Why I Don’t Celebrate Halloween

Why I Don’t Celebrate Halloween

Halloween is an incredibly controversial topic in the Christian world. It can be really hard to know where you stand on these things, especially things that not so many people take the time to question.  I hope this post can maybe help you understand another point of view on this touchy subject. These are only my opinions and what I like to do, so it’s fine if you disagree, but I’m trying to do my best to convey how I think Christians should view this sacrilegious holiday.

It is important to get some background on how this peculiar holiday began before we start viewing it under a microscope. Halloween is thought to have been started by the Celtics over 2,000 years ago, before Christianity came about.. It was a holiday when people would dress up as monsters to scare off roaming ghosts who were trying to pass into the next world. It was also a gathering at the end of the harvest season, when people would prepare for the winter and bring their animals in from the pasture. So how does knowing all of this influence one’s opinion of Halloween?

First of all, I’m pretty sure none of us have the ghosts of dead family members running around that need to be scared into the next life. Also, in America at least, I don’t think we need to have a day devoted to gathering food for the winter, as we have lots of grocery stores. Both of those things defeat the purpose of the original Halloween, so why do we still celebrate it? Why is it so widely known, and expected that you partake in this holiday?

Many people would answer these questions by stating that it is fun, harmless, and you are really just going out for the candy. That is like celebrating Christmas just for the candy canes and cookies. We have found a way to completely suck the meaning out of everything, whether it be harmful or beneficial to us. Halloween is a day when people make sport out of scaring others. They find joy in going into haunted houses and hiding behind bushes to frighten little children. I don’t think that this is a holiday that God would exactly embrace. It is a holiday celebrating darkness and paranormal activity, when God is all about light and love.

There are many gray areas for things that are evil in this world, but Halloween is not  one of them. It is a time when people embrace sin, and it is time we as Christians take a stand against that. Let us love people with all that we have, and not live for the things of this world.

Here’s two verses that I think really help us to understand how God views this:

I John 1:5-7 God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. If we claim to have fellowship with him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.

This verse says that God is light, and that he has no darkness. It states that to be like him we must push away our darkness and walk in the light. Being in the light means walking with God and in fellowship with other believers, but walking in the darkness is to stray away from the truth.   

Colossians 3:3 Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.

This verse says that we need to turn away from the things of this world, and turn to God. Walk with him, and walk away from the evil of this world. When we set our minds and hearts on God, it is rather easy to see what he wants for you to do.

I really hope this helped you. If you are still struggling with where you stand,you should pray. God will always be willing to give you guidance. If you did go out on Halloween this year, I hope you stayed safe, and will consider what I have said here for next year.