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Halloween - Trick or Retreat?
- 10/24/07
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Will you participate in Halloween this year?
Halloween is once again nearly upon us. Articles about the occasion are beginning to make their way into my RSS reader and I thought I’d keep up with one of this site’s few traditions and write an article on the subject. My thoughts on the subject continue to develop as perhaps long-time readers will notice.
Just this morning Pulpit Magazine linked to a great article courtesy of Grace to You. The article deals well with the subject, seeking to answer these questions: “How should Christians respond to Halloween? Is it irresponsible for parents to let their children trick-or-treat? What about Christians who refuse any kind of celebration during the season—are they overreacting?”
The article spells out several legitimate ways Christians will react to Halloween this year:
- Some will adopt a “No Participation” policy. As Christian parents, they don’t want their kids participating in spiritually compromising activities—listening to ghost stories and coloring pictures of witches. They don’t want their kids to dress up in costumes for trick-or-treating or even attending Halloween alternatives.
- Other Christians will opt for Halloween alternatives called “Harvest Festivals” or “Reformation Festivals”—the kids dress up as farmers, Bible characters, or Reformation heroes. It’s ironic when you consider Halloween’s beginning as an alternative, but it can be an effective means of reaching out to neighborhood families with the gospel. Some churches leave the church building behind and take acts of mercy into their community, “treating” needy families with food baskets, gift cards, and the gospel message.
- There’s another option open to Christians: limited, non-compromising participation in Halloween. There’s nothing inherently evil about candy, costumes, or trick-or-treating in the neighborhood. In fact, all of that can provide a unique gospel opportunity with neighbors. Even handing out candy to neighborhood children—provided you’re not stingy—can improve your reputation among the kids. As long as the costumes are innocent and the behavior does not dishonor Christ, trick-or-treating can be used to further gospel interests.
I appreciate the sensitivity the authors display in dealing with what is a difficult topic. It is my conviction that this is, in many ways, an issue of conscience. I do not believe there is absolute right and wrong here—we can’t be too dogmatic about it. Each person (and, in particular, I believe, each father) must examine the Bible and his conscience to see where that leads him. It may lead him to any of these options, each of which can be legitimate. The Bible says nothing about Halloween, though certainly there are principles we can find that will help guide us. But ultimately I believe we have to trust our biblically-informed consciences and our sanctified reasoning to guide us. Let me share where this has led me.
My conviction has long been that it would be a poor witness to the neighbors if my family were to refuse to participate in Halloween; it would be inconsistent with the way Aileen and I feel we are to live within this neighborhood. This day provides a unique opportunity to interact with neighbors, to enjoy their children and to prove that Christians are part of the community and not merely people who want only to interact with Christian friends or to only interact in our own way and on our own terms. Aileen and I are fully part of the community around us and look forward to being part of the community events that happen here. And so we allow our children to go out trick-or-treating, provided they do not wear evil or occult costumes. It still feels like a bit of a compromise, and admittedly one with which I am not entirely comfortable. Yet I would struggle far more with turning out the lights or finding something else to do that evening.
The truth is that I have several convictions regarding Halloween. I despise the pagan aspects of it. I am convicted that my children should not dress as little devils or ghosts or monsters or otherwise glory in evil. But I am also convicted that it is a poor witness to have a darkened house, especially in a neighborhood like ours which is small and where every person and every home is highly-visible. We know that, if we choose not to participate, the neighbors will notice and assume that we feel somehow above them for not participating (and that we are judging them for their participation). We have nothing to fear from our neighbors or from their children, no matter how they choose to dress for an evening. So my children will dress up (my son as a soldier and my daughters as a ballerina and a princess) and we will visit each of our neighbors, knocking on their doors and accepting their fistfuls of candy. Either my wife or I (I think it’s my turn this year) will remain at home, greeting people at our door with a smile and a handful of something tasty. If the kids are deemed too old to trick-or-treat, they’ll be forced to sing a song to merit any handouts. Our door will be open and the light will be on. A contributor to an email list I participate in once concluded his defense of participating in Halloween with these words: “One night does not a neighbor make (and one night does not a pagan make), but Halloween is the one night of the year where the good neighborliness that flows from being in Christ is communicated and reinforced. We are citizens of another Kingdom where The Light is always on.” That analogy seems particularly appropriate.
