HALLOWEEN!

Halloween is just a couple of months away. I thought I would ask how the forum feels about Christians participating in this event. Regardless of the origins of Halloween, the more pressing question for today’s Christians is this: What does Halloween look like in our current culture, and how should we respond to it? Maybe it is just ME, maybe it is just being convicted or growing in Biblical knowledge but when I was growing up at home, my parents never questioned if we “should” celebrate the event–there was never a belief that what we were doing was evil or unbiblical. After I matured, got married and had kids, I was challenged by many Christians who thought Halloween should be ignored.

The two Christian schools that my children attended treated October 31 as any other day, and encouraged parents to study the history of Halloween, which I did = conviction! In my own neighborhood, some families decorate with cheerful pumpkins, lights, and scarecrows—evoking a harvest theme. Others, however, create disturbing, grotesque displays that glorify death, horror, and darkness and evil spirits and demons. I am very disturbed to see more and more local churches participating in Trunk or Treet and Fall Festivals on Oct 31 st. Is this a problem for YOU or do you think it is acceptable for Christians to be involved in death, demons, vampires and so on?????

I have to be honest as a boy I went trick or treating with my siblings and the neighborhood kids every October 31st until the end of my 12th year.

We usually started about 530pm-6pm and came home about 9pm. Our parents would let us enjoy some candy but then put them in a large jar in the kitchen cupboard.

I remember my parents bought me a costume which I never liked, Fred Flintstone! 😠!!!

After Halloween night we seemed to forget about it and still went to Church on Sunday, attending children's Sunday school.

This was during the early 1960s through 1969. During that time my parents weren't schooled by the Church on the culture, history or cult of Halloween.

I recently asked my Dad who is 89 about Halloween. He doesn't remember why the Church (Chapel on military bases) never brought it up but he may have been more open to understanding the history and cult, leading to possible worship and seances.

God bless everyone.

Bob
 
We see it as exposing the darkness of that day to the light of Christ
Do "YOU" believe that or is that the position your church has told you to support.

Allow me to say to you that the 1st year I pastored a church, the leaders of the church insisted that we continue do a alternative to halloween. They proposed a Fall Festival.

I wanted to be liked and I wanted to not cause problems so that everyone would be happy so I went along.

We opened the doors to the fellowship hall, served hotdogs, apple dippings, games and so on from 6 to 9 PM that night.
Here is the problem.......about 200 kids came with their parents for about 15 minutes. Long enough to get a free hot dog and a Pepsi.
However, ALL of the kids came dressed as demons, ghosts, pirates etc. In other words, they went out to collect candy from the neighborhood and stopped at the church for supper dressed in halloween garb! Is that an alternative or is it inviting Satan into the church????

That was the LAST time we did that. Did some people get angry. Yes. Did I care....NO!

That was the last time for the next 50 years that I compromised with the world with the Church.
 
so to understand you right christmas plays should not be allowed in Church...i wonder where in scripture does it tell us to avoid the Birth of Christ,,,how about christmas hymns ?
For me.....plays that depict the Birth of Jesus, Manger plays and the Biblical birth of Jessus is acceptable.

NO where in Scripture does it tell us to avoid the birth of Christ or not to celebrate it.

Also, NO WHERE in the Scriptures do they say that Evergreen Trees are to be linked to the Birth of Jesus.

What "I" said was Christmas Trees should not be allowed in a Church. Christmas Trees are rooted in the ancient Pagan Druid religion.

The Druids and several other PAGAN societies decorated with evergreen trees symbolizes eternal life, a practice originating from various Pagan cultures. Mistletoe and holly also hold significance, as they are associated with fertility and protection by the Druids and other ancient groups.
 
Do "YOU" believe that or is that the position your church has told you to support.

Allow me to say to you that the 1st year I pastored a church, the leaders of the church insisted that we continue do a alternative to halloween. They proposed a Fall Festival.

I wanted to be liked and I wanted to not cause problems so that everyone would be happy so I went along.

We opened the doors to the fellowship hall, served hotdogs, apple dippings, games and so on from 6 to 9 PM that night.
Here is the problem.......about 200 kids came with their parents for about 15 minutes. Long enough to get a free hot dog and a Pepsi.
However, ALL of the kids came dressed as demons, ghosts, pirates etc. In other words, they went out to collect candy from the neighborhood and stopped at the church for supper dressed in halloween garb! Is that an alternative or is it inviting Satan into the church????

