Should Christians celebrate or recognize Halloween?

United States
October 22, 2009 10:36pm CST
I realize "religious" topics tend to get heated. Let's not do that here please. I already have my own views and opinions on this topic and I'm curious as to what others think. should a Christian participate in any way with the traditions of Halloween? Do you feel it's "Satan's holiday"? Or do you think it's "child's play and make believe"? Let's all play nicely .....
3 people like this
10 responses
@Hazelrose (2179)
• Philippines
23 Oct 09
Hi beautifulBrooke,Well, I am sorry to say ,A true christian did not celebrate nor reconize the word holloween.That is only a catholic tradition,and that is not written in the Bible.Good day!
@sid556 (30960)
• United States
26 Oct 09
Ya really? I mean I was raised very strict catholic....church every Sunday, Sunday School, church school ...the works and never ever ever do I recall Halloween being a Catholic holiday! Christmas and Easter...were church days. Halloween??? I think maybe you are wrong on this one. I could be wrong because I admit to daydreaming a lot but I m talking a lot of years this religion was pushed on me...Halloween was not one of our Holidays...I am almost 100% sure on it. I believe it is a pagan holiday and the two are not connected in anyway although I have to say....even tho I was raised catholic....I respect the pagan religion much more.
• United States
23 Oct 09
Halloween is a catholic tradition? I'm pretty sure that Halloween has pagan roots, like all the holidays that Christianity has hijacked.
• United States
23 Oct 09
Hello. I did not say that I recognized it at all. (Actually I didn't give my view at all) I know it's not mentioned in the bible. Actually it may have originated with Constatine and the Roman Catholics, is it not however, only a Catholic tradition. It is far more wide spread beyond just Catholics. Even though it was that religion that began to blend pagen tradition w/ Christianity, under the authority of him.
• Australia
23 Oct 09
I know Halloween has always been a BIG event in America but it never was here in Australia until more recent years. This year it seems bigger than ever. I am a Christian and I refuse anything to do with Halloween. However, what other people do is entirely up to them. I just see no point at all in witches, bats, curses and all the other hullaballoo. I would never encourage children to participate in Halloween activities and will not accommodate them if they knock on my door.
• United States
23 Oct 09
Have you ever researched the origins of Halloween and found out how all the traditions came into play? Very interesting reading...
• Australia
23 Oct 09
I haven't exactly researched Halloween but I have read quite a bit and know enough to make me decide it is not the most wholesome activity and certainly not something I will use to corrupt my mind or anyone else's.
• United States
23 Oct 09
Thanks for your input on this subject.
• Philippines
26 Oct 09
I think no one can really say what a Christian should or should not celebrate especially in matters that are considered "debatable" or gray areas in the Bible. These are the minor things and should not be a cause for divisions among Christians. Each one should respect another person's convictions about Halloween rather than take a legalistic and divisive stand against those who do not agree with one's own convictions. What is best would be to take this occasion as a opportunity for the gospel, for sharing Christ to others instead of dwelling on the law. I think we should take care not to judge other Christians if they observe or not observe Halloween. Blessings!
• Philippines
5 Nov 09
So sorry for my late response, bearballew. There seems to be a bit of a misunderstanding of my statement here. I am not against the Law of God. In fact, our love for God is expressed by our obedience to His law. What I am trying to say here is to establish as though they were laws those things that are NOT clearly stated in God's word as Laws in themselves, those things that are not expressly commanded by God to do or not to do. If these unclear and debatable things are made into a set of rules and regulations, that leads to legalism, which chokes the love out of our relationships.
• United States
27 Oct 09
I agree that legalism can choke you, but I believe that the Law can also protect you if you are observing it for the right reasons. I buckle my seatbelt because it's the law AND because it saved my life once. I'll never NOT buckle it because I've seen the power it has in keeping me in a car while being hit at 60 MPH. God's law is the same way. If kept for the wrong reasons it is just keeping law. If you are keeping His law because you love Him and want a stronger relationship with Him then 1. He already knows your heart and motive and sees what you are doing is for deeper bond with Him not an A+ on life's test and 2. what's the harm in being faithful to what is good and right? When did keeping the law out of love for the LawGiver become such a bad thing?
