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IS HALLOWEEN WEARING A MASK? by Darby Leppert First, let’s set a standard by which we can accurately decide whether Halloween is right or wrong. Good or evil. What is our standard? The Word of GodRead John 1:1-18Share teaching on light and darknessI John 1:5–6: “And this is the message [the message of promise] which we have heard from Him (Jesus) and now are reporting to you: God is Light, and there is no darkness in Him at all [no, not in any way]. [So] if we say we are [partakers together and enjoy fellowship with Him when we live and move and are walking about in darkness, we are [both] speaking falsely and do not live and practice the Truth [which the Gospel presents].” Let’s read the words of Jesus Himself: John 12:46 John 8:12John 3:19-21 Romans 13:12-14 2 Cor. 6:14-18 Eph. 5:6-21 – We are instructed to live as
children of light, find out what pleases the Lord, and to have nothing to do
with the fruitless deeds of darkness but to expose them. I Pet. 2:9-12- We are reminded that we were called
out of darkness into His wonderful light, told to abstain from sinful desires
which war against our souls, and told to live such good lives among the pagans
that they will see our good deeds and glorify God. Is Halloween Wearing A Mask? What is a Mask?:
Webster’s Dictionary defines a mask as, (1)“something
worn over the face to hide or protect
it [a Halloween mask]”; (2) “anything that hides
or disguises.” Why
would you hide something? Because you don’t want it to
be seen. What
does protect mean? To keep from harm, to shield,
to defend. What
does disguise mean? (1) To make seem different as
not to be recognized; (2) to hide so as to keep from being known. Do you get
chills up and down your spine when you go into a store and see some of the
gruesome Halloween masks that are sold there and across this country every year?
Have you ever thought, “Is Halloween really only an innocent childhood
ritual – a time to get your children dressed in a ghost, or a skeleton, or a
witch costume and take them out trick-or-treating? Or
– is there something hidden behind the “mask” of Halloween, something.
. .you’re not sure what, but there’s something inside you that makes you
wonder if maybe, just maybe there’s something more to this holiday than you
are aware of? But, then reasoning steps in and tells you. . . 1.
But, it’s
fun. 2.
But, it’s
innocent. 3.
But, we
can’t take it away from the kids. That
wouldn’t be fair. It just wouldn’t be right to deprive them. 4.
But,
everyone else in the neighborhood is doing it. 5.
But,
witches, ghosts, goblins and devils aren’t real. 6.
But, we’re
not celebrating it the way the world does. Well, lets take a look at our reasoning. . . ·
It’s fun.
You know, the kids get dressed up
in a costume and go to all the neighbors’ houses and say, “Trick or
Treat”, then they get candy and come home.
Right? That’s true.
But this is also true. Every
year, all over America, parents let their kids get dressed up in masks and
Halloween costumes so they can go trick-or-treating in their neighborhoods. Innocent children get caught up in the devil’s masquerade –
just for a piece of candy or gum! “Devil’s
masquerade?” you say. Wait a
minute. Don’t you think you’re being just a little bit fanatical
about this? Come on!
Can’t we Christians have any fun without seeing something bad in
everything?” Well, maybe no one
has ever told you what’s really behind Halloween, and how it originated. The
typical American family probably thinks that Halloween began a long time ago,
probably someone cut holes in an old sheet, pulled it over a kid’s head, and
then sent him or her out with a little paper bag to ask for goodies from
everyone in the neighborhood. Many
people think that it’s only a ritual. And,. . .”it’s only a costume”.
(That’s what I used to think!) ·
It’s innocent. It’s
just a night of dressing up in make-believe costumes – and fantasy.
It’s good and healthy for the kids to pretend. Here’s an excerpt
from a book, “Halloween and Satanism” by Phil Phillips and Joan Hake Robie: “Until the present
century, masked figures, led by Lair Bhan (which means white mare), a leader
wearing a white robe and a horse-head mask, (the horse was sacred, a symbol of
fertility, to Muck Olla (the sun god the druids worshipped), went begging from
farm to farm, blowing cows’ horns to let the villagers know they were
coming.” “Gathering
more followers as he went, Lair Bhan would call out the head of the household.
Then he recited a long string of verses that told the farmer that his
good fortunes were due to the goodness of Muck Olla.
The verses recited described the damage Much Olla would do to a
farmer’s house or barn if the farmer refused to give something.
If the farmer wanted to prosper during the coming year, he had better
make a generous contribution to the spirit.
At the end of the evening, the masqueraders went home, loaded down with
eggs, butter, corn, cheese, and potatoes. Of
course most farmers opened their purse strings so as not to suffer famine,
drought or illness. Some farmers
even gave gold coins.” “Not all
‘dressing up’ on Halloween comes from pagan rituals.
It also has its origins in the Roman Catholic Church, the main church of
Ireland. On All Hallows, many
churches staged plays called pageants for the benefit of their members.
Each pageant participant dressed up as the patron saint of his special
guardian. Those who did not play
the part of a ‘holy one’ played the parts of devils.” “The
procession then marched from the church out into the churchyard, where the play
might continue until late in the evening. Soon,
nearly all of Ireland thought of October 31 as a night for dressing up in
costume. For some, it was as means
to satisfy Muck Olla, for others, a way to celebrate All Hallows.” “Gradually,
Halloween costumes changed from the traditional horses, saints, and devils to
witches, ghosts and goblins. To
some, the costumes were believed to scare away the real demons.” “In time,
the custom of dressing up in costumes and the custom of going from house to
house in search of ‘treats’ combined. Belgian
children once stood beside little shrines in front of their homes, begging for
money to buy cakes. They were
taught that for each cake they ate, suffering of one dead soul would be
eased.” “So, just as people once offered gifts of food to
the spirits, people today offer treats to the children who represent them.