This year we’re doing something else. We’ve invited all of the neighbors over for dinner before the festivities begin. We’ve got at least 40 or 50 people who are planning on coming by for a barbeque. We’re doing this simply because we enjoy our neighbors and love to spend time with them. Halloween evening can be hectic, with parents getting home from work and then rushing to prepare their children, so we thought we’d attempt to relieve one burden by taking care of dinner for everyone. It should be fun and we’re looking forward to it.
My encouragement to you today is to think and pray about this issue so that you can do what your conscience dictates for that day. I do not see Halloween as a great evangelistic occasion and this is where some of my thought on the issue has probably developed most. In the past I may have tried to convince myself that Halloween would offer occasions to share the gospel, but I don’t think this is usually the case. Nor does it have to be. I think Halloween is a time that you can prove to your neighbors that you care about them, that you care about their children, and that you are glad to be in this world and this culture, even if you are not of this world or this culture. Aileen and I feel that God has deliberately placed us here and among these people. We want to celebrate with them, even on an occasion of such dubious importance as Halloween.
Addendum - Let me add just one thing here. This year Halloween is on a Wednesday which means it will conflict with many mid-week church services. We did not realize that the two conflicted until after we had already made and spread our plans for the evening. I am generally convicted that we need to be at church when the doors are open. If you are of the same mind, this article may be more theory than practice, at least for this year. We unwittingly made an exception this year, but probably would not have if we had not already invited the neighborhood to our home that night. And yes, we feel a bit guilty about it. My pastor offered this advice for next time: “Get a calendar!” That’s not a bad plan…
I am a follower of Jesus Christ, a husband to Aileen and a father to three young children. I worship and serve as a pastor at 
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Comments (69)
I find Google Calendar works quite well… :-)
I agree, and might could even go further: We canceled our life group’s meeting next week because several families intentionally do block parties and the like as a way to get to know their (largely nonbelieving) neighbors. Like you said, it’s an exception, but an exception in order to take advantage of a wide open door to get to know people and not further the image of Christians as people who shut themselves off to everything “normal people” do.
For us, we are generally convicted we should be at the church whenever the doors are open, but we are only convicted we need to be at the church when the elders have called a worship service; namely, every Sunday morning and evening. I wouldn’t worry about missing a Wednesday group or meeting for a chance to reach your neighbors with Christian love and the Gospel, it is not a service of corporate worship to the Lord.
I am most interested in a comment early in your post: alternative celebrations are “ironic when you consider Halloween’s beginning as an alternative”. Can you elaborate, Tim? I had always thought of Halloween as a watering down of a pretty explicitly pagan celebration, not as an alternative a la Christmas (celebrating Jesus’ birth vs. the Solstice). Love the blog.
Appreciate the post. I can’t see anything wrong with candy, costumes and neighborliness, however, might a darkened house also provide opportunities for the gospel? Don’t we too often resemble our neighbors instead of providing a contrast?
You probably know that Halloween isn’t such a big a deal in the UK as it is over on your side of the Atlantic, but as with most commercial trends, we follow you like moths to a bright light ;-)
Having said that, we do get trick or treaters. I’ve done the lights off thing before, but since then have prepared for Halloween by getting a stack of Halloween specific gospel tracts in. Halloween is an evangelistic dream - it is so easy to turn a conversation about the supernatural round to Jesus… or no conversation at all… AND for once, your neighbours come to you! We give them some “candy” and tract and tell them about Jesus.
Well done for having a considered opinion Tim. Wise.
Our company purchases and displays Halloween decorations: in the kitchen, in the hallway, in the entrance way, etc. In response to the display of ghouls, ghosts, beheaded men, etc, I decided to “post my theses” on my office door to celebrate Reformation Day.
It says “Happy Reformation Day! October 31, 1517”, and has a picture of Martin Luther posting the theses. I then have the 95 theses in printed form together with the verse from Romans, “The just shall live by faith”.
I was concerned about legal implications, but talked to two attorney friends of mine who said, “Go for it”.
My hope and motive is to spark conversation among people as to what “Reformation Day” means. Perhaps this can be a witnessing opportunity for me, who knows? Hopefully someone can ask, “What does it mean that the ‘just shall live by faith’?”
Love the Theses on the door! We post them on our door every Oct. 31, also!
My wife and I are going to give away candy - but also use the opportunity to give away tracks and Paul Washer’s “2002 Youth Evangelism Conference” c.d.
