The weather is freezing, it’s mid October, but we heard this was so worth it. Matt and Jordan are cuddling up trying to stay warm, and Bethany and I were trying to do the same. The cold weather only prepared us for the horrifying things we were about to experience. A night of fear. A night of terror. Liberty University’s Scaremare 2007.
Now I will admit, it wasn’t that scary. There were brief moments where we were frightened but I was fine. Bethany couldn’t handle it. She copped out a quarter of the way through with tears flooding from her eyes. Being a bad boyfriend I left her and continued through the house of frights (Yes, ladies, I’m sorry). After passing through several of their scare houses they had a short time concluding Scaremare to share the Gospel. The problem for the non-Christian Lynchburg[ers] was that Scaremare was such a huge and amazing production that everyone wanted to check it out. Because it wasn’t corny or cheesy and it was done right, hundreds, if not thousands of people have come to Christ because of it.
Should Christians celebrate Halloween?
Before I really dive into this topic I want to make a couple things clear:
–You need to pray and read scripture and come to your own conclusions.
– I will provide research, scripture references and things the Lord has shown me through discernment of the Holy Spirit, and even some controversial things.
-But this must ultimately fall on your own convictions with God. If you disagree with me, that’s fine. I would simply ask for you to respond below with why you believe differently. I would also ask you to be respectful and support your convictions with biblical references to why I am wrong.
-I don’t claim these posts as the “end-all-be-all” of Christian Halloween Perspectives. I might be wrong. So call me out if you see something.
Before going farther, please say this prayer:
“Lord, open my eyes and my heart to see and feel your thoughts on Halloween. Reveal the areas I need to improve on, and replace them with your truth and love. Show me how You feel so that I may glorify You in all my ways.”
What is Halloween?
I want to give a brief (non-exhaustive) history of the holiday.
Tracing Halloween back to its roots, this holiday stems from the Celtic Samhain (pronounced “Sah-win”), which marked the end of the summer. Different communities did different things. Some had festivals, others went farther and had festivals where witchcraft, divination games (cultic practices) and sacrifices (Human and animal) took place. And while the latter of those things are anti-Christian, Samhain gets weirder. This holiday was seen as a doorway for the natural and spiritual worlds to intermingle. They believed this night thinned the veil of the two worlds so each could enter in. Some told stories of dead people visiting their homes and some of these festivals actually had a place at the table for these dead people.[1]
On the other side of the coin, Halloween has roots in Christian rituals. Because it falls on the Eve of All Saints Day or “All Hallows Day”, November 1st, Halloween was abbreviated from “All Hallows Eve.” All Hallows Day was commemorated to celebrate the martyrs of the faith and, from a Catholic perspective, pray for the deceased. However, All Saints Day was originally celebrated on May 13[2], but in an attempt to “Christianize” things in 835, Pope Gregory IV changed it to November 1st. I do find it interesting that for Christians Halloween has become the more prominent holiday.
Whatever was Halloween, the holiday has taken on a different form since the medieval times while keeping some of the old traditions. A couple of ways in which Halloween has morphed and the activities that occur are:
-Scary Movies
-Trick or Treating
-Going to scare houses
-Putting on costumes
-Festivals
-Carving Pumpkins, hayrides, etc.
Over the next few days, I will be attempting to give a Christian perspective on these differing topics. Once again, please come with a mind willing to hear what the Holy Spirit is saying concerning these things. Don’t take my word for it. Pray about it, read Scripture, and decide for yourself.
*Picture is compliments of Aimee Steele
