I don’t want to be an angry evangelical.
I
don’t want to be most at home on my soapbox, frothing with vitriol over
cultural drift and neglecting to show the love of Christ.
Yet, there is nothing
wrong with holding strong principles and even personal convictions which one
can persuasively defend. The topic of Halloween is one that spawns great
discussion and often, strong opinions. Some embrace it, some ignore it, some
curse it, etc.
What follows is my personal philosophy and my reasons for not celebrating October 31 as Halloween; it reflects my personal understanding and decisions. I respect that others may feel differently than I and hope that those who read will do so in the interest of discussion and growth.
What follows is my personal philosophy and my reasons for not celebrating October 31 as Halloween; it reflects my personal understanding and decisions. I respect that others may feel differently than I and hope that those who read will do so in the interest of discussion and growth.
Partying in the Hearse
My children used to be frightened by coffins and of course,
what was in them. I didn't want them to be traumatized, but, as their mother, I
felt it was my responsibility to help them see death in terms of eternity and
the hope we have in Jesus. So, I would take them up to the casket with me. They
would usually peek over the edge and draw back, and I didn't make them linger.
Even at a young age, they were repulsed by death. And well they should be.
Death is a result of sin; it reminds us of the brokenness of our world, of the
curse that befell the entire planet. And most of us spend our entire lives
fighting off death with medical checkups, annual physicals, routine testing and
in more advanced scenarios with drugs, chemotherapy, radiation, surgery,
transplants, blood transfusions and other intensive medical interventions. We
know that death dogs our steps, and we avoid it like the plague that it is.
Except on one occasion.
October 31 has become the day to celebrate death, to party
in the hearse. On this day in autumn, large amounts of time and money are spent
to glamorize gore, ghouls and other ghastly themes. And yes, there are still
sweet, little princesses and sturdy little clowns knocking on the neighbor’s
door, but I am disturbed that Halloween has become, for many, a plunge into
macabre revelry. I am concerned when I hear of those who are more excited about
decorating for Halloween than for Christmas. And I am disgusted, okay appalled,
at the delight with which houses are draped with spider webs, grinning
skeletons, back-draped figures and creepy lights. A 2013 survey from the National Retail Federation found that
two-thirds of Americans planned to take part in Halloween activities resulting
in a national spending total of $6.9 billion on this “holiday.” [i]
Why this joy for a celebration that centers on death? Why do we run from it all
the rest of the year and then rush madly to embrace it and bring it close to
our children on this frightful night?
As a mother, I have discovered at least three reasons why I
have a big problem with throwing a Halloween celebration.
Occultist Origin
The word Halloween is derived from the phrase “All Hallows
Eve” which was the title given to October 31, the day before the New Year on
the calendar of the ancient Celts. On this night, they believed that the lord
of the dead, Sanhain, gathered the souls of the evil dead in preparation for
reincarnation as animals in the coming year. The Celts taught that, on October
31, “ghosts, evil spirits and witches roamed the earth.” [ii] To
frighten away these apparitions, they built large bonfires on hills. And “On this night, evil or frustrated ghosts
were also believed to play tricks on humans and cause supernatural
manifestations . . . As part of the celebration, people dressed in grotesque
masks and danced around the great bonfires, often pretending they were being
pursued by evil spirits.”[iii]
Even “trick or treating” has a strange origin. According to an
article on Smithsonian.com, “ . . . in the Middle-Ages, children and sometimes poor
adults would dress up in the aforementioned costumes and go around door to door
during Hallowmas begging for food or money in exchange for songs and prayers,
often said on behalf of the dead. This was called ‘souling’ and the
children were called ‘soulers’.”[iv]
I have taught my children that it is best to stay far away
from anything which ties to the occult. I believe that parents must take
seriously this matter of guarding our children’s minds and eyes and ears, and
I’m convinced we must help them establish good principles for their adult lives.
And in light of that, why would I promote a celebration with seemingly
undisputed ties to the occult? There is
too much at stake to give Satan even a toehold.
