Our Saturday night!For as long as I can remember, October 31 has held no significant meaning for me. My parents ignored the festivities of the day while we were kids and taught us why we did not celebrate Halloween. I felt so blessed to marry a man who was also raised to ignore the common rituals for this day. Together, we were in complete agreement that our new family would not participate in the festivities as well. Over the years, though, I have come to realize that this strong passion that we have for not celebrating Halloween is a conviction that the Holy Spirit has graciously laid on our hearts. He has shown US in His Word that our family should have nothing to do with the dark and evil pagan traditions of this day. Now, I know that everyone is not convicted in the same manner, just like other topics of alcohol, homeschooling, Christian school, etc. But, it is a passionate subject for me and one that love to talk about when given the opportunity!
For me, this passionate conviction has been a journey. Like when I was young and my mom would not allow me to listen to some secular music. She was always quick to point out what lyrics were worldly and speaking of sex, drugs and suicide! My argument was the classic, "I'm not listening to the words, I just like the music." Now, as a parent, I know how harmful the subtle messages of music can be to young minds, just like I now know how harmful the "innocent" fun of Halloween can be.
You see, when I was young, I always wanted to dress up and go beg for candy and carve faces out of pumpkins. I wasn't necessarily embarrassed that we didn't participate in Halloween, because my friends' families were also like-minded on the subject. But something about the night was enticing to me. I wanted to go out and participate in a little carefree mischief under the cover of the darkness. I would reason that I wasn't participating in the "evil" that some celebrated, but just wanted to have fun. I could have fun without really participating in the bad right?
But, like the music, now I am older and wiser and now believe what I have always known about the way October 31 is commonly celebrated. I believe that God has called me, and our family, to be children of light, not of darkness (Eph. 5:8). I believe that we are supposed to "abstain from all appearance of evil" (I Thess. 5:22). I believe that God has told us not to make carved images, and I take that to mean carved pumpkins as well, since the people of old treated these carvings as something like a god who could keep away evil spirits. We won't be dressing up, even in friendly costumes during Halloween or going trick or treating, because I know that long ago, people used this day as a day to dress up and go door to door asking for sacrifices, even human sacrifices. I don't want to role play anything that that is so pleasing to Satan. I believe we are supposed to look differently than those who do not love God, act differently and do all things for the glory of God. I can't find anything glorious or good, pure or holy in the traditions of Halloween.
I also know that some say that we take our stand too literally, its just "innocent" fun. I am okay with that and know that everyone else does not have to jump on our ban-wagon. Many also give the excuse that all of our Christian holidays are full of pagan traditions as well. I am eager to know more about these because I don't want our family to meddle with evil. But, I don't know about these traditions yet. And, they are Christian holidays set apart for the worship of Christ (which we are working hard to get our family back to celebrating Jesus during these times. See here for our Easter rendition) and Halloween is a pagan holiday set apart for the worship of Satan. Over the years, the church has tried to "Christianize" it and is still trying hard to make it a family fun holiday with church festivals and "trunk or treat" parties. There is even a Christian children's book about making a jack-o-lantern and letting your light shine for Jesus through the pumpkin.
I know others have good intentions in their celebration and I honestly have come to a place where I do not want to even hint at passing judgement on another person. That is not my intention! We are good friends with many people who celebrate Halloween in many differnt forms and see no harm in it, but as for our household, we will continue to ignore the traditions and teach our kids why we do not participate in the common Halloween practices. If you would like some good reading on the subject, please order a good pamphlet called "Festival of Death" from Words For Living Ministries.
For me, this passionate conviction has been a journey. Like when I was young and my mom would not allow me to listen to some secular music. She was always quick to point out what lyrics were worldly and speaking of sex, drugs and suicide! My argument was the classic, "I'm not listening to the words, I just like the music." Now, as a parent, I know how harmful the subtle messages of music can be to young minds, just like I now know how harmful the "innocent" fun of Halloween can be.
You see, when I was young, I always wanted to dress up and go beg for candy and carve faces out of pumpkins. I wasn't necessarily embarrassed that we didn't participate in Halloween, because my friends' families were also like-minded on the subject. But something about the night was enticing to me. I wanted to go out and participate in a little carefree mischief under the cover of the darkness. I would reason that I wasn't participating in the "evil" that some celebrated, but just wanted to have fun. I could have fun without really participating in the bad right?
But, like the music, now I am older and wiser and now believe what I have always known about the way October 31 is commonly celebrated. I believe that God has called me, and our family, to be children of light, not of darkness (Eph. 5:8). I believe that we are supposed to "abstain from all appearance of evil" (I Thess. 5:22). I believe that God has told us not to make carved images, and I take that to mean carved pumpkins as well, since the people of old treated these carvings as something like a god who could keep away evil spirits. We won't be dressing up, even in friendly costumes during Halloween or going trick or treating, because I know that long ago, people used this day as a day to dress up and go door to door asking for sacrifices, even human sacrifices. I don't want to role play anything that that is so pleasing to Satan. I believe we are supposed to look differently than those who do not love God, act differently and do all things for the glory of God. I can't find anything glorious or good, pure or holy in the traditions of Halloween.
I also know that some say that we take our stand too literally, its just "innocent" fun. I am okay with that and know that everyone else does not have to jump on our ban-wagon. Many also give the excuse that all of our Christian holidays are full of pagan traditions as well. I am eager to know more about these because I don't want our family to meddle with evil. But, I don't know about these traditions yet. And, they are Christian holidays set apart for the worship of Christ (which we are working hard to get our family back to celebrating Jesus during these times. See here for our Easter rendition) and Halloween is a pagan holiday set apart for the worship of Satan. Over the years, the church has tried to "Christianize" it and is still trying hard to make it a family fun holiday with church festivals and "trunk or treat" parties. There is even a Christian children's book about making a jack-o-lantern and letting your light shine for Jesus through the pumpkin.
I know others have good intentions in their celebration and I honestly have come to a place where I do not want to even hint at passing judgement on another person. That is not my intention! We are good friends with many people who celebrate Halloween in many differnt forms and see no harm in it, but as for our household, we will continue to ignore the traditions and teach our kids why we do not participate in the common Halloween practices. If you would like some good reading on the subject, please order a good pamphlet called "Festival of Death" from Words For Living Ministries.
“… teach my people the difference between the holy and the unholy, and cause them to discern between the unclean and the clean.” Ezekiel 44:23
"Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy – meditate on these things.” Philippians 4:8
“Beloved, do not imitate what is evil, but what is good. He who does good is of God, but he who does evil has not seen God.” 3 John 11
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