WHAT IS HALLOWEEN ?

halloween...(short for All Hallow E’en) : the evening preceding All Saint’s Day: the evening of October 31 which is often devoted by young people to merry making (with jack-o`-lanterns) and playing pranks sometimes involving petty damage to property.[Webster’s Third New International Dictionary, 1976 G. & C. Mirriam Co., Vol. 11, Page 1023] hallowed...1: to make holy: set apart for holy or religious use: treat or keep as sacred: consecrate..(Mt. 6:9 RSV) 2: to respect greatly: venerate, revere [IBID., Page 1023] The actual word "holiday" comes from the word "hallow-day"...(short for All Hallow Day)....All Saints Day...2..a saint’s day : Holiday [IBID., Page 1023] As you see from the dictionary quote, Halloween is looked upon as a day (season) to be "hallowed" or to keep as sacred. The Scripture example taken from the Lord’s prayer shows how God’s name is respected or kept sacred. (Matthew 6:9 KJV) After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.

SHOULD YOU ‘Keep As Sacred’ THE HOLIDAY, HALLOWEEN ?

The answer to that question is what we wish to examine. People usually look on Halloween as a little harmless fun, but is it? In order to properly answer this question, we will investigate some of the basic things that are present during the Halloween holiday season.

ORIGIN OF HALLOWEEN

The Druids from the British Isles, and ancient pagan priesthood and one of the fountainheads of Wicca considered Halloween to be the highest festival of the year, Samhain, named after Saman god of the dead which was celebrated the Feast of the Dead. They worshipped the sun god with names like Bel (Ba’al ?) or Chrom and on October 31, they believed that he died and went into the kingdom of the dead, Anwynn. They kept the day sacred to insure their god’s return. Even witches admit this involved human sacrifice. Innocent blood could resurrect Bel and thus infants were slain on the Druid altars. Human blood opened up the gates of Anwynn and released the spirits for a night, thus October 31 came to be associated with ghosts. Samhain is still celebrated by Pagans and is the most solemn ceremony on their calendar. Halloween was not celebrated in the United States until the 1900's when Irish immigrants brought it over. [Excerpts from HALLOWEEN, tract by Saints Alive in Jesus, by Bill Shcnoebelen] We are warned by the word of God: (Exodus 22:20 KJV) He that sacrificeth unto any god, save unto the LORD only, he shall be utterly destroyed. Jesus offered himself as the perfect sacrifice for our sins. (Hebrews 10:12 KJV) But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God;

BONFIRES

The bonfires were used to burn the sacrifices as the celebrants danced and screamed around them in drunken, demonized fits of orgiastic abandon. The next day after the fires die down all that is left is the ashes and bones of the sacrifices. The people call them "bonefires," and avoid the smell of death and the presence of evil hanging in the air. [Tom C. McKenney, HOLIDAYS AND HOLY DAYS, 1987 Words for Living Ministries, excerpts from Pages 12-13]

ALL SAINTS DAY - AS PRACTICED BY CATHOLICS

An eighth century Pope in an attempt to get the people to abandon the festival of Samhain established All Saints Day on November 1st. This day was to be a holy day to honor the dead Christians, particularly those who died as martyrs in the terrible Roman persecutions, a substitute for the Festival of Death on October 31st but it didn’t work and it soon became known as "All Halloweds" since it was a day to honor the Christian dead. [IBID., Pages13-14] This idea to remember the dead is an honorable one unless we pray to them or talk to them and expect them to hear and answer us. (Ecclesiastes 9:5 KJV) For the living know that they shall die: but the dead know not any thing, neither have they any more a reward; for the memory of them is forgotten.

COSTUMES-GHOSTS, SKELETONS, DEVIL, ETC.

Halloween costumes are a Celtic Druid idea from the belief that ceremonial participants wore the animal heads and animal skins to acquire the strength of the beast they portrayed. That has evolved to include those animals and and also may represent many other occultic symbols along with cartoon or movie characters and whatever a child or adult can dream up. Children have vivid imaginations and love to pretend and dress up and that is one of the many reasons that children love Halloween. The extra incentive is the prizes for the best costume and the candy and treats they receive. Couldn’t we allow them to dress up the whole year through and give them treats and even give prizes for the best costumes without even celebrating Halloween ? Children are given to us to nurture and train (Prov. 22:6) in ways of God so when they are subjected to the things of the world, they will have a Godly pattern to cling to. We are even told to have the faith and trust of a child (Mark 10:15) in our relationship with Jesus.