That was the LAST time we did that. Did some people get angry. Yes. Did I care....NO!

That was the last time for the next 50 years that I compromised with the world with the Church.
I understand your concern, and see this as Christian liberty and charity towards each other, as if you are persuaded to not do anything on that night that would be acceptable, but if our church decided to have a witness and testimony to the Lord Jesus on that night, and having been persuaded, that would be acceptable to God also
 
I understand your concern, and see this as Christian liberty and charity towards each other, as if you are persuaded to not do anything on that night that would be acceptable, but if our church decided to have a witness and testimony to the Lord Jesus on that night, and having been persuaded, that would be acceptable to God also
I absolutly agree to that. What you do is what you choose to do and I am not challenging that in any way.

Christian liberty???? Maybe and maybe not.
How MUCH freedom or liberty does the Christian actually have is the question. What does God say 1 Corinthians 10 where Paul says in verses 23-26,
“All things are lawful,” but not all things are helpful. “All things are lawful,” but not all things build up.” Let no one seek his own good, but the good of his neighbor. Eat whatever is sold in the meat market without raising any question on the ground of conscience. For “the earth is the Lord’s, and the fullness thereof.”

As ambassadors of Christ (2 Corinthians 5:20), how we live reflects on who we claim to believe in.

All I am saying is that If you encourage and/or permit your children to dress up like Jason Voorhees and carry a fake knife and they pretend to kill people with, or dress up as a ghost or a demonic demon......this might not hit the right note you’re going for if you’re trying to model Christian values for your family and those around you.

To me, Having a worship service or singing is also acceptable to me.

I am just saying that in light of Scripture that condemns activity associated with Satanic activity, darkness, death, demons, we as believers should be able to take a stand against such Occult activities!

What I said, and what I am talking about is the process of trying to assimilate the halloween event INTO a church event simply to try and replace something with something else in which the something should not be recognized in the 1st place.
 
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For me.....plays that depict the Birth of Jesus, Manger plays and the Biblical birth of Jessus is acceptable. NO where in Scripture does it tell us to avoid the birth of Christ or not to celebrate it. Also, NO WHERE in the Scriptures do they say that Evergreen Trees are to be linked to the Birth of Jesus. What "I" said was Christmas Trees should not be allowed in a Church. Christmas Trees are rooted in the ancient Pagan Druid religion. The Druids and several other PAGAN societies decorated with evergreen trees symbolizes eternal life, a practice originating from various Pagan cultures. Mistletoe and holly also hold significance, as they are associated with fertility and protection by the Druids and other ancient groups.
I understand your concern, and see this as Christian liberty and charity towards each other, as if you are persuaded to not do anything on that night that would be acceptable, but if our church decided to have a witness and testimony to the Lord Jesus on that night, and having been persuaded, that would be acceptable to God also

Good morning, Major and YeshuaFan;

Any presentation during Christmas that we present in Church is acceptable to God, keeping in mind it brings Him glory.

Do you and / or your Church hold Christmas Eve or Christmas Day Worship?

There was one year when we didn't hold a service. Christmas fell toward the end of the week so I encouraged everyone to be with their families. It worked out fine but we received calls from visitors if we were having Christmas service. Oops!

God bless you both.

Bob
 
Good morning, Major and YeshuaFan;

Any presentation during Christmas that we present in Church is acceptable to God, keeping in mind it brings Him glory.

Do you and / or your Church hold Christmas Eve or Christmas Day Worship?

There was one year when we didn't hold a service. Christmas fell toward the end of the week so I encouraged everyone to be with their families. It worked out fine but we received calls from visitors if we were having Christmas service. Oops!

God bless you both.

Bob
We did NOT have a special Christmas service. We as well always had calls about such events. Those calls were allways from people who did not attend church except for Christmas Day and Easter.

We explained to all that we have Services on Sunday morning, Sunday evening, Wednesday evening, Bible study on Thursday morning and a prayer breakfast on Saturday morings.
 
For me.....plays that depict the Birth of Jesus, Manger plays and the Biblical birth of Jessus is acceptable.

NO where in Scripture does it tell us to avoid the birth of Christ or not to celebrate it.

Also, NO WHERE in the Scriptures do they say that Evergreen Trees are to be linked to the Birth of Jesus.

