emdie Posted October 28, 2016 Group: Advanced Member Followers: 5 Topic Count: 8 Topics Per Day: 0.00 Content Count: 146 Content Per Day: 0.05 Reputation: 137 Days Won: 0 Joined: 09/18/2016 Status: Offline Share Posted October 28, 2016 Just ask Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack-o'-lantern Essentially, light was used during the pagan festival of All Hallows Eve to ward off evil spirits that roamed the land. As the Bible teaches that the dead can't be contacted it is a little redundant, and I believe is giving in to superstition, which is part of the occult, which we are expressly forbidden to go near. I wish the whole holiday would go away quite frankly, as I also wish for Christmas to disappear before you can say 'the love of money is the root of all evil', because let's face it, Christmas isn't a command from the Bible, and it was created or should I say appropriated for making money through donation. Would you as a Christian believe in Santa Claus? If you say 'what's the harm', it's because it takes you away from the Word of God, and that Word is all that matters in the end, not how many pressies you bought little wossiname so they could be like all the other kids. Right, now I've made my outlandish views known, I'm off, so Bah Humbug everyone That's a joke btw.... this is my view, so please don't accuse me of being mean-spirited, I just worship God and no other. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Remnantrob Posted October 28, 2016 Group: Diamond Member Followers: 6 Topic Count: 100 Topics Per Day: 0.01 Content Count: 1,029 Content Per Day: 0.15 Reputation: 261 Days Won: 0 Joined: 03/25/2005 Status: Offline Birthday: 02/23/1982 Share Posted October 28, 2016 Now to the question at hand. I don't think that pumpkins are the problem. I eat pumpkins and they are tasty. But I think the issue the original poster is whether we should align ourselves with things associated with "evil". If you asked people to play word association game and say what's the first thing they think about when you see a pumpkin, I'm pretty certain(though I could be wrong) that people would say Halloween. For that reason, maybe the church should stay away from the appearance of evil. I was reading an article on christiantoday.com on halloween and this statement made me go hmm. It said: Quote "As popular and pervasive as Halloween has become, there is still a sizeable minority that avoids at least some elements," said Scott McConnell, vice president of LifeWay Research. 21 per cent of Americans said they avoid Halloween completely. A further 14 per cent said they try to avoid the pagan aspects. The majority, 59 per cent, said they consider it to be all in good fun.Unsurprisingly non-religious people were most likely to say Halloween is harmless, with 75 per cent holding that belief while only 11 per cent said they avoided Halloween completely. However Christians did not differ too significantly from the rest of the population. A majority of 54 per cent said Halloween was all in good fun and only 23 per cent choose to avoid it completely. http://www.christiantoday.com/article/over.a.third.of.americans.avoid.halloween.or.its.pagan.elements.new.research.shows/68856.htm I thought that the world was supposed to look at us as the light in darkness. It seems like they see no real difference between us because we all do the same things. This is one of reasons that I agree with the original poster. I want people to question why I'm not like them and what makes me happy in spite of the fact that I don't participate in the same "fun" things that they do. Of course we have to line up our opinions with scripture and I think Warrior did a good job. I'll add to the mix 3 John 1:11 Quote 11 Beloved, follow not that which is evil, but that which is good. He that doeth good is of God: but he that doeth evil hath not seen God. 1 Thessalonian 5:21,22 Quote 21 Prove all things; hold fast that which is good. 22 Abstain from all appearance of evil. and lastly 2 Corinthians 6:14-18 Quote 14 Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? 15 And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? 16 And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. 17 Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you. 18 And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty. The bible is likened to a two edged sword in Hebrews 4:12 and is said to be a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. Now if my heart is telling me that the bible speaks nothing about Halloween and I don't do it with any intentions of playing with evil and it's all in good fun, I believe that before I make that judgement I should make sure that I am heeding to Isaiah 8:20 Quote 20 To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them And that includes my own heart which the bible describes as desperately wicked. Just some points I figured I share. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Teditis Posted October 28, 2016 Share Posted October 28, 2016 What makes people think Halloween is evil? Where the historical element that Halloween was ever used to celebrate aspects of evil? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Remnantrob Posted October 28, 2016 Group: Diamond Member Followers: 6 Topic Count: 100 Topics Per Day: 0.01 Content Count: 1,029 Content Per Day: 0.15 Reputation: 261 Days Won: 0 Joined: 03/25/2005 Status: Offline Birthday: 02/23/1982 Share Posted October 28, 2016 18 minutes ago, Teditis said: What makes people think Halloween is evil? Where the historical element that Halloween was ever used to celebrate aspects of evil? what do you believe the bible defines as evil? Do you have another understanding of what evil is that what most Christians who are against the practice of the holiday would present to you? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ezra Posted October 28, 2016 Group: Royal Member Followers: 16 Topic Count: 134 Topics Per Day: 0.04 Content Count: 8,142 Content Per Day: 2.36 Reputation: 6,612 Days Won: 20 Joined: 11/02/2014 Status: Offline Share Posted October 28, 2016 16 minutes ago, Teditis said: What makes people think Halloween is evil? Where the historical element that Halloween was ever used to celebrate aspects of evil? Is paganism evil? Is communication with spirits evil? Is celebration of unholy things evil? Is dedicating a day to witches, goblins, and ghosts evil? Is spending money on such costumes, skeletons, skulls, jack-o-lanterns evil? Is exposing children to Satanic nonsense evil? Is trick or treating itself evil, especially when children have been placed at severe risk of bodily harm by evil people? If Christians are not able to discern the difference between good and evil, then there is little hope for anyone else. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Teditis Posted October 28, 2016 Share Posted October 28, 2016 Evil would be anything opposed to God... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Teditis Posted October 28, 2016 Share Posted October 28, 2016 (edited) 6 minutes ago, Ezra said: Is paganism evil? Is communication with spirits evil? Is celebration of unholy things evil? Is dedicating a day to witches, goblins, and ghosts evil? Is spending money on such costumes, skeletons, skulls, jack-o-lanterns evil? Is exposing children to Satanic nonsense evil? Is trick or treating itself evil, especially when children have been placed at severe risk of bodily harm by evil people? If Christians are not able to discern the difference between good and evil, then there is little hope for anyone else. Most don't associate with Pagans. Most don't communicate with spirits. Most aren't celebrating unholy things. The day is not dedicated to witches goblins and ghosts. (It's actually an attempt to scare such things away.) No, I don't see buying costumes as an evil act. Teaching kids that there are evil forces is a good thing... sorry that you see it all as nonsense. Most kids are chaperoned. I discern things quite well, I think. Edited October 28, 2016 by Teditis Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ezra Posted October 28, 2016 Group: Royal Member Followers: 16 Topic Count: 134 Topics Per Day: 0.04 Content Count: 8,142 Content Per Day: 2.36 Reputation: 6,612 Days Won: 20 Joined: 11/02/2014 Status: Offline Share Posted October 28, 2016 1 minute ago, Teditis said: Most don't associate with Pagans Perhaps not consciously. But that does not change the facts about Halloween. It is all about the EVIL SPIRIT WORLD. Kindly research it from as many sources as possible. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Teditis Posted October 28, 2016 Share Posted October 28, 2016 4 minutes ago, Ezra said: Perhaps not consciously. But that does not change the facts about Halloween. It is all about the EVIL SPIRIT WORLD. Kindly research it from as many sources as possible. Historically, the Church took a pagan holiday that centered around chasing away evil spirits and used it as an opportunity to teach the Pagans about Jesus Christ... the ultimate Person that chases away evil. Then the Church took the next two following days to venerate Saints or people that were solid Christians throughout history. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Remnantrob Posted October 28, 2016 Group: Diamond Member Followers: 6 Topic Count: 100 Topics Per Day: 0.01 Content Count: 1,029 Content Per Day: 0.15 Reputation: 261 Days Won: 0 Joined: 03/25/2005 Status: Offline Birthday: 02/23/1982 Share Posted October 28, 2016 33 minutes ago, Teditis said: What makes people think Halloween is evil? Where the historical element that Halloween was ever used to celebrate aspects of evil? Have you ever read about Samhain and it's relationship to Halloween? Here is a quote that I find interesting. Quote The festival observed at this time was called Samhain (pronounced Sah-ween). It was the biggest and most significant holiday of the Celtic year. The Celts believed that at the time of Samhain, more so than any other time of the year, the ghosts of the dead were able to mingle with the living, because at Samhain the souls of those who had died during the year traveled into the otherworld. People gathered to sacrifice animals, fruits, and vegetables. They also lit bonfires in honor of the dead, to aid them on their journey, and to keep them away from the living. On that day all manner of beings were abroad: ghosts, fairies, and demons--all part of the dark and dread... Samhain, with its emphasis on the supernatural, was decidedly pagan. While missionaries identified their holy days with those observed by the Celts, they branded the earlier religion's supernatural deities as evil, and associated them with the devil. As representatives of the rival religion, Druids were considered evil worshippers of devilish or demonic gods and spirits. The Celtic underworld inevitably became identified with the Christian Hell. The effects of this policy were to diminish but not totally eradicate the beliefs in the traditional gods. Celtic belief in supernatural creatures persisted, while the church made deliberate attempts to define them as being not merely dangerous, but malicious. Followers of the old religion went into hiding and were branded as witches. http://inventors.about.com/od/sstartinventions/a/Samhain.htm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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