After some of the responses I received from part one, I feel there are some things I need to clear up before I go into the rest of this series.
First off: If you are a Christian, and you celebrate Halloween, I am not condemning you and claiming you are worshipping Satan by participating in Halloween. That’s not was I was saying. I was merely trying to show the truth and speak the message that God had laid on my heart. I’m not judging you or pointing fingers, I’m acting on my own convictions. These articles are meant to educate, not judge. My family use to celebrate Halloween, but once we learned the truth we quit and no longer participate. All I’m asking is that you conceder what I have to say and pray about it. I encourage you to research it for yourself. Search in your Bible, seek God’s guidance in this issue.
Second: I’m talking about the origins of Halloween, NOT Christmas, or any other holiday that originated from pagan traditions. Yes, I know Christmas sprang from the Roman celebration of Saturnalia, a pagan festival that stuck around even after Christmas was made Christian holiday. Here is the point I wanted to make. Halloween originated from the Druid’s summers end festival and was a high point in Satan worship. It STILL is that today. Christmas originated as a pagan festival of violence and crimes, but today, it is the time we celebrate the birth of Christ regardless of when he was actually born.
I bring you back to Philippians 4:8 – “Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report, if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.”
Christmas is the celebration of Christ’s birth. Yes there are “pagan” elements involved in a modern cultural celebration, but it is still CHRISTmas, about Jesus Christ. This holiday, as a day set aside to remember Christ’s coming to earth as our savior, reflects the truth, virtue, purity and loveliness Philippians 4:8 talks about. Halloween may not be an open celebration to Satan, and if you don’t believe it is celebrating Satan at all, then look at what it is putting our focus on – zombies, witches, werewolves, vampires, death – there is nothing in this holiday that embodies Philippians 4:8. That detail in and of itself is a reason why Christians should not participate in Halloween.
All Hallows Day/All Saints Day
The name “Halloween” was not given to the day until the 16th century. It was a variation of the Scottish name “All-Hallows-Eve”, the night before “All Hallows Day”. All Hallows Day was also known as “Solemnity for the Saints”, or “All Saints Day”, the Roman Catholic holiday celebrated on November 1st in honor of the saints. Though these two holidays fall at the same time and even share a name; they are not to be confused.
In my opinion, putting All Saints Day on October 31st was an act by the Roman Catholic Church in an effort to cover up the Druid holiday with a “Christian” one, much like what they tried to do with putting another day for the saints (Saint Valentine’s Day) over a Roman festival (Lupercalia).
Reformation Day, the day Martin Luther pinned the 95 Theses to the church door also falls on October 31st. This has become a Christian substitute for the satanic themed Halloween.
Some might consider these holidays as “Christianized” versions of Halloween, but they have nothing in common.
For Christians looking for a clean, Christ centered substitute for the holiday of Halloween, I would encourage you to look into the history of Reformation Day and why Martin Luther wrote the 95 Theses and what it said.
In part 3 of this series I will be posting videos of a documentary made by Jeremiah Films called “Halloween: Trick or Treat.” In this film, they go into detail the history behind Halloween and Halloween today. They interview former Satanists who have become Christians, and Satanists who are still active in their cults and ask them about their own Halloween experiences. This film was made to show Christians the truth concerning Halloween with real people and their real life experiences on this day. NOTE: These videos are not for young viewers and are difficult to watch.
Here is the trailer for what’s up next. Take a look at their website. http://www.jeremiahfilms.com/beta/
You are completely ignoring the fact Christmas is, still is, always has been a pagan holiday. Early Christian/Catholic (however you decide to classify it) made Saturnalia/the winter solstice into a Christian holiday because people were already celebrating it. They didn’t even change the celebration. It is the exact same thing. I could celebrate Saturnalia and no one would know the difference. Except I wouldn’t have a Christmas tree. *shrug*
And you are taking that verse entirely out of context. If we never think about bad things, then how exactly are we supposed to think at all? If we don’t contemplate sin how are we supposed to know what sin is?
First, I have one question about how you take the context of this verse? Does this mean that, I need lie, cheat, or still to know that these things are bad? Second, we are born into sin it is are nature. we don’t have to dwell on it to know right from wrong. Third, if you need help understanding a sin issue, you don’t contemplate it. You go to the Scriptures and find the answer that God has already given. By searching for the answer in Scripture you are not contemplating evil but instead the Holy Word which has virtue and everything elsa that Philippines 4:8 lists.
1) If you never think about anything “bad” you never think at all. We are bad people, sinful
2) You have never been presented with a moral dilemma?
3) The Bible is full of nasty, horrible things which would violate the idea of thinking about things that aren’t pure or virtuous or beautiful. Actually…MOST of the Old Testament is pretty brutal.
In the context of this verse. Paul leaving the Philippine Christians a last word of encouragement. He challenges them to do dwell on six things
1. True. Simply the opposite of dishonest
2. Noble. refers to what is dignified or worth of respect.
3. Right. Conforming to Gods standerd.
4. Pure. That which is wholesome
5.Lovely. Not in appearance, but in promoting peace rather then conflicted.
6. Admirable. That which is constructive rather then destructive.
He encourages them to dwell “subject of long careful reflection” on this things and have peace. Rather then to dwell on things of the world such as: death, evil, strife, hatred, discord, impurity and anything that does not have virtue. Reflecting on worldly things, First, would be depressing and lead to nothing. Second, the Christians that Paul is talking to would be no different then the culture that surrounded them full of the worries of life.
This does not mean that we are never to think of these things, but to not make them subjects to dwell or meditation on.
Out of respect for Laura and because this is way off topic of her original post this is my last comment. Hopeful this has given you some insight to this verse.
Sami, in response to your first comment…
It is not the pagan holiday it was.
I never said we should never think about bad things. I wrote these articles to get people TO THINK about the evil around them and to seek out the truth.
Great job Laura! keep up the good work.
Thank you Garret.
[...] Christians should not participate in Halloween (Part 1) (Part 2) GA_googleAddAttr("AdOpt", "1"); GA_googleAddAttr("Origin", "other"); [...]
Well done, Laurale! Can I share these on my own blog?? <3
Yes you can. Please do!