That time of year again, halloween.

Becky Beth · #1 (**permalink**) 10-01-2006, 08:52 AM

A few questions.

Do you celerbrate halloween?

Do you know the history behind halloween?

What scuriptures are good for this type of holiday?

God Bless

Rin30 · #2 (**permalink**) 10-01-2006, 01:54 PM

Well, we celebrate Halloween, I guess. My daughter dresses up in a costume. Last year she went trick or treating but other years we just have either had a family hayride at my grandmother's or she has gone to a church carnival.

I don't know the exact history, although I do believe it originated by devil worshippers.

We certainly don't SERIOUSLY celebrate the actual holiday, I don't believe. I just let her dress up like all the other children do her age and get candy or have a good time. We have just moved to the town we're in about 6 months ago, so I am going to try to find a church that is having a fall carnival on Halloween this year.

I, personally, HATE Halloween and dread it every year.

W/LUV · #3 (**permalink**) 10-02-2006, 09:10 AM

I am so torn on the subject because I know witch craft is a big no, no, no and halloween has this theme of the dead and witch's. So I don't support that but I do like to dress up the kids and take them to fall festivals. My son is seven so he likes the scary stuff. I just keep reminding him to use good judgment and to remember what God would think. I don't really know how much of a big deal I should make out of the innocence of a child wanting to play dress up or get a thrill out of being scared. I would love to hear other people's thought's on this. Thanks for bringing it up.

Becky Beth · #4 (**permalink**) 10-02-2006, 07:29 PM

I am so thankful halloween is not big in Australia, the media use it though and lots of spooky shows on tv.
If it was big here my kids would not be involved anyways.
Its a wicked holiday.

W/LUV and Rin30, I'm not trying to have a go at you here, I am going to say this out of love for a sisters in Christ.
Children are innocence yes, even more reason to not let them dress up and think being spooked is fun. (There will be other times to dress up).
Do you think Jesus would let children in his care dress up on this day and take part in anyway? We are not of the world sometimes we our kids need to "miss out" because what the world is doing is wrong.
I feel letting your kids be involved even just dressing up is saying to them this is ok and halloween is fun.

Some Chruches have praise parties etc, totally away for the hollaween theme, and they pray against the work of satan on this day.

My kids don't have Santa or Easter Bunny, becuase they are of this world and take away the real meaning of these celerbrations.

Here is a must read, http://www.chick.com/seasonal/hallow...eenhistory.asp

http://www.chick.com/reading/tracts/0011/0011_01.asp

I pray that you relise this is not a holiday for Christians be part of except to pray against.

With love, God Bless

soontobemommy · #5 (**permalink**) 10-04-2006, 01:27 PM

Our church has there own type of celebration. The kids dress up and get candy but they pray as well.

I will let Rome dress up on halloween because God knows where our hearts are. I am not for halloween at all. But there is no harm in letting them have some sort of celebration and I am not disgracing God by letting my kid play dress up and eat some candy at the church.

I don't want to completely disclude Rome because then what will he do when he gets older? My guess is he will want to participate in something he felt left out of his whole life. But if i let him celebrate in a safe and Godly enviroment he will probably not feel ike he missed out on something...and will probably do the same with his kids. But that is my own opinion.

baby4melissa · #6 (**permalink**) 10-11-2006, 07:38 PM

The only thing that is evil for humans is sin.

Sin is disobedience to God.

Are you sinning by dressing your children up and spending time with other people eating candy and telling jokes?

Here are the ways that there could be sin in that...
1. You are dressed in a costume that glorifies Satan (witch, ghost, etc.)
2. Your motivation is to praise the darkness or worship Satan.

That's really all I can come up with, but help me out if I'm missing something...

Christmas began as a pagan holiday as well. Christians started celebrating Christ's birth on the same day as the pagans had their big celebration to false gods in order that they might bring glory to God on a pagan's holiday. Could we find ways to bring glory to God by positive celebration on Halloween? What about using it as an opportunity to get to know our neighbors better by trick-or-treating in order that we might share Christ with them? Or what about inviting unbelievers to come to a fall celebration in your home or at your church in hopes of showing Christ to them or encouraging them to attend your church on other days as well?

However, I do believe it is a disputable matter. In both Romans and Corinthians, we are told to love each other and not become divided because we have different practices on issues like this that are not clearly spelled out in Scripture. To say that we should approach Halloween in a specific, spelled-out way is legalistic and not edifying to the Church. Rather, we should avoid judging someone else's approach to a disputable matter.

