Halloween

No, we don't. All of our neighbors do though, and my kids hated it. They did think their two friends were cute (they were dressed up pretty) but we usually stay indoors and away from stores that display all that gross stuff. It really scares my kids. I won't say it's what it was originally based on is what turns me away, because I've heard numerous stories about it, but dressing up like dead people and stuff is just wrong and icky. Creepy. I was thoroughly disgusted when a friend proudly pulled out her 4 year old's costume and insisted I see her in it. It was a grotesque witch costume, and it looked to real. That poor little girl. She asked me what I thought and I lost my temper. She didn't quit celebrating Halloween, but she did go and buy an angel costume instead.
Every Halloween I just get the creepiest feeling. It's like you can feel the evil in the air. Yuck!
Gina

 

I try to be consistant. What is so biblical as to how we practice Christmas or Easter ? ( Santa Claus, Flying Raindeer, elfs, Christmas Trees, Easter bunnies, eggs, ect....) I tell my kids the truth about the holidays, and if they wish to have fun with the worlds traditions such as Santa or the Easter bunny, I let them, because they know the truth, and I do not cater to those traditions. As for Holloween, I do the same. I explain the whole thing to them, and they have fun doing it. If there is an event on the same night that I can take them, I will. But I do not leave them home while they watch all the other kids having what is really honest and clean fun.

 

Hello to all,

We don't do Halloween either but it is a big thing here. It is celebrated like Christmas people put lights on their houses (orange or course) and decorate their yards like you would not believe.

Our church has something for the kids they call it a "harvest fest" but I don't agree with that at all. The reason why is I feel like we are just making a non-Christian holiday and making it Christian. The kids dress up in Biblical costumes and play games and they give out candy and it is always on the Saturday before Halloween or the actual day if it falls on the Saturday.

We stay home and give out the candy to the kids in the neighborhood (and there are lots of them) and we give tracts with the candy.

I suppose since my husband is a deacon I should support the church but I think someday I should probably have a good long talk with the pastor about this subject and before Halloween time.

But I think it is a good idea to reach out to those who come to our home and hand them a gift...the gift of salvation to receive the Savior!!!!

God bless.
Cyndi

 

We don't make a big issue of halloween. My sister's daughter came home from school one day telling her mom that another kid said halloween was the "devil's day". I thought the way my sister handled this was very good, she told her daughter that EVERYDAY is God's day but some people try to make certain days evil or bad.

Personally, I don't think christians should lock themselves in their houses and exclude the outside world on this holiday....why let evil take over? Give satan a run for his money, I like church alternitives or handing out tracks with candy (all great ideas)there is enough wackos out there handing out only God knows what in candy or other things to children during this time so try to make it safer for the children and here's a suggestion...dress up like Jesus or a biblical character and before you hand out the candy have the kids guess who you are

Something our church does is during the trick or treat nights we have prayer meetings and specifically pray for safety in the streets for the kids going out that night. -dar

btw...santa is real who are you kiddin? HEHEH

 

We let our kids dress up in decent costumes and go get candy. It is fun and we enjoy it. We do not decorate our house or celebrate the holiday in any other way. We talk about it with our kids and even pray about it with them. They see it as fun, not evil. Don't be legalistic just to look like a Christian, you are in the world, just don't be of the world. BTW, we home school as well.

 

No, our church doesn't have an alternative, but if they did I would probably go. As far as what Baptist Mom said about not turning a pagan holiday into a Christian one, I disagree. I'm all for taking something evil and turning it around. Who knows, maybe Harvest Fest will take over Halloween and we won't have to worry about it anymore! And now, in this oh-so-poitically-correct country, it wouldn't be so hard to convince people of a kinder, gentler alternative to a violence promoting holiday!
Gina

 

I tell my children the truth as to what started this day and and then use this day as a witnessing oportunity, we take a peice of candy and staple it to a track and as the kids come to the door we witness to them. Last year I won 13 children to the Lord.
Paula

 

It is interesting to see that many people do not like the idea of turning a "pagan" holiday into a "Christian" holiday. A brief history of Christian holiday's if you will. Incidentally, whether you consider yourself a Baptist, Protestant or both, we have to thank the Catholic Church for giving us these Christian Holiday’s. (Remember, the Catholic Church wasn’t always bad. )

Christmas:
Began as various pagan holidays. Celebration of the winter solstice.

