Should Christians participate in Hallowe'en

[Guest Kandi]

Trick or treating is harmless.

The minds making up all the evil mumbo jumbo are harmful.

--------------------

.....Peace

Kandi

[artsylady]

I think the devil actually wants us to be scared to go out and be a light. And patordeacon is a perfect example of that mentality. Okay, not only are we doing evil, if we go out on Halloween or give out candy we're going to hell now.

The Christians far outnumber the satanists and witches. I've certainly never read anything that says they have extra 'powers' on that day. Let's remember this originated as a Holy Evening and it CAN be a holy evening if we'd stand up and fight. Some will go out, some will be praying for us. Whatever you feel led to do, do it without fear. "This is the day that the LORD hath made, we will rejoice and be glad in it!!"

[Guest Kandi]

I think the devil actually wants us to be scared to go out and be a light.  And patordeacon is a perfect example of that mentality.  Okay, not only are we doing evil, if we go out on Halloween or give out candy we're going to hell now. 

The Christians far outnumber the satanists and witches.  I've certainly never read anything that says they have extra 'powers' on that day.  Let's remember this originated as a Holy Evening and it CAN be a holy evening if we'd stand up and fight.  Some will go out, some will be praying for us.  Whatever you feel led to do, do it without fear.  "This is the day that the LORD hath made, we will rejoice and be glad in it!!"

Right on the mark

Thank you lady.

Edited September 20, 2004 by Kandi

[Nicks Girl]

Nicks Girl:

You said you DID participate in Halloween, yet on page 12, I got a quote from your post saying this.

I know I always feel very oppressed on Halloween. My family and I spend the night together, in Bible Study, prayer, and hanging out together. I LOVE candy, don't get me wrong, but we can eat candy any other day of the year. It's not like it's only available if you go trick or treating on halloween night.

I said my FAMILY had always gone trick or treating with the other kids etc.

My family doesn't really share my beliefs on this. But I do not celebrate it by going out trick or treating, or whatever everyone else feels is so important to do on halloween. I do spend alot of time doing bible studies with my family, mostly my stepdad, but how is that running and hiding, or how is my "story" not matching up? I'm a little confused here.

You said earlier that you feel 'very oppressed' at Halloween. You said you spend it in Bible study with your family. And the 'run and hide' wasn't just about you.

What? I do feel oppressed at halloween. When I see kids running around in demon costumes, parents, and teenagers too. When I see the horrible movies that are on that night, when I hear about the vandelism that goes on, etc. I do NOT like halloween, I can't help the way I feel. And most of the time the only way of getting rid of that is praying, and reading God's word. I don't run and hide, I spend the evening in my HOME, doing what I normally do.

I thought you said that you and your family always read the Bible together and that you only went out once???

No, I'm sure that my parents took me out as a very young child many times. when I was about 4-5 I started hating it, and I didn't go with my family trick or treating anymore. My mom would always take my siblings out (still does, since I have 4 young ones at home still) and my step dad watched me and my brother, who didn't care for it either.

Do you have anything from a reputable source that says this? And actually, there's more trouble on 'devils night' than there is on Holy Evening.

A reputable source? What do you consider a reputable source? I could post ANYTHING here and you could say.. oh that's not a reputable source, because YOU will believer what you want to believe.

I have a large list of sources, and news articles on human and animal sacrifices, but I don't want to post them here. I'm sure there are some younger kids and teenagers that have read this post, and I don't want to upset anyone.

If you'd care to look at them, I'll pm them.

Have you talked to a satanist?

Yes, have you? Not all Satanists are into that kind of stuff. Most of them aren't. The ones who are, are usually into more Voodoo kinds of stuff, and practice black magic. They will deny the practices themselves, either because they have not experienced them, or because well, it's obviously, ILLEGAL. I think the people who have done this get taken over, and don't realize what they are doing.

This isn't really a matter of believing what you want to believe. Because the things that happen are fact.