In reality, the lighted Jack-O-Lanterns the children carry are really a
symbol of the fires and torches of former Halloweens and of the ancient Samhain.”
(pronounced SA Main) “So this
is the beginning of TRICK OR TREAT!” ·
We can’t take it away from the kids.
That wouldn’t be fair. It
just wouldn’t be right to deprive them. We’re
concerned about depriving our kids? Our
concern is misplaced. We should be
more concerned about the dangers they may encounter and the injury they may
suffer when they take candy from strangers.
We have all been shocked and shaken by the reported incidents of people
who have given children poisoned Halloween candy, apples with razor blades in
them, or fruit that had been injected with chemicals.
So, now people are more cautious. They
tell their kids to only go to houses where they know the people.
They tell their kids that the candy should be examined to make sure
there’s been nothing harmful inserted in it.
Now, hospitals and clinics are even offering to X-ray the candy to check
for pins, needles, etc. And, the
attitude of many people is that there must be some “sick people” out there
that would do such a thing. “Sick”
is not the word—the word is “evil”!
The problem is that many of us don’t have any idea what’s behind
all the traditions of Halloween. I’d
like to share an excerpt from a teaching by Bob Larson in 1978, Bob Larson
Ministeries in Denver, CO. The
teaching is called, “Bob Larson Speaks Out – Witchcraft and Halloween”;
the excerpt is taken from a section entitled, IS HALLOWEEN FOR REAL? (p. 3). This will probably be difficult to listen to.
But we can’t hold our hands over our ears with the attitude that we
don’t want to hear about such gruesome things.
We have to face reality. Not
facing it doesn’t make it go away – and it doesn’t keep it from happening!
The Word of God tells us God’s people perish for lack of knowledge.
The Word of God also tells us that the truth will set us free. Sometimes
we have to be shocked with the truth before we’ll do anything about a
situation, or change the way we feel about something.
So, please listen, and allow righteous indignation to rise up on the
inside of you! “A few years ago, I
considered Halloween just another holiday.
But since our ministry has encountered those participating in witchcraft,
I am convinced that no Christian should have part in the satanic, pagan
overtones of this ancient Druidic festival. It seems incongrous for Christian parents to send their
children down the street, sack in hand, sporting a black cape, conical hat and
dragging a broom. Exodus 22:18
says, “Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live.” “Just
last year a few days before Halloween our offices received a phone call from a
young convert who attended one of our crusades. He had formerly been a member of the Church of Satan.
Miraculously, he had gotten out but his three-year-old son was still
being kept in the cult. The child was destined to be sacrificed on October 31.” “We
assured him of our prayers and directed him to inform the authorities.
They refused to do anything since he could supply them with no proof.
On Halloween evening he went to the church to rescue his son and arrived
only moments after the body had been dismembered.
Would you blame that father for being upset with evangelical churches who
host spook parties and sponsor haunted houses?” ·
Everyone else in the neighborhood is celebrating
Halloween. Since
when is “everyone else is doing it” a basis for decision-making and good
judgment? The Word of God plainly
tells us that to compare ourselves with one another is not wise (II Cor. 10:12). It
also tells us that we are to be imitators of God – not each other, and
certainly not the world. We have
been translated out of the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of His dear Son,
into the kingdom of light. ·
Witches aren’t real.
They’re just make believe. Really?
I’d like to share one more true story from Bob Larson, “Speaks out
– Witchcraft and Halloween.” (p. 1): “They’ll kill me,” he screamed.
“I can’t tell you anymore!” Joey
leaped for the door, but I grabbed him before he could get out.
“In the name of Jesus, sit in that chair.
I want to know the whole story behind this cult you’re involved in,”
I demanded. Meekly, Joey sat down
and went on with his story. “It
started a year ago – at Halloween – I met these people who asked me to come
to their meetings. They have them
four times a year. At first they
had me chant from a black book over a boiling caldron.
Then I had to skin a baby rabbit with my bare hands and throw it into the
caldron. The little thing squirmed
and squealed. I had blood all over
me.” A terrified pause came over
him. “Now, I’ve only got a few
weeks left and it will be Halloween again.
They’ll make me come to their meetings and then. . .”
His voice trailed off incoherently.
By now I was convinced: Joey
was demon possessed. I had dealt
with many teenagers involved in witcfhcraft practices and had learned to
recognize when an evil spirit takes over one’s body.
Staring him straight in the eye, I said, “In the name of Jesus, I
demand to know the name of the spirit that controls Joey.” Suddenly, his body stiffened, his hands twisted and clenched,
and his head arched back slowly. Hell
stared out of his eyes. “Who are
you? What is your name, demon?”
Joey’s lips never moved but deep from within him came a voice,
answering, “My name is Darkness. I’m the demon that possesses him. I entered when he sacrificed the rabbit.”
For the next hour, we maintained a constant vigil of prayer, continually
rebuking the evil spirit. At last I
sensed that the Holy Spirit had weakened the power of darkness.
“In the name of Jesus Christ and by His authority, I cast you into the
pit. Leave Joey, now,” I
demanded. Immediately his eyes
rolled back, his body jerked, and then he slumped in the chair.
Joey shook his head and rubbed the hands that had been tightly gripped
under the control of the spirit. “What’s
happened,” he said with a questioning look on his face, “I feel strange,
like something evil has left me.” “It
did,” I answered. “Joey, you
were demon possessed.” “I
couldn’t be,” he pathetically cried. “My
dad is a deacon. My parents are
Christians.” “It was the animal
sacrifices of the witchcraft cult,” I explained. “That’s when the demon
entered.” “But it was just one
little rabbit,” he pleaded, “just one.
And anyway, I didn’t believe in what they were doing. After all, it was Halloween and I thought it was all a fairy
tale.”