Tim,
What do you think about letting your children trick-or-treating at houses that are decorated in an occult manner? e.g. If there were pictures of Satan all over or something. Would you treat that situation differently?
Thanks,
Josh
Tim,
Timely article! I read this on the GTY site yesterday. My wife and I don’t have kids but all of neighbors do so we participate by handing out candy and Million Dollar bills. It’s the least we can do. HA!
What do you think about letting your children trick-or-treating at houses that are decorated in an occult manner? e.g. If there were pictures of Satan all over or something. Would you treat that situation differently?
Yes, we treat those differently. There’s one house on our block where the people feel the need to do all of that—they dress in occult costumes, have the scary music playing, and so on. They’re also completely inebriated, but that’s a whole different story. We simply walk by that one. It’s not that we’re really upset with the people—it’s more that I don’t care to have my children terrified and waking up in the night!
You know you have a good relationshipe with your pastor when….his comment to your missing an event is, “get a calendar…”. Priceless.
I’m leaning more and more toward Halloween being a non-issue. The fact that it used to be a pagan holiday — even that it still is to 0.1% of the population — doesn’t mean it’s pagan to dress up and ask for candy.
As someone pointed out in the discussion on my blog, this is the one night a year all your neighbors are going to be out and about, and it would be a shame to miss this opportunity to interact with them.
Tim, we all must live by our convictions. I would be one of those who believes there is nothing redeemable in a Christian participating in this so-called holiday. Every comment so far has been gentle, and so it should be. We should have grace for one another even when we disagree. I like the suggestion of a completely darkened house. Maybe even some other method more visible to proclaim the Gospel (like a lighted sign that proclaims the cross). That is what needs to happen. I think of Eph 5:11 “And do not participate in the unfruitful deeds of darkness, but instead even expose them; ”
But, our children must understand why we believe what we say to them. Let this be a time of instruction to our children.
Great article, Tim. I especially like your idea of having all your neighbors over. We always leave our lights on and have lots of candy for our neighbors’ kids.
Well, Halloween may not be so pagan in origin after all! My good friend Steve Hayes, an Orthodox Deacon in South Africa, points to the 19th Century invention of the supposed pagan origin of the event. Read his comments at http://khanya.wordpress.com/2007/10/15/%20halloween-synchroblog/
I think the fact that the origins of Halloween are so deep in the past and so disputed really proves that it’s something of a non-issue. We can argue about its origins all we want, but I’m not so sure it really aids the discussion any. It’s not like these things are static and unchanging. Holidays, like language or anything else, change and adapt. The origins of Halloween probably tell us little about how we should or should not react to it today…
Two events occur in our neighborhood around Halloween, one is a party for adults on the weekend before with a live band and a great opportunity to connect with everyone in the neighborhood.
The second is a fireworks, cider and sparklers display after “trick-or-treating” is over. Again, everyone from the neighborhood contributes to the cost of the fireworks and the kids and adults all get together to spend some time together.
I have to look at the “fruit” of this. Here is a “dark” day, which ends up being two of the most treasured and anticipated days in our little community, not because of any celebration of darkness, but because the light of friendship and opportunity to connect with everyone which shines forth.
We also have a group home in our area. It is a treat to visit the home on Halloween night as the residents really light up when the kids come to call.
I can respect someone wanting to “not celebrate the darkness” but I have to ask them why it is that Halloween is in many cases a much better reflection of giving, being hospitable to strangers, a time of connection for both children and adults, a celebration of childhood (how we love to see the little kids in their costumes) and frankly, such a time of light, while on the other hand Christmas is a time for stress (often due to relationships), selfishness (the I wants and gimme’s), overindulging, and crass commercialism.
Hmm…what’s wrong with this picture?
Also…as an aside…if my pastor had a problem with me missing a service to reach out to my community instead of hanging out with the saved…I’d be looking for a new church.
What a let down! Especially from guy who wrote a book on discernment. Why even make it a Christian issue or talk about it every Halloween, if all (most) Christians are going to participate in it? I don’t see any discernment here at all—other than having a peaceful mask and costume. I come from an Indian (Asian) background. Among the Hindu’s that we used to live with they had many religious festivals. Almost one per month. One of the biggest one is Diwali, it’s a festival of lights celebrating one of their Heros in their mythology. Everyone lights up there homes, pass out candies/snacks to each other and lighting up fire crackers is the highlight of the night. We as Christians did not participate in that and for good reasons. My experience of seeing American Christianity is one of total watered down, culturally compromised Christians. As someone said, western Christianity is mile wide and inch deep. It’s sad.
