Should Christians participate in Halloween?

http://www.christiananswers.net/q-eden/halloween.html

The October 31st holiday that we today know as Halloween has strong roots in paganism and is closely connected with worship of the Enemy of this world, Satan. It is a holiday that generally glorifies the dark things of this world, rather than the light of Jesus Christ, The Truth.

Have you noticed how costumes and masks are getting generally more bloody, gory, and depraved each year? Unfortunately, the gruesome and grotesque and the occult are increasingly glorified in American society, not only on Halloween, but throughout the year in horror movies and in television programs.

My family does not celebrate it or participate in it. We do not believe that our children are “missing out,” and neither do they. Other days are used for costumes and parties. Happily, all of our children have accepted Jesus Christ as their personal Savior. We have found that Halloween provides an excellent time to remind our children that, as Christians, we are different, and not of this world (Heb. 11:13-16; 1 Pet. 2:11).

What about church “Harvest Festivals” held on October 31? Although we understand the rational and good intentions behind them, we don't think they are the best approach. Our family tends to agree with the author of an article called " Are 'Harvest Parties' for Christians?" (written by a self-avowed former witch and now active Christian). Harvest parties on October 31 tend to assume that "our children need something to take the place of Halloween, since they won't be participating in the secular and pagan celebrations. It suggests our kids are missing out on something. And indeed they are, if we allow them to spend Halloween in celebration." There are better things to do on Halloween than partying.

Also, we need to teach our children that "the fight isn't against occultists, non-Christians, Christians who feel differently than we about Halloween, or institutions that promote Halloween, but" "against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places" (Ephesians 6:12, NKJV).

Relevant scripture on the issue of Halloween and Christians:

1 Thessalonians 5:21-22 ("Test everything. Hold on to the good. Avoid every kind of evil.") James 1:27 ("keep oneself from being polluted by the world") 3 John 1:11 ("do not imitate what is evil") Romans 12:9 ("abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good.") Deuteronomy 18:9-14 (do not learn to imitate detestable ways, including spiritists, sorcerers and witchcraft) Ephesians 5:11-12 ("Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness" / "live as children of light") 1 Timothy 4:1 (don't "follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons") 1 Corinthians 10:21 2 Corinthians 6:14-17 ("what fellowship can light have with darkness?") Philippians 4:8 (think about pure, lovely, noble things) 1 Corinthians 11:1 ("follow the example of Christ") 1 Corinthians 10:31 ("whatever you do, do everything for the glory of God")

James 4:7-8 (submit yourselves to God / resist the devil / purify your hearts) Ezekiel 44:23 ("…teach my people… to distinguish between the unclean and the clean.") Proverbs 22:6 ("train a child in the way he should go") Matthew 18:6 ("if anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin…") Hosea 4:6 ("My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.") John 3:19-20 (people love darkness instead of light) Romans 13:12 ("put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light.") Ephesians 6:11-18 ("take your stand against the devil's schemes.") 1 John 5:19 2 Chronicles 7:14

Are “Harvest Parties” for Christians?
originally published in the Colorado Christian News, October 1995
(author's name not published)

"What are you doing for Halloween?" Ask a Christian parent this question, and be prepared to hear an answer like, "Nothing! We don't celebrate Halloween." Thunder crashes, and you creep away, embarassed for even asking.

"What are you doing ON Halloween?" Ask the same parent this slightly altered question, and their whole manner and response brightens. “Why,” they begin, as birds begin to sing and sunshine breaks through the cumulus clouds. "We're all going to the Harvest Party at church!" A choir sings. A trumpet sounds. You feel privileged just knowing these saints.

Let's take a look at the typical Harvest Party.

• It is a celebration.
• It is chaperoned (usually).
• It may have costumes.
• Games are played.
• Contests are held.
• Food abounds.
• Music blares.
• Everyone enjoys themselves.