“You probably find
Joey’s story hard to believe, too. I
know what you’re thinking: “Halloween,
with its talk of witches and ghosts, is just child’s play. Demons and evil spirits are a superstitious throwback to the
Middle Ages.” But Joey’s story
is true. His pastor and my wife
were both witnesses to the event I just described.
Beware! Halloween may be
more of a trick than a treat. Witches
are for real.” (There are
presently over 3,814 Covens and 423 Satanic Cults known to exist in the
U.S.alone! We can’t possibly know
how many others have kept their gruesome rituals and their hideous and bloody
sacrifices a secret from the authorities!) ·
Besides, we’re not celebrating Halloween the way
the world does. Some
Christians actually believe they can take a day devoted to the celebration
of death and make it good by wearing a Bible Character costume and being
well-behaved – no tricks! But its
not just the costumes or the behavior – it’s the nature of the celebration.
That’s right. You heard me
correctly. . . a celebration of death.
Jesus said that the thief comes to steal, kill and destroy but that He
came to give us life and that more abundantly – not death! We’re going to study about Halloween together;
but first. . . We’re going to study “horticulture”.
You ask, “horti whatsure?” That
doesn’t sound anything like Halloween!!!
You’re right, but there is a connection.
First of all, what is horticulture?
Anyone know? Horticulture
means “the science” of – or having the facts about something because
you’ve studied and seen and experimented (you’ve tried some things) – so,
horticulture is the science of growing flowers, fruits and vegetables. Grownups – Are you ready to learn a little bit
about horticulture? Now, moms and
dads, even if you might know the answer, don’t tell.
Okay? All right, kids – let’s teach’em! Kids, if you want to grow watermelons, what kind of
seeds do you plant? (a)
cucumber seeds; (b) squash seeds; (c) watermelon
seeds Kids, what will you get if you plant pumpkin seeds?(a)
tomatos; (b) lima beans; (c) pumpkins Kids, if you have a potato that is in your refrigerator forever and it sprouts (these sprouts are roots), and you plant that sprouted potato in the ground, what will it grow into? (a)
corn stalk; (b) green beans plant; (c) potato plant Jesus taught
that you can’t get figs from a thistle plant.
And you sure can’t eat thistles! Well,
tonight we’re going to take a look into the “roots” of the Great Halloween
Pumpkin and see what grows from those roots, and if its something we can eat.
I’ll tell you one thing right now. . . it’s not candy corn or
carmels! The
“Roots” – History. . . “The American Book of
Days”, by James M. Hatch, 3rd Edition, The H. W. Wilson Company,
New York 1978 states: “Few holidays have a
stranger or more paradoxical (in other words, kids, there’s something wrong
with this picture!) history than Halloween.
As the vigil of All Saint’s Day – also known as Hallowmass or All
Hallows’ Day, Halloween is the eve of one of the most important feasts of the
church year, solemnly observed by Roman Catholics, Anglicans, and Lutherans.
However, some of the customs traditional to Halloween commemorate
(honors, gives place to) rites and creatures that Christianity has over the
centuries adamantly opposed; auguries (the practice of trying to tell the
future), ghosts, witches, goblins, and fairies.
(According to the book, “Halloween and Satanism”, Goblins and fairies
are ugly, menacing little creatures who were believed to live underground or in
dark places, who had their origin in the pre-Celtic past.
Like leprechauns, brownies and pixies, they stand for the evil spirits
that were once thought to be present at the Vigil of Samhain and later on the
eve of Halloween. Goblins, also
known as ‘fairies’, are believed to have started out as the ghosts of kings
and heroes, with perhaps a touch of divinity in them. However, when the church bells rang and ‘holy water’ was
sprinkled on them they were reduced to their present size.
Fairies were not exactly the figment of the imagination.
They were a dark-skinned people who lived in northern Europe and the
British Isles. They were conquered
by the Celtics in Britain and by the Germanic tribes in northern Europe.
In Britain, little people, who were about four and one-half feet in
height and wore green clothing that blended with the fields and forests, lived
in hiding in forests or near forts and towns.
The green clothing they wore helped protect them from those conquerors
who continually stalked them. The
chief defense of the little people was to shoot little stone arrows known as
‘elf bolts.’ Because of their cunning and swift ways and their size, the
Celts thought these small people were fairies, who were believed to be evil.)
In many countries of Western Europe, such as France, Spain, and Italy,
All Hallows’ Eve is observed only as an austere (very strict) religious
occasion with extra masses and prayers at the graves of deceased relatives and
friends; but in the British Isles and, especially, in the United States
Halloween is primarily regarded as a night of merrymaking, superstitious spells,
fortune-telling, games, and pranks. To
understand this curious mixture of the religious and the secular, and to realize
how the varied customs of Western Europe have affected the American celebration
of Halloween, it is necessary to trace the remote origins of the holiday.
(In other words, let’s go way back to the beginning.) It is generally accepted
that Halloween in its more popular or folk aspects represents a combination of
druidic practices and classical Roman religious beliefs.
These ancient influences are inferred both from the predominance of nuts
and apples as customary Halloween foods and from the important part played by
ghosts, black cats, witches, and skeletons.
Halloween has clear connections with the primitive and sometimes
savage rites of the priestly druids in the pre-Roman, pre-Christian Celtic
communities of Northern and Western Europe, especially in Ireland and Scotland.
The Celtic order of druids, which had originated in Gaul in the second
century B.C., performed mystical ceremonies in honor of the great sun god at
various sites.” Next,
I’d like to share with you something I found on the website:
DIDASKALOS MINISTRIES DM074, What’s Wrong with Halloween?: Halloween
Paganism “Halloween originated
from the witch and warlock religions of Britain, France, Germany, and the Celtic
countries. The practicing witches,
called “druids”, lived 100 years before the incarnation of Christ. The celebration of
“Hallow’s Eve” honored the pagan gods, particularly the lord of the dead.