Good question...It's a great topic to examine.

matthew · #7 (**permalink**) 10-12-2006, 04:31 AM

I dont pay any attention to holloween in that i dont have kids and am 25 going on 65. If the fellowship decides to do something then i'll be involved otherwise im happy to let it pass as just another day.

I think it is helpful remembering what each part of it is for and what it means ie what trick or treating represents and would you want your child to be part of that.
In the end its down to you in your walk with God. If you can stand before God and be fully assured that He would be happy with it then thats all that matters (thats not meant to be a guilt trip), not what other people think is the right thing to do. In the end the only person we will have to answer to is God.

2 scriptures that come to mind.

1cor 10:23 You say, “I am allowed to do anything”—but not everything is good for you. You say, “I am allowed to do anything”—but not everything is beneficial.

Romans 12:1 Don't be like the people of this world, but let God change the way you think. Then you will know how to do everything that is good and pleasing to him.

(Both CEV)

God bless,

Matthew

~*Nick's Wife*~ · #8 (**permalink**) 10-12-2006, 12:30 PM

We carve jackolanterns, and Amber has a princess costume that we're going to take her picture in. We also pass out Candy and tracts, and sometimes we have a hayride, etc. We don't celebrate what Halloween originated in. I never liked trick or treating as a kid, and I'm hoping Amber won't care that much about it. If she wants to though, we'll take her. For kids its just a fun time to dress up and get candy, they aren't worshipping satan or anything like that.

Leimarie · #9 (**permalink**) 10-24-2006, 09:04 AM

This is the first year that it will be an issue in our home. DS#1 is turning 5 and all of a sudden he is really noticing what is going on in the rest of the world. We do not "celebrate" Halloween, but he is too young to truly understand why we don't. So for the first time we are torn. We know we won't be ruining him for life my skipping this activity, but it's hard to just ignore it now. Anyone else dealing with a very curious little one? How do you handle it and bring it down to their level?

-Lisa

Becky Beth · #10 (**permalink**) 10-31-2006, 03:23 AM

We had trick or treaters here at our door, never have before.

The reason I wont let my kids dress up even for fun and not "spooky" stuff is the Bible teaches us to avoid the appearance of evil,

(1 Thessalonians 5:22;.
Avoid every kind of evil.

Ephesians 5:3
But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God's holy people.)

I feel from the start we need to teach our children to advide evil and things that look like evil, or not of God, eg: hollaween, living together even with out havong sex. They give non believers the wrong impression.

If a child came to your door in costume on the 31st will you think this child is from a Christian home.

Its hard when you feel you child will be missing out on fun, or even yourself.
But we need to advide ways of the world.

God Bless you all

matthew · #11 (**permalink**) 11-02-2006, 06:48 AM

The thing is the kids dont miss out on the fun. If its explained to them why they dont get involved in it they do understand. Its amazing how much better understanding kids have of this type of thing.

God bless,

Matthew

momof4boys · #12 (**permalink**) 11-25-2006, 01:02 PM

A little late in this discussion, but here goes.

Yes, we celebrate Halloween. It's my second favorite holiday, with Christmas being first. Yes, I know a little about the history and it doesn't matter to me. We don't worship ANYTHING on that day and we don't participate in witchcraft type things. My kids simply dress up and go get candy, that's it. It's a fun day for them.

As far as scriptures, the only scriptures I am aware of that would go against Halloween are the ones that say we are not to PRACTICE evil things. If you practice devil worshipping or witchcraft, then yes, you would be going against God. Most who celebrate Halloween don't do these things.

If a child came to your door in costume on the 31st will you think this child is from a Christian home.

Well, I would hope people aren't judging these children or the homes they come from. I am a Christian, my kids go trick or treating. Does that make me or my children less of a Christian than those who don't trick or treat? No.

Halloween began as a Pagan holiday, Christmas also has Pagan associations. If you don't celebrate Halloween, I assume you don't have a Christmas tree on Christmas. Christ wasn't even born in December, so if you truly want to stay away from anything Pagan related, don't celebrate it on December 25.

Kim

pwfaith · #13 (**permalink**) 11-28-2006, 08:35 PM

I'm a little late but we did go out trick-or-treating last year and this year. The kids had fun. It was an issue I was torn on for years. I think it's an issue of conviction, not something that is considered an "absolute" scripturally. The verse that hubby showed me and sticks in my mind is "We know that an idol is nothing at all in the world and that there is no God but one." 1 Corinthians 8:3-5