| Talk about a subject on which there are TONS of | | | | Practitioners of witchcraft believe these creatures |
| questions from confused Christians... that's | | | | are the best lodging place for familiar spirits, the |
| Halloween.October 31st IS a day the Lord has | | | | demons who predict the future and act as spirit |
| made and we Christians must rejoice and be glad | | | | guides for a single witch or an entire coven. |
| in it (Psalm 118:24). Romans 14:5 says, "One man | | | | Ravens, owls, broomsticks, cauldrons ... there is a |
| esteems one day above another: another | | | | wicked history to every aspect of Halloween's |
| esteemeth every day alike. Let every man be | | | | symbols and traditions. "Be self-controlled and |
| fully persuaded in his own mind." Just as one might | | | | alert. Your enemy the devil roams around like a |
| claim October 31st is the devil's high holy day, | | | | roaring lion seeking whom he may devour," (1 |
| another may choose to "redeem" the day by | | | | Peter 5:8).Kids who are on the fringe, loners and |
| taking part in their church's "Holy Ween" Fall | | | | thrill seekers desiring acceptance or involvement |
| Festival or some such thing. We Christians seem | | | | are most prone to getting involved with deeper |
| to naturally tend to heap up as many rules as we | | | | levels of occult practices. Lots of these practices |
| can, standards by which we expect all other men | | | | are ultimately on a criminal level, not only spiritual. |
| to live by. typically, however, we judge others by | | | | Many of our nation's convicts are behind bars as a |
| what they DO and judge ourselves by our good | | | | result of some crime committed in the name of |
| INTENTIONS.Even if there were no devil (trust | | | | Satan. Horror movies are one way that multitudes |
| me, there IS) the fact is that hideous things are | | | | of children are exposed to the occult, not to |
| done in Satan's honor on this day all around the | | | | mention how easily accessible this type of |
| globe. Halloween's history is very tainted. The file | | | | material is in the libraries. In schools, books |
| is pretty thick on its evil history and current | | | | pertaining to spooky things are available to every |
| practices, not to mention crime statistics from | | | | age. Sure, they're generally comical cartoons. |
| law enforcement officials. Flipping through the files, | | | | Some are quite well-written. If you were Satan, |
| it's strange how quickly the information flows into | | | | how would you lure a kid or disarm an already |
| the subject of Witchcraft, Satanism and violent | | | | uninformed parent?As parents, if you're convicted |
| crime.Halloween is the most important festival of | | | | of the spiritual significance of Halloween, train your |
| witchcraft. Its history goes back 2000 years to | | | | children accordingly. Train them not to be |
| the Druids, an ancient pre-Celtic priestly order of | | | | condemning of those who DO celebrate |
| Gaul, in honor of Samhain (pronounced Sa-Ween), | | | | Halloween, too. Use the occasion to be a loving |
| Lord of the dead. Very depraved people, these | | | | witness for Christ. If anyone asks why you do |
| Druids! They're believed to have built Stonehenge, | | | | NOT celebrate if that describes you - go ahead |
| the monolithic stone carvings in England where | | | | and share. Not in a condemning or holier-than-thou |
| human sacrifices took place. Stonehenge is | | | | manner, but speak the truth in love. You may |
| believed to have been erected to calculate the | | | | wish to pass out candy and gospel tracts to the |
| sun's movements and determine the exact day | | | | kids who stop by. In effort to substitute traditions |
| on which to honor the Earth Mother goddess | | | | (It's generally best to NEVER just say 'no,' without |
| through human sacrifices. Which day would that | | | | giving kids a replacement), watch old black & |
| be? Halloween, of course.The name "Halloween" is | | | | white comedies and eat junk food while handing |
| derived from the phrase, "All Hallow's Eve," | | | | candy and tracts to costumed visitors. I did that |
| October 31st, the Eve of Samhain, the Celtic New | | | | with my own kids and instilled a love for |
| Year. Samhain supposedly called up all the evil | | | | Hollywood's Golden Age of films, its songs and |
| souls who had died the previous year and | | | | made memories they STILL talk about. A |
| demons, fairies, elves, ghosts sprang up from the | | | | pumpkin carved with the words "Jesus saves" or |
| netherworld. To ensure fertility to cattle and | | | | something similar may even illuminate your |
| crops, firstborn children were offered as living | | | | window. As a family, pray for the safety of |
| sacrifices to satisfy theses evil creatures. Today, | | | | those who unwittingly, or knowingly, participate, |
| we emulate these folkloric and demonic practices | | | | Christian or not. Make the evening downright |
| by dressing up like monsters, demons, skeletons, | | | | holy...and fun! Pray against those who may use |