Halloween is National Evangelism Day!!We give out really great goodie bags and include a tract directed towards kids.
“…And get a calendar”—that’s Proverbs 31:32, isn’t it?
Having a bbq is a great idea - thinking creatively with a Christian mind.Dad
Joshi: That is totally unnecessary. While I agree alot of what you are saying, not all Christians in America are shallow. What’s wrong with Tim’s personal convictions on the Halloween anyway? I don’t celebrate Halloween but that doesn’t make me any holier than my other brethren.
You know, why don’t the churches sponser week long solidarity fast during the last week of October or have worship night during Halloween. Doing the typical ‘fall festival’ thing isn’t the only way other than isolate yourself from the rest of the world. Avoiding vice alone ISN’T going to cure all the ills, especially it is clear the it is the condition of the human heart that causes us to sin, not just the circumstances. While the environment can expedite many things, it doesn’t always cause people to sin. I am not taking this whole Halloween thing lightly at all or I am saying we shouldn’t be practical with our witness. We just need to be careful especially when just about ANYTHING can be a stumbling block yet not all have the same effect at the same time.
Tim wrote :”Aileen and I are fully part of the community around us and look forward to being part of the community events that happen here.”
I don’t pretend to know how you live your life in your community, but my experience is that most Christians never do anything that would cause their neighbors to think they are in any significant way different.
I think the distinction between pagan and secular is pretty minimal. Your unsaved neighbors might not be God-hating witches but they do hate God. Google the top ten Halloween costumes and see what they are celebrating. It seems obvious to me that by participating you are encouraging your neighbors in their rebellion instead of exposing it.
I’ve done a lot of research on this subject. If you want to read a post from the “other side of the coin”, please feel free to visit my blog, as listed.
One thing I’ll say, while many Christians have decided that Halloween is a totally harmless holiday, I’ve ventured into some of the wiccan websites and publishings about Halloween, and they totally disagree. These occultists even find it amusing that many who claim to follow Christ are so uneducated about such spiritual matters.
Our battle is not with flesh and blood, ‘tis true. I can’t help but wonder if our real enemy cackles with scorn each time this “holiday” comes around.
I’ll have to lean the direction of David and Joshi. I think we should be proclaiming Christ to the lost every other day of the year. It seems like a (un)holiday like halloween, people are distracted and less receptive to ‘serious’ matters. If we are proclaiming Christ to the lost whenever we can, I’d venture to say we’d have less to talk about when this time of year rolls around.
This reminds me of John MacArthur’s TV appearance on ‘Should Christians do Yoga.’ He was the counter point to Doug Pagitt.
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-2627017857393286792&q=pagitt+yoga+macarthur&total=2&start=0&num=10&so=0&type=search&plindex=0
Why would you deliberately compromise yourself, and your children, in something that isn’t rooted in Christ? We should be raising our children/families in the laws and precepts of the LORD. Not that I have kids, but that’s my 2 cents (adjusted for inflation)
Our feelings on Halloween are similar to yours. We go to a local church’s “Trunk or Treating” and have a great time visiting with people we don’t get to see very often.
We have a relative who believes that Christians shouldn’t celebrate Christmas since it evolved as an alternative to pagan winter solstice festivals. I would never criticize a fellow Christian who chooses not to participate in Halloween (which I think is much more understandable than not celebrating Christmas), but seeing our relative’s worry about pagan origins become almost obsessive has been very eye-opening.
awesome.Good for you tim and glad to hear stuff like this!
The comments have been interesting, and have helped to sharpened my views on Halloween.
It is so easy to think that we can be a good witness by fitting in - appearing to be “normal” or to use something like halloween as an opportunity to entertain our friends. I’d have to ask myself - what would my neighbours and friends think of me if I were to allow my kids to trick or treat, or if I invited them over for a Halloween barbecue?
Would their impression of me be that I was distict - different and committed to Christ, or that I wasn’t much different to them? Would they be saying “Rich is ok, he is a Christian, but he isn’t in-your-face - he doesn’t take it so seriously” or would they be saying “Rich didn’t celebrate halloween with us - they gave us books about Jesus instead”.