You need to make sure you know your sources are accurate first of all. If the above is true, my above statement was only that Muslims have always thought Halloween to be evil and Christians have NOT always thought it to be evil. This is TRUE.

You have yet to supply anything that can be considered a "reputable source".

what evidence do you have to back up your beliefs that Christians haven't always thought halloween to be bad? Or that ritual killings of animals and people(mostly babies and humans) don't happen anymore?

I'm gonna drop this subject, cause it's just causing an argument.

My personal believe as a Christian, is that I can't in good conscience, go out and celebrate halloween. For me, I'll treat it like every other day. I know bad things happen every day of the year, I know it's not just halloween. But I REALLY fail to see how going trick or treating and celebrating halloween is a good witness to non believers, or how it "converts" anyone? It's one thing to witness to people, but how many people do it? The ones who celebrate it are usualyl just going out to have fun, like everyone else, not saying that it's wrong to have fun, but not all fun is good. How do you be a light to others on Halloween?

my point is stop bugging me about it.

I'm not picking on you in particular, or pointing my fingers at anyone. I've shared my beliefs on this subject, like everyone else.

[Guest Kandi]

It is good that each person does their own individual thing for Hallowe'en. Even within each church, different people have different thoughts. God made us free for a reason. Hallowe'en is all the things said here and no one of them is the only way to go. Being individuals, we live as individuals. I have enjoyed Hallowe'en all my life and intend to enjoy it for the rest of my life. It is just another day of the year to enjoy and be glad God is here.

[artsylady]

I said my FAMILY had always gone trick or treating with the other kids etc.

My family doesn't really share my beliefs on this. But I do not celebrate it by going out trick or treating, or whatever everyone else feels is so important to do on halloween. I do spend alot of time doing bible studies with my family, mostly my stepdad, but how is that running and hiding, or how is my "story" not matching up? I'm a little confused here.

I know I always feel very oppressed on Halloween. My family and I spend the night together, in Bible Study, prayer, and hanging out together. I LOVE candy, don't get me wrong, but we can eat candy any other day of the year. It's not like it's only available if you go trick or treating on halloween night.

Okay, you've got me really confused here. Both of the above are your quotes.

QUOTE

You said earlier that you feel 'very oppressed' at Halloween. You said you spend it in Bible study with your family. And the 'run and hide' wasn't just about you.

What? I do feel oppressed at halloween. When I see kids running around in demon costumes, parents, and teenagers too.

What about the kids running around dressed as angels? Does that make you feel oppressed?

When I see the horrible movies that are on that night, when I hear about the vandelism that goes on, etc. I do NOT like halloween, I can't help the way I feel. And most of the time the only way of getting rid of that is praying, and reading God's word. I don't run and hide, I spend the evening in my HOME, doing what I normally do.

There is more vandalism, statistically on devils night. Again, satanists are more likely to celebrate their birthday then they celebrate halloween. Again, we have them far outnumbered.

It's not just innocent fun, even though people think it is. You would be surprised what your children pick up about Halloween.

You said this earlier and I would agree. But how is staying home reading your Bible helping matters for these youngsters. Wouldn't handing out tracks or having a church open house like the one Koppen mentioned be far more beneficial?? I don't understand.

QUOTE 

Do you have anything from a reputable source that says this? And actually, there's more trouble on 'devils night' than there is on Holy Evening.

A reputable source? What do you consider a reputable source? I could post ANYTHING here and you could say.. oh that's not a reputable source, because YOU will believer what you want to believe.

A reputable source for example, is imo Christian Research Institute. I believe they are very balanced and do thorough research. That's why I posted their articles. Some newspapers are also usually fairly responsible and balanced.

I have a large list of sources, and news articles on human and animal sacrifices, but I don't want to post them here. I'm sure there are some younger kids and teenagers that have read this post, and I don't want to upset anyone.

I could also post these from Muslim sources or Kenneth Copeland's site. Let me know WHAT the sources are and I'll tell you how much stock I'll put into them.

You don't have to PM them. First, let's find out who the source is, then we can decide if they are trustworthy or not.

