Growing up, I celebrated Halloween. Most kids did. I even encouraged my children to do the same. Nowadays, even a lot of adults participate in activities surrounding that holiday. It is the second-most popular holiday in the United Staes. But as I came to understand the history of the day, it became much less attractive. It has a dark history of ritual abuse, occult magic, sacrifices, and everything evil. It wasn’t long before I wanted nothing to do with Halloween.
“And have no fellowship with the fruitless works of darkness, but rather convict them.” – Ephesians 5:11
I coudn’t see it at first, but perhaps one of the biggest hypocrisies in the Christian church is our association with Halloween. How can we be a light to the world if we are participating in darkness? I can only imagine how people who are weak in the faith (or unbelievers altogether) stumble over this hypocrisy. It is hard to take one’s faith seriously if it looks like the rest of the world.
It feels like most people in the church are in denial about Halloween. Yet it doesn’t take a lot to see the clear contradiction between Scripture and participation in Halloween. How can we become set-apart (holy) by participating in something so evil.
“You are not able to drink the cup of the Master and the cup of demons, you are not able to partake of the table of the Master and of the table of demons.” – 1 Corinthians 10:21
The history of Halloween lies in the pagan festival of Samhain (Link). It was a time of ending and of rebirth. The festival included sacrifices and the wearing of costumes. It was a fire festival that marked the beginning of the dark half of the year, situated between the autumn equinox and the winter solstice. And it is one of the darkest days in the calendar, celebrated by those in the occult. And one that the adversary loves.
“…Hold fast what is good. Keep back from every form of wickedness.” – 1 Thessalonians 5:21-22
The Scriptures tell us to “Hold Fast” to what is good and abstain from EVERY form of wickedness! That would include pagan festivals like Halloween. We are instructed in Scripture not to copy the ways of the nations.
“Do not do as they do in the land of Egypt, where you dwelt. And do not do as they do in the land of Kena’an, where I am bringing you, and do not walk in THEIR laws.” – Leviticus 18:3
“Do not do so to Yahuah your Elohim.” – Deuteronomy 12:4
Some say that we should provide safe alternatives to Halloween. And I have been part of churches that do “Trunk or Treat” or “Harvest Festival” celebrations. But if we want to celebrate a Harvest Festival, the Father gave us Sukkot (Feast of Tabernacles), which is actually commanded in the Scriptures.
“Beloved ones, do not imitate the evil, but the good…” – 1 John 3:11
Doing something as an alternative to Halloween is not becoming set-apart in our behavior. I don’t believe we can make something “family friendly” by changing a few principles. And should we use this day to spread the gospel? Sure. But let’s do that the other 364 days of the year and not try to compromise on the occult’s favorite day.
Paul tells us to “abstain from every form of evil.” – 1 Thessalonians 5:22
The last I checked, “every” meant “every.” Compromising on something as simple as Halloween is not how we “hold fast” to what is good.
“Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with Elohim? Whoever therefore intends to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of Elohim.” – James 4:4
The culture we live in is a culture of death. It celebrates evil and wants us to participate in it. I am not pointing a finger or judging anyone. I did it also. And I used to think it was ok for believers to participate in the day. But as one grows in the faith, realize that Halloween is not how we set ourselves apart to Yahuah. It is how we become friends with the world.
Halloween is a day of darkness in which evil abounds. Even if you were like I once was, and thought it was harmless fun, the Father thinks otherwise. He expects us to discern between the clean and the unclean, the holy and the unholy, what is true and what is of the adversary. With that, I leave you with a rather disturbing quote from the late founder of the church of Satan…
“I am glad that Christian parents let their children worship the devil at least one night out of the year. Welcome to Halloween.” – Anton LeVay
FAITH IN MOTION 