BLACK CATS, WITCHES with Broomsticks

In the Middle Ages there was a revival of witchcraft and satanism and a belief was developed that witches traveled to their covens flying on brooms, guided by evil spirits in the form of black cats. [IBID., Page 14] The black cat is also both the witch’s "familiar" or magic helper or chief totem (idol) of the goddess of Wicca, Diana. [Excerpts from HALLOWEEN, tract by Saints Alive in Jesus, by Bill Shcnoebelen] Here is what the Bible says about witches: (Exodus 22:18 KJV) Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live. (Deuteronomy 18:10-13 KJV) There shall not be found among you any one that maketh his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, or that useth divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch, {11} Or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer. {12} For all that do these things are an abomination unto the LORD: and because of these abominations the LORD thy God doth drive them out from before thee. {13} Thou shalt be perfect with the LORD thy God.

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The Broom is actually a phallic symbol and witches mounted broomsticks and leap high around the fields on them to "teach" the crops how high to grow. The witches would smear themselves with "flying ointment" or psychedelic drugs such as belladonna, acoinite and cinquefoil which gave them imaginary "trips" so they thought they flew distances.

BOBBING FOR APPLES

Dunking for apples came from the old practice of divining the future. The participant who successfully clenched an apple between his teeth could count on a fulfilling romance with the lover of his choice. (Deuteronomy 29:29 KJV) The secret things belong unto the LORD our God: but those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children for ever, that we may do all the words of this law. JACK-O-LANTERN & TRICK OR TREATS On Samhain around midnight the Druids dressed in hooded robes seemingly appeared from nowhere among the celebration bonfires with a hollowed-out turnip with and oil lamp burning inside. Carved into the side of the hollow turnip is a hideous face, the likeness of the demon spirit that dwells inside. The spirit is the Druid’s spirit guide, his personal little god, who directs and impowers his life. As the Druids pass by, children cling to their parents as the parents wish they would truly pass on by, but alas, they stop and the parents open the door with trembling hands. The Druids then demand certain foods as they adhere to strange dietary restrictions. If the people comply, they pass by, if their demands are not met, the people and their home are cursed with trouble, sickness and death. [Tom C. McKenney, HOLIDAYS AND HOLY DAYS, 1987 Words for Living Ministries, excerpts from Pages 12-13] As Christians we should have nothing to do with the representations of spirits or graven images even if they are not made of gold or silver. (Deuteronomy 7:25-26 KJV) The graven images of their gods shall ye burn with fire: thou shalt not desire the silver or gold that is on them, nor take it unto thee, lest thou be snared therein: for it is an abomination to the LORD thy God. {26} Neither shalt thou bring an abomination into thine house, lest thou be a cursed thing like it: but thou shalt utterly detest it, and thou shalt utterly abhor it; for it is a cursed thing.

HAUNTED HOUSES AND SCARY MOVIES

Some people love the adrenalin rush one gets when they watch scary movies or visit haunted houses, but should children be subjected to such fear? Although this may be viewed as harmless, each of us has to work out our own salvation and really ask the Lord for guidance. Most movies for this time of year are very violent and Hollywood makes them so realistic it is hard for our children to discern the difference between false and true. We need to teach them to fear (respect, revere) God and actual death in an unsaved condition instead of the evil characters in the movies and haunted houses, that kill or harm the physical body. (Matthew 10:28 KJV) And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. God is love and perfect love casteth out all fear. Introducing a child to terrifying experiences can open up occult doorways for Satan to come in and once opened, the child does not know how to shut it and overcome its influence. (2 Timothy 1:7 KJV) For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.

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SHOULD YOU ‘Keep As Sacred’ THE HOLIDAY, HALLOWEEN ?

After being presented with the truth what do you think? (Ephesians 5:6-11 KJV) Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience. {7} Be not ye therefore partakers with them. {8} For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light: {9} (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;) {10} Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord. {11} And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them. (1 Corinthians 10:20-22 KJV) But I say, that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to devils, and not to God: and I would not that ye should have fellowship with devils. {21} Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of devils: ye cannot be partakers of the Lord's table, and of the table of devils. {22} Do we provoke the Lord to jealousy? are we stronger than he? (2 Corinthians 6:14-18 KJV) Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? {15} And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? {16} And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. {17} Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, {18} And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty. With the world becoming more evil it should warn us that we should spend time on Halloween praying for protection our children, the unsaved, and the deceived people in the world who are ‘subjected to’, and those who ‘participate in’ the idolatrous practices of the Halloween season. In Romans 1:29-32 it speaks of those "filled with wickedness", "inventors of evil things", "haters of God", and those who "commit things are worthy of death" and they even have pleasure in others who do the same. (1 John 2:15-17 KJV) Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. {16} For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. {17} And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever. Cover Center picture [Illustration, Tom C. McKenney, HOLIDAYS AND HOLY DAYS, 1987 Words for Living Ministries, Page 11]

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