Should a Christian celebrate Halloween  (Day of the Dead)?
by David Cox
[PC01] v1 ©2005 www.coxtracts.com
This tract can be freely photocopied and reproduced

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"Halloween was originally a festival of fire, dead, and the powers of darkness" – Encyclopedia of Man, Myth, and Magic" by Richard Cavendish

But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea.
Matthew 18:6

If Halloween is concentrated in concepts dealing with darkness, and we promote it to our children, participating in something that is highly connected with the forces of evil, don't we fall under the condemnation of Matthew 18:6, causing them to trip up in their spiritual life by our foolishness? Halloween is no innocent entertainment, but has customs and roots in Satanism and pagan religions.

Satanic Roots of Halloween

Various pagan religions celebrate October 31 inhonor of the dead, and try to communicate with them (by having a meal and offering for them). Halloween comes from "The Hallowed Eve" or the holy night, which is the night before All Saint's Day, a Catholic Festival for their dead saints. The Catholics got it from the celebration of Samhain of the Celtics. According to them, the barrier between the world of the dead and the living is at its thinnest on the night of October 31^st. Because of this belief, they think that the spirits and demons can cross over to our world this night. They would come supposedly to visit the houses of their family and friends, and their "visit" would be in most cases to do them harm. If the people in that house would offer them candy and food ("treats") outside the house, these spirits and demons would pass on without doing them harms, "no tricks." If they would not offer them anything, they would do their "tricks" on them, usually something disagreeable. From this Celtic-Druid belief we got the concept of "Trick or Treat."

In Mexico, the Day of the Dead came from this same belief through the Catholic Church that the spirits of dead family would return to the world of the living to do harm. Then everyone would offer food and flowers to protect themselves from these phantoms (spirits of a dead human beings), and demons mixed in with them. We should clarify that in many of these traditions, the concept was those people who had recently died within the previous 12 months. But the tradition of offering food and flowers at the graves of the dead or in our homes is the same, an unbiblical belief, without scriptural support, just paganism, occultism.

So Halloween presents us with beliefs or concepts that people will return to this life to do harm to the living. The concepts of mummies, Frankenstein, ghosts, zombies, haunted houses, and communicating with the dead on this night is a common theme. We should understand that everything about these beliefs is exactly opposite of the Bible's teaching.

Heb 9:27 And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:

Dead human beings cannot return to the earth except as God commands them.

For the unsaved, they will be in the torments of hell until the judgment when they will be cast into the lake of fire even though they would greatly like to leave their torture. In Luke 16:19-31, God presents us with the reality of these things. The rich man died without Christ and for as much as he wanted to come back even for a moment to the land of the living, the story is clear that that is totally impossible and there is no escape from where they have nor peace for their souls, much less a return to earth. 2 Cor 5:8 teaches us that for the believer, there is an absence from the body at death which immediately places us with the Lord. The true believer will never leave the presence of God from that point on, and he will not return to earth until Jesus comes for his saints in the rapture.

Halloween presents us with ideas and concepts that the dead return to torment the living, and this is simply impossible. Moreover Halloween presents us with concepts of Hindus and others that say that people are spiritually mixed with animals (reincarnation) such as the spirit of an animal lives within every person. The werewolf, the vampire, and other such monsters of Halloween are based in these reincarnation Hindu concepts.

Are these things real?

So what is all of this about phantoms (dead human spirits or ghosts), witches and spirits? Is it certain or not? This is the deception of Satan, using his demons to achieve at times something "real" in these things. The Bible presents us with the reality of demons, and their limited power. We see that demons do not have bodies, but that they seek to inhabit the bodies of others (humans in demon possession or animals) Mark 5:1-15. In the case of humans, they "loan" themselves to these powers. Then the only forces that can harm us are demons and people who would loan themselves to be used by the demons. In the popular culture of Halloween we are presented with spiritual monsters with fantastic powers, but all of this is fiction according to the Bible. God is who works with strong power in the earth, and Satan is limited to what God permits him to do.

Halloween then is based on beliefs that are opposite of what the Bible teaches. We should understand what unbiblical religions practice according to "their faith", and not participate. Some need a temple or church, but most use customs and practices that are hard to distinguish and reject their religious or faith based character. Many religions teach through representations, and have traditions and customs that go with their beliefs. They like it when everybody enters into their beliefs even lightly by following their traditions, and even when others don't understand the faith or belief behind these customs. For example, the Catholics like it when somebody honors the Virgin Mary using the symbol even when they don't understand what all it means. Our question here is, what are we doing when we decorate our homes, work, and even church with pagan symbols of pagan customs like Halloween, or when we participate in "Trick or Treat", giving away candy and all the rest?

Why Good Christians don't Celebrate Halloween

The pastor of the Church of Satan in San Francisco California, Anton LeVey clearly said that he was delighted when Christian parents give Satan their kids for the night of Halloween, and for one day out of the year, he can have his way with them and fill their minds with Satanism!

For the saved, we are children of God, and we do not pertain to the world (Heb 11:13-16; 1 Pet 2:11). Satan is the god of this world (2Cor 4:4) and Satan wants all to worship him. The problem here is that we are in a spiritual war against the forces of darkness and against their concepts and beliefs, and we should not support the enemy by our practices whether we believe in them or not.

Eph 6:11-18 Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: Praying always…

When we loan ourselves to things of darkness, it is a victory for Satan.

God commands us to stay far away from the occult

Rom 12:9 Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good.
3Jn 1:11 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.
1Th 5:21-22 Prove all things; hold fast that which is good. Abstain from all appearance of evil.

In the Old Testament God prohibited the Israelites to practice pagan customs, especially when they revolved around occult things (the hidden that has to do with witchcraft and the forces of evil). The death penalty was imposed on those who were involved in these things.

Deu 18:9-14 When thou art come into the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee, thou shalt not learn to do after the abominations of those nations. There shall not be found among you any one that maketh his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, or that useth divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch, Or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer. For all that do these things are an abomination unto the LORD: and because of these abominations the LORD thy God doth drive them out from before thee. Thou shalt be perfect with the LORD thy God. For these nations, which thou shalt possess, hearkened unto observers of times, and unto diviners: but as for thee, the LORD thy God hath not suffered thee so to do.

Jer 44:23 Because ye have burned incense, and because ye have sinned against the LORD, and have not obeyed the voice of the LORD, nor walked in his law, nor in his statutes, nor in his testimonies; therefore this evil is happened unto you, as at this day.

The obedient Christian should examine everything including its origin and cultural context, and only follow what honors God, especially rejecting anything having to do with darkness.

1Co 10:31 Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.

Rom 13:12 The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light.

Eph 5:11 And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.12 For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret.

Php 4:8 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.

1Ti 4:1 Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;

We cannot say that we are reproving the forces of darkness when we imitate and copy them, dressing up like them, decorating our houses and churches with their images. There is nothing of virtue or good in Halloween. It is the doctrine of demons, devils, and Satan.