Why we don't do Halloween........

That's right you read the title right, we don't do Halloween. I'm sure there are a thousand and one questions rolling around your head. What? Are they crazy? Etc., Etc., Etc.... Well I've been asked this more than once and I actually enjoy the look of shock on some people's faces.( It's rather entertaining) but that's besides the point. So why have I decided to blog about our decision about keeping our children out of the always popular dressing up, candy getting, fun time holiday? We don't do things the same as a lot of other parents. I think a lot of people go through this life just doing what's always been done and never really knowing for sure what the history or purpose behind some things are. My husband has taught me by example to research anything and everything before you do it. Well growing up my brothers and I never participated in Halloween(and we never had to go to therapy for it- I'm just saying...). So it was a natural reaction when we had sweet pea to say oh, we don't celebrate Halloween.(By the way, Micah and his family stopped participating after they found out the history behind Halloween.) Well after having 3 children and having to say over and over again no we don't celebrate(and this is where people look at us in shock and then they look at you like, you're crazy aren't you.well.....) and I decided I needed to do a little research to back up our beliefs.( I needed a better excuse than it's the devil's holiday and I'm a Christian so that should explain everything.) So as you read I hope to enlighten you and give a better answer than in the past. (Warning: If I offend you, I should be sorry but chances are I won't be, so proceed with caution.) I'm going to give you some history and then also back it up with scripture, I encourage you to look it up check for yourself. As our pastor Brother Kenny says, " Don't take my word for it look it up yourself!"

The History of Halloween

Halloween dates back to the ancient Celtic festival called Samhain(pronounced Sow-in). They celebrated their new year on November 1. This marked the end of summer and harvest and beginning of the dark, cold winter. Often winter time was associated with human death, because of their worry of not enough food, will we be harm enough?, etc.(In Luke 12:22-26, Jesus says not even the raven worries about where his food will come from and how much more important are you than a bird?)They believed that on the eve of the new year that the boundary between the living world and the dead world became invisible and all spirits good or evil could cross over in to earth and do what they pleased.(2 Corinthians 5:1-10 says to be absent from our earthly bodies is to be present before our heavenly father. I personally don't believe spirits dwell anywhere. I believe if you die you stand in judgement before God and then you're sent to your final destination: Heaven of Hell.Hebrews 9:27 backs this belief up.) They thought the "otherworldly spirits" made it easier for the Druids(or the Celtic priests) to make predictions about the future.(Leviticus 19:31, Leviticus 20:6,Isaiah 8:19-22,and Deuteronomy 18:9-13, Jeremiah 14:14-16,all say not to participate in practices of sorcery, omens, withcraft, mediums or spiritist who consult the dead. God gave fair warning about this!) These predictions were a source of comfort and direction(Proverbs 3:6, Jeremiah 10:23 say God will give you direction- it's not your own.) during the long winter, they depended on them.(Proverbs 3:5-trust in the Lord not your own understanding) To commemorate the event the priest built huge bonfires where people would gather together to burn crops and animals as sacrifice to the Celtic deities.(1 Corintihians 10:18-22 says that pagans{followers of other religions other than Judaism or Christianity} offers sacrifices to demons not God and that you can't drink the cup of the Lord and of demons.Hebrews 9:11-28,Hebrews 10:11-14, say that Jesus made the ultimate sacrifice by giving His life in order to save ours.) The Celtics also wore costumes consisting of the heads of dead animals and their skins to scare off evil spirits and attempt to tell each others fortunes.(Genesis 15:1, Gen. 26:24,Exodus 14:13,Leviticus 25:17,Deuteronomy 20:3, Deut. 31:6,Psalm 118:6,Proverbs 3:7, 2 Timothy 1:7,Hebrews 13:6, 1John 4:18,Revelation 1:17. From beginning to end, the bible says fear nothing only God. This is not a "I'm scared fear-but a respectful fear-He is God! There is nothing more powerful than He!) In 43 AD the Romans had conquered most of the Celtic territory. They also had a similar celebration called the Feralia, on this day in late October they celebrated the passing of the dead. The Samhain and the Feralia were eventually combined and play a part in today's Halloween. In the early 800's the influence of Christianity came in the picture. In the 7th century, Pope Boniface IV, designated November 1 as All Saints Day. This day was to be a day to honor saints and martyrs. This was an attempt to replace the Celtic festival with a church holiday.(My opinion attempt failed who really remembers All Saints Day?)This celebration was also called All-Hallows. The night of Samhein began to be called All hallows eve eventually becoming Halloween. Halloween was brought to America primarily from the Irish who came to America to escape the potato famine. Over the years Halloween has become what it is today- a time for kids to go door to door and ask for candy, to dress up(Note: our kids play dress up all the time. They pretend to be princesses, animals and the occasional robot. I have no problem with them using their imagination. But they will not dress up and participate in a celebration that was meant to predict the future and scare off spirits especially when God gives us warnings about this all through the bible!)and even participate in fall festivals at churches nationwide. Some may say that Halloween is not what it use to be(true-thank God!) and all it is, is a time for kids to have some fun. Never the less our conviction is to not participate in this celebration( I also choose not to call it a holiday because I see nothing Holy about it. I have seen no trace of God in this celebration.) We are not perfect(for only God is perfect!)and we stumble and fall occasionally but as for me and our house we will serve the Lord. In closing my soap box I pray that the Lord will direct you and that you would choose to do what He wants you to do, just like we strive to do what He wants us to do. Until my next soap box is open....JFowler