What "I" said was Christmas Trees should not be allowed in a Church. Christmas Trees are rooted in the ancient Pagan Druid religion.

The Druids and several other PAGAN societies decorated with evergreen trees symbolizes eternal life, a practice originating from various Pagan cultures. Mistletoe and holly also hold significance, as they are associated with fertility and protection by the Druids and other ancient groups.
see i dont worship the tree.... do you accept christmas gifts ? i find nothing pagan having a fall festival or even calling it trunk or treat . if it clean fun done as christian not a thing wrong with it.. there a far worse issues at hand ..that needs attended to // teach the truth and Halloween if done right can be ok.. i dont agree hunting easter eggs for kids at the reg service.. my experience lost parents shows up for the hunt... let it be after church i know you dont agree with that.. i am just fine with it.. shoot i even believe in foot washing some have never tried it but knock it
 
see i dont worship the tree.... do you accept christmas gifts ? i find nothing pagan having a fall festival or even calling it trunk or treat . if it clean fun done as christian not a thing wrong with it.. there a far worse issues at hand ..that needs attended to // teach the truth and Halloween if done right can be ok.. i dont agree hunting easter eggs for kids at the reg service.. my experience lost parents shows up for the hunt... let it be after church i know you dont agree with that.. i am just fine with it.. shoot i even believe in foot washing some have never tried it but knock it

Hello forgiven;

Isn't trunk or treat held on October 31, when kids gather around the trunk of a vehicle and receive goodies, candies, little toys, usually in the parking lot of a Church?

 
Hello forgiven;

Isn't trunk or treat held on October 31, when kids gather around the trunk of a vehicle and receive goodies, candies, little toys, usually in the parking lot of a Church?
its justa time of fun and games for kids some churches do a oct 31 as a alternative to trick or treat. in some churches its held in basement or fellowship hall .. today there to many idiots creeps for kids to go trick or treating... most around here go to businesses... and many make it a time of gore haunted houses etc ..that is non church event .. i prefer it stay safe clean no withes vampires etc.. fun costumes .. of course back in my teen years we did mischief toilet paper the trees on e year n my home town the took a outside john placed it at the intersection in town put sign on it mayors office lol
 
see i dont worship the tree.... do you accept christmas gifts ? i find nothing pagan having a fall festival or even calling it trunk or treat . if it clean fun done as christian not a thing wrong with it.. there a far worse issues at hand ..that needs attended to // teach the truth and Halloween if done right can be ok.. i dont agree hunting easter eggs for kids at the reg service.. my experience lost parents shows up for the hunt... let it be after church i know you dont agree with that.. i am just fine with it.. shoot i even believe in foot washing some have never tried it but knock it
Well, In my understanding brother, when we place a Christmas tree in the church auditorium, we are then placing the focus on that tree and that tree has NOTHING whatsoever to do with the birth of Christ but has everything to do with the worship of nature that came from the cult of Druids and their worship of Samhain. This day celebrated the end of summer and preparation for winter. It was believed that evil spirits and ghosts walked the Earth during on this day and the Catholic Church began to call it "All Hollows Eve".

You say you find nothing "Pagan" in having a fall festival or giving out treats, however, the very day of halloween is PAGAN itself.
I have NO earthly idea for a Christian Chruch can do halloween right. But that is my opinion.

Of course, the logical and common sense question that has to be answered is, Why would people with a Christian heritage, the clear Word of God celebrate a holiday steeped in demons, witches, ghosts and goblins that are condemned in that very book?

As for Easter egg hunts that you brought up. What part of hunting eggs has to do with the Resurrection of Jesus. Easter was named by the Roman Catholic church for the spring solstice in order to keep the peace with the conquered country of Persia. In Persia, the celebration of Semiramis was done there just as Christmas is done here today. She was a whore who claimed to have been "hatched" from an egg dropped into the Euphrates River. She married Nimrod and had a child named TAMUZ. She was called the "Queen of Heaven" then and Mary today by the Catholic church and you can find her and Tamuz in the Scriptures.

She was the beginning of the original Babylonian mystery religion, and the Roman Empire wanted to keep they Perians happy so hence the "compromise".

We have had the discussion on foot washing and You are correct, I do not agree with your opinion and that is OK. It is not that any two people disagree with each other, it is always HOW they disagree.

You as are everyone else here free and I am happy that you can make the choices you want to make.
 
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