QUOTE 

Have you talked to a satanist?

Yes, have you?

Really? That surprises me a great deal. I find it hard to beleive that you won't have anything to do with a kid in a Barney outfit yet you'll speak directly with a satanist. You do surprise me. And what did this satanist tell you about halloween?

This isn't really a matter of believing what you want to believe. Because the things that happen are fact.

The fact is that more vandalism and stuff happens on Devil's night. That's easily provable.

QUOTE 

You need to make sure you know your sources are accurate first of all. If the above is true, my above statement was only that Muslims have always thought Halloween to be evil and Christians have NOT always thought it to be evil. This is TRUE.

You have yet to supply anything that can be considered a "reputable source".

what evidence do you have to back up your beliefs that Christians haven't always thought halloween to be bad? Or that ritual killings of animals and people(mostly babies and humans) don't happen anymore?

Sure these things happen. Let's see some stats that these things happen more on Halloween night.

I'm gonna drop this subject, cause it's just causing an argument.

My personal believe as a Christian, is that I can't in good conscience, go out and celebrate halloween.

Well that's just fine for you. I'm not telling you to go out and evangelize on halloween, but please don't tell us not to do it.

For me, I'll treat it like every other day. I know bad things happen every day of the year, I know it's not just halloween. But I REALLY fail to see how going trick or treating and celebrating halloween is a good witness to non believers, or how it "converts" anyone?

They're hearing about God's love - as Cats has said, some are hearing it for the first time. Kids were saved in Koppens example at the church's alter call. How can you really have such a big problem with this. I don't get it. I get that you feel oppressed and all. I mean I believe you when you say you do, although I don't feel the same way. But to tell us that we can't preach or teach or show God's love to a lost world on this night baffles me to no end. I don't think you're like Patordeacon at all. I think you started the argument with one stance and don't want to back down, despite the fact that we can counter argue everything you say. Just please pray for us. That's all I can ask.

It's one thing to witness to people, but how many people do it? The ones who celebrate it are usualyl just going out to have fun, like everyone else, not saying that it's wrong to have fun, but not all fun is good. How do you be a light to others on Halloween?

It's very easy to be a light on Holy Evening. We've given you many examples.

QUOTE 

my point is stop bugging me about it.

I'm not picking on you in particular, or pointing my fingers at anyone. I've shared my beliefs on this subject, like everyone else.

Okay. Fair enough, but I'm tired of the same old rhetoric about holy evening being a free for all for the devil and about all of the misinformation out there. You make it sound like, while you don't want to participate, no one should.

[artsylady]

QUOTE 

Do you know why before the 80's or so it wasn't "considered so terrible and awful"? Because people weren't educated on it's roots and history, also on what STILL happens on that night.

so were Christians sinning before the 1980's????? Why didn't the Holy Spirit convict any Christians until the 80's??? lol.

[artsylady]

It is good that each person does their own individual thing for Hallowe'en. Even within each church, different people have different thoughts. God made us free for a reason. Hallowe'en is all the things said here and no one of them is the only way to go. Being individuals, we live as individuals. I have enjoyed Hallowe'en all my life and intend to enjoy it for the rest of my life. It is just another day of the year to enjoy and be glad God is here.

Yes, that's true. Some feel oppressed and some are glad and rejoice in our God on that day.

[WayneB]

-*.......PASTORDEACON!!!! Woo Hoo!! Give the man sweaty hanky!

-uhhhhhh??TESS--GAL-IT ISN'T PASTOR---- IT'S PATOR--as IN-- {PATORDEACON}

There is NO {S} in his Avator----- You READ it HERE FURST

Oops! Thanks for the newsflash Mr. Gary!!

This changes everything!!! In that case, give the man a sweaty hanky AND a george foreman grill!!

Tess, you are a hoot sister!

I needed a laugh and you provided. Folks outside my office are wondering what's going on, I'm laughing so hard.

Be Blessed sister!

Wayne

[Nicks Girl]

QUOTE