Christianity and Halloween: is heaven really going to be full of "true Christians" moaning about how wrong Halloween is....

[m0therofdragons]

ISIS is wrong, Halloween is just kids having fun. It really doesn't matter where it originates from. Currently people seem to enjoy popping on a costume, spending time with the family carving pumpkins and eating sweets.

I'm Christian although it seems I'm a terrible one as dc aren't attending a "light party"- which appears to be many churches' way of making money out of Halloween, and we'll be giving trick or treaters sweets when they knock.
I can't help feeling heaven is going to be full of dull kill joys.

AshleyWilkes -

Is this the Bible reference you're referring to?

Deuteronomy 18:10-12
For example, never sacrifice your son or daughter as a burnt offering. And do not let your people practice fortune-telling or sorcery, or allow them to interpret omens, or engage in witchcraft, or cast spells, or function as mediums or psychics, or call forth the spirits of the dead. Anyone who does these things is an object of horror and disgust to the Lord.

Because I don't actually think they were referring to Halloween here.

Although I think you could make a case for not celebrating a pagan festival.

Personally I'm quite pleased that at least one pagan festival has survived despite the church's best efforts to eradicate it as it did with Yule and Eostre.

Good grief.

what is wrong with some people that they not only believe in this rubbish, but feel they have to ram it down the throats who don't believe in fairies or bogey men?

Be a good person, treat others kindly, don't eat people, or kill them. In short, just think and behave.

Not hard, is it?

We don't need this outdated Mumbo jumbo to explain why the sun rises each day, or give thanks for our hard work and knowledge in producing food/whatever to survive.

We don't need a man in a dress telling women one thing and men the other.

Religion is wrong. all of it.

Hi hackmum
No need to be sarcastic (although I actually enjoy sarcasm)

I get that, thanks. What I said was the Bible indicates that we should not make ourselves a "part of it" (referenced several times). The "part" being you are actively making yourself part of and being involved in something God hates (witchcraft etc) even if its just dressing up as a witch, you are celebrating something God hates. You are celebrating His enemy.

Hope that helps.

"were not allowed to read Harry Potter."

I never get this one. JK Rowling is Christian and has given interviews about the deliberate Christian allegories within the books. I just can't see how it's different to the Narnia books, which also feature good magic which vanquishes evil magic.

see 'being' a witch and 'dressing' as one are different - I could dress as the Pope but it doesn't make me pope

The "part" being you are actively making yourself part of and being involved in something God hates (witchcraft etc)

Personally, I think it's a lot more about making fun of (mocking) witchcraft etc - Halloween effectively turns it into a big joke. Which is one reason it is so psychologically appealing, especially to little ones who are prone to being scared of the dark. The idea that it is "celebrating" witchcraft is really missing the point.

"The origins of a holiday matter to God", does that mean that you don't celebrate Christmas and Easter thenAshley after all just as All Hallows' Eve had its origins in Samhein, Christmas originated in Yule and Easter in Eostre (hence the bunny and eggs)?

kesstrel
Yeah good point. A lot of people view it as celebrating and condoning witchcraft but then a lot would view it as mocking the Devil etc.
Personally I think the Bible verse that says "do not be a sharer in it" is pretty clear though, either way.

Just my twopen'outh.

Robin
Yes of course if the origins of a holiday are offensive to God and if I called myself a genuine Christian the I would choose not to celebrate it.

The way I understand it, Halloween was derived from the pagan festival samhain when it was 'Christianized " into All Saints/All Souls day. So from samhain, which was the end of the summer, and when the departed visited their previous homes, to when the early church decided it was all saints/souls day when the departed were commemorated.

Either way, I'm a Christian and I don't think Halloween is the devils work tongue in cheek I think it's a bit of fun for the kids. (DM is a vicar and has gone to a church Halloween party dressed as an angel, and loves Harry Potter.)

Personally our family love Halloween and celebrate it as it's lots of FUN. Surely most people realise that nearly all 'Christian' festivals have their roots in pagan celebrations and that includes Halloween. When this country began to convert to Christianity 'the powers that be' deemed it necessary to 'Christianise' a lot of these pagan festivities as they considered them evil and inappropriate. This is the reason why a lot of them share the same dates - no coincidence. Christians also built a lot of their churches on ancient 'ritualistic' places in an attempt to subvert pagan beliefs - this is why you find a church on the top of Glastonbury Tor and in the middle of Avebury stone circle.

Each to their own but I do take issue with Christian families who stop their children joining in with Halloween. My 12 year old daughter has Christian friends who are seriously pissed off this year that their parents have once again stopped them going to parties or trick and treating (because they think it's evil)... Ummm I have a feeling that these kids are going to seriously rebel in the next few years unless their parents relinquish some control. Just strikes me as odd - yes you can convince your young children that YOUR beliefs are right but surely as they get older they need to make their own minds up!

Anyway Happy Halloween..... Just got to open the door to some more (lovely) trick or treaters!

jazzieg
Didn't know that celebrating Halloween is a "rule."

Nice xenophobic sentiment there jazzieg

I have one dc dressed as a cat and one as a skeleton. I think it's fine, it's just a bit of fun to them. I wouldn't particularly like either of them dressed as an actual devil. We've been out, I let the kids knock on 2 doors, both showing pumpkins. Now we are dishing out treats to people knocking on our door. We have a pumpkin out, first time ever! Most people are not really considering what it's really about, they're just having a bit of a laugh/party and having fun.

wow shouty and wrong!

It's been done to death all this week, OP.
well Halloween is a british holiday Love it, this has made my day.
There have been several thinly veiled Christian bashing threads on here over the last few days. I'd include this one.

The Bible mentions several things that are offensive and "disgusting" to God, including witchcraft and making yourself a part of it.

Mixed fibres, too. Important to make sure you don't wear mixed fibres.

or masturbate

also be quiet in church now

Let your women keep silence in the churches: for it is not permitted unto them to speak; but they are commanded to be under obedience as also saith the law

Ricardian
That was part of the old Mosaic law which was replaced by Christ. Christians are no longer under the Mosaic law.

There is no such thing as heaven, so it isn't going to be full of anyone celebrating Hallowe'en or otherwise.

Christians are an interesting bunch. They all talk about the bible, but I've never met a Christian who's paid the slightest attention to Matthew 7-1:3. because if there's one thing that Christians love, it's smugly asserting their own moral superiority.