There are so many views & opinions on what Christians should do with Halloween. Simplifying the two sides, one Christian side will argue that the point of Halloween is dressing up and wearing funny costumes and getting candy out of it. The second side will argue that participating in any Halloween activities is interacting with the devil (Satan) and demonic activity. Both sides have valid points. Both sides seem to have a biblical worldview to back up their answers. But there seems to be some missing pieces in the puzzle.
I asked some of my friends & some of you to explain what you believed on this issue, and I received some variety of answers. I don’t know why this came as a surprise to me, but many people including my friends were of the mindset that if we Christians have the right intentions and still dress modestly, that there is nothing wrong with trick-or-treating in the honor of Halloween. Some people explained that it could be viewed in the same light as fantasy- there are scary or dark aspects of fantasy, but there is “nothing wrong with fantasy”. Another brought up the point that “God is more concerned with the heart than the actions” (paraphrased from 1 Samuel 16:7). Both were valid points from a specific angle about this conversation that I had not considered. I valued that both of these people entered this conversation with clarity, wisdom, and kindness. They were not ready to fight me or snap at the fact that I was bringing this conversation up.
For me personally, growing up I was raised by strict Christian parents. This is something that I am able to grow in appreciation for, but I despised as a child. But as I get older, I have learned that there were some topics that they did not drill their opinion into me. Or, at least, it did not stick in my brain. The conversation surrounding Halloween was one of those topics. I know there was one year while I was living overseas that I got to dress up and collect candy. There was one year that I did it in the states, but it was mostly me tagging along with my older cousins- my parents were not heavily involved. I’m sure my parents were thrilled that we were not passionate on fighting this topic, because I believe they were never huge supporters of the holiday.
Because I was never involved with this holiday, every year that it comes up I have been distant but not disturbed. It has always been a “you do you, boo” issue. I have not been bothered by others partaking in it, but I would not jump in right away. A large portion of that is simply because I lacked the creativity or finances to have worthwhile costumes for the night. I also valued sticking to my original self- I did not see the purpose in pretending to be someone else for an evening. It all seemed like too much work for me.
When it comes to the research I conducted, after talking to you all I was able to find a few sources and multiple Bible verses that helped me understand better what God expects of me in situations and holidays like this one. Ava Calhoun, one of the Instagram personalities I recently found who is big on speaking up the difference between Mormons and Evangelical Christians, was able to provide a list of 10 reasons why she personally does not celebrate Halloween. In her ten reasons, she lists the historical background of this demonic holiday. Eva worded it as “Simply put, if witches love it, I don’t.” This argument is strong, but so accurate. We are told to not partake in things of the sons of disobedience (Ephesians 5:6-7). If this holiday is something that those who are not following God loved to honor and praise, it likely is not something that I would also want to honor and praise for the same reasons.
Remember Philippians 4:8 when considering these holidays and what the actions we perform are symbolizing. This verse says that we should only participate and think on things that are true, honorable, lovely, and excellent. If Halloween is not something “honorable” or “lovely” than I do not want to be involved. We are commanded to not spend time dwelling on matters that are not giving our heavenly Father glory (1 Corinthians 10:31). If Halloween is used as a time to worship the devil, this is not giving glory to God at all. We are commanded in Colossians 1:22 that we are live above reproach, so that if anyone tried to accuse us of something wrong, they have no ground. The internet is full of people accusing Christians of horrendous things, and on their lists, there are many unbelievers and Satan worshippers who are thankful that Christians are participating in such an unholy holiday.
From my own research I found that there is no getting around the demonic presence in all aspects of Halloween. Even jack-o-lanterns, which I had not considered, were a decor piece used to welcome demons or spirits into the house during this holiday. It is insane how easily the enemy is able to make the bad look good. If I am honest, for a while I did not even see the harm in people being obsessed with skulls. But, when we acknowledge that skulls are a representation of death, there is nothing worth celebrating in the death itself.
I have also heard a few people remind me of two passages in the Bible, Romans 14 and 1 Corinthians 10:27-31, that reference how Christians have different convictions. We need to make sure that we are being respectful of our brothers and sisters that interact with us. If one of them believes that Halloween is severely demonic and if even dressing up as something harmless and asking neighbors for candy is wrong, then we need to not be overly loud about the matter around them. Don’t go knock on their door, for example, even if you are going to participate. In fact, maybe avoid their neighborhood altogether so the presence of temptation is not there for them. In these passages, Paul is talking about issues that are not necessarily a sin. But, if they bother one person enough that they are convicted of the sin and do not want to participate in it, it is something that the family of believers needs to honor for them as well. It can be challenging to avoid stepping on everyone’s toes, but it is something we are called to do.
With all of this in consideration, I want to address November 1st & 2nd as well. As one who has lived adjacent to those of Hispanic heritage, I understand that Dia de los Muertos, or Day(s) of the Dead, is a holiday celebrated as well. According to the History channel, it was Catholics who decided to call this holiday “All Saints Day” and “All Souls Day” where people would come together to honor the dead family members that have already passed. While this might sound like an okay holiday to celebrate because it is okay to honor the dead, what is not okay about this idea is that the dead can interact with those who are living for one specific day. So, similar to Halloween, because of the demonic roots of these holidays, I am convicted that the holiday should be avoided. However, if a Christian is using these days to honor the dead instead of trying to communicate with them, I am not one to argue with that.
Final Call: It is 100% a personal choice. The choice that I make of my family makes is not the choice that you need to make. It does not make one Christian a better Christian than the other, necessarily. But, if a holiday like Halloween pulls you further from your relationship with Christ, it is something that should be removed altogether. Everyone has their own convictions.
Sources:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=eIEDaBOXZUg&ab_channel=IsaiahSaldivar
www.instagram.com/p/CzC0BUwu6MP/
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