Shall We Celebrate Halloween?

Every year, when October 31st is approaching, children and parents are in conflict of whether celebrating Halloween or not. Children face tough choices, to either participate or miss a day for their Halloween party day at school. Parents either ignore or go with the flow of society in their decision for Halloween. Definitely, we, including children, all need to understand our Christian perspective on Halloween, thus, it enables us to make a right choice. Should we celebrate Halloween?

History and Believe System of Halloween

The belief system behind Halloween came from the druids, the priests of ancient Gaul and Britain. The druids believed that witches, demons, and spirits of the dead roamed the earth on the eve of November 1. Halloween originally was a Druid holy day called "The Vigil of Saman." In early Britain it was called the festival of Samhain, which is pronounced sow-en. This festival would last for 3 days and many people would parade in costumes made from the skins and heads of animals.
The spread of Christianity did not make people forget their early customs. When Roman Catholicism became a world political and religious power the pagan customs were still widely celebrated. On the eve of All Hallows, Oct. 31, people continued to celebrate the festivals of Samhain and Pomona Day. In 800 A.D. the Roman Catholic Church moved "All Saints' Day" from May to November 1st. All of the "saints" who did not have a special day to their honor on the Catholic calendar were to be honored on All Saints' Day—a time to pay respect to the dead by visiting their graves. The "new day" that was to replace the pagan vigil of the dead was called "All Hallows Day". It soon became the custom to call the evening before, "All Hallows Eve", which was soon shortened to Halloween. The Halloween we celebrate today includes all of these influences, Pomona Day's apples, nuts, and harvest, the Festival of Samhain's black cats, magic, evil spirits and death, and the ghosts, skeletons and skulls from All Saints Day and All Soul's Day. (http://www.klove.com/promodetails.aspx?i=6055, Oct/30/2011) 

Steve Russo explained how the Halloween was in the minds of ancient people. It was a pure form of evil and fear upon evil was presented. He says,
            "As the power of the sun waned with the onset of winter, people were afraid that life itself, and not just the year, was coming to an end. They imagined that the night was haunted by ghosts and witches, and more particularly by the spirits of the dead who were revisiting their earthly homes. With the supernatural rampant, the night was full of danger and omens. Concerned for their survival, people employed every possible means to fortify the flames of the dying sun and to chase away, or at least pacify, the evil spirits. For this purpose they lit bonfires and sometimes offered gruesome sacrifices." (Russo, Steve. Halloween: What's A Christian to Do? Eugene, Oregon: Harvest House Publishers, 1998. p. 9,10).

Why It is Bad? 

• Evil one blinds the spiritual eyes of people by this kind of activity, so that they cannot see the Gospel of light in them. 2 Corinthians 4:4 says, "whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them."
• Evil is exalted by promoting their evil deeds. Definitely, we should not expose children to the evil deeds. Ephesians 5:11-12 says, " And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them. For it is shameful even to speak of those things which are done by them in secret."
• It is the work of darkness and power of evil that attack and influence people in the spiritual realm. Ephesians 6:12 says, "For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places."

What the Bible Says to The Christians about It?

1. Christians are to avoid all forms of evil. "Abstain from every form of evil." (1 Thess. 5:22)
2. Christians are to extract the leaven from the lump. Meaning; Christians should pluck out even a little evil or sinful form from our lives. For it will destroy the whole being.  "A little leaven leavens the whole lump." (Gal.5:9)
3. Christians are called to live holy and sanctified life. "Come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean, and I will receive you." (2 Cor.6:17)
4. Christians are called to be distinctive Christians apart from this world."And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God." (Rom.12:2)
5. Christians are not to be engaged in any evil. "There shall not be found among you anyone who makes his son or his daughter pass through the fire, or one who practices witchcraft, or a soothsayer, or one who interprets omens, or a sorcerer, or one who conjures spells, or a medium, or a spiritist, or one who calls up the dead." (Deu.18:10-11)

Why We Do Not Celebrate It?

1. We know the root of Halloween is, although superficially fun to participate in it. The believe system of it and the truth that we know cause us not to celebrate.
2. We choose to obey God to live a distinctive Christian life in this world.
3. We believe that celebrating Halloween mean we cannot bear testimony to others and are not glorifying our Savior.
4. We compromise our Christian value, if we engage in Halloween.
5. We want to avoid all forms of evil and not to promote it. 

In reality, it is difficult to live a distinctive Christian life. However, we are called to live for Christ as the lights to the world. "You are the light of the world." (Matt.5:14). As a light, each one of us can shine in the darkness of this world by living distinctive lifestyle. What's the point, if the light is merged with darkness (compromised)? Then it loses its radiance of light. Let your light shine in this world. Indeed, we do not want to celebrate Halloween.