A lot of people will say there is nothing wrong with celebrating Halloween because it’s just about having fun. As long as we’re not dressing up as witches, ghosts, or goblins what’s the harm in it? What’s the harm in getting together, playing games, and having fun?
Personally, I don’t see any physical harm in doing so. People gather together all year long to do these things. So what’s so different about Halloween? For me, it is how this whole holiday came about. It is consider a holy day for a group of people who honored the dead and worshipped other gods and goddesses. (For more information, read “The Origins of Halloween.”)
My Halloween Experience
I used to party on Halloween just like the next person. I got pictures to prove it. I went to costume parties, played games, and had a lot of fun – as a Christian. It didn’t matter to me that people said this was the night that the witches and all those who are aligned with Satan came together to worship and sacrifice to him. I wasn’t doing those things. I was having fun. Besides who made this the devil’s day?
When I started to think there was something wrong with me celebrating Halloween I did what everyone else around me did. I took my children to harvest parties at church as an alternative. At my sister’s insistence I allowed her to take my children trick-or-treating. After all, we went when we were little and nothing happened to us. It was just a fun time and I shouldn’t deny my children this time. So I let them have Halloween.
A Change of Heart
So why have a change of heart? As the years went on something just wasn’t sitting right with me about most of the holidays. So I began to research them and the scriptures for an answer. I found my answers. Unfortunately, they messed with my traditions. I knew that if I stopped celebrating certain holidays I was going to feel the backlash of it, especially from my family. What was I to do?
Finally, I decided to take one step at a time and just follow Yahweh Elohim. I know my decision is not popular, but I cannot ignore the evidence. Maybe you will feel that same after reading this article. Maybe you won’t. That’s okay by me because I am not here to judge you. I don’t have a heaven or hell to put you in. I’m here to give my answer to whether or not Bible believers should celebrate Halloween.
Halloween Today
In spite of how Halloween started, today’s Halloween can be summed up into a 5 billion dollar industry that promotes scary fun.1 So for many people it is just that.
However, Deuteronomy 18:9-13 says, “When you enter the land ADONAI your God is giving you, you are not to learn how to follow the abominable practices of those nations. There must not be found among you anyone who makes his son or daughter pass through fire, a diviner, a soothsayer, an enchanter, a sorcerer2, a spell-caster, a consulter of ghosts or spirits, or a necromancer. For whoever does these things is detestable to ADONAI, and because of these abominations ADONAI your God is driving them out ahead of you. You must be wholehearted with ADONAI your God. For these nations, which you are about to dispossess, listen to soothsayers and diviners; but you, ADONAI your God does not allow you to do this.” (CJB)
Even though some Christians will say that they do not participate in the activities the scripture is talking about we must remember that this holiday glorifies those things that God detests. These activities are still a huge part of our modern Halloween holiday. By participating in this day we act just like everyone else, but God tells us not to do what they do. We are not to look like them or act like them. Therefore, it should not be celebrated in any way.
The Spiritual Harm
Earlier I told you that I don’t believe there is any physical harm in celebrating Halloween. Yet, I do feel there are spiritual costs that shouldn’t be ignored. The first is that the world cannot tell the difference between us and them. The scriptures tell us that we are to be a light to the world. How can we be a light when we celebrate darkness?
The second spiritual cost is that we learn to compromise. Once we start compromising in one area it isn’t long before other areas of our lives start to suffer also. For many of us, celebrating this holiday is the result of compromising in other areas because we don’t see anything wrong with this day. I know some might think this is a bit of a stretch, but really think about it. For most the Bible isn’t even considered in this matter. All that matters is our fun and our children’s fun.
God tells us to teach our children in the way that they should go so that when they are older they will not depart from those ways. So when we teach them to compromise we breed a generation of compromising Christians who say there is nothing wrong with celebrating Halloween. And if there is nothing wrong in celebrating a day that honors the dead and horrible things, then everything else is pretty much okay.
Halloween does not Glorify God
The bottom line is that even if you put aside its true beginnings, Halloween still isn’t appropriate for us to celebrate. One Jewish person said it best, “Halloween glorifies concepts relating to demonic forces, haunted places, witches, ghosts, goblins and general occult practices. Our faith celebrates life, not death. We believe in serving G-d with joy, not dread or horror. Most importantly, as a people we have always revered wholesomeness and uprightness not mischief.” (Bach Jewish Center)
Let me know what you think by leaving a comment.
Notes
1http://www.homeword.com/2010-halloween-spending-estimated-billion-bg-a-929-t-9.html
2Here are some definitions of terms used in various versions of the Bible. A sorcerer is a person who practices sorcery, which is the use of magical powers derived from evil spirits. A witch is a person practicing sorcery usually with the aid of an evil spirit. Divination is a divining or foretelling of the future or the unknown by supernatural means. A medium is a person credited with special powers for communicating with the dead. Necromancy is a method of divination through alleged communication with the dead.