Certainly, nothing to get concerned about, right? The problem, however, lies in the billing. The Harvest Party is usually referred to as the Christian alternative to traditional Halloween hijinx. Alternative, however, implies substitute. It assumes our children need something to take the place of Halloween, since they won't be participating in the secular and pagan celebrations. It suggests our kids are missing out on something. And indeed they are, if we allow them to spend Halloween in celebration.

If we are to train our children to be soldiers in the army of Christ, why would we sign a pass for them to go on leave when the battle is escalating on the front lines?

As a child of four, I contacted the first of many spirit guides (read:demons) while playing with a Kindergarten classmates' ouija board at a chaperoned Halloween party. This spiritual assault ignited an intrigue with the supernatural that culminated in my lifestyle as a practicing witch: divination, necromancy, channeling, astrology, psychic ability, and spell working. It wasn't until I was twenty that I met the real Jesus Christ, and was released from the trap that Satan had set for this young prisoner of war sixteen years earlier.

There are too many casualities on Halloween and far too few troops fighing the enemy. Instead of partying on Halloween, teach your children how to fight. Keep them aware that the fight isn't against occultists, non-Christians, Christians who feel differently than we about Halloween, or institutions that promote Halloween, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers or darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places" (Ephesians 6:12).

How do we teach our children to wrestle spiritually?

• Discourage them from participating in traditional Halloween activities (2 Timothy 2:4). Then tell them why.

• Encourage them to pray on a regular, daily basis (Ephesians 6:18). Let them know first hand the power that we have in prayer. All Christians should know how to fight on their knees.

• Remind them to be alert and self-controlled (1 Corinthians 16:13; 1 Thessalonians 5:6). Give them the discipline of knowing it is their responsibility to keep watch. They, themselves, might also become casualties in the war.

• Make certain they are prepared for battle (Ephesians 6:11). Do they know the truth? Stand on the Word of God? Have faith? Know thegospel? Are they righteous? Are they saved?…

Instead of celebrating, what's a Christian to do on Satan's feast day? PRAY! Intercession and spiritual warfare should be the first item on our agenda. It is NOT a last resort!

• Join with other families in the church. Have the pastor announce a night of spiritual battle. Organize a group of Christians parents and students from your children's school or homeschool group. As a family, designate the seven nights before October 31 as Family Prayer Outreach nights.

• Pray for protection. Pray over both those who engage in prayer warfare and over those who will be out trick-or-treating or at Halloween parties. October 31 is a prime recruiting time for witches and Satanists…and a time for interested kids to experiment. Pray that the Lord keeps our kids from falling prey to those who worship the enemy.

• Pray for discernment. Let the Holy Spirit direct you to specific prayer requests. Pray that the children who are “out there” will somehow “know” to keep away from certain activities. I have relatives who, even though they were not Christians, “knew” that ouija boards and levitation games were dangerous.

• Pray that the Lord hinder the occult rituals. For four years, I lived in a building which over looked a cemetery where occult ceremonial markings were often found. ON certain occult feast days, usually between midnight and 3am, I would look down into the darkness and kneel at my window binding the demons that controlled the ceremonies. I'll never know this side of heaven what effect my prayers had. Maybe a potential sacrifice escaped. Maybe the occultists weren't successful in summoning their demon. Maybe a new, young recruit decided that this was not the lifestyle he thought he wanted.

• Pray for the salvation of the occultists. Jesus Christ died for those whom Satan holds captive and deceived, for those who mock Him, who deny His deity or His existence. He doesn't want them to perish, but to come to Him calling Him Father, Lord. Pray the veil is lifted from their eyes, the Lord allows them to see clearly their spiritual condition and their only hope lies in Jesus Christ. Pray also, about whether the Lord would have you take a more active role in bringing the gospel to Satan's servants.

• Let your children know that this is effective warfare. They must know their prayers are heard and acted on by our Father. Let them know they can make a difference. Come October 31, they'll know they have a job to do.