Examples:
The Norse people celebrated with a Yule Log. The Yule log was a Large evergreen that was put into the middle of the long room and was pushed through the fire as the days went by. It usually lasted around… 12 days… During the evening, the Norse god Thor would come and snatch away any children who were out after dark. Evergreen trees and holly were the most important symbols of Yule and are still with us today.(1)

The Church in the Roman Empire chose December 25 to celebrate the birth of Christ in direct opposition to the Pagan Roman holiday, Saturnalia, which celebrated the sun god.(2)


Easter:
Celebration of Spring Equinox.

Example:
Pagans celebrated the dawn of spring by honoring Ostara (as she was known to the Germanic tribes of continental Europe), or Eostre (as she was known to the Anglo-Saxons of present-day England). Appropriately enough, Ostara was the Goddess of both dawn and springtime. Spring Equinox is a time of renewal and rebirth. Winter finally releases its hold on the land, and Ostara, Goddess of the Dawn, steps in to wake up the earth again.

Easter eggs… A pagan god fell for the lovely Ostara. He took the form of a hare and left brightly colored eggs by her door each morning to woo her. (3)

Halloween:
Harvest Festivals, Autumnal Equinox, Samhain

example:
Samhain, or similar holidays in different areas, was a pagan holiday celebrating the end of the harvest, the beginning of winter, and death. Just as crops live and then die, just as the sun rules for a long time and then "dies" until it shines for only a short time during the day, so all humans and animals eventually die. One of the common pagan beliefs was that the spirits of those who died during the previous year could not go to their "final resting place" until they were properly prepared with possessions, wealth, food, and drink (either for themselves or to pay the god who ruled the next world). Until then, their spirits wandered where they had lived and died. A common Samhain tradition was to placate the spirits and send them off on a one-way trip to the nether world by "treating" them. If a spirit was not "treated" well, it would "trick," or haunt, those who had neglected preparing it for leaving this world. (2)


Christian Origin:
"Halloween" is a contracted form of "Holy Evening" and refers to the evening before All Saints Day (November 1), when Christians traditionally remember believers of other times who are especially good role models of faith, and many of whom were persecuted, tortured, and/or died rather than renounce Christ. The Christian Church long kept the Jewish custom of marking a holiday (contracted form of "holy day") for the twenty-four hours beginning with sundown and ending with sundown the following day. That is why even today Christmas Eve is almost as special as Christmas Day; and in eastern orthodox churches, the resurrection (Easter) is first celebrated on Easter Saturday at sundown. Another tradition the Church inherited from its first century Jewish roots was to divide each year into commemorative events, doctrinal remembrances, holidays or seasons so that, throughout the calendar year, the history of God’s blessings would be recounted. This is called the "Church year" or "Church calendar." It took many centuries before most of the dates were standardized throughout most of the Church. Some Protestant churches today do not follow a church calendar except for Christmas, Easter, and perhaps Pentecost (which is also a Jewish holiday, with a different significance). (2)

One of the biblical inspirations for honoring believers of past times and thanking God for their service in His Name comes from Hebrews 11:1-40. The writer of Hebrews encourages us that our faith is completely trustworthy because it is faith in God, who has proven His character and power so many times in the past in the lives of others that we can be confident that He will accomplish whatever He has promised for the future. From this grew the idea of picking a special day during the church year on which to honor believers who were good role models of faith. (2)


Whether you choose to participate in Halloween is entirely up to you. Remember that many of the customs you use in all your holidays, Easter Eggs, Christmas trees, etc, all have their origin in the Pagan world. If you choose to celebrate holidays, the choice is whether to honor God in your celebration or honor the world.

Dave

(1) History Channel, History of Christmas
(2) What about Halloween?: http://www.equip.org/free/DH011.htm
(3) Pagan origins of Easter: ]http://paganwiccan.about.com/library/weekly/aa031001a.htm

[ July 11, 2001: Message edited by: Dajuid ]

 

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Dajuid:

Christian Origin:
"Halloween" is a contracted form of "Holy Evening" and refers to the evening before All Saints Day (November 1), when Christians traditionally remember believers of other times who are especially good role models of faith, and many of whom were persecuted, tortured, and/or died rather than renounce Christ. ...
One of the biblical inspirations for honoring believers of past times and thanking God for their service in His Name comes from Hebrews 11:1-40. The writer of Hebrews encourages us that our faith is completely trustworthy because it is faith in God, who has proven His character and power ...From this grew the idea of picking a special day during the church year on which to honor believers who were good role models of faith. (2)
Dave
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Dajuid,
Great post. My church does alternative parties. But I also admire the custom of non-Baptist churches to commemmorate All Saints
Day, Nov. 1, and All Souls Day, Nov. 2. They read a list of people in that local church who have died in the past year and thank God for their lives, as well as remember the lives of some Christians in past years.
This is in tune with Hebrews 11.
Sometimes, transformation is better than avoidance.

