I got this email from my gorgeous, amazing, wonderful daughter this morning (she is my only daughter by the way so don’t think I make the reference in comparison to an ugly, mundane, woeful one). And I want to share it and comment after:
Friends & Family,
Perhaps I'm reading too much of Paul's letters in the Bible or too much of Francis Chan's amazing book about Hell, but I felt strongly this morning that I needed to send this e-mail. I think Paul would have sent it himself if he lived in these times, in fact.
Most of you know that I've never been a big fan of Halloween. My "reasons" were an aversion to dressing up, I don't like much candy, the tendency to faint at the sight of blood, a nausea that came into view when I saw gore, and so on, so forth. But it wasn't until this year in a MasterLife Bible Study that has changed my life that someone brought up the real reason I should not treat Halloween as a "holiday" to be celebrated.
The origins of the holiday are rooted in Paganism, we know this. It's a dark holiday. My Bible says to shine a LIGHT among men. It tells me to LAY ASIDE the deeds of darkness, to put on the shield of LIGHT. It tells me that those who engage in darkness... do not know Christ.
Carol Kornacki. Google her. She was a witch. She has a lot to say about what Halloween is. And you know what really, truly convicts me?
Witches, wiccans, satanists... say that Halloween is one of their high holy days. They LOVE IT that they do not celebrate any Christian holiday ... but we, as Christians, delight in one of theirs.
I am taking a stand for Christ.
No longer will I stay silent for my God on Halloween.
Look it up. Do your own research. Enlighten yourself.
If you celebrate this holiday and have a relationship with Christ, I urge you to take it up with Him. He will direct your paths and lead you to His desires if you ask Him.
Love you all and I wish you a happy Monday.stinamarie
I must admit this hasn’t been a clean and easy answer for me. I don’t personally celebrate Halloween, but I have only the fondest memories of it when I was a child. I have very close Christian friends that celebrate it without reservation and I don’t condemn them. I have gone back and forth on the issue MANY times – oddly, rebelling against how it is perceived by my CHRISTIAN friends.
To those who celebrate it with great joy, I feel such a nausea in my stomach, knowing that people who TRULY worship and submit to the Lord of Death and horror would think I condone it.
To those who act like the stereotypical puritan Amish who act like grabbing a handful of candy corn at the office is equivalent to child sacrifice, I want to scream knowing Christ has purchased my freedom from every form of sin and I don’t have to be fearful of EVERYTHING. I even have Christian friends who won’t celebrate Christmas because a) Christ was probably born in Sept/Oct (true), Christmas was implemented in place of a pagan holiday (true) and the adoption of Christmas trees actually had their genesis in the worship of demons in trees by the Druids (also true). But to these people I want to pour eggnog over their heads, tar them with Christmas sprinkles and throw them into a fire ant hill. Am I the only one?
Saint Paul, whom Stina mentions, had to deal with something somewhat similar. Some new Christians were buying meat from sacrifices to idols offered up at local pagan temples. It was cheaper than other meat at the market and also likely higher quality. Good deal, right?
Paul said that’s right! It’s just meat for Christ’s sake (he may not have said ‘Christ sake’) and there is no God except Jehovah (or Yaweh). No biggie!
But, he also knew that some less spiritually mature people might take it as endorsement of the worship of the idol itself saying, “Well I saw Billy Graham at a Halloween party so he must not really think ghosts and demons are real!” Or worse, “…he must think it’s ok to read horoscopes, go to mediums and practice spells.” IT IS ON THIS that Paul elaborates. From a great Christian site:
In 1 Corinthians 8:4-13, Paul clarifies the teaching on this subject. First, he says that eating meat offered to an idol is not immoral, because “an idol is nothing at all.” An idol is an inanimate object. “Food,” he says, “does not bring us near to God; we are no worse if we do not eat, and no better if we do.” The meat itself is amoral. However, there is more to consider, namely the brother with a weak conscience. Some believers, especially those with a background of idol worship, were still very sensitive concerning this issue and considered it morally wrong to eat meat sacrificed to idols. Under no circumstances, Paul says, should a believer encourage another believer to violate his conscience. To the pure, all things are pure (Titus 1:15), but to one with a weak conscience, meat taken from pagan temples was spiritually defiled. It would be better never to eat meat again than to cause a believer to sin against his conscience.
“HALLOWEEN” literally means the “eve” of “All Saints Day” – a day to celebrate Christians. It comes from the real event of those who practice witchcraft and hate God the Father who tried their best to desecrate God’s children. Think “Occupy Wall Street” rapists, defecators and Nazi’s doing their worst the night before Glenn Beck’s “Restoring Honor” gathering. If you were a Patriot – you certainly wouldn’t give ANY credibility to this group – even if it was 1/2 price Margarita’s and Martini’s during Happy Hour.
There ARE a lot of mixed messages out there and those who don’t know Christ – maybe even don’t know He is REAL, as is satan – might be looking to see how you handle it. You ARE a role model. So please use good judgment.
I know there are a lot of churches that have a ‘Harvest Festival’ or whatever but really? Unless you TRULY are a farmer, the only thing you’ve “harvested” lately is a blood sample with your doctor. For me, rather than curse the darkness, I’d point out the problems I have with it (as I’ve done here), but also celebrate the freedom and joy Christ has given. Why don’t we just RECLAIM OUR OWN HOLIDAY? Really! So….
HAPPY ALL SAINTS DAY EVERYONE!
2 comments:
For me, this article is very inspiring and sheds additional light on my decision to celebrate Halloween. May God speak to each of you according to the Spirit's conviction within your own hearts.
I will never forget the year I chose to keep my young daughters from our 'trick-or-treat' tradition because my church taught that such practice on Halloween 'is participating in evil.' My decision to do this -- because spiritual leaders of a church said so -- caused me (for a time) far more harm than it did my two young girls.
Robbing my daughters of a happy Halloween tradition was the beginning of a long and difficult spiritual journey, one wrought with guilt and feelings of being a terrible mother. This single choice was the impetus that fueled my need for a Christ filled life, one in which I am guided by the Holy Spirit rather than by man.
In time there became immeasurable beauty within this long ago Halloween event, because it brought me even closer to my Lord. Today, I celebrate with joy the presence of the Spirit in my life as I eagerly await my grandchildren's knock at the door for their trick-or-treat goodies.
Thanks Shelly. You definitely are the exception to the rule. Most spirit-filled believers are know have had God replace Halloween with their own non-demon/satanic celebration rather than participate in one that celebrates darkness. The point of my article wasn't to embrace Halloween - but to REPLACE IT with All Saints Day on the first of November. But WHATEVER you don't do of faith is "missing the mark" - and I am encouraged that you sought God directly on what to do. In any event - since it is clearly a day where REAL witches and warlocks try to release evil in the supernatural and natural, I pray over your grandchildren (and all children) for safety - and that they obtain the knowledge that you can't "play" in the devil's backyard without coming under his authority.
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