What’s The Harm in Halloween?

“If we say that we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth.” – 1 John 1:6

The subject of Halloween remains a debate in Christian circles. It has become a matter of personal conviction. If somebody claims, regarding a particular issue, that they don’t feel “convicted” about it, odds are, they may be ignoring the Spirit until he leaves them alone. In other words, if you really want to do something, you’ll do it. But make no mistake, the Spirit doesn’t change his mind according to your whims.

The New Testament had to address this type of thing a couple of times, first in Romans 7, and then in 1 Corinthians 10:23. Feeling conviction will only happen when your life is completely submitted to the leading of the Spirit, and your desire is to do what is pleasing to God. If you’ve already made up your mind to do something, reading an article won’t change it.

“Do not defile yourselves by turning to mediums or to those who consult the spirits of the dead. I am the Lord your God.” – Leviticus 19:31

If you’ve already decided Halloween is no big deal, you’ll call me legalistic, or a hypocrite because I acknowledge Christmas and Easter. (Although when I see a manger on someone’s front lawn, it has a different feel than seeing a graveyard). Just as an aside, I don’t like the excessive gift-giving, the gluttonous meals, or the commercialized decorations that come with Christmas.

I don’t have any interest in appropriating pagan festivals, because I desire to distinguish myself from the world’s practices. But there’s a reason why Merry Christmas has been changed to “Happy Holidays”. Because there is still an understanding that the spirit of Christmas is to celebrate the birth of Jesus, and if the secular world shuns that, then I’ll embrace it!

“But cowards, unbelievers, the corrupt, murderers, the immoral, those who practice witchcraft, idol worshipers, and all liars—their fate is in the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death.” – Revelation 21:8

I’m not suggesting that you celebrate Christmas or Easter in the form that world presents it. If you would prefer not to have any decorations or fanfare, that’s your prerogative. I simply want to point out the stark differences in Halloween, and other holidays that have taken on the meaning of honoring Christ, whether it be his birth or his resurrection.

The origins of Christmas revolve around the celebration of the winter solstice, which acknowledges the end of darkness and the rebirth of the sun. In Christianity, the end of the year was chosen as the time to celebrate the birth of Jesus. Halloween aficionado’s are desperate to draw parallels between the two occasions. But one exists to commemorate rebirth, and ultimately the birth of our savior, the other exists to commemorate death, and fear.

“Do not participate in the unfruitful deeds of darkness, but instead even expose them”. – Ephesians 5:11

“Halloween’s origins date back to the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain. This day marked the end of summer and the harvest and the beginning of the dark, cold winter, a time of year that was often associated with human death. Celts believed that on the night before the new year, the boundary between the worlds of the living and the dead became blurred. On the night of October 31 they celebrated Samhain, when it was believed that the ghosts of the dead returned to earth. Celts thought that the presence of the otherworldly spirits made it easier for the Druids, or Celtic priests, to make predictions about the future.” [History]

Samhain, by the way, is one of the sacred days of the Wicca religion, which is pagan witchcraft and part of occult.

“For He rescued us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son.” – Colossians 1:13

The celebrations of Halloween were focused around spirits, fortune telling and witchcraft. A lot of the traditions still practiced today, such as dressing up, having candy in a bowl to give away, and even bobbing for apples, were an attempt to ward off ghosts, witches, or bad luck.

Modern-day Christianity makes its living on blurring the lines between what we’re allowed to do, and not allowed to do. A Christian who stubbornly tries to argue in favor of Halloween might use their kids as an excuse. They don’t want them to feel left out. If I had a child, I would purposely want them to stand out and be different than everyone else!

“Saul died because he was unfaithful to the Lord; he did not keep the word of the Lord and even consulted a medium for guidance, and did not inquire of the Lord. So the Lord put him to death and turned the kingdom over to David son of Jesse.” – 1 Chronicles 10:13-14

“What’s the big deal? There are a lot of things Christians take part in that they shouldn’t”. You’re absolutely right, which is why I take great care to look at everything in my life, and distinguish whether it glorifies God, or glorifies evil, whether it is something profitable or detrimental.

So maybe my history lesson isn’t enough. Maybe my warnings against dressing up your kids in cute costumes, or giving out candy still doesn’t resonate. Then perhaps the Word of God will?

What does the Bible teach regarding fear, darkness, and witchcraft? Start with Leviticus 20:27, Deuteronomy 18:9-13, 2 Corinthians 6:17, Philippians 4:8, 1 John 1:5, 3 John 1:11, Psalm 27:1, and Micah 5:12. There are countless other passages, all throughout the Old and New Testaments, making it almost unfathomable that any Bible-believing Christian would chose to take part in such an wicked occasion.

“For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, love and soundness of mind.” – 2 Timothy 1:7

It’s possible that you never realized exactly what Halloween was all about. If not, that’s okay, don’t worry about years past. You have a chance now to make the right decision. For some, it’s not easy to be set apart and stand out from the crowd. Abstaining from a “fun” holiday will seem foolish to many around you. But we don’t exist to please man, nor do we owe them an explanation.

“Finally, dear brothers and sisters, we urge you in the name of the Lord Jesus to live in a way that pleases God. Anyone who refuses to live by these rules is not disobeying human teaching but is rejecting God, who gives his Holy Spirit to you.” – 1 Thessalonians 4:1,8.

If the word of God implores you to stay away from the practices of evil, if there is a call to stand up against fear, if darkness cannot exist where there is light, shouldn’t that be enough to convince you?

I’ll leave you with this passage from Isaiah 8:

“When someone tells you to consult mediums and spiritists, who whisper and mutter, should not a people inquire of their God? Why consult the dead on behalf of the living? Consult God’s instruction and the testimony of warning. If anyone does not speak according to this word, they have no light of dawn. Distressed and hungry, they will roam through the land; when they are famished, they will become enraged and, looking upward, will curse their king and their God. Then they will look toward the earth and see only distress and darkness and fearful gloom, and they will be thrust into utter darkness.”