween" is simply a contraction for All Hallows’ Eve. The word "hallow" means "saint," in that "hallow" is just an alternative form of the word "holy" ("hallowed be Thy name"). All Saints’ Day is November 1. It is the celebration of the victory of the saints in union with Christ. The observance of various celebrations of All Saints arose in the late 300s, and these were united and fixed on November 1 in the late 700s. The origin of All Saints Day and of All Saints Eve in Mediterranean Christianity had nothing to do with Celtic Druidism or the Church’s fight against Druidism (assuming there ever even was any such thing as Druidism, which is actually a myth concocted in the 19th century by neo-pagans.)

In the First Covenant, the war between God’s people and God’s enemies was fought on the human level against Egyptians, Assyrians, etc. With the coming of the New Covenant, however, we are told that our primary battle is against principalities and powers, against fallen angels who bind the hearts and minds of men in ignorance and fear. We are assured that through faith, prayer, and obedience, the saints will be victorious in our battle against these demonic forces. The Spirit assures us: "The God of peace will crush Satan under your feet shortly" (Romans 16:20).

The Festival of All Saints reminds us that though Jesus has finished His work, we have not finished ours. He has struck the decisive blow, but we have the privilege of working in the mopping up operation. Thus, century by century the Christian faith has rolled back the demonic realm of ignorance, fear, and superstition. Though things look bad in the Western world today, this work continues to make progress in Asia and Africa and Latin America.

The Biblical day begins in the preceding evening, and thus in the Church calendar, the eve of a day is the actual beginning of the festive day. Christmas Eve is most familiar to us, but there is also the Vigil of Holy Saturday that precedes Easter Morn. Similarly, All Saints’ Eve precedes All Saints’ Day.

The concept, as dramatized in Christian custom, is quite simple: On October 31, the demonic realm tries one last time to achieve victory, but is banished by the joy of the Kingdom.

What is the means by which the demonic realm is vanquished? In a word: mockery. Satan’s great sin (and our great sin) is pride. Thus, to drive Satan from us we ridicule him. This is why the custom arose of portraying Satan in a ridiculous red suit with horns and a tail. Nobody thinks the devil really looks like this; the Bible teaches that he is the fallen Arch-Cherub. Rather, the idea is to ridicule him because he has lost the battle with Jesus and he no longer has power over us.

(The tradition of mocking Satan and defeating him through joy and laughter plays a large role in Ray Bradbury’s classic novel, Something Wicked This Way Comes, which is a Halloween novel.)

The gargoyles that were placed on the churches of old had the same meaning. They symbolized the Church ridiculing the enemy. They stick out their tongues and make faces at those who would assault the Church. Gargoyles are not demonic; they are believers ridiculing the defeated demonic army.

Thus, the defeat of evil and of demonic powers is associated with Halloween. For this reason, Martin Luther posted his 95 challenges to the wicked practices of the Church to the bulletin board on the door of the Wittenberg chapel on Halloween. He picked his day with care, and ever since Halloween has also been Reformation Day.

Similarly, on All Hallows’ Eve (Hallow-Even – Hallow-E’en – Halloween), the custom arose of mocking the demonic realm by dressing children in costumes. Because the power of Satan has been broken once and for all, our children can mock him by dressing up like ghosts, goblins, and witches. The fact that we can dress our children this way shows our supreme confidence in the utter defeat of Satan by Jesus Christ – we have NO FEAR!

I don’t have the resources to check the historical origins of all Halloween customs, and doubtless they have varied from time to time and from Christian land to Christian land. "Trick or treat" doubtless originated simply enough: something fun for kids to do. Like anything else, this custom can be perverted, and there have been times when "tricking" involved really mean actions by teenagers and was banned from some localities.

We can hardly object, however, to children collecting candy from friends and neighbors. This might not mean much to us today, because we are so prosperous that we have candy whenever we want, but in earlier generations people were not so well o_, and obtaining some candy or other treats was something special. There is no reason to pour cold water on an innocent custom like this.

Similarly, the jack-o’-lantern’s origins are unknown. Hollowing out a gourd or some other vegetable, carving a face, and putting a lamp inside of it is something that no doubt has occurred quite independently to tens of thousands of ordinary people in hundreds of cultures worldwide over the centuries. Since people lit their homes with candles, decorating the candles and the candle-holders was a routine part of life designed to make the home pretty or interesting. Potatoes, turnips, beets, and any number of other items were used.

Wynn Parks writes of an incident he observed: "An English friend had managed to remove the skin of a tangerine in two intact halves. After carving eyes and nose in one hemisphere and a mouth in the other, he poured cooking oil over the pith sticking up in the lower half and lit the readymade wick. With its upper half on, the tangerine skin formed a miniature jack-o’-lantern. But my friend seemed puzzled that I should call it by that name. `What would I call it? Why a "tangerine head," I suppose.’" (Parks, "The Head of the Dead," The World & I, November 1994, p. 270.)

In the New World, people soon learned that pumpkins were admirably suited for this purpose. The jack-o’-lantern is nothing but a decoration; and the leftover pumpkin can be scraped again, roasted, and turned into pies and muffins.

In some cultures, what we call a jack-o’-lantern represented the face of a dead person, whose soul continued to have a presence in the fruit or vegetable used. But this has no particular relevance to Halloween customs. Did your mother tell you, while she carved the pumpkin, that this represented the head of a dead person and with his soul trapped inside? Of course not. Symbols and decorations, like words, mean different things in different cultures, in different languages, and in different periods of history. The only relevant question is what does it mean now, and nowadays it is only a decoration.

And even if some earlier generations did associate the jack-o’-lantern with a soul in a head, so what? They did not take it seriously. It was just part of the joking mockery of heathendom by Christian people.

This is a good place to note that many articles in books, magazines, and encyclopedias are written by secular humanists or even the pop-pagans of the so-called "New Age" movement. (An example is the article by Wynn Parks cited above.) These people actively suppress the Christian associations of historic customs, and try to magnify the pagan associations. They do this to try and make paganism acceptable and to downplay Christianity. Thus, Halloween, Christmas, Easter, etc., are said to have pagan origins. Not true.

Oddly, some fundamentalists have been influenced by these slanted views of history. These fundamentalists do not accept the humanist and pagan rewriting of Western history, American history, and science, but sometimes they do accept the humanist and pagan rewriting of the origins of Halloween and Christmas, the Christmas tree, etc. We can hope that in time these brethren will reexamine these matters as well. We ought not to let the pagans do our thinking for us.

Nowadays, children often dress up as superheroes, and the original Christian meaning of Halloween has been absorbed into popular culture. Also, with the present fad of "designer paganism" in the so-called New Age movement, some Christians are uneasy with dressing their children as spooks. So be it. But we should not forget that originally Halloween was a Christian custom, and there is no solid reason why Christians cannot enjoy it as such even today.

"He who sits in the heavens laughs; Yahweh ridicules them" says Psalm 2. Let us join in His holy laughter, and mock the enemies of Christ on October 31.



Copyright © James B. Jordan 1989 - 2007

Re: Should you allow your kids to celebrate Halloween?

I believe that your point, Kyle, is very valid. Growing up in a very convicted and strong Christian home, I was aloud to go out and get a year's supply of free candy and have friends over with EVER mentioning a celebration of any kind of Holiday. Costumes are fun, I must say I wore my 12 yr old power ranger costume at the age of 17 and I prolly should've been arrested. But point being that conforming to fit in to the secular world and avoid ridicule is wrong, but to take part in something fun while avoiding the evil no matter how drastically you put the "holiday" meaning, is not a sin nor crime. I like Halloween and I love the Lord and he loves my Mario costume.