Resources for learning more about the issues involved

On-site links on related issues The Occult - What does the Bible say about it? Answer What is the Occult? Answer Is Harry Potter Harmless? Answer Christian Books The Facts on Halloween: What Christians Need to Know by John Ankerberg and John Weldon (Eugene, Oregon: Harvest House Publishers, 1996), 48 pp. Mommy, Why Don't We Celebrate Halloween by Linda Hacon Winwood (Shippensburg, Pennsylvania: Destiny Image Publishers, 1992), 17 pp. Christian Motion Picture Halloween: Trick or Treat , 56 minute documentary exposé.

Off-site links "The Dark Side of Halloween" (Logos Communications) - Go…(off-site) "Why do many churches oppose Halloween?" (Robbins)Go… (off-site) Halloween: The Fantasy and Folklore of All Hallows" (Library of Congress article) - Go… (off-site) "Happy Halloween? Is there any good reason for a Christian to celebrate it?" (Castle) - Go… (off-site) "Halloween! Harmless? or Hazardous?? The History of Halloween" - Go… (off-site) "Halloween in Light of the Scriptures" - Go… (off-site) "Halloween - a harmless ritual?" - Go… (off-site) "Halloween - Harmless Fun or Pagan Rituals?"Go… (off-site) "Trick or Treat: A History of Halloween" - Go… (off-site)

Halloween - Trick or Treat?

Informative DVD traces the pagan origins, history and rituals of Halloween, one of the highest holy days of the Pagan/Occult calendar of Druids, Witches, and Satanists. The occult rituals seen in this film are real and not re-enactments. This dramatic documentary may change your opinion of Halloween forever!

[More Details] US$1995

Author: Paul S. Taylor, Films for Christ.

This page is located at: http://www.christiananswers.net/q-eden/halloween.html

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THE ORIGINS OF HALLOWEEN

The Origins of Halloween

The celebration of Samhain, or Halloween as it is more commonly called today, traces its origins to the occult observances and practices of religious pagans such as the Wicca, (another name for witchcraft) and the Druidism of the ancient British isles.

Samhain is, to this day, considered to be the most holy and coveted sabbat of the year by the Wiccans and other Pagan religions. It is a celebration of the end of the light half of the year and the beginning of the dark. It is believed to be a day to commune with and remember the dead and that during this time the veil between the natural and the spirit world is at its thinnest. Thus it is ideal for divination, necromancy and communion with dead spirits. See article: (Angels and Demons Part 5)

In its origins, Samhain was the supreme night of demonic jubilation. Spirits of the dead were thought to rise out of their graves and wander the countryside on that night. Frightened villagers tried to appease these wandering spirits by offering them gifts of fruit and nuts. This is the origin of our present day "trick-or-treat." They began the tradition of placing plates of the finest food and bits of treats that the household had to offer on their doorsteps, as gifts, to appease the hunger of the ghostly wanderers. If not placated, villagers feared that the spirits would kill their flocks or destroy their property. There were numerous other rituals such as the burning of animal sacrifices in large “bone fires” which were meant to help the Druids ward off bad spirits.

When Christianity spread to parts of Europe, instead of trying to abolish these pagan customs, the Roman Catholic Church tried to introduce ideas which reflected a more Christian world-view. The Romans had been observing the holiday of Feralia, intended to give rest and peace to the departed. Participants made sacrifices in honor of the dead, offered up prayers for them, and made oblations to them. So the Catholic church created a new holiday called All Saints Day to replace the pagan Roman festival of the dead. In the year 834 AD it was moved to November 1st, making October 31 “All Hallows' Eve” or Halloween.

Unfortunately, many people either do not know, or chose not to consider Halloween’s occult origins or current connections. All they know is that it is a day to celebrate ghosts, witches, goblins, and grotesque creatures, devils and demons. It a day of orange and black, of candles and jack-o-lanterns, of “trick or treat”, costume parties and other strange customs, and say it is all harmless fun.

But whether or not one takes seriously the current meteoric rise and growing popularity of ancient occult practices in our culture today, those who do practice such things take this event very seriously.

