Why don't Christians celebrate Halloween

[Moominfan]

Sincere question. Local church always throws a kids light party. Saw a woman post that this Halloween they will be celebrating Jesus because he's the light. Can you not both?

I'm protestant and I adore Halloween, only one of my christan friends also celebrates halloween. The rest just don't and no one can give me a good reason as to why.

Halloween is the eve of All Saints Day which is a bank holiday in many European countries. Surely that counts as celebrating it? Traditionally people go to church on 1 November and/or lay flowers at the graves of their loved ones.

This post from FB is long winded but explains quite well why some Christians don't like Halloween.

TLDR:
Essentially Halloween normalises & trivialises evil and when we believe evil is easily noticeable (eg a witch in a pointy hat), we risk becoming blind to the evil in everyday life. Some Christians believe that the devil's greatest tool is to make us think he doesn't exist

Personally, I try to look at what the bible actually says, that way, if you are a Christian you get to see what God actually thinks. That approach made sense to me anyway.

Two texts that sum it up,

Deuteronomy 18:10-12
^10 There shall not be found among you any one that maketh his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, or that useth divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch,
11 Or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer.
12 For all that do these things are an abomination unto the LORD: and because of these abominations the LORD thy God doth drive them out from before thee.^

and

1 Corinthians 10:20, 21
^20 But I say, that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to devils, and not to God: and I would not that ye should have fellowship with devils.
21 Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of devils: ye cannot be partakers of the Lord’s table, and of the table of devils.^

So for me personally, I find it quite clear that both the Old & New Testament show God hates anything to do with the occult, spiritism etc, using words like 'abomination', so pretty strong stuff. Even if I don't worship the devil, I don't think dressing up as him is going to go down well! :)

God hates anything to do with the occult, spiritism etc, using words like 'abomination', so pretty strong stuff

But ‘abomination’ is a translation. God didn’t use that word, the translator did.

Also the Phrophets of Bael & king Saul seeking help from a soothsayer.

This translator (KJV) may have used 'abomination' but others use the word 'detestable' and the context is pretty clear and consistent.

Not much difference in meaning from what I can see.

Those texts from the bible have been used to justify the mass torture and genocide of thousands of (mostly) women.
The area I live was a centre of persecution by the church towards those it considered witches. This behaviour was widespread in Europe.
Women were beaten, had toenails ripped off, nails inserted into their bodies, crushed by heavy weights, burned alive, drowned.

And their actions were justified by the bible. Exodus 22:18

My kids go to a C of E primary, every year they have a Halloween disco....

Absolutely awful speak out. It was a power thing. I saw a documentary where they tortured a Jewish women in the Middle Ages because she wasn't ill, due to Kosher practices possibly

Definitely like the Crucible

Doesn't say to harm others in the bible erases just to avoid those practices

some do, some don't. It's christian in origin but evangelicals particularly tend to shun it nowadays. 'Darkness' etc.

Agree it's not a nice verse but you have to take it in context and in relation to the 10 commandments and the Israelites not being led astray by "pagan" practices.

I am a Christian. I belive that Halloween has been taken out of context. It's not a celebration of afterlife anymore it's more of a celebration of saten s Kingdom ie devil's witches and death. I've not ever liked Halloween I've not ever seen the point in it I also do not like horror stories. Who likes to be scared? It's similar to Christmas if you think about it how people celebrate Christmas and they are not christians. People celebrate Halloween blindly it's just for fun and they think they are not worshiping saten (although they are) I will say that I can also see why people celebrate it as my DCs say to me that they have missed out as I have not participated in Halloween ever.

saten s Kingdom ie devil's witches and death
It has been christianity that aligns witchcraft with satan.

Most witches don't acknowledge the existance of satan- or god - both man's creation.

Who likes to be scared? lots of people. Especially kids.

It's the bible that aligns witchcraft with saten. Also satens biggest trick was to convince people that he is not real. So I am not surprised.

It's the bible that aligns witchcraft with saten

That is meaningless. The bible is a flawed document written by men.
The church systematically tried to detroy pagan practices and any power held by women.
Vilifying women was a strategy.

This always interests me because as a child in the 1980s the only Halloween parties I was ever aware of were held by my Sunday School (very mainstream Church of Scotland). We dressed up, brought our turnip lanterns, dooked for apples, played party games, etc. So I've always subconsciously considered Halloween to be basically a Christian festival (with secular changes, like Christmas and Easter).

So I've always subconsciously considered Halloween to be basically a Christian festival (with secular changes, like Christmas and Easter).

Interesting. Because these are basically pagan festivals with christian/secular changes.

Speakout - yes, of course you're right the were all pagan festivals first. I was thinking more of how I viewed them in childhood through my church-going upbringing.

Because only All Saints Day is Christian. Christians only celebrate thin that are 'good' not 'evil' as it were or 'ungodly'. So to have a party dedicated to witches and werewolves, ghosts and vampires no matter how cute goes against their belief.

I remember a book of "Children's letters to God", and one cartoon was of an anxious-looking child carrying a pitchfork saying "I'm going trick or treating wearing a devil's costume, is that OK?".

I also heard an interview with the owner of the "Entertainer" toyshop chain, who is a very committed Christian; to the extent that none of the shops open on Sundays, or sell anything to do with Hallowe'en, or Harry Potter.

Halloween literally means the night before All Saints Day. That’s where the celebration is for the church.

Abraid2 yes but a christian invention.

Samhain- Halloween predates christianity.

I was brought up Catholic (Irish decent) and we always had apple bobbing, maybe a family party. We didn’t trick or treat. Have to say it was more spooky not horror so witches, cats, Dracula maybe.

Vilifying women was a strategy.

Yet in the Catholic faith, Mary is up there with Jesus and God him(?)self.