Anyone with a computer and fingers can research the origins of the day and find out that it is a pagan holiday, steeped in witchcraft, and the occult.
I grew up trick-or-treating. My mom, who was a clever seamstress, and even wrote clever verse, made my sister and me matching ladybug costumes. The beetle part was a big sack with a zipper at the top. You were supposed to stuff it with pillows to plump it up, but she got the crazy idea that we should use it to actually carry our loot. We had to ring the bell, wait for the answer, and recite in unison, "Trick or treat, I have no sack. Please put the candy in my back." Then we turned around for a candy deposit. This was usually greeted with smiles, and 'oh, how cute.'
Being five years older than my cute little self, my sister found this quite humiliating. I didn't even know, until recently, that she hated our little routine. I can see why, now that I'm all grown up. But I thought it was fun at the time.
Somehow, after becoming Christians, and getting into church, we realized that Halloween wasn't all the fun it was cracked up to being. And in reality, it was a dangerous time, very significant to the occult.
It wasn't until I became a mother that I decided to do my own research about the history and significance of the holiday, and what it should, or shouldn't mean to my children.
I watched a video called Trick or Treat? that featured several people who had converted from Satanism to Christianity, and were giving candid testimony about what Halloween means to the church of Satan. It was enlightening, to say the least.
So I told Shawn about it, and we decided not to participate in any events on that evening.
Our church has a family fall festival every year on Halloween. It is open to the public; there are games, rides, inflatables, animals, food, and of course, candy. Most people wear costumes, and although no scary costumes are supposed to be allowed, no one is turned away. This has become a huge outreach tool for our church. We have somewhere around 3000 people every year. Everyone has to register, and every person is followed up on. So you could say that it really is a great way to reach out to our community.
Two years ago, I relented, and since my husband didn't really have the same convictions about the event, we took the kids to the FFF. They had a blast. But I still couldn't shake the feeling that something wasn't right.
I understand that we celebrate Christmas and Easter like the world, but then we are at least celebrating something wonderful for Christians.
But why must we provide an alternative for a pagan holiday that has absolutely nothing to do with Christianity? And it is, in fact, a holiday to celebrate the occult.
5 comments:
I thought I was the only one who didn't like halloween! Thank the Good Lord I'm not.
Then again, I grew up in a house where my mother was (and might still) practice wiccan. My father went along with it because he wanted to please her. I never agreed with her and after I became a Child of God it was a miserable time living there.
I always hated trick-or-treating too, I feel like I'm begging for something and I hate that feeling.
Oh I do we lived closer to each other!! I am the same way. I got stuck actually being on the Fall Festival committee this year. Not so much fun. At least we got it NOT on Halloween this year. Kids still wore costumes. A little girl from church was dressed as a witch. She came up to at least 10 times saying, " look Miss Kelli; I'm a witch!" on the hayride same kid asked Samuel what his costume was. (Keep in mind he does not have on a costume) He did not say anything so I said He's a cutie. She started asking him what he was going to dress as for halloween and when she found out we are not participating she acted like we were weirdies. I could feel the pastor's eyeballs burning holes in my head as I was giving my answers. I really wish that churches would not participate in it. We are not supposed to *fit in* with the world. We make the excuse of it being harmless fun for children, or a way to reach people that would not normally come to church,or some people call it "taking back Halloween" (the last one really gets me since Halloween never belonged to Christians in the first place)but in truth it is dishonoring God.
Kelli, somehow I knew you'd be with me on this one.
I spent years trying to explain why we were not participating. It felt like I was being judged. I had a clear conscience before God about it, but other people were another matter, entirely!
Easter...Christmas....
Oh, yeah! Today is Reformation Day. On this date on 1517, Martin Luther nailed 95 Thesis on the door at Wittenburg. Or else you would probably be Catholic. :-)
I'll have to post the Reformation Polka over at my blog today. *giggle*
I'm totally with you. We make sure to take our kids out to eat and either stay home and watch a movie with the lights off or make sure we are some place else.
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