What opinions upon Halloween?

[LadyKay]

2 minutes ago, Abby-Joy said:

 

Actually, I had no idea you were a parent at all.  All this time, I thought you were a teenager.  

In all my posts, I've not named names (outside of thanking a couple of individuals for their posts), nor pointed fingers at any individual.  I'm stating what I've experienced, and also what the Word of God says.  

I think we should get back to the OP which asks how we feel about halloween, rather than any back and forth.  My posts are related to my thoughts on halloween and the response of church as a whole, not individuals. 

When you say stuff like "parents need to be God fearing and not allow their children to do Halloween".  I took that to mean that you must think that those of us who call ourselves Christian yet allow our children to do Halloween, are not God-fearing and somehow less Christian like then we should be. That is how I read what you wrote. If this is not what you are thinking then I have misunderstood.  

You thought I was a teenager! ROFL!   Ohhhhh that's funny! 

[Guest PinkBelt]

There is a certain irony in that I have seen Christians up in arms about Halloween as a danger to children, evil etc... Then see those same Christians shrug off issues like guns in schools, vaccines, safety regulations and so on.

[Willa]

I tell people that I choose not to celebrate halloween, and that the candy is safer when it comes from businesses or churches.  We received candy that had been injected by something at one time.  

If they continue to press me I tell them that I choose not to celebrate evil. 

[frienduff thaylorde]

1 hour ago, Cobalt1959 said:

It's one thing to take a personal conviction subject and say "I personally don't participate in that."  And leave it there.  It is something else altogether to then go the next step and imply that anyone who does participate is doing "unfruitful works of darkness" and accusing people of poisoning others as well.  Over a matter that is 100% about personal conviction.  And yet these holiday threads are always occupied with people that walk right up to the edge of saying people are going to burn in hell for trick or treating, or having a Christmas tree.  Ludicrous. 

And false.  It's straight-up legalism.  When you take a personal conviction issue and say "I can't do that, and neither can you," congratulations.  You're a legalist.  You can re-label it as something else, but that does not change what it actually is.  It has nothing to do with the Law.  It is all about telling others they have to do exactly what you do, and not do exactly what you don't.  

Personal conviction is different that celebrating evil , IF even in ignorance .   Would you celebrate a gay marriage .  but some folks would call me legalistic

for saying Do not go to a gay marriage .  Would you practice mysticsm , just because it had a christain name on it .

So why on earth are we going to dress up in costumes on THAT DAY .    we cant make evil good .  we cant take what the heathens do and then CHRSITANZE IT .   GOD NO LIKES THAT . 

[Guest 1sheep]

1 hour ago, Cobalt1959 said:

It's one thing to take a personal conviction subject and say "I personally don't participate in that."  And leave it there.  It is something else altogether to then go the next step and imply that anyone who does participate is doing "unfruitful works of darkness" and accusing people of poisoning others as well.  Over a matter that is 100% about personal conviction.  And yet these holiday threads are always occupied with people that walk right up to the edge of saying people are going to burn in hell for trick or treating, or having a Christmas tree.  Ludicrous. 

And false.  It's straight-up legalism.  When you take a personal conviction issue and say "I can't do that, and neither can you," congratulations.  You're a legalist.  You can re-label it as something else, but that does not change what it actually is.  It has nothing to do with the Law.  It is all about telling others they have to do exactly what you do, and not do exactly what you don't.  

Well I normally agree with you. In this case I don't because you have redefined legalism to fit your narrative. In fact you have gone off the deep end with it. 

I am not one of those people who condemns people to hell. EVER. 

I am one of those people that knows Halloween is not all it is cracked up to be. The goblins and "scary " focus should be a clue . 

I call that walking on the edge!

[frienduff thaylorde]

13 minutes ago, Abby-Joy said:

Just read the Word, humbly ask God for understanding, and take it to heart... that's what we're all called to do. 

 

YOU LOVED DEAR SISTER .     And as i have said before so say i now again .  I Flat out don't care what the rick warren camps , and emergent and or the pope would say about ya .

I LOVES YA .     i am sure the pope would smile real big and the churches who dress up and say WHO IS HE TO JUDGE , just as he and many do today .

BUT WE KNOW ,    We don't take from the evil and try and christanize it .     THAT is far worse for us to do ,  than for the world to do .  CAUSE WE SUPPOSED TO KNOW BETTER .

[frienduff thaylorde]

4 hours ago, naominash said:

Wow. That was pretty persuasive.

Yes it was .     I want us to all ponder something .   are we supposed to take an evil day and turn around and christanize it .    NO way .

Its bad enough when the world does it ,  but when we are now born again  we should be learning to discern between what is good and what is evil .

And i know most very young christains may not see the danger in it .  But i can assure us we should exhort them and pull them out .

Another thing .   Be always ready to hear the SPIRIT .   FOR even as a two week old babe in Christ , when Halloween was brought up ,  the thing is ,  IT NOW FELT ALL WRONG

for us to have anything to do with it . SO THE SPIRIT would unction us .  BUT if we don't heed that unction and start going to pastors ,  we can be deceived by those who

do these things .    Never shut out the SPIRIT .  