Perhaps if we took our kids out, knocked on people’s doors and gave them some literature instead? Or maybe we could invite poeple over for food saying that we won’t be doing anything halloween related, but rather wanted to get to know them better and share something of our faith with them.
I’m convicted that we should be different, distinct and obvious - you don’t put a lamp under a bowl.
This is the most intriguing and believable thing I’ve read yet on the origins of Halloween:
http://khanya.wordpress.com/
If the author Khanya quotes at length is correct, we (meaning my family and the many others who have opted for non-participation) are having heartburn for no reason, or at least little reason. James Jordan’s thoughts are also interesting, though less historically enlightening:
http://www.biblicalhorizons.com/open-book/no-28-concerning-halloween/
As of today I am still up in the air about what to do in a week: so far we are planning a trip to our planting church’s Ref Day party (I pastor a small church plant). That could change. I will say this: the idea that Halloween really started in the 4th century as a celebration of those martyred under the Romans, and that it was moved to late October for reasons unconnected to a supposed Celtic feast of the dead, excites me. That now we Christians may have swallowed uncritically the pagan revision of the holiday’s history angers me. What if we made it again what it was meant to be: a celebration of those who have witnessed with their blood to the work of Christ?
Let me add that I am on the same page as Joshi, David, et al. If this is a genuinely pagan holiday I want nothing to do with it. As a Christian high school teacher over the last half-decade it has astonished me how much more seriously my evangelical Latino/Latina students took this: they were frankly shocked that their classmates would engage in something they regarded as a celebration of evil. If they are right about the nature of the occasion, they are right to be outraged.
Tim,
I always enjoy the thoughtful commentary and this theme almost always brings some emotional and convinced comments. To date I agree with your assessment 100%! But I also enjoy hearing from those of differing positions. Thanks for making that opportunity available.
WWJBWhere Would Jesus Be?I know, that sounds a bit like a cliche but where would he be? As to his habit of dining and hanging out with sinners, I would think that he would be right in the middle of Halloween, being Jesus. Would he be in the back of a darkened house watching TV or reading his bible? Would he be hiding out inside the synagogue? I can’t imagine that. So what does it mean to be in the middle of Halloween, hanging out with the sinners, and being like Jesus?
I will be with my son and his family eating dinner and sharing with his neighborhood. Hopefully, being like Jesus, bringing life to those around me.
Larry said “Where Would Jesus Be? I know, that sounds a bit like a cliche but where would he be? As to his habit of dining and hanging out with sinners, I would think that he would be right in the middle of Halloween, being Jesus. Would he be in the back of a darkened house watching TV or reading his bible? Would he be hiding out inside the synagogue?”
For some odd reason, it’s described by many as “hiding” when in reality there is no hiding going on at all, for many families that choose to opt out of Halloween festivities. Many families are doing the same thing we’re doing on that night: folding laundry, paying bills, doing/correcting/helping with homework or studying, at a mid week church service, going grocery shopping, or any other wide variety of routine things families do.Last year, my girls were at church at their mid-week meeting and I was grocery shopping at WalMart. Here’s a tip: if you like WalMart but don’t like crowds, be sure to go there on Halloween - there is NO ONE there. It’s amazing. :-)
Hi CarlaI would certainly agree with you on your choice. Romans 14:5 says “One man considers one day more sacred than another; another man considers every day alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind.” I wasn’t thinking of opting out as hiding. If you consider that day like every other, and you are convinced in your own mind, then I applaud that.
What I was thinking about is when we retreat to the church building to separate ourselves from others. Somtimes we go there as spiritual retreat to learn and to grow. Somtimes, I think, we go there to hide.
Perhaps we should hide our children at Harvest Festivals in the church building. I don’t know. My family has always been the kind that jumps in and engages like Tim’s family.
I’m dressing up as Tim Challies for Halloween…or Doug Flutie
Re - “pagan” holiday:
When last did you go to the “Wodin’s Day” prayer meeting? And are you looking forward to the next Saturnalia?
Point is, a lot of things USED to be pagan. Like most of us, for instance.
And it is funny how people will actually eat up everything the wiccans tell them, but question their Christian brothers and sisters.
Lighten up. The earth is the Lord’s!