The celebration was held on the last day of October, the Eve of the
Celtic New Year. On Hallow’s Eve
the lord of the dead was supposed to call all of the wicked dead back from the
prison of hell, and place them in lower animal bodies (dogs, cats, wolves, bats,
etc.) The Celts felt that if they
pleased this god with their worship, then he in turn would protect them from
these resurrected demons. Judiasm and Christianity
ignored (didn’t pay any attention to it) Hallow’s Eve because of it’s
Satanic overtones. The worship of
Hallow’s Eve nearly died out until the reign of the Roman Emperor Hadrian (100
AD). He built a Temple of the Dead
to appease (make ‘em happy) the druids. The
Temple gave the people a reason to start backing the festival again. Rome went through a series
of battles until Rome itself fell under barbarian conquerors.
By 607 AD the Roman emperor Phocas recaptured the city.
From the time Rome first fell until 607 AD, the Church of Christ had
moved into Catholicism. Phocas
wanted to insure that Rome remained a part of the Roman empire, so he gave the
city to Pope Boniface IV. Boniface
reconsecrated the Temple of the Dead, dedicating it to Mary, the “Mother of
God”. (They called her that – we don’t.!) It was a long-standing
policy of the Catholic Church to avoid making religious waves among the pagans.
(Pagan – a person who has no religion.) The Catholics began to wrongly
equate physical growth with spiritual growth, so they would modify (changed what
they believed) Church doctrine in an attempt to make it more pleasing to the
pagan. “Certainly”, the bishops
reasoned, “If the pagan joins the Church, they will be converted to Christ in
time”. Actually their tactic had
the reverse effect, (in other words, it back-fired) and the Church doctrine
became more and more muddied by pagan influence.
When the city of Rome was given to Boniface IV, he decided to allow
worship of the lord of the dead to continue as long as the pagans joined the
Church. The legacy of Boniface is that many Catholic Christians, even
today, light candles and pray for the de4ad, just as the druids did nearly 1400
years ago. The Catholics, rather
than praying to the lord of the dead, pray to Mary, the Mother of God.
This practice fermented (a slow change took place) out of the religions
of the druids, finds no support in the Holy Bible.
The druids day of worship, Hallow’s Eve, was modified to be called All
Saints Day. For two centuries the
yearly celebration of the dead was called “All Saints Day”, and was held on
the last day of October. In 834 AD
the celebration was moved to November 1st, though it still retained
the name of All Saints Day. As I
said before, Catholics still pray to Mary (just as the druids prayed to the lord
of the dead) for the souls of the dead. Their
reasoning is that, since Mary was Jesus’ mother surely she’ll convince Jesus
to let these unrepentant into Heaven. The
Bible, however, makes it plain that you can only be saved if you accept Jesus as
Savior while you are in this life: (Acts
4:10-12) – “Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that
by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from
the dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you whole.
This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is
become the head of the corner. Neither
is there salvation in any other: for there
is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.”
(I’d like to add that it is born unto man once to die, and after that the
judgment. The Word of God does not in any way support praying for the
dead. You decide before you die
whether you want to go to heaven when you die.
No amount of prayer can reverse the decision made on earth by the person
concerned while they were alive. If one knows Jesus before death, their spirit
is already with the Lord. Paul says
to be absent from the body is to be at home with the Lord, II Cor. 5:6. Why
The Children Shout “Trick
or Treat” “The most effective ploy
that Satan ever uses is to try and deceive as much of Christianity as is
possible using the same trick in different ways. The Catholic Church, by allowing pagan ritual and worship,
followed pagan god worship under the guise (mask) of All Saints Day.
But what about the Reformed Protestant Church? Ancient druidism had
another practice that, up to now, we haven’t discussed.
The druids demanded human sacrifice in order to show “proper respect’
for the lord of the dead. In order to accomplish this, the druids went from castle to
castle and demanded women so that they could be sacrificed.
The women were then taken to sacrificial alters and killed (one of the
most prominent areas we know of today for human sacrifice was Stonehenge in
England). If the sacrifice was
willingly given, the druids left a hollow gourd outside of the castle walls
filled with burning human fat. This
burning fat was supposed to protect the castle from demonic attack.
If the druids were refused the sacrifice, they drew a hexagram on the
door or wall of the castle and left. Before
dawn someone in the castle would be found dead from fear. This practice of going
“door to door” eventually found it’s way into society as a form of
Halloween ritual. The earliest
settlers in America encouraged their children to go door to door shouting
“Trick or Treat”, little knowing that they were mimicking (imitating,
copying) ritualized murder of days gone by.
The children were given fruit, much like the druids were given human
sacrifices. If the children were
refused a treat, they were allowed to play a little “trick” on the
household. Parents put candles
inside of pumpkin gourds (just as the druids put human fat inside of hollow
gourds) to commemorate Halloween. By
making it all seem like harmless fun, Satan drew both Catholic and Protestant,
believer and unbeliever into the web of druidic paganism.” “Many people, even
Christian believers, defend Halloween as only “A little innocent fun
for the kids”. It may be
innocent, but is it fun to mimic (however unknowingly) devil worship, female
sacrifice, and witchcraft? Once the
Christian household allows paganism into it’s midst, then how much harder is
it for Satan to get us involved in real druidism?” “The question that the
Christian must ask him or herself is this: “Do I want to play Satan’s game?