[frienduff thaylorde]

13 hours ago, Abby-Joy said:

Of course, we aren't to be recluses ... we are to be the salt of the earth, a city that is set on a hill.  We are in this world, but not of the world!  

Matthew 5:13-15

13 Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men.

14 Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.

15 Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.

John 17:10-26

10 And all mine are thine, and thine are mine; and I am glorified in them.

11 And now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to thee. Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one, as we [are].

12 While I was with them in the world, I kept them in thy name: those that thou gavest me I have kept, and none of them is lost, but the son of perdition; that the scripture might be fulfilled.

13 And now come I to thee; and these things I speak in the world, that they might have my joy fulfilled in themselves.

14 I have given them thy word; and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.

15 I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil.

16 They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.

17 Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.

18 As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world.

19 And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth.

20 Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word;

21 That they all may be one; as thou, Father, [art] in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.

22 And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one:

23 I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me.

24 Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world.

25 O righteous Father, the world hath not known thee: but I have known thee, and these have known that thou hast sent me.

26 And I have declared unto them thy name, and will declare [it]: that the love wherewith thou hast loved me may be in them, and I in them.

And just because we choose to not partake of the evils of the world does not make us a recluse .    What rhymes with recluse ,  Excuse .

as many give an excuse to christanize the evil day we get accused of being a recluse for exposing it .

and since so many want to feel no conviction and say well we can witness on that night .   THEN WITNESS, BUT DO IT IN PLAIN clothes .

You would think it would be easy for folks to just agree and say okay this festival is evil and we wont partake of it or christanize it .

But they fear their family and church who would come against them  , if they took this stand .   

[LadyKay]

51 minutes ago, frienduff thaylorde said:

And just because we choose to not partake of the evils of the world does not make us a recluse

My comments about passing judgment is not because of this statement. I have stated that I fully respect a fellow Christian's choice to not partake in Halloween if they think it is wrong to do so. In fact I would advice them not to partake in an event that they have a conviction telling them not to do so. 

Quote

You would think it would be easy for folks to just agree and say okay this festival is evil and we wont partake of it or christanize it .

But they fear their family and church who would come against them  , if they took this stand . 

This is the part of the post that I think is passing judgment on others. Saying that your fellow Christians who partake in Halloween are doing so out of fear of being rejected by the world. That they are trying to Christianize an evil holiday.  That some how they must not be strong Christians because they can not tell what is evil and what is good. It is comments like this that make me think that judgment is being passed. That is why I think Romans 14:1 seems to be the right verse for this sort of thing.

 Accept the one whose faith is weak, without quarreling over disputable matters.       For this topic is indeed a disputable matter. Anyway, Romans 14 is very good to read and I think gives good advice on how we are to look at disputable matters.  

Forgot to add. I have no issue with each person posting what they think about Halloween. After all this is what this thread is about. What we think about Halloween. My issue is with once a person states this is what I think of Halloween. Then all those who are for or against it, try to convince the person that what they think is wrong.  

Edited October 4, 2018 by LadyKay
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[Guest 1sheep]

31 minutes ago, Cobalt1959 said:

I don't remember accusing you of anything.  I am pointing out an attitude of "do as I say" with some other people that should not exist, and that had nothing to do with you.  I have not redefined legalism.  Legalism is not primarily about The Law.  Legalism is a process of developing your own private views of how things should be, and then trying to force others to accept it or they aren't saved in your world when the issue you are discussing about is a personal choice and not a salvation issue.

I'm not defending Halloween.  It's a bad holiday based on a bad idea, and I wish it would just go away.  But it isn't up to me to tell other people they are in "darkness" because they do stuff with their kids on Halloween.  Is it good for their spiritual well-being?  Personally, I don't think so.

I didnt imply you had accused me of anything. I was merely responding. 

I do feel it is up to the body of Christ to use evil holidays as a means to teach using scripture as our foundation. 

I didnt see anyone in this thread saying "do as I say". Maybe I missed it idk.

I still dont agree with your version of legalism where this issue is concerned. Ie hallows eve. Just because the west has chosen to switch out the fruit for candy and sometimes wear cutesy costumes doesnt change the spiritual implications. Its not like this is about eating pork! Halloween is not profitable for a Christ follower.

I dont even think there is liberty where this holiday is concerned. It isnt a peivate view. The majority of the biblical church hold this view.

After one has been taught; I do think it is sin. Are they condemned to hell? No!! But that is certainly not license to glorify the enemy.

Its not fair to pin a label on those who are pointing out a evil holiday as not being something a christian should entertain. If that is how you want to play; how about pinning one on yourself for choosing to not  use this holiday as a teaching moment. 

Below is a link on a study on this holiday from bibleinfo. I think there are many things for the untaught or stiff necked to consider. This can be a moment to grow in ones faith.. The thread doesnt have to turn into name calling and chaos.

 

http://www.bibleinfo.com/en/questions/it-wrong-celebrate-halloween