Hello, My bucket list, friends! I know that this is a very different post from the posts that I usually write, but I really felt like I needed to write it. Before I get into my article, I have two things I need to say. First, this post is speaking to my fellow Christians. I’m not speaking to everyone. Although I think it would be amazing if Halloween disappeared from our culture and was not celebrated widely. In this article, I’m specifically discussing why Christians should not celebrate Halloween. The second thing I need to say is yes, I have celebrated Halloween in the past. Beginning last year, it became clear to me that as a Christian, Halloween is something that I should not be participating in. I regret that I participated in celebrating Halloween in the past, but I will not try to hide that fact. Now, with that being said, let’s get to the reasons why Christians should not celebrate Halloween.
1. We can’t explain why we celebrate it or what we are celebrating.
I can easily explain why I celebrate the holidays that I do. It doesn’t matter if it’s Christmas or the 4th of July. I can tell you why I celebrate it. However, if you ask someone why they are celebrating Halloween, they probably won’t be able to tell you. Unless they are a Wiccan or a pagan celebrating it for religious reasons, then they might be able to give you a reason. However, the average person more than likely won’t be able to provide an answer. I know I couldn’t provide a good answer when I asked myself that question. It is odd to be a part of a celebration that you don’t understand. I know that some Christians may choose to say that they are celebrating All Saints Day. However, dressing up and asking for candy has nothing to do with All Saints Day. From what I have been able to research, All Saints Day is celebrated by attending church services, visiting cemeteries,wearing red roses, lighting candles, and sharing meals. The way that Halloween is celebrated is very different from the traditions of All Saints Day. It makes no sense to say that you are celebrating All Saints Day while following the traditions of Halloween. It is confusing when Christians celebrate Halloween because there is no valid reason for Christians to be celebrating it. Unfortunately, Halloween has become very commercialized in American culture, and some Christians may feel like if they do not participate or do not let their children participate, they will be looked down upon or feel left out. Halloween is a huge deal in public schools and some workplaces, so it can be difficult to avoid it. However, I will further explain why it is best for Christians to not participate in celebrating Halloween in the paragraphs below.
2. Halloween has a focus on death and darkness.
It can’t be denied that Halloween has a large focus on death, fear, darkness, witchcraft, and fortune telling. These are all things that the Bible warns us about. Some examples of this can be found in 2 Chronicles 33:6, Revelation 21: 8, Leviticus 19:31, Deuteronomy 18:10-12, and Leviticus 19:26. Christians who celebrate Halloween will often say that they don’t dress in scary costumes or display decorations that glorify witchcraft. However, these things are a central part of Halloween and are nearly impossible to avoid. If you attend a Halloween party at someone’s house or let your kids go trick or treating, it is almost certain that you will come across these things. Do you only allow your child to go to houses that don’t have decorations that are focused on witchcraft and fortune telling ? Do you refuse to take pictures with people at the Halloween party who are dressed as witches, wizards, and fortune tellers? Even if you personally don’t dress up in costumes or use decorations that go against the Bible. You will more than likely be celebrating alongside people who are. I also find it strange when Christian churches celebrate Halloween . They may use a different name for their celebration, but they do the things that are traditionally used to celebrate Halloween. Changing the name is not enough to separate ourselves from a holiday that is focused on death and darkness. I once interviewed for a teaching position at a Christian school, and I remember thinking that it was odd when the person interviewing me said that they have a huge Halloween celebration every year. Even though many Christians who celebrate Halloween try to separate themselves from the darkness of it. It is clear that death and witchcraft are a core aspect of Halloween, making it nearly impossible to separate your celebration from those things. Even if you try to justify it by saying that it is just a fun day to dress up and eat candy. All you need to do is walk down the seasonal isle at a department store during the month of October. You will find items like devil horns, witch hats, crystal balls, bloody body parts, and more items that clearly glorify things that the Bible speaks against. It is hard for me to understand why it would be ok for Christians to take part in something that clearly endorses things that the Bible warns about.
Halloween is an important holiday in the Wiccan and pagan religions.
As I stated above, the Bible mentions witchcraft and not in a favorable way. Halloween is an important holiday to those who practice witchcraft. It is impossible for me to justify Christians participating in a holiday that holds spiritual significance to witches, but Christians can’t explain why they take part in it. Christians who celebrate Halloween can’t explain what they are celebrating. As I mentioned above, they may claim that they are celebrating All Saints Day, but they don’t do any of the things that are associated with celebrating it. Unfortunately, Halloween has become such a large part of our culture that we don’t seem to question it. However, when you do what I did and ask yourself why you celebrate it. You may just start to realize that it does not fit in with our Christian beliefs.
Thank you for reading!
Love,
Christina Epperly