Do I want to participate in a festival that originates from human
sacrifice and demon worship? What
do I want my children to learn?” Take
a hard look at these questions and the evidence presented: your spiritual
condition (as well as that of your children) may well depend on your answer.” From the book, “What
People Ask About The Church,” by Dale A. Robbins: “Churches frequently
disapprove of Halloween because it is really a modern version of ancient,
satanic traditions which were originated by the pagan Celtic religion, and their
druid priests, long before Christianity. It
is assumed that the traditions of Halloween were carried to American by the
early European settlers, some who viewed the traditions as mere “folklore,”
and others who held these rituals as sacred to their cultic beliefs.
Halloween was eventually trivialized (made to look like it was no big
deal) as intriguing folklore for the amusement of children and young adults.
Today, it is highly commercialized, bringing great profits from the sale
of candy, pumpkins, costumes, and other “ghoulish” items. The World Book
Encyclopedia says, “Halloween is a festival that takes place on October 31st.
In the United States, children wear costumes on Halloween and go
trick-or-treating. Many carry
jack-o-lanterns carved out of pumpkins. At
Halloween parties, people enjoy such activities as fortune-telling, hearing
stories about ghosts and witches, and bobbing for apples.” “However, the Dictionary
of the Occult and Paranornal states, “Halloween was originally a pagan
festival of darkness, fire, and death. All
Hallows Eve was celebrated by the Celts of northern Europe. . .Halloween was
also an important date for the witches’ calendar.” “According to witchcraft
organizations, witches have eight major festivals throughout the year.
Four are the solar festivals: one at both equinoxes, and one at both
solstices. The other four occur
almost midpoint between the Solar festivals; the most famous of these are
Samhain (Halloween to non-witches) and Beltane (May day).
Samhain, or Halloween, is the beginning of their new year, and is the
time when they claim that they can most effectively communicate with the
dead.” “Author, Richard
Cavendish, in the Encyclopedia Man, Myth, and Magic, states “All Hallows Eve,
or Halloween, was originally a festival of fire, the dead, and the powers of
darkness. It’s the evening of 31
October, the night before the Christian festival of All Hallows Day.
All Hallows Day commemorates the saints and martyrs, and was first
introduced in the seventh century. Its
date was changed from 13 May to 1 November in the following century, probably to
make it coincide with and Christianize a pagan festival of the dead.
All Souls Day in the Roman Catholic calendar is 2 November.
It is marked by prayers for the souls of the dead.
It is only in recent times that Halloween was reduced to a minor
jollification for the children.” (Again,
no big deal, just innocent fun.) The Druids were a great,
far-reaching pagan priesthood who ruled over a people known as the Celts in
ancient Ireland and Britain. They are mentioned by name in thirty references of
Greek and Roman writers between the second century B.C. and the fourth century
A.D. They ran everything, and one
of them always accompanied the king and controlled him. Druids were the main teachers of their day, and also decided
all arguments, public and private. They
served as priests, phophets, magicians, doctors, lawyers, and poets.
They were cruel, bloodthirsty, superstitious, and practiced human
sacrifice. The Druids employed every
known form of fortune telling (divination), and the people sought their help in
scanning the future in all matters of importance. Through magic, the Druids claimed to be able to change into
animals and other shapes (metamorph, shape-shift), to become invisible, to
control the elements and the weather, and to produce fruitfulness.
The people believed that the Druids could cause sleep, illness, or death
by casting spells. The Druids also believed and taught the future existence of
the body and that the soul passed from one body to another at death
(transmigration, reincarnation). “Irene Park, a
former witch and authority on the history of Halloween says, “The
Druids in Ireland would go through the neighborhoods and countryside on the eve
of October 31 to collect offerings for Satan.
They would carry lanterns, bags for money, and canes with very sharp
points on their ends (known as leprechaun staffs, good luck horns, or fairies’
wands). At each house they would
demand a specified amount. If the
household would not, or could not, give the offering (Penance or treat), the
Druid would use his cane to castrate the male or one of their prize animals.” “Park says, ‘The
guisers went from house to house, singing and dancing.
Their blood-curdling masks and grotesque costumes may have been meant to
keep evil at bay, or more likely, were a visible representation (what they
looked like) of the ghosts and goblins that lurked in the night.
These masks have now been transferred to the children, who in the United
States, visit neighbors for the food offering which once belonged to the dead
– or play tricks akin to the legendary destructiveness of witches and imps
abroad on the night” Some
Customs and Symbols of Halloween. . . “It may be argued that
all this talk of ghosts and goblins is mere superstition and only symbolic.
But symbols can have an efficacious power (to power to do what they want,
which was to make the evil spirits come) to
conjure up the spirits they represent. If
symbols have no meaning, then why not adorn our churches with a swastika instead
of a cross? Bobbing
For Apples.
The Romans honored the dead with a festival called Feralia in late
October. It honored Pomona, their
goddess of fruit trees who was often pictured wearing a crown of applies.
During this festival, they ran races and played games to honor the
“Apple Queen” and used omens such as apple parings thrown over the shoulder
or nuts burned in the fire in order to predict the future concerning their
marital prospects. When the Romans
conquered the Celts, they combined the local Samhain customs with their own
pagan harvest festival. Bobbing for
apples was derived from this blended pagan celebration.
Fni.com/heritage/nov95/Kerby.html – “Ten Reasons Christians Should
Not Celebrate Halloween” has this to say about the custom of bobbing for
apples: “In some witchcraft
covens, the closing ritual includes eating an apple or engaging in fertility
rites. In the Bible (Genesis 3),
eating a piece of fruit brought sin and death into the world.
In witchcraft, eating an apple is symbolic of bringing life.
The practice of bobbing for apples bring together two pagan traditions:
divination and the fertility ritual.” Jack-o’-Lanterns.
Jack-o’-lanterns were originally carved from large turnips.
