HALLOWEEN – A CHRISTIAN POINT OF VIEW
Many people believe that Halloween is just a fun time, especially for children. Halloween parties are held for small children, whilst the older ones roam the streets on the night of October 31, dressed up as witches, demons or ghosts, knocking on the doors of homes, and playing “trick or treat.” Adults, not wanting to spoil the children’s fun, play along and hand over candy or other nice things to eat. The people who do not play along could find themselves the victims of some or other mischief carried out on their possessions – for example broken eggs or some other messy substance discarded on their cars or homes. There are even adults who involve themselves in Halloween by attending Fancy Dress parties where they dress up in different demonic costumes. All this is said to be just innocent fun.
There is however, much more to Halloween than most people realize, and one needs to go right back to the origin and roots of this ceremony to understand more fully what it is all about.
Halloween has its origin in Babylon where the worship of the false god Baal was carried out. After the fall, where Adam and Eve sinned and were cast out of the Garden of Eden, mankind turned away from worshiping God Almighty (the Creator) and instead began to worship creation. The Assyrians started a complex system of sun worship, and this spread throughout the world from Babylon. The Celts of France, Britain and Ireland developed their own system of worship and called their sun god Samhain. (Some research articles refer to Samhain as the lord of the dead). The priests were known as Druids and they sacrificed humans, usually first-born babies, to this god of theirs. These sacrifices occurred in places in the UK, Wales, Scotland and Ireland. Generally priests are allowed to eat the sacrifice after offering it as a blood offering to their god. In the case of the Celts, where they offered humans, they actually ate human flesh afterwards. (The word “cannibal” comes from the priests of Baal or “Cahan-Bal” who ate human sacrifices).
When Britain was conquered by the Roman Empire in AD 52-3 Caesar issued a decree banning human sacrifice.
In the 5th century, in Celtic Ireland, their new year officially began on November 1 with the festival of Samhain. November 1 was the beginning of a long cold winter. Summer officially ended on October 31 and Druids believed that on this night the spirits of dead sinners were released by Samhain from their place of torment, and roamed the earth. It was believed that they returned to their own homes to be entertained by the living. To ward them off, food offerings were put outside the homes and frightening lanterns were made in pumpkins and turnips to scare them away. It was believed that if the evil spirits were not satisfied, they would cause havoc, and create terror as they haunted the living or put spells or curses on them. This was a demonstration of demonic activity carried out by Satan and his demons to which people, who were uninformed and ignorant of the devil and his evil ways, reacted – trying to solve the problem in the best way they knew how.
The Samhain celebration used nuts, apples, skeletons, witches and black cats. Divination, accompanied with signs about what would happen in the future was practiced as well as magic to seek answers for the future. Black cats were considered to be reincarnated beings with the ability to divine the future. Because of this involvement in divination and witchcraft during the festival, Satan and his demons were given the legal right (or permission), and opportunity to participate, and these supernatural demonic beings (masquerading as spirits of the dead) then terrified the people of the particular areas.
Thus nowadays, children who roam the streets playing trick or treat, represent the evil spirits demanding food from the homes they visit. Those who do not comply with the demands and do not give a “treat” receive a “trick” which is usually some sort of mischief or damage done to the property of the non-complying. This is representative of the curse or spells that were placed on the home by the evil spirits. Halloween is therefore a tribute to, or an act of respect and admiration of the devil and his demons, as the activities associated with Halloween condone, remember and imitate – be it in a small measure, but nevertheless – their demonic activities on this day.
Satanists consider October 31 to be one of the most important nights of the year. It is believed that on this night Satan and his witches have their greatest power. Attempts are made to remove the barrier between this world and the spiritual world of darkness. Blood is shed and sexual rituals are carried out. Sexual association with demons takes place. Animals and humans are sacrificed to Satan on this night.
In the eighth century, Pope Gregory the third changed All Saints’ Day (a day when all the dead Roman Catholic saints were remembered, honored and prayed for) from May 13 to November 1, and in the year 834 Pope Gregory the fourth extended this celebration to the entire Roman church. This event was called Allhallowmass, and there was a celebration on the evening before on October 31, called All Hallow E’en, “all hallow” meaning all of the hallowed (or holy) ones. Halloween is derived from the words “hallow” and “e’en.”
The Samhain celebration, All Saints Day (All Hallows Day), Halloween and All Hallows Eve are events that have become interlinked. Catholicism originally used force and bribery to “Christianize” this joint event of remembering the dead. For example, sacrifice was allowed, but only the sacrifice of animals, and not of humans. Catholicism tried to replace the pagan rituals by substituting them with their Catholic practices and beliefs.
Furthermore, although it is not wrong to remember the dead, to pray for the dead is against Scripture. In Hebrews 9:27 we read that it is appointed for all to die once and after that to face certain judgment. This means that man does not receive a second chance after death. Man’s destiny after death depends on his way of life and decisions made while he was alive. Jesus said to the repentant man on the cross next to him, “Truly, I tell you, today you shall be with Me in Paradise.” (Luke 23:43 The Amplified Bible) Jesus Christ died once for all. He is the perfect sacrifice; he paid the full price for all the sins of mankind and nothing more is required from man except true repentance of sin and acceptance of Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. (John 3:16) To continue with other sacrifices or to pray for the dead would mean that Christ’s death was just not good enough or sufficient to save man from his sins. A born again Christian does not pray for the dead and has no place for the celebration of either All Hallows Day or Halloween.
During the middle Ages there was open practice of witchcraft – of which there is a revival nowadays in many countries. Certain cults held periodic meetings known as witches’ Sabbaths. One of the highest of the witches’ Sabbaths is the High Sabbath or the Black Sabbath of witches on October 31. Much of the Halloween folklore of today such as black cats, broomsticks, cauldrons and spells come from the Black Sabbath. It is said that in Germany the occult (the use of magic powers and things that cannot be explained by reason or science), is considered to be more common today than in the Middle Ages.