Each year, I attempt to “reclaim Halloween for the Lord.” I have given out tracts and Bible verses attached to the candy in the past. While browsing the CBN website, I thought it might be nice to print up and include a prayer:
Dear Visitor,
I open my door and offer you and your loved ones two “treats.” The first is this BIG candy bar, and the second is a prayer in my heart. I pray that God’s blanket of protection would be over so many little children on Halloween night.
Lord, may this year on Halloween night be one that is hallowed, a holy night to lift up your name and bless your little children all over the world.
In Jesus Christ’s name I pray,
Amen
Last year, a fellow Bible study member shared with our group that she is involved with creating stretchy, lettered bracelets that say HOPE in block letters. She also includes a Scripture reference to one of the many Bible verses that express our hope in God and the Lord Jesus Christ. I asked her to make a bunch for me to give out with the candy on Halloween!
Halloween has never been my favorite holiday. I’ll admit that I’ve gone through several phases (and attitudes) throughout my life. But once I became a committed Christian, dedicated to serving and pleasing the Lord, I really started to hate Halloween and all that it stood for.
Anyone remember that commercial for Quantas airlines? It’s the one where the koala bear is pictured clinging to a tree. His thoughts are voiced over and we hear, “I hate Quantas.”
Well, that was me every time I’d pass a Spencer’s gifts store in October. The ugly, evil masks, faces and costumes would irk me! I’d say to myself, “I hate Halloween!” I have Christian friends who feel the same way.
But, as long as my kids (when they were younger, of course) wouldn’t dress up in any costume that was evil, ugly or Satanic, then we would still go trick or treating and give out candy at our home.
A few times we attended our church’s Autumnfest. I liked the fact that we were celebrating with fellow Christian believers during a holiday that is often claimed for, and loved, by the anti-God, paganistic, secular culture.
Some people (including Christians) don’t think of Halloween that way. Traditionally, some have viewed it as more of a time to look at what frightens us, to experience it, to laugh at it, and to come through it.
O.K.
But the pagan roots of Halloween tell us a very different story. I won’t bore you with the details, but just do an internet search and you will most likely find lots of information about it.
The question sometimes comes up in Christian circles, should the forces of evil be mocked? Should Satan be laughed at? If you have ever read C.S. Lewis’ The Screwtape Letters, you would find that he seems to think so. In that book, Lewis includes two telling quotations, the first from Martin Luther:
“The best way to drive out the devil, if he will not yield to texts of Scripture, is to jeer and flout him, for he cannot bear scorn.”
The second comes from Thomas More:
“The devil…the proud spirit cannot endure to be mocked.”
I really appreciated reading the following excerpt from Dr. Rearick who was a professor at Mount Vernon Nazarene College at the time his article was published:
The one thing Satan cannot bear is to be a source of laughter. His pride is undermined by his own knowledge that his infernal rebellion against God is in reality an absurd farce. Hating laughter, he demands to be taken seriously. Indeed, I would say that those Christians who spend the night of October 31 filled with concern over what evils might be (and sometimes are…so I don’t blame them one bit!) taking place are doing the very thing Lucifer wants them to do. By giving him this respect, such believers are giving his authority credence.
Not all believers should celebrate Halloween. For those who have been redeemed from the occult, Halloween in its foolishness may contain what was for them deadly seriousness. While their souls were in deadly peril, however, what they experienced were lies and illusions.
It is understandable that they look with horror upon what once enslaved them. Such sensitivity may be appropriate for them, but it is not (necessarily) appropriate for the majority of Christians. Holding their opinions as appropriate for most believers is like having a former bulimic dictate how Christians should regard church hot-plate socials.
Christians should instead celebrate Halloween with gusto. If we follow the traditional formula of having a good time at his expense, Satan flees.
If we give up All Hallows Eve, we lose the delight of God’s gift of imagination and we condemn the rest of society to a darker Halloween because our laughter will not be there to make the devil run.
Please note that I am not telling any Christian believer what they should do or how they should act on the subject of Halloween. I just wanted to share that excerpt because I thought it covered a lot of differing beliefs on how one might want to look at the “celebration” of this “holiday.”
As I said before, I’d rather not “celebrate” Halloween. But since it arrives every October 31st, I choose to reclaim Halloween for Jesus Christ. The HOPE bracelets that I will give out with the candy is just one small way that I can do just that.
I’ve always been a little curious as to why some Christians in America and Canada do not celebrate Halloween. Perhaps there are spiritual elements about it that I’m not aware of.