The Celts carried these carved lanterns through their villages in an
attempt to ward off evil spirits. Later,
Irish folklore resulted in a tale explaining the use of
“jack-o’-lanterns”: Jack, who was too bad to get into heaven but wasn’t
permitted into hell because of a deal he had made with the devil, supposedly
wanders the earth holding a carved turnip with a glowing coal from hell as his
guide. This is “Jack’s
lantern.” Another source tells us
that the jack-o-lantern is the festival light for Halloween and is the ancient
symbol of a damned soul. Still
another source stated that the light from the candle inside represented the
Druids’ "familiar spirit" ”known as Jock, on whom they depended
for their power and knowledge. This
spirit would carry out their curse upon the household.
When this custom was brought to America, instead of turnips, pumpkins
were used. The spirit which
inhabited the pumpkin was called “Jock”, thus we have “Jack of the Lantern
or Jack-o-lantern. Witches
and Black Cats.
From the 1500s through the 1700s, during the witch hunts in Europe, it
was thought witches and warlocks flew threw the air to a meeting with the devil
(who had by then replaced Samhain, lord of the dead) on Halloween.
Some thought elves, fairies, and witches turned into black cats. The cat
was sacred, and it was believed that cats were once human beings who had been
changed into cat form for punishment for evil deeds.
Today, witches believe that demonic spirits that help them, called
“familiars” live in cats, particularly black ones.To the Druids, cats were
dreaded as human beings changed into animals by evil powers.
That is the reason they were woven into baskets that were thrown into the
Sanhaim fires. Vampires
and Bats.
Vlad Tepes (Vlad the Impaler), also known as Count Dracula, was a 15th
century prince of Wallachia. Because
of his murderous cruelty, he became the representative type of vampires
traditionally observed at Halloween-time. According
to legend, vampires are reanimated corpses which drink human blood, thus also
transforming their victims into living corpses.
Vampires also allegedly take on the form of batlike demons.” “There is an additional
connection between bats and Halloween. Because
of the bat’s ability to hunt its prey in the dark, the animal has gotten the
reputation of having occultic power. The bat has characteristics of both a bird (a symbol of the
soul in the occult) and of a demon (dweller in darkness). During the medieval times, it was believed that the devil
often turned himself into a bat.” Bats,
owls and other nocturnal animals, popular symbols of Halloween, were originally
feared because people believed that these creatures could communicate with the
spirits of the dead. It was also believed one could predict the future by
looking at the bones in the charred remains. Full
Moon and Occult Practices.
The full moon, for occultists, is a time to perform certain rituals.
The are certain “un-holy” days, times, or seasons when witches,
Satanists, and others who do the devil’s bidding do their work for the devil.
Every full moon is believed by the occult to be a time of extra power. Solar solstices and equinoxes are celebrated as high, un-holy
days as well as a day in February (near spring), April (near summer), August
(near harvest), and the highest un-holy day of the occultic calendar, October 31
(near winter). Violence.
As if the origins of Samhain and Halloween weren’t violent enough, can
anyone deny the violent and gory practices which have become part and parcel of
the modern celebration of Halloween? Think
about all of the filthy, disgusting horror movies, the haunted houses, not to
mention the need to examine and x-ray children’s candy lest it contain poison,
needles, or razor blades. Who
drives late on Halloween night without the concern of their car having eggs or
rocks thrown at it? This could go
on and on. Bonfires,
Skeletons, Costumes, Masks, and Orange & Black. The huge fires atop the “sacred” hilltops in which the
Druids sacrificed animals and humans derived their name from the skeletons of
those who died in them. Originally,
Halloween was not only a festival of the dead, but of fire and the powers of
darkness. The words “bone” and
“fire” formed the word “bonfire.” The
orange flames lit up the black night, thus the “official” colors of
Halloween. As these pagan worshipers danced around and jumped through
the fire, they wore disguises of animal-head masks and animal-skin costumes.
The head of each household was given live embers to start a new fire on
his hearth, which would last until the next autumn.
It was believed this fire would protect their homes from danger
throughout the year. The
“Fruits” - Today. . . “Most of the original
folklore of Halloween has been preserved in the modern traditions: the goblins,
jack-o-lanterns. Halloween parties,
begging for gifts, etc., which all had their origin in the ancient celebration
of All Hallows Eve. Most people and children
who participate with modern Halloween festivities, usually do so innocently,
without any intention of associating themselves with the occult or other satanic
traditions. However, the great
tragedy is that it domesticates the occult and the powers of darkness (makes it
look friendly). It creates a
“tongue-in-cheek” attitude that the forces of evil are not to be taken
seriously – that devils, witches, and goblins are considered merely
make-believe, plastic masks, with child-like impotence( there’s not really any
evil or power here – its very innocent).
It also tends to promote an acceptance and friendliness toward dark
traditions and occult beliefs; that Satan is not really so bad, witches are
really not evil, demons are not really dangerous (if they are for real,
they’re not all that bad). Kids, let’s use the Word
of God to test the “fruit” of the Great Halloween Pumpkin and see if it
measures up to being “good”. Okay? 1.
Things about Halloween make people afraid. The
Word of God tells us that God did not give us a spirit of fear, but of power and
of love and of a sound mind. (II
Tim. 1:7) 2.
Halloween makes evil look good. One
of the things that God hates is when men call evil “good” and good
“evil”. (Isa. 5:20) 3.
Halloween is about witches. In
the Old Testament, the Lord said there shall not be found among you anyone who
is a witch. (Deut. 18:10-12) 4.
Halloween is full of superstition. (full of the power of evil) In
the Book of Acts, Chapter 26:15-18, the Lord tells Paul that He is sending him
to open the peoples eyes that they they may turn from darkness to light and from
the power of Satan to God, so that they they may thus receive forgiveness and
release from their sins. 5.
It is a celebration of death. Jesus
said that Satan comes for to steal, to kill and to destroy, but Jesus came to
give life and that more abundantly (John
10:10) 6.