Black Themes
Halloween glorifies fear,
darkness and death; Jesus came to abolish all of these.
Fear is a result
of the fall of man and woman in the Garden. Adam and Eve felt fear only after
their disobedience. And this cloying emotion has invaded the life of every
human since.
In His earthly ministry, Christ often spoke the words “Fear
not” or “Do not be afraid.” In 2 Timothy 1:7, Paul wrote these inspired words “God
has not given us a spirit of fear. . .” God, the One who is perfect Love and
Holiness, never gifts us with fear. In fact, I John 4:18a states emphatically
that “there is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear, because fear
involves torment.” (NKJV)
The God of the Bible
cannot be associated with torment; it is Satan who wears that identity. As a
mother who wants my children to know the peace of God in their lives, how can I
embrace a day which is built on fear?
Darkness plays a
central role in Halloween observance. The Druids of the past tried to stave off
evil spirits by lighting the night with bonfires; revelers today visit haunted
houses which use darkness to create greater fear and many of the more insidious
deeds done on October 31 are done during the night hours.
In Scripture, darkness is always associated with sin and
evil. Matthew 8:12 describes the final place of eternal torment as “outer
darkness.” Romans 13:12 says to “cast off the works of darkness.” Ephesians 5:8
says “you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord.” and 1 Peter
2:9 says that we should “proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness
into His marvelous light.” 1 John 1:5 tells us that “God is light, and in him
is no darkness at all.” Zachariah, the father of John the Baptist, prophesied
that Christ would come “to give light to those who sit in darkness and the
shadow of death.” (Luke 1:79)
Darkness is never celebrated in the Scriptural record. And
as a mother who wants to raise my children to follow the God of that Bible, how
can I celebrate a day in which darkness plays such a significant role?
Death is one of
the enemies Jesus defeated on the Cross. Revelation 1:18 tells us that Jesus
has the keys of death and hell. Hebrews
2:14-15 says that “he [Christ] also became a human being, so that by going
through death as a man he might destroy him who had the power of death, that
is, the devil; and might also set free
those who lived their whole lives a prey to the fear of death.” (Phillips) [emphasis mine] Because of Jesus,
we don’t have to fear the predator of death. So as a mother whose most
passionate goal for my children is that they have the assurance of eternal life
in heaven, how can I celebrate a day which exalts torture, blood, mutilation
and violent, godless death?
Destructive Result
I believe the rising prominence of Halloween in our American
“holidays” points to a troubling, societal desensitization. Look around at the
popular skull symbol which decorates so much of the clothing sold to teens and
children (Do they know what they are wearing? The most well-known group of guys
who adopted that icon worked for Hitler.) Muse on the popularity of “vampire”
novels and “paranormal” stories (Why would young girls especially be drawn
toward this kind of bloody literature?) Contemplate the sensational promotion
of horror-themed movies and digital games. It’s true; we have become a culture enamored
of death.
Practical Decisions
So, in light of all this, as a God-follower and I hope, a
conscientious parent, I have made the decision not to embrace October 31 as
Halloween, a day to celebrate death and fear. Instead, I will purposefully explain to my
children why we don’t keep this “holiday”; I will point them to the One who
came to take away our fears, deliver us from darkness and conquer death so we
might live eternally with Him. And, if there is any partying in the hearse
which carries my body someday, may it be because I am finally in His presence
and the legacy I have left to my children is one of life and light through Him.
[i]“The Long and Short of
American’s Consumer Holidays,” accessed September 29, 2014, https://nrf.com/news/the-long-and-short-of-americas-consumer-holidays
[ii] “The Facts on Halloween,” accessed
September 29, 2014, http://www.cbn.com/spirituallife/onlinediscipleship/halloween/halloween_origins_ankerberg.aspx
[iii] Ibid.
[iv] Read more:
http://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-history-of-trick-or-treating-is-weirder-than-you-thought-79408373/#xUhGQ0VoWqfV2OTR.99
, accessed October 30, 2014.