Karen

 

Paula, See that is what it's about...Good for ya'll that you were able to lead 13 kids to Jesus!!!!!! WOW I bet satan was angry, hehehe go paula ...go paula...go paula

-dar

 

Dar,
Thank so much, you put a smile on my face Paula

 

Karen said:

But I also admire the custom of non-Baptist churches to commemmorate All Saints
Day, Nov. 1, and All Souls Day, Nov. 2. . . . Sometimes, transformation is better than avoidance.

Speaking of which, don't forget that October 31 is also Reformation Day, the anniversary of the day in 1517 that Martin Luther first nailed it to the Church with his 95 Theses.

Another reason to celebrate Oct. 31 somehow.

 

Paula...gee golly gosh &lt;shy look&gt; I love putting smiles on people's faces -dar

 

Ah, Halloween. What a topic.

I don't know where to start with this "holiday": you either love it or you hate it. You either glorify God by having good clean fun wearing scary costumes, or you glorify God by staying away from this kind of edgy stuff.

I can't deny it. I'm a disciple of God and I love Halloween. It is an unusual event where you can allow yourself to go in disguise. I don't go trick or treating anymore, but I do love the haunted houses, ghoulish costumed celebrations (minus the sex, alcohol, and drugs), and horror movies.
It's harmless stuff.

I will say this though: if you don't "celebrate" Halloween, you should not celebrate Easter or Christmas. All of them are just pagan holidays dressed up in costumes. Accept 'em all or reject 'em all. There is no inbetween.

May the Lord be with you...always!

 

I tell my children the truth about helloween. (Not mispelled). We use that day as an opportunity to witness to others by handing out halloween tracts for thier parents to read to them. They serve as an easy way to show them the truth also.

 

Hi,
We have avoided decorating for Halloween for quite a few years. Somehow the little children don't stop comming to the door for candy. So we have always given candy. This year my daughter suggested that we staple Bible verses on our candy (along with the name and address of our church). I did not know that people did that until I read it here today. I thought that it was a good idea and it was/is our plan. As we must live within the world I think that it is best for us to try to influence it (the world) toward the Good Lord.
That is just my two cents worth.
Rosa

 

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>
You either glorify God by having good clean fun wearing scary costumes, or you glorify God by staying away from this kind of edgy stuff.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Perhaps the best statement I have heard regarding Halloween. I think that there are two separate but related issues here. Secular (or Pagan, if you like) rooted events and believers glorifying God in all that we do.

Halloween, Christmas, Easter (or "Ishtar" for my Landmark brothren/sistren), New Years Day, The beginning of Spring/Fall, etc.... all have roots in pagan celebration. And if we recognize that things either glorify God or not, then all secular events should be considered pagan. Then we should add Super Bowl Sunday, March Madness, The World Series (as if anyone actually watches MLB anymore), the marathon that is the NBA playoffs, high school football, college football, and so on.

With no disrespect toward Dr. Thomas Cassidy (a man that I have grown to love from having corresponded with him on the old KJV BBS), there are even folks out there who will not allow recorded music to be played to accompany a featured singer or group in their church due to the chance that the session musicians involved in the production of the tape were pagans.

What I think we, and by "we" I am referring to all of those who see the Word as the inerrant, infallible Word of God and seek to line up with the teachings therein, sometimes end up creating boundaries for God that He did not implement.

To mangle a phrase from that old heathen, John Lennon, Imagine what would happen to our churches, and to the Kingdom by extension, if all of us focused on glorifying God in all that we think and do rather than acting as though Romans 8:1 was not really intended for us.

So what do I with regard to Halloween? Well, I think, here is an evening that children all over the neighborhood are practicing the "lost" art of joyful living and are actually excited to come to my door. Hmmm...how can I use this to the glorify God? Shall I turn out my lights and try to act unapproachable? Shall I gather with my fellow believers in our church building and "pull up the drawbridge"? Or how about actually mingling with the lost and letting my light so shine among them?

Never forget that we are aliens in this land and are to live as ambassadors for Christ. There will be plenty of time in eternity for complete separation from the interaction of everything pagan.

If I read Matthew 16 properly, I understand that Hades itself is powerless against the advance of the church. If we truly believe this, then let's get out there and start kicking the gates in...and we just might find how joyful this can be.

BTW, if you come to my house this year, you will likely get an assortment of Reece's and Hershey's products along with a hearty smile and an invitation to an early December open house/breakfast. Y'all come and make sure to bring your lost friends with you.