Bad people, like witches put razor blades, needles and poison in the
Halloween candy. We
serve a good God Who would never, ever want to harm us in any way. (Ps. 107:1) 7.
People
spend lots of money on Halloween. It’s
one of the biggest money-making holidays of the year.
Jesus said where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
And, that we should store up treasure in heaven by giving to good causes,
like God’s work. (Matt. 6:21; Luke 12:33) 8.
People
think about the things of darkness on Halloween. We are supposed to keep
our
minds set on things above, not on things of the earth, not on things that
are evil. (Col. 3:2) So,
kids is the “fruit” of the Great Halloween Pumpkin good or bad? Things
you should know. . . It is a myth
that Jack-O-Lanterns, costumes, trick or treating, black candles, and
Halloween parties are HARMLESS! All
these things are used by witches and satanists for their demonic All Hallow’s
Eve or Halloween Black Masses! Jack-O-Lanterns
have been used for centuries to scare decent folks away from the highly secret
and morbid BLACK MASSES. Costumes
are worn to aid witches in the black arts of shape-shifting and channeling. Trick
or Treating is a method that witches and satanists may use to obtain an item from
YOU that can later be used in a curse or spell against YOU!
They also may pass treats to your children that they have prayed over to
their god, Satan that he would put a spell or curse on your family, or draw your
kids into Satan worship. Black Candles are commonly
used to invoke demonic forces. If you or your children
attend a “Halloween Party” and get into the “Halloween Spirit”, you are
opening yourself up to powerful demonic forces. Halloween
Parties are PSEUDO BLACK MASSES and are just as Dangerous! And,
did you ever stop to think about how many of the Halloween symbols are bloody?
Make it a point to go into the “Halloween” isle in a store and check
it out. You’ll see little
“bloody” toy axes that a kid can carry with him as an accessory to the
costume. Then, you find lots of
bloody monster costumes, and vampire costumes with blood dripping from the
mouth. Why is Halloween such a
bloody holiday? Let’s go to Lev.
17:11, which tells us that the life is in the blood.
Satan KNOWS how important the blood is.
Blood is a very powerful symbol to the Christian and to the satanist.
You see, satanists drink human blood during their rituals.
Those satanic rituals are a perversion of what our God has given us
through His Son, Jesus Christ. The
Bible teaches us very clearly that someone had to shed blood for you and me to
have eternal life. In Hebrews 9:22
it says, without the shedding of blood [there] is no remission [of sin].
Not the blood dripping from a toy axe, or from a fictious vampire’s
mouth – it’s the blood that was shed by our Savior, Jesus Christ.
His blood is the only blood that can save us.
The only blood that will never lose its power!
Holy blood! Righteous blood!
Sanctifying blood! The blood that, if applied through faith, justifies the
ungodly and puts them into right standing with the Most High God!
Because of Christ’s sacrifice on Calvary and Satan’s defeat, we can
be victorious Christians, set free from the bondage of sin.
Now we can CELEBRATE LIFE! What Does the Bible Say About Halloween. . . Even though
the Word of God does not actually mention Halloween, it makes it very clear that
the origins and practices of Halloween are detestable and an abomination to God.
All of these above-mentioned practices are evil
and full of darkness. Many of them—including idolatry, fortune-telling, sacrificing humans, witchcraft, and drinking
blood—are absolutely forbidden
in the Word of God. The Old
Testament is full of warnings in these regards. (for further study see
Exodus 22:18; Leviticus 3:17; Leviticus 7:26; Leviticus 17:12-14; Leviticus
19:26,31; Deuteronomy 12:31; Deuteronomy 18:9-14; 2 Kings 17:16-17; I Chronicles
10:13-14; 2 Chronicles 28:3-4; 2 Chronicles 33:1-6; Isaiah 8:19; Jeremiah 10:2;
Ezekial 20:31.) From our
study of Halloween, it is not difficult to see
that most of the traditions are derived from sacrifices to idols or false
gods. The apostle Paul specifically
warned Christians that such
sacrifices are offered to demons and
that we are not to have any part in these rituals.
(1 Corinthians 10:18-22).
Paul also equated these practices with “turning back” (Galatians 4:8-11). The
Bible specifically commands us to avoid every form of evil (1 Thessalonians 5:22) I think you
will agree with me that Halloween has been wearing a mask – a mask we have put
on our children every year on October 31. Yes,
Halloween has been hiding behind our children—innocent, trusting children that
we, in ignorance, have told Halloween is fun.
Halloween is innocent – its only make believe.
We have defended Halloween, saying that witches and devils aren’t real.
This is all just silly supersititon. Halloween
has seemed to be only lighthearted fun, but it’s really what the Bible calls a
strategy of satan (Eph. 6:11 Amplified). It’s
the devil’s snare, a deadly trap, and satan wants to get a foothold in your
child’s life any way he can. But, The Word of God tells us not to be ignorant
of satan’s devices.
In II Cor 11:14 the Apostle Paul tells us that Satan himself masquerades
as an angel of light. I found this piece of
information on the website: jeremiahproject.com/halloween.html,
“Halloween, its origins and customs.” ‘Central to Satan’s
goals is the widespread acceptance of the supernatural, including the occult, on
the part of North Americans, accompanied by a great revival of spiritism all
over the world. Over the last 30
years, the occult has moved into the mainstream of America – in television,
movies, magazines, business, and various aspects of daily life.
Movies, books, magazines and encyclopedias of the supernatural have
abounded. Turn on your TV and hear
from the ever-present “Psychic Friends” hotline, or see lead characters in
TV shows meet their “spirit guide.” Entire
bookstores devoted to the occult have become common.