| the undead, as we go to Halloween parties and | | | | the opportunity to physically harm or kill an |
| "trick or treat." As Christians, Scripture instructs | | | | innocent person, with tainted candies or through |
| us to think about that which is "...true, noble, right, | | | | involvement in Satanic practices.Yes, human |
| pure, lovely and admirable...," (Phil. 4:8) and "...avoid | | | | sacrifices STILL take place in the name of Satan. |
| the appearance of evil," (1 Thess. 5:22). Can we | | | | While Christian children (adults, too) are cajoling |
| do that when dressed some horrible, ghastly, | | | | about in costumes and enjoying the party |
| blood-covered creature? Probably not. Can we | | | | atmosphere, REAL servants of the Dark Side are |
| dress up as something sill or funny and pass out | | | | celebrating the dead as they have for 2000 |
| candy and cartoon Gospel tracts? Will a | | | | years, some with tax exempt status from the |
| self-righteous statement such as, "I'm a Christian | | | | IRS, which recognizes the religious nature of their |
| and I don't DO Halloween" do anything but scare | | | | beliefs. Satanists fellowship with the devil himself; |
| away our unsaved co-workers and neighbors? | | | | this is not a day to be scoffed at for them. It is |
| Even our own kids?It was believed that these | | | | their high unholy day, a direct attack on |
| demons insisted upon "treats" to keep them from | | | | Christianity for they blaspheme the beliefs of no |
| performing their "tricks," or curses, on people's | | | | other major world religion.Harvest festivals and |
| lives. So, people would leave the finest food and | | | | hayrides are great fun but stay away from things |
| drink for them on their doorsteps, usually | | | | that conjure up that spirit (demon) of Fear. Horror |
| devoured by stray dogs, cats, wild animals and | | | | movies and haunted houses, for example. Without |
| vagabonds. If dissatisfied with the treats, it was | | | | asking, someone once dragged my youngest off |
| feared they might enter the house causing | | | | to a haunted house one Halloween and it took a |
| destruction of property or person, i.e., ruining a | | | | great deal of prayer to get the nightmares and |
| water well, killing cattle, souring milk, sickness and | | | | constant fearfulness to cease (I was livid)! "As for |
| even death.In 834 A.D., the Catholic Church | | | | me and my house, we will serve the Lord," |
| moved All Saints Day from May to November 1st | | | | (Joshua 24:15).Pray for wisdom and guidance. |
| (to placate the Roman worshippers of Pomona, | | | | Don't be accusatory or condemning toward |
| goddess of fruit and trees), as well as the newly | | | | others. Take advantage of every opportunity to |
| conquered descendants of the Druids in Germany | | | | share Christ and speak the truth in love, as I'm |
| and Scandinavia. Thus, Halloween is often | | | | sure you will!READ 'EM & REAP!! |
| celebrated as the eve of All Saints Day with the | | | | 1 Peter 2:9 |
| same reverence for the dead. Biblical Christianity is | | | | 2 Cor 6:14 |
| about LIFE! Jesus said, "I am the Way, the Truth | | | | Deut 18 |
| and the LIFE," (Jn 14:6). He said He came that we | | | | James 4:4 |
| may have "...LIFE and LIFE more abundantly,"(Jn | | | | |
| 10:10). Our faith is not about death. We serve a | | | | ----------Don't obey the Christian "rule" to ignore |
| Savior who said, "Death, where is your sting?" (1 | | | | Halloween. Don't follow the |
| Cor 15:55). A Christian's focus should be on | | | | direction of your church tradition either, or the |
| bringing that resurrected, eternal life to others, | | | | comments of unconcerned |
| and on making disciples, NOT praying TO, FOR or | | | | Christian friends who are throwing a Halloween |
| FEARING the dead.Demons are not merely things | | | | party and want you to attend, |
| of superstition. Symbols are the very things used | | | | the pressure of your excitable children, or the |
| by those who have embraced the occult in the | | | | council of a friend or pastor |
| conjuring of the spirits they represent. Hey, if | | | | who may be uninformed on this subject. They |
| symbols were meaningless, we could adorn the | | | | may simply be unaware. You may |
| walls of your church as safely with swastikas as | | | | wish to share this article with others and request |
| with crosses! Bobbing for apples? Originally a | | | | their prayerful comments. |
| means of divining the future. Jack-o'-lanterns? | | | | Pray and listen to the Holy Spirit to see what He |
| Came from a tale of a man who tricked the devil | | | | will have YOU do |
| into leaving him alone and was denied both | | | | differently, if anything, on the subject of |
| Heaven and hell but lights his way at night carrying | | | | Halloween. Then, do the right |
| a glowing coal in a carved out turnip. Witches are | | | | thing! Your house, too, must serve the Lord! |
| often pictured with black cats, owls or rats. | | | | |