Coming from a Chinese family in Asia, we have so many festivals that are pagan - the mooncake festival, the dragon boat festival, the spring harvest festival, the chinese new year, et cetera, and Christians here celebrate all of them although we refrain from some of the activities.
For example, each festival begins with ancestral worship and ends with a big dinner for the entire extended family. For my family, that’s more than 70 of us gathered at my grandmother’s.
As Christians, we do not participate in the ancestral worship, but we always sit together for dinner.
It seems wrong to reject it because these are the only chances we have to get everyone together.
Tim, I appreciate your thoughtfulness on the subject. As one who takes the “do not participate” route with my family, I am happy to allow other Christians to reach their own convictions. However, one line in your post stood out: regarding your participation, you said “It still feels like a bit of a compromise, and admittedly one with which I am not entirely comfortable.”
That sounds to me like a symptom of a conscience which is not clear. That’s why I do not participate in Halloween; I cannot do so with a clear conscience. If we can’t participate with a clear conscience, then it would be better not to participate at all.
Living in Arizona, we are usually blessed to have great weather on Halloween night. For the past few years, our small group has held a cookout in front of one our houses in the neighborhood. We don’t wear costumes and while we do pass out candy, many children and especially the adults enjoy having hot dogs, chili and sandwiches as an alternative to sugar!
We have plenty of lawn chairs available for neighbors to visit before, during, and after the “official” hours for Halloween. We also hand out invitations to our church’s “Fall Festival” which is held the Saturday immediately after Halloween. The festival is is essentially an “open house” for neighborhood families to visit our church, complete with choir performances, food, rides, and games.
Essentially, Halloween night has been used to meet neighbors, inform them about our small group meetings and invite them to visit our church. I, too, have struggled in the past with what is an appropriate Christian response to Halloween. Our small group cookout is where our prayers have led.
Russell, I Googled the top 10 costumes. Here’s what I discovered: several million hits……Annies’ costumes, which I’ve actuallyheard of lists the top 10 by age group. Let’s see…hmm…for “women”(not kids, women) Queen Gorgo (from the 300), Elizabeth Swan (Pirates), Good Witch, Dorthy (Wizard of Oz), Princess Fiona (Shrek), Princess Leia (Star Wars), Daphne (Scooby Doo), Snow White, Nun, Pirate Lady. The trend I see is people dressing up as movie/tv characters.
Let’s check the men’s top 10: Jack Sparrow, Darth Vader, Harry Potter, Hugh Hefner, Edward Scissorhands, Spartan, Jester, Pirate, Cave Man, Davey Jones. Again, with little exception I’m seeing movie characters.
So I googled kids costumes:TOP 10 CHILDRENCOSTUMES:www.newyorkcostumes.com/PR-top10-halloween-costumes.html
1. PRINCESS & FAIRY
2. WONDERWOMAN CHILD COSTUME
3. SUPERMAN MUSCLECHEST COSTUME
4. GREEN LANTERN
5. BATMAN
6. HARRY POTTER COSTUMES
7. SPIDERMAN
8. STAR WARS COSTUMES
9. SUPERHERO FLASH
10. FUNNY COSTUMES
What was your point?
After reading all the posts for those who are for participating in Halloween, I still don’t get the point. I mean, what is the intent of using Halloween as an evangelistic day? What is our end result of evangelizing (presenting the gospel) people during Halloween? Is it to make them leave the kingdom of darkness and come into the kingdom of light? So for the sake of argument, if a neighborhood as been fully converted to Christ would they celebrate Halloween as it’s traditionally done? They will not, and it won’t be Halloween anymore. You would have to call it something else. So why participate in the questionable event in order to change it? Why not preach against in all our churches, do an active evangelism of your neighborhood before Halloween, etc.
Like I said, I don’t get the point in participating in questionable event. Even Tim has his doubts. I think once Christians are successful in turning Halloween around, they would be the saddest of people come October 31st, because they don’t get to dress up and have fun.
Here’s another enlightening article by Albert Mohler:
http://www.crosswalk.com/1293292/
Joshi,
I can certainly understand your frustration about Halloween. I have experienced the same (see my comment above) thing over the course of my Christian life.
