October 17, 2012
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The History of Halloween, All Hallows Eve & Devil’s Night
The origin of Halloween or All Hallows Eve, is entirely Pagan. That is why many call it Devil’s Night. It is considered the holiest time of year among Celtic Neopagans and is celebrated on the last day of Autumn or October 31st around the world. It origionally incorporated traditions from Pagan Fall Harvest Festivals in that they Honored the Dead, especially the Celtic Samhain and is believe that it is when the Spiritual World is closest to our world and that magic is strongest during this time and supernatural things can happen. They also believed that All Hallows Eve is when the souls of the dead returned to revisit their homes. The traditions we still celebrate today such as Trick-or-treating came from the pagan dress ritual know as “Guising”, huge Bonfires were made in ancient traditions to ward off evil spirits, and Jack-o-lanterns were created to keep Ghosts away. Many people watch Horror movies, and visit Haunted Houses in celebration of this dark holiday. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Halloween
My personal feeling is that Christians should not participate in anything that glorifies the Devil or Evil. Or at least in the same way that the world does. What I mean by that is I think we can take something like Devil’s night and turn it around and use it for God’s glory. I personally don’t think we should go Trick-or-Treating but if you have to maybe you could dress up like a Bible Character or something. I don’t think that there is anything wrong with passing out Candy especially if you do like I do and pass out Christian tracts and Bibles, as long as you are not dressing up like a mass murderer or the headless horseman. I also don’t necessarily think that there is anything wrong with carving a pumpkin. I have even had a Jack-o-Lantern that I made myself, that instead of being scary, had three crosses on it. I also don’t think that there is anything wrong with getting together with friends and bobbing for apples, going on a hayride or having a bonfire. As long as you are not watching Friday the 13th and Texas Chainsaw Massacre. Some Christians might disagree with me on this but I think that it may even be ok to watch some of the old rated ‘G’ movies like Frankenstein, Dracula, or The Wolfman but that is my opinion and I know many people have a hard time drawing the lines. I do know this, and that is that everything we do should be glorifying to God, and that means abstaining from all appearances of evil and stearing clear of anything that might cause us to sin. Well that is how I see it anyway, so have a cup of hot cider, a caramel apple and go on a long hayride. Enjoy!
Comments (9)
This is really good. What bothers me is when the Religious world keeps the day with just a different name. Harvest Fall Feast.
What it should really be called is devils day.
And if one really want to keep a true Fall Feast, then they would be keeping the Feast of Tabernacles and Last Great Day. Bro. Doc
@BroDoc -
You should do a blog on that Bro Doc. I would be interested to read it.
My wife has problems with Halloween. She has decided to at least give out candy at the door. She likes to see the little kids.
I think @Bro_Doc has a point. Churches take this ‘night’ and just change the name. I am not sure what is right.
I doubt if anyone really knows the history of this day, and if they did, it is ancient history and really does not affect us. The lost world cannot do anything to please God anyway.
My wife refused to have anything to do with this day when we were young Christians. We also told our kids there was no Santa Claus, but we would leave surprise gifts for them in the morning so they were not cheated. My wife hates Santa Claus and loathes the Easter bunny.
I am more inclined to agree with Bro_Doc and just make a clean break with all of this holiday.
frank
@ANVRSADDAY -
Ha ha! Yeah Frank, at one point I was a Jehovah’s witness and I struggled with whether or not to celebrate these Pagan Holidays myself. I eventually came to the conclusion that what the Bible does not say is absolutely sin, is not. And what the Bible does absolutely say is sin, is sin. I think the Apostle Paul said it well in one of his epistles let him that eats condemn not him that eats not, and let him that eats not condemn not him that eats. Or something like that. I think it was kind of a similar situation between the Jews and the Gentiles. Let each person work out their own salvation with fear and trembling. Ultimately we will all be accountable to God some day.
Great post! I totally agree with Bro. Doc too. It has always bothered me that Christians always seem to celebrate it and just change the name. For years we always shut off the lights and didn’t observe but since we moved down here, people just don’t walk on by our house they just keep beating on the door. I have finally relented and am giving out candy to the little kids.
@oldfatgramma -
Thanks!
Still cuckoo, I see.
You do know that most of Xtianity’s rituals are Pagan rituals in which just the names of the deities were changed, right?
Ignorance is bliss, indeed.
@In_Reason_I_Trust -
Yes, I know.
I don’t see anything wrong with participating in Halloween itself, but I do think a Christian should avoid costumes that glorify evil/horror/gore, etc. There’s no need to avoid trick or treating or having a pumpkin. We as Christians are to be light in the darkness. I believe we accomplish that better by being the light where the darkness is, rather than hiding out and “boycotting” common cultural practices. I think it makes a much better witness to show up at the Halloween party or trick-or-treating in a “positive” costume and have the joy of the Lord as a light within, than hiding out, shutting off the lights, and avoiding it all. The latter method does not attract people to Christianity, and the former method does not compromise one’s faith.