Halloween has spread to many different countries in the world where it is celebrated on October 31. Traditional Halloween symbols appeared in the U.S. during the late 1800′s. Witches, black cats, death’s heads cut from pumpkins, candles, masks, parties and pranks were used. The jack-o-lantern, also known as will-o-the-wisp, fox fire and corpse candle, among other things, was believed to be a wandering soul who could not find refuge in either heaven or hell because of a particularly evil deed committed in its lifetime. A corpse candle is said to be a small flame moving through the air in the dark and is believed by the superstitious to be an omen of the observer’s imminent death. According to ancient folklore from many places, a will-o-the wisp wanders about swamp areas, enticing victims to follow. These strange fires were also known as “foolish fire” because only a fool would follow them. Today’s pumpkin face is symbolic of that mocking, wandering spirit.
The uninformed Christian is usually not aware that there truly are demonic spirits that are contacted and activated as people dabble with the occult or associated activities. They do not realize that by participating in this so called “harmless fun” they are giving Satan the permission (or legal right) and opportunity to exert a certain amount of control over them and even harm them. When Satan gains certain control over persons it means they have lost control in certain areas of their lives to Satan. Satan now uses that control to influence them to think and do bad things that they would never have allowed themselves to do before. Because they have lost control, they cannot stop themselves and so they are forced to submit to Satan’s evil demands. Satan can start using these persons as his instruments, and slowly and surely he will gain more and more control over them until they eventually become obedient slaves of his. Once caught in Satan’s grip, it is not easy to get free. Every act around Halloween is in honor of false gods, which are spirits (or demons) in the realm of the satanic. Those who have been deeply involved in witchcraft and who are now free, (no longer under Satan’s control) state that even by worshiping spirits of nature, one opens the door to satanic influence. This is because demons often attach themselves to, or enter things that are being worshiped. Some research articles state that the Celts did not worship demons but that they believed in the presence of fairies. Scripture however, only refers to angels as other supernatural beings. These are divided into God’s angels and Satan’s angels (also known as demons). God does not make use of fairies. Satan and his demons however, use whatever and whoever is available. They are expert masqueraders – even as fairies. People need to beware!
Some may reply, “But we only do this in fun – we don’t practice witchcraft.” We need to remember that Satan masquerades as an angel of light (2 Corinthians 11:14). Thus he will try to deceive people by camouflaging himself. In this situation it would be to hide behind “fun.” However, what seems to be harmless fun is in actual fact playing with fire, and one could get one’s fingers badly burnt. That which represents Satan and his domain can never ever be considered to be “fun.” Such involvement places an individual in enemy and forbidden territory and that is very dangerous ground. The average person is ignorant and lost in this territory and unable to defend her/himself against the cunning tactics of the evil one. Before a person knows it, s/he is caught in Satan’s trap so as to be controlled by him.
Satan is also known to be a liar and a murderer (John 8:44). One of his most common tactics is to pretend that he does not exist. If he does not exist then surely this kind of celebration is just innocent “fun” – everyone is celebrating this event so it must be okay. It definitely is not okay and many can testify that Satan is a very real and deadly enemy. He hates and wants to destroy mankind, and will use whatever he can to entice people into his deadly web. Once caught, it is very difficult to get out of his trap and be free from his control. Halloween is thus a very useful and powerful device in his hands.
To introduce this celebration to our children and encourage them to take part in it could cause them great harm, especially if Satan already has some control or influence over them. This control would usually be due to the child’s parents or grandparents having been involved in the occult, or in some sort of sinful activity that gave the devil power over them. This power or control, if not broken, could be carried down from generation to generation – thus affecting the children or grandchildren of the involved persons. Halloween would then serve as a tool to strengthen this influence to a greater degree and the child would be drawn deeper into Satan’s web of control without initially being aware of it. Later the adverse effects of this control would be experienced, and usually the trapped person, being ignorant of Satan and his ways, would not know how to get free and his life would be an absolute misery and torment.
Through the ages, Halloween has gone by various names but none give glory to the Living Almighty God. The child of God who seeks to walk in the light and freedom of Jesus Christ has absolutely no place for the celebration of Halloween with all its spiritual forces of darkness.
There are many other ways of having “clean fun” which are beneficial and safe to all who take part. If we want to celebrate – let’s celebrate the light, life and love of this world, not the darkness, death and destruction of the evil one.
We have a tremendous responsibility towards our children, and part of it is to ensure that they receive only what is beneficial and positive for their development. What is beneficial and positive about celebrating Satan’s day of murder and demonic rituals? What is beneficial about exposing oneself, one’s child or other children to satanic influence and even control? Is it beneficial to expose a child to the risk of a life of misery and torment? I think not! It is a risk we cannot and dare not take.
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Lorna Kirstein, MDiv, ACoT(TESOL), MCollT.
© 2006, Soterion International, P O Box 1464, Somerset West, 7129. South Africa.
http://kirsteinonline.com
BIBLIOGRAPHY:
- Satanism – The Seduction of South Africa’s Youth, John and Helen Gardiner.
- Halloween what it is from a Christian Perspective, Mrs. Gloria Phillips.
- Understanding the Occult – Josh Mc Dowell & Don Stewart.
- All Roads lead to Babylon – study 185 by R. C. Nickels (Review of Babylon Mystery Religion by Ralph Woodrow).
- Halloween’s Satanic roots exposed – A Christian perspective on Halloween, Colin Melbourne, English Missionary in Asia.
- A Historical Perspective on the Origins of Halloween, The Rocky Mountain Family Council.
Emil Kirstein
Lorna Kirstein
