Can Christians Participate In Halloween?

[Daisy]

Thank you Casey, that was very helpful.

[Rose]

Is it OK for parents to let there kids participate in halloween activities? If it is not really about Witches and Goblins, which do not exist, just kids having fun as we did as children, is it still wrong to let kids dress up and Trick or Treat?

Thank You.

[Erik Diamond]

Is it okay for church to have "trunk and treat"?  Is it okay for church to have harvest festival on Halloween night where children could dressed up as animals or cute stuff?  Does these events really glorify God.  I don't know about others, but I do not think so for God said: 

1Th 5:22  Abstain from all appearance of evil.

Erik

[Reformer]

Rose,
  It may seem like just clean fun, but it is really a sneaky way the devil tries to get his foot in the door. Better to not even give him an inch. My personal view of this day reserved for glorifying evil and wicked spirits is that a real conscientious Christian should have nothing whatsoever to do with it. Saying that, I readily admit that it took me a while to come to this conclusion. I wish I had learned it earlier.

 Proverbs 22:6 Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.

Train your kids to have nothing to do with it, and they won't be able to miss it as we, having observed it did. That includes no wearing of those costumes, no purchasing candy for kids, or trick or treating.

I know, many Christians are rolling their eyes right about now, but it is simply not God glorifying. You want to buy the kids candy, buy it to eat the day before or the day after. There is no reason to do anything to bring attention to this day that has come to represent the fun of evil, demons, witches, Devils and goblins.

 Here are some articles that may be helpful in your information quest.

 http://www.mountainretreatorg.net/searchit/searchit.cgi?halloween

[Tony Warren]

Thanks,
 I merged them all into the Halloween thread.

[Charles]

Can anyone help me with this question. It is brought about after I read this:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/10/17/halloween-and-christians_n_1015603.html?icid=maing-grid10%7Chtmlws-main-nb%7Cdl5%7Csec1_lnk2%7C105137

Should Christians allow their kids to Trick or Treat? Thanks.

[SavedByGrace]

A Christian Perspective of Halloween Easter Christmas

By Allegra McBirney

Halloween: for FUN or for REAL?

Once again Halloween is approaching -- an event which annually tries and challenges many of Christian heart, including my own.

And as I view God's admonitions, and loving commands, to me as a believer -- including His clear statement, "WHATSOEVER you do, do ALL to the GLORY OF GOD" -- frankly, I find it a celebration which I cannot justify in my own Christian life.

How can I celebrate Halloween -- with its witches and devils and fortune-telling -- "to the GLORY OF GOD?"

Also, the Lord says, "What fellowship has light with darkness?"  And as a born-again believer -- with the LIGHT OF THE WORLD HIMSELF living in my heart! -- How can I enjoy, or even go along with, a celebration which runs so center to His Person?

Halloween is filled with darkness and paganism, saturated with the influence of Satan.  I know that some will charge that I'm taking it too seriously -- that Halloween is actually "just a little time for fun for the kids"  Is it REALLY?

I love fun and I love kids -- and my husband and I have six children of our own, and are in Christian work with a wide ministry among boys and girls.  And, actually, the fact that I love kids so much -- and love GOD so much -- is why I can't love Halloween.  I fear that to do with anything which relates to Satan -- witches, evil spirits, fortune-telling -- even in the context of Halloween play, is hurting GOD and is hurting CHILDREN, spiritually, too.

I keep thinking of the Lord's warning to believers in the Book of Deuteronomy: "There shall not be found among you any one that uses divination (fortune-telling of any kind).

[Charles]

Thanks billnjune. That's what I thought about it.

[Melanie]

 
Can Christians Participate In Halloween?

http://www.mountainretreatorg.net/yabbse/index.php?topic=311.0

This issue comes up every year around Halloween.

[Melanie]

http://www.loughbrickland.org/articles/halloween.shtml

 Halloween - Harmless Fun or Dangerous Deception?

[Neeson]

Hello. I have a question to ask the group. There are many in my church allowing their children to celebrate Halloween with the other kids in the neighborhood and trick or treating. Is it a appropriate thing for Christian parents to do? I am told it is harmless fun and if mt conscience is clear I can allow it. Frankly, it does seem just harmless fun for the kids. I trick or treated when I was young and had a lot of fun and good memories.  What do you all think?

[Melanie]

Back a few years ago when I was going to church, my former Pastor told me that observances of Halloween was not sinful and that I should not worry about children celebrating it. I'll never forget him telling me that people who celebrate Halloween were not doing obeisance to or showing deference to Satan, and that parents and children were just having a good time. That was one of the things that drove me from that church. His lack of discernment ad deference to God.

http://mountainretreatorg.net/searchit/searchit.cgi?halloween

Some articles to read.

[Pilgrim]

  Love the articles on Reformation Day as a alternative.

[Clifford Grodin]

 
I don't think we need another tradition like Reformation Day, I think what we need is for Christians to take their eyes off themselves, their will and pleasure and place them on the Lord, his will and pleasure, and there wouldn't be any Christians posting on a need for celebrating Halloween. It's not a innocent tradition and pastime, it's a symptom of what is wrong with Christians. Everything is all about what is pleasing to them and not about what is pleasing to the Lord.

[Betty]

Hello. I have a question to ask the group. There are many in my church allowing their children to celebrate Halloween with the other kids in the neighborhood and trick or treating.

That's because there is nothing wrong with allowing your children to have fun and dress up in silly costumes. There is much too much legalism in some churches where they don't want anyone to have fun or do anything but worship. That's why the reformed church has all but lost all its clout and is a shell of its former self. My advice, allow your kids to be kids and grow up having fun just like any other kids.