My Christian brothers and sisters can (and, some most likely will) disagree with my conclusions. It’s O.K., though. Christians have had differing opinions about many social issues. The core belief of the gospel and Jesus’ commandment to go and teach the gospel message to the whole world is still intact; no matter what one believes about Halloween.
Mat 28:19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:
Mat 28:20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, [even] unto the end of the world. Amen.
Jesus is still with every single believer; even when they enter into “enemy territory” in an effort to evangelize the lost.
As Paul tells us in 2 Corinthians 2:2 -
1Cr 2:2 For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified.
Jesus told us that we must be born again. If we do not engage the world, then how will we reach the lost?
I do not see it as “celebrating Halloween,” or “active evangelism” because of participation in it. I see it as reaching out to the lost with the world’s only hope for salvation…Jesus Christ.
As with any endeavor that borders upon evil, those who were once in bondage to the occult (and, have been released from it through faith in Christ) may have bad memories about it and wish to avoid it altogether. Not all Christians are called into the same types of ministry as others. However, those who know that they would not succomb to the deception involved in the paganistic roots or current rituals that Halloween, unfortunately, can bring about in some individuals lives, would be equipped spiritually to lead others towards redemption in Jesus Christ.
Your idea to do an “active evangelism” in the neighborhood before Halloween sounds good on the surface, but may, in fact, backfire. People don’t like to be told what they can’t do. They would probably be more receptive to the positive message of redemption through Christ, rather than immediately displaying objection of their pagan practices. This is something that I am continually learning in my own witnessing efforts.
It may be more difficult and time consuming, but I have found that when people discover for themselves that they have the need to repent (of sinful Halloween practices or any other sin for that matter) and turn to Jesus Christ at the cross of Calvary for forgiveness of their sins; it is then that a genuine conversion can happen. All we can do is plant the seeds of faith and share one’s need for redemption. The rest is up to God.
Brian,
Thank you for taking the time to post the top ten costumes. My point is that none of those things are designed to glorify Christ. Most of our neighbors are celebrating things God has warned us against.
Ephesians 5:11reads “Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them.”
What is it that your neighbors are celebrating? The costume list gives a clue, the fact that so many Christians don’t participate gives you a clue, the fact that so many Christians that do celebrate have qualms gives you a clue. The fact that so many Christians that don’t have qualms are coming up with creative alternative messages also gives insight into what our neighbors are celebrating.
I look at the ghouls, ghosts, witches, graves, fairies, skeletons and assorted other stereotypical halloween decorations and see celebrating those things as dark and fruitless.
If you look at those same things and don’t see darkness you are free to celebrate. If you do see darkness you are not free, scripture commands you not to participate but to expose it.
If I am misapplying the verse I apologize and would love to be corrected.
I’m not going to take a side on Tim’s blog except to point out a thought I had about this battle.
Those churches with a European heritage tolerate Halloween, some even embracing it.
On the other hand, those churches that were essentially founded in America tend to reject Halloween, often strongly.
Just something to ponder.
DLE, The term Halloween, or more precisely All Hallows Eve originated in Europe, through the Roman Catholic church. So, it’s not suprising that it would be more tolerated by churches with European heritage.
After being unemployed for over a year, I finally have a brand new job that has me working nights so this particular controversy has been taken out of my situation this year. However in years past I have had no problems passing out candy to the neighborhood kids. At least this neighborhood has kids who trick-or-treat. I’ve live here for only 4 years but the previous 17 years, my wife and I lived in an apartment complex on the south side of town a few blocks north of the “projects”. The complex was surrounded by a 10 foot fence topped with razor wire giving the appearance of being in prison. Even so, our car was broken into twice and stolen once. Many times we could hear shots being fired nearby. The local police finally built a substation that helped somewhat but not always. And for 17 years we didn’t have trick-or-treaters. The small number of kids living in the complex usually ended up at the nearby mall which had indoor halloween festivities which normally went smoothly except for one year when a bunch of thugs had a mini-riot which lead to an over-cautious presence of law enforcement the following year (no incidents that year so it went back to normal in the following years).
It took us 17 years to finally be able to afford a house and we were blessed to find a home in a lovely, quiet neghborhood with plenty of kids who, on halloween, have been polite and quite frankly, loads of fun.
I’m going to miss it while I’m at work.
The Bible holds the answer to pagan holiday questions. I posted an article about Halloween on my blog and received several interesting comments. See http://tinyurl.com/ypd2ck