Universities regularly offer courses on witchcraft and magic – usually
the so-called “white” variety. Myriads
of mystical Eastern religions, bizarre and often demonic, have invaded North
America and found in most cases an amazing responsiveness.” “Increasingly the
curriculum in many public schools is becoming a primer in occultism.
Impressions, a curriculum used in many school districts instructs
teachers and students in how to cast spells.
One teacher’s manual reads, “Tell the children that a magician has
cast a spell on some children. Have
them work in pairs to write the magic spell the magician used.
Have each pair write another spell to reverse the first spell. Have them chant their spells.”
About 16,000 school districts use the Pumsey the Dragon curriculum, by
Jill Anderson. Many of the
relaxation techniques used are identical to those used in hypnosis.
Another curriculum called Duso the Dolphin employs relaxation techniques
and sends hypnotized youngsters off on guided fantasies to a place called
Aquatron.” “Recently, a California skateboard manufacturer used a package enclosure similar in appearance to a gospel tract to encourage purchasers to sell their souls to the devil. The brochure titled, “Let’s Make a Deal” has a smiley-faced devil who explains to Flame Boy what happened in heaven after he was banished: “First off, they set up a bunch of dumb rules, and then they imposed a really strict dress code. I’ll wager that people must be quite bored up there, but hey, that’s what they get for being good.” He contrasts this with, “Flame Boy, even a dimwit like you can see that hell is by far the best place to retire. Just look at all the fun to be had.” Children are asked to sign and return a contract, by which they give possession of their souls to the devil for eternity.” Members
of the occult and devotees to the true satanic traditions of Halloween are ecstatic
(very happy) by the widespread acceptance and participation in their sacred
festival. They view society’s
celebration of Halloween as an enormous public relations victory, and believe
it’s a time when their dark powers are greatly intensified, due to the unity
of the masses which magnify and exalt the forces of evil.
With thousands focusing their energies upon traditions of Satan, they
feel this strengthens his influence in the affairs of the world. In Genesis 11, we find the story of the Tower of Babel: Beginning with Gen. 10:32, These are the families of the sons of Noah, according to their generations, within their nations; and from these the nations spread abroad on the earth after the flood. Genesis 11:1-9, And the whole earth was of one language and of one accent and mode of expression. And they decided to build a tower up to the sky, called the Tower of Babel. And the Lord said, Behold, they are one people and they have all one language; and this is only the beginning of what they will do, and now nothing they have imagined they can do will be impossible for them. So He went down and confounded their language and scattered them all over the face of the earth. There is power in unity. Satan knows that. The world knows that. e.g.: Unions United Way John 17:21 – Jesus prayed to His Father that we would be one, as He and His Father are One that the world may know that God sent Jesus. How would they know. Look at the Upper Room experience. The 120 were of one mind and in one accord – and the Holy Ghost came and filled the upper room and baptized the 120 present. When the church becomes one again, God will pour out His end-time power, and the great end-time harvest will take place (Sing “United”) Alternatives Yes, I believe there are alternatives; but first, I believe the Church needs to repent for ever being involved ourselves, and involving our children in something that represents so much wickedness. The Word of God says, “When you enter the land the Lord your God is giving you, do not learn to imitate the detestable ways of the nations there. Let no one be found among you who. . .practices divination or sorcery, interprets omens, engages in witchcraft, or casts spells, or who is a medium, or spiritist or who consults the dead.” (Deut.18:9-11).and, (IIChron. 7:14 says, “If my people who are called by My Name will humble themselves and pray, and seek My face, then will I hear from Heaven and forgive their sins and heal their land.”) 1. Celebrate All Saints Day - Christians seem to shy away from honoring saints. Their reluctance generally is based on a fear that the honor will cross the line into worship or prayer to saints. We are to worship and pray to no one but God. However, there is a good biblical basis for looking to those who have faithfully followed God in the past: Hebrews 11 has a roll call of believers who have set examples for us. But in his letters to the Corinthians, Paul makes it abundantly clear that he and other saints are only servants – men and women like ourselves who are following God. And it is God and God alone to whom we look in our worship and prayers. With nearly 2000 years of church history, we can well remember many faithful believers whose lives can encourage us in our walk with the Lord. That can include not only famous figures from the church’s history, but also the saints we have known personally – people in our own family and in our own church who are now with the Lord. While the Celts trembled at the thought of their departed kin returning on Samhaim, we can celebrate All Saints Day, by joyfully recalling our own departed saints. Remember, October 31 is also Reformation Day, celebrating Martin Luther’s beginning the Reformation by posting his “Ninety-five Theses” on the church door.) 2. Use trick-or-treating as an opportunity to tell others about the love of Jesus. (Drop a tract into the kids’ bags) 3. Gather for a prayer and praise meeting (During this night when Satanists and witches covens meet to cast their spells and perform grotesque rituals, it seems appropriate for believers to gather to praise the one and only true God. Praise God for His victory over death, Satan, hell and all evil. (Recall Paul’s words in Romans 16:20: “The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet.”) And pray for all the people who don’t know that Jesus Christ wants to give them peace with God and eternal life. Pray for all the people who don’t know that Jesus Christ wants to give them peace with God and eternal life. Pray that Jesus will reveal Himself to their minds and spirits. 4. Hold a Bible study on what God says about the occult and witchcraft. This might be especially good for teenagers, since they are probably coming into frequent contact with influences of this type. This may sound farfetched to you, but in recent years, there has been an amazing growth of witchcraft and Satanism in the U.S. Some New Age cultists are attracted to many aspects of witchcraft, especially the ideas of tapping the “powers of the universe” and of controlling our own destinies. 5. Many Christian families are now “lighting” their yards and homes in special ways and using the annual Halloween night of neighborhood “trick-or-treating” as a time to welcome neighborhood children and parents, to pass out tracts, and to offer to pray for their felt needs.
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