• United States
23 Oct 09
We don't 'celebrate' Halloween really. We just let the kids go out and have some fun. I don't let them wear anything 'scary' or witchy or bloody. They have to find something pretty fun and neutral. And now that they are older, the 19, 16 and 13 year old don't 'trick or treat'. they might go to a party with friends or something. this year we will probably only take the 11 and 10 year olds out. I may be more 'worldly' than some christian parents becasue I let them go trick or treating but I still love God and do the best I can.
• United States
27 Oct 09
Well said Steph.
• United States
23 Oct 09
Hi Steph, I really appreciate you sharing with us.
@hvedra (1619)
27 Oct 09
Like Christmas it is another festival that has lost a lot of it's real meaning and associations. By that I mean that there are people of no religion of any flavour who participate to get stuff - be it candy or gifts or whatever. Perhaps in the same way that some Christians are trying to take back Christmas and drop the commercialism and greed, some pagans should take back Hallowe'en (or perhaps some Catholics might want to go for All Hallows). Tacky commercialisation in an religious holiday is disgusting.
• United States
27 Oct 09
I think everyone should celebrate Halloween, what ever it means to them. It is the changing of the season celebration and a time of harvest. It is up to one's own meaning in which they celebrate it. It is fun for kids to dress up and have fun. For them why not leave it at that.
@manong05 (5027)
• Philippines
23 Oct 09
The early Christians as recorded in the Bible (Acts)didn't have many celebrations and festivals as we see today. They gather themselves just to worship God and anticipate His Coming back for them. Personally I look at Halloween as just pure fun for children and some adults. If people want to celebrate it, that's their choice. It doesn't have anything to do with Christianity or being a Christian. I see people who call themselves Christians celebrate Halloween, that's entirely up to them. The Church today have gone a long way from the early church. To each his own. cheers!
@sid556 (30960)
• United States
26 Oct 09
I don't see anything wrong with it. I was raised in a strict catholic home and we always celebrated Halloween. To us it was just a fun holiday and nothing to be taken serious at all. I had friends from other religions that also went out trick or treating with us. It is just a fun time for the kids unless the parents make it otherwise.
@kylaerin (145)
• United States
23 Oct 09
I think Halloween is just fun and child's play. I am sure it is much more for people who take it out of context. We are Christian and we always celebrated it in my house growing up. I actually personally do not know anyone who does not celebrate it.
@Bearballew (1148)
• United States
27 Oct 09
Well as a Christian I was raised to dress up in something nice, Trick or Treat only to the neighbors and we never decorated. As I became a parent then all of a sudden my parents decided to inform me on the history of the event we call Halloween, or All Hallo's Eve. Through the years I have learned more and morea bout it. I made a decision to not participate as I once did because I cannot call myself a Christian and WILLINGLY support darkness. I love to dress up and fortunately I am the Children's Pastor and get to be in costume every Sunday. I feel there is a HUGE difference betwen dressing in character for a purpose of fun or teaching and dressing as gouls and demons to scare other demons. I believe that I don't need a msk to scare them away. My Bible says greater is HE that is in me and that HE can scare the demons away. We try to do everything in the light as He is in the light. We do not have a costume party at church. We do have a fall festival that night to give a safe alternative to anyone that wants safe, clean fun with nothing scary. We do a TRUNK or treat out in the open, under lights, nothing scary and we ask nothing in return for gifts we give to children. I see TOT as completely different than TTICK or Treat, but I guess that's a seperate debate... I'm still struggling, but I know that God's Word is clear that we are to have NOTHING to do with witchcraft or divination. I think knowing that Halloween has absolutely nothing to do with Christ is a reason to not be a part of it. We could say that stealing as a joke is just child's play... but is it really? At some point we are either for or against this event. I'm not sure you can dabble.This one is dangerously sourrounded in lies that is it just child's play. Who better to decieve than trusting children? You get them, you get an entire generation of decieved adults making decisions based on deception. This is just for me and I don't judge anyone who is somewhere else in their faith or lack of. However, as followers of Christ, Christians should walk in the light as He is in the light. We are salt and light and shouldn't be transformed by the world no matter how good it looks. Great disscussion! (Hope that didn't hurt anyone personally. This was all about ME and where I am.)