Every
year on October 31, my brothers and I dressed up for Halloween and went trick
or treating. We never thought of any connection with Satan or worshiping the
dead with this annual holiday. I think my parents simply wanted us to have a
little fun. Perhaps the greatest damage to our lives came from all the junk
food and candy we collected from the neighbours.
But
as time passed and I was married and began a family of my own, I started to
wonder about the growing “evil” I saw in this event. A couple years ago I
stopped by a store dedicated to selling stuff for Halloween in order to pick up
a three-cornered hat. (I was going to use it at a church social where I
was asked to read “The Midnight Ride of Paul Revere.”) When I walked through
the Halloween store, it was creepy! Nothing around me was pure, lovely, noble,
or praiseworthy (see Philippians 4:8).
Then
I began to read about the origins of Halloween. It really made me stop in my
tracks and ask, “What is a Christian to do? Should we close our doors on
Halloween and shut off our porch lights and ignore what is happening in our neighbourhood?
Is it appropriate to provide an alternative at church (like some sort of
harvest festival or social night)? Perhaps we should open our doors to children
and give them something healthy (instead of candy) along with Christian
literature. How can a Christian be in the world and not of the world on October
31st.
Here
are five guidelines that can help you through this yearly holiday:
1. Follow the Bible. Teach your children plainly and clearly that the Bible does not support worshiping or honouring dead people. Whether the roots of Halloween come from the Samhain pagan beliefs in having a feast for the dead or an attempt by the Christian church to honour dead saints or praying for dead people who have not quite made it to heaven, the Bible is clear that the dead are truly dead. (See Isaiah 8:19, 20.) No Christian can honestly “celebrate ”Halloween.
1. Follow the Bible. Teach your children plainly and clearly that the Bible does not support worshiping or honouring dead people. Whether the roots of Halloween come from the Samhain pagan beliefs in having a feast for the dead or an attempt by the Christian church to honour dead saints or praying for dead people who have not quite made it to heaven, the Bible is clear that the dead are truly dead. (See Isaiah 8:19, 20.) No Christian can honestly “celebrate ”Halloween.
2.
Share your faith whenever possible. Jesus encouraged His disciples to be
“in the world” but not “of the world” (John 17:15, 16). That is not always easy. Many Christians feel
compelled to share their faith with neighbours at Halloween. Instead of
ignoring when children happen by their homes, they open their doors to share
something appropriate to guide them toward Jesus and the Bible. Instead of
candy, one family gives kids miniature pumpkins along with an informative pamphlet.
3.
Draw clear boundaries. Decide, based on Scripture, what you choose to do
at Halloween. Pray and study earnestly and follow the convictions of the Holy
Spirit. Some activities at Halloween are obviously things a Christian will not
participate in: watching horror movies, eating lots of junk food, playing
pranks that hurt people, telling scary stories, or visiting so-called haunted attractions.
4.
Provide appropriate alternatives. When our children were little, our
church attempted to guide people away from traditional Halloween activities to
something better. Children came to a social at the church and learned about
animals and listened to an interactive talk on Noah and the ark. Even
non-Sabbath-keeping parents were thankful to have an option for kids who wanted
to go out and collect candy or dress up in scary costumes or attend public
school events.
5. Refrain from a judgmental spirit. Perhaps your fellow Christians are working through how to deal with Halloween. Maybe they are not as clear or convicted as you are about what to do—especially those with children. Approaching them with an angry or critical spirit will not help them. Instead of condemning parents, why not invite a few families into your home for a short, age-appropriate Bible study, refreshments, and family-building games. Make it a time of worship and fellowship with the emphasis that as Christians the only thing we “hallow” is the name of our Heavenly Father to whom Jesus taught us when we pray to say, Hallowed be Your name”(Matthew 6:9).
5. Refrain from a judgmental spirit. Perhaps your fellow Christians are working through how to deal with Halloween. Maybe they are not as clear or convicted as you are about what to do—especially those with children. Approaching them with an angry or critical spirit will not help them. Instead of condemning parents, why not invite a few families into your home for a short, age-appropriate Bible study, refreshments, and family-building games. Make it a time of worship and fellowship with the emphasis that as Christians the only thing we “hallow” is the name of our Heavenly Father to whom Jesus taught us when we pray to say, Hallowed be Your name”(Matthew 6:9).
Halloween
is obviously not a holiday that Christians should celebrate. Yet some
good-hearted Christians believe it can be an opportunity to teach others about
what truly happens when people die. However you choose to tackle this dubious
holiday in your home, why not make sure that in the least, you spend time
sharing your faith, worshiping the Living God with your family, or
participating in community-building fellowship with your church. It is possible,
with God's help, to turn something meant for evil into something to point
others to the truth about life, death, and the Heavenly Father!
Curtis
R.
Amazing
Facts Staff Writer