A quote from one contemporary occult web site dedicated to the practice of witchcraft says this:

Halloween, plain and simple is our favorite time of year. A true time for witches, Witchcraft itself, and Wiccans alike who feel that on this night the separation between the physical and spiritual realities is it's least guarded and it's veil the thinnest. It is a time for dimensional openings and workings, it is a somber holiday, one of dark clothes and thoughts for the dead, it is said to be the time when those of necromantic talents can speak with the dead and it is certainly a time to remember ones own dead.

Another occult site says this:

The veil between the material and spiritual realms is at its thinnest at Samhain, and Wiccans make use of this drawing close of the hidden worlds with both meditation, magic and divination, exploring their hopes and fears for the new year during this time of introspection and creativity.

It is amazing to this author how many people deny the fact of a deliberate and malevolent evil at work in the lives of human beings. Even those who acquiesce to the fact that there is a real and personal God, will choke at the thought that there are such things as witches and warlocks, devils and demons. Yet the Scriptures are very clear on the matter.

"Let no one be found among you who sacrifices his son or daughter in the fire, who practices divination or sorcery, interprets omens, engages in witchcraft, or casts spells, or who is a medium or spiritist or who consults the dead. Anyone who does these things is detestable to the LORD, and because of these detestable practices the LORD your God will drive out those nations before you. You must be blameless before the LORD your God. The nations you will dispossess listen to those who practice sorcery or divination. But as for you, the LORD your God has not permitted you to do so."Deuteronomy 18:10-14

See follow up article: Halloween, Witchcraft and the Bible

See also: What the Bible Says about Angels and Demons: Part 4

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** Additional writing by this author can be found at: Supernatural Christianity Examiner

See also: What the Bible Says about Angels and Demons: Part 4

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** Additional writing by this author can be found at: Supernatural Christianity Examiner

Suggested by the author:

• Angels and Demons part 4
• Angels and Demons part 5
• Prayer - a powerful weapon for victorious living
  Halloween
  

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" HALLELUJAH" Lyrics Hebrew-English

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dqFOxKPD_Ok&feature=player_embedded

http://barzilaiendan.wordpress.com/2009/07/03/2483/

Hallelujah
Hallelujah, sing a song
Hallelujah, we’ll follow along
With a simple word, a single word
We bless the sky, the tree, the bird
And we fill our heart with joy, Hallelujah

Hallelujah, sounds of love
Hallelujah, the sunshine above
Hallelujah, the bells will go ringin’
And dingin’ from dawn till night, Hallelujah

Hallelujah, day by day
Hallelujah, don’t throw it away
Fly and spread your wings, have a try
Be free again like a butterfly
Come along and sing with us, Hallelujah

Hallelujah, sounds of love
Hallelujah, the sunshine above
Hallelujah, the bells will go ringin’
And dingin’ from dawn till night, Hallelujah

Hallelujah, hand in hand
Hallelujah, all over the land
Hallelujah, let’s try from the start
And sing it with all our heart, Hallelujah

Hallelujah, sounds of love
Hallelujah, the sunshine above
Hallelujah, the bells will go ringin’
And dingin’ from dawn till night, Hallelujah

Hallelujah, the bells will go ringin’
And dingin’ from dawn till night, Hallelujah

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N9wNuPGQU3g&feature=related

DON'T PLAY THE CHURCH GAME -A MISSIONARY'S PLEA

A Missionary's Plea: Don't Play the Church Game

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PzffFofgan4&feature=player_embedded#!

Trevor Johnson is a missionary in a remote tribal group in Indonesia. I pray this testimony will encourage you and challenge you.

Trevor's Blog: http://tandtfamily.blogspot.com/

TIMPUL SI TEMPERATURILE PE GLOB

Acest ataşament ţine pasul cu timpul şi temperaturile în marile oraşe din întreaga lume. Este un ataşament util pentru a fi salvat în fişiere. Se afişează chiar şi o eroare, atunci când semnalul nu este actualizat în mod corespunzător. Foarte interesant! !

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