The Scribe's Portion

Should Christians Celebrate Halloween?

October 30, 2017 4 Comments

Since tomorrow is Halloween I decided to do some research and write a little about the origins and symbols of this holiday. I also wanted to pose the question, “Should Christians celebrate Halloween?” This may seem like a no-brainer to the average Christian, but more and more, the church is embracing the world and /or watering down and sugar-coating the truth so as to not offend anyone. Something that is becoming more prevalent in American churches is the “fall festival/harvest” which is just a synonym for Halloween. It does not matter that kids are not in costume, the mere fact that an activity is done in place of, is enough to partake in it. Hence, I felt compelled to touch upon this topic and pray that believers may come to the light and stop offending God. 

This is what I found out about Halloween… check it out. 

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What Does the Bible Say?

Halloween is a holiday of death not just because of the costumes, macabre theme or movies but because of its meaning (more on that later). Jesus came to give LIFE, God is LIFE, so a holiday that celebrates death comes into complete opposition to everything that we as Christians believe. 

Very, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life. John 5:24 (ESV) 

Halloween is also a pagan holiday, to participate in anything even remotely similar to it is to worship idols. The unfaithful Israelites in the Sinai have a lot more in common with modern Christianity than most would want to believe. 

…take heed to yourself that you are not ensnared to follow them, after they are destroyed from before you, and that you do not inquire after their gods, saying, ‘How did these nations serve their gods? I also will do likewise.’ You shall not worship the Lord your God in that way; for every abomination to the Lord which He hates they have done to their gods; for they burn even their sons and daughters in the fire to their gods. Deuteronomy 12:30-31 (NKJV)

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How Did Halloween Originate and What’s With all These Symbols?

Halloween comes from the phrase “All Hallows Eve” which was a holiday celebrated by the Celtic druids of Ireland, Scotland, Britain, France, and Germany. It was observed to celebrate the end of summer and in honor of their lord of death, Samhain. This took place for two days, October 31-November 1. They believed that Samhain would come visit them along with the spirits of the dead, looking for bodies to possess. To appease the god Samhain, Druid priests would go from house to house asking the people for animals, crops, or humans (children or adults) to sacrifice. Those who provided a sacrifice were promised prosperity for the incoming year but those who didn’t were cursed, hence the phrase, “trick or treat.”

Rather, that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice they sacrifice to demons and not to God, and I do not want you to have fellowship with demons. You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons; you cannot partake of the Lord’s table and of the table of demons. 1 Corinthians 10:20-21 (NKJV)

The druids would also sometimes leave treats outside their homes to ward off the spirits. They would then offer the sacrifices over a bonfire. 

halloween

Bonfire comes from the words “bone fire” referring to the ashes and bones left from the sacrifices

Celtics believed that the spirits did not like the light, so they carried lanterns made from turnips lit with coals from the bonfire to ward them off. When Halloween was adopted in America, people made these lanterns out of pumpkins, hence the Jack-o-lantern. 

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Halloween was considered the best day for divinations: marriage, luck, health, and death. A traditional divination game played during this celebration was bobbing for apples. Unmarried men and women would participate in this game, the first person to bite an apple was predicted to be the first to marry in the coming year. 

 Give no regard to mediums and familiar spirits; do not seek after them, to be defiled by them: I am the Lord your God. Leviticus 19:3 (NKJV)

There shall not be found among you anyone who makes his son or his daughter pass through the fire, or one who practices witchcraft, or a soothsayer, or one who interprets omens, or a sorcerer, or one who conjures spells, or a medium, or a spiritist, or one who calls up the dead. For all who do these things are an abomination to the Lord, and because of these abominations the Lord your God drives them out from before you. Deuteronomy 18:10-12 (NKJV)

The Druids would dress up in animal costumes to confuse the spirits and avoid being possessed by them

They also wore masks to absorb the power of the animal they represented in their costume. 

In the 800s AD, the Roman Catholic Church “Christianized” Halloween to commemorate the saints. The Catholic Church often adopted pagan holidays and traditions, modifying them to make converts, Halloween was one of these. When the Pilgrims came to America, they banned Halloween, knowing that the roots were pagan. However, in the 1800s, with the influx of Irish immigrants to America due to the potato famine, they brought Halloween back

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Should Christians Celebrate Halloween? 

The short answer is NO! But of course that is up to each one. The real question is, “Does Halloween glorify God?” Absolutely not. There are no gray areas in Halloween and if you think there are, you are only deceiving yourself. So no, I don’t believe Christians should be partaking in this Satanic holiday, no matter how sugarcoated they have made it to be. I don’t believe God approves of His children taking part in a holiday that devil worshippers use to sacrifice babies and animals and neither should we.

Help me spread the word about Halloween by sharing this post with family and friends. Continue seeking the Truth, and do not be swayed by paganism and doctrines of demons. May the LORD keep you and bless you.

Check out my other articles on pagan holidays! 

Should Christians Celebrate Halloween?

Evelyn Fonseca

Christian millennial, writer, editor, introvert, lover of languages, and full-time bibliophile. My mission is to tell the whole world about the love of Christ and that apart from Him there is no hope.

4 Comments

  1. Reply

    Cindy

    October 2, 2018

    Excellent post! Love the detail on the origins. Thanks for researching this and writing it. I pray that many minds will be changed to follow the Scripture instead of participating in this evil activity.

    • Reply

      Evelyn Fonseca

      October 3, 2018

      Amen! To God be the glory.

  2. Reply

    shanique

    November 5, 2017

    How easily we as Christians can fall prey to participating in worldly customs without taking into account their origins. Personally I don’t celebrate Halloween as I believe its a pagan custom and to which we as Christians shouldn’t be apart of. On a side note, I love your website!. I have nominated you for the Blogger Recognition Award.

    Shanique|www.rocksolidfaith.ca

    • Reply

      Evelyn Fonseca

      November 5, 2017

      Yes! This is why it’s so important to seek truth through prayer and the Word instead of going with the crowd.

      Thank you Shanique! Once again, I’m honored!

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