thoughts on halloween
1. Origin
- Samhain and All Hallow’s Even (evening before Catholic ‘All Saints Day’ – day of honoring all saints – Nov. 1)
SAMHAIN (pron: sowan or shavnah): (Celtic festival meaning: ‘summer’s end’) – end of ‘light half’ of year,
beginning of ‘dark half’, border between earth and ‘otherworld’ on this day is weak, allowing spirits to pass
through. Good spirits were welcomed home, bad spirits were warded off by wearing masks/costumes to disguise
the person as a bad spirit also. Turnips were hollowed out and carved with faces to be used as lanterns and to
ward off bad spirits.
ALL HALLOW’S DAY (All Saints Day - Nov. 1) Children and poor people would go door to door to receive cakes in
return for prayers for the dead. Each cake represented someone being freed from purgatory to go to heaven.
SUMMARY OF WRONG BELIEFS/PRACTICES:
1. Deceased spirits haunting the living
2. Fear of such spirits
3. Making yourself look like an evil spirit
4. Belief in purgatory
5. Belief in praying for the dead
6. Belief that eating a cake frees a person from purgatory and sends them to heaven.
2. Truth about Deceased Spirits, Evil Spirits, Hauntings
1. Luke 16:22,23, Luke 23:43
2. Philippians 1:23,24, II Corinthians 5:8
3. Isaiah 41:10; I John 4:4, 18
4. Mark 5:1-9; I Peter 5:8
SUMMARY OF BIBLICAL TEACHING:
1. Spirits of deceased leave earth and go to punishment, or heaven
2. AS SOON AS a person dies, they go either to punishment or heaven. Purgatory doesn’t exist and is unbiblical.
3. As believers, we are told not to live in fear but to trust in God – and to convey the same message to others. Fear
is a weapon that Satan loves to use.
4. Satan and his demons roam the earth, seeking to oppose the kingdom of God and His work.
3. What are Mediums, Spiritualists, Sorcerers, Witches and Necromancers?
Medium: a person believed to be in contact with the spirits of the dead and able to establish communication
between the living and the dead.
Spiritualist: a person who believes that spirits of the dead exist on a higher plane around us and can offer
guidance to us through our communication with them.
Sorcerer / Witch : a person who uses the help of the (evil) spirit realm to accomplish supernatural acts.
Necromancer: a person who seeks to summon the presence of a deceased spirit, as a ghost or in bodily form.
- Scripture to consider:
*Exodus 22:18
*Leviticus 19:31
*Leviticus 20:6, 27
*Acts 19:19,20
*Galatians 5:19,20
*Revelation 21:8
SUMMARY OF BIBLICAL TEACHING:
1. The punishment for involving oneself with evil spirits was death.
2. The Israelites were commanded to never seek out the help of mediums or necromancers.
3. God promised to set Himself against and cut off a person who turns to mediums and necromancers.
4. Those in Acts who turned to God immediately burned all their books on magic arts, and God blessed them.
5. Sorcery is a ‘work of the flesh’ along with idolatry, murder, etc. and such people will be sent to the lake of fire.
4. Today’s Focus
1. Fear, Scare, Haunt – Trick or Treating, Haunted Houses, Decorations
2. Mutilation, Death – T.V., Movies
3. Costumes, Candy – Trick or Treating
4. Ghosts (deceased spirits), Evil Spirits – Trick or Treating, Haunted Houses, Decorations, T.V., Movies
5. Different Views of Christians
VIEW #1 - It’s focus is fear, ghosts and demons, and therefore it is clearly satanic, demonic, entirely of
pagan origin and so doing anything related with Halloween is evil.
VIEW #2 - Costumes and asking for candy is harmless, so is carving fun designs in pumpkins. ‘Harvest
Fest’ and other Autumn alternatives as well as handing out Bible tracts with candy is actually good.
-- Scripture passages to keep in mind:
*I Corinthians 6:12, 10:23
*I Corinthians 10:18-22
*I Thessalonians 5:22
*Romans 14:13-19
*Luke 19:10
*Mark 2:15-17
SUMMARY OF BIBLICAL TEACHING:
1. Even though there isn’t a state law or biblical command against something, it could still be wrong.
2. We shouldn’t judge what other believers do. We also shouldn’t let our own convictions or even liberties cause
division in the body of Christ, or offend unbelievers that we could be reaching out to.
3. However, we certainly shouldn’t promote the works and schemes of Satan, nor should we use our freedom in
Christ to cause other Christians to stumble in their faith.
4. We should keep away from every form/appearance of evil. We shouldn’t participate in activities that Satan
and his demons are involved in, so as not to support him/them.
5. We are to do all things with a motive to please the Lord, and build up the Body of Christ. (I Cor. 10:31)
Conclusion?
- Is it directly sinful for us to participate in any part of Halloween? (ie, costumes
and trick or treating – No.)
- Are there a lot of things that ARE evil about Halloween, and should definitely
be avoided? (Yes)
- Keep away from the evil side of Halloween, things that promote fear and evil spirits.
- Ask God for wisdom to know how to use ‘Fall’ opportunities to reach out to the lost.
thoughts on halloween
1. Origin
- Samhain and All Hallow’s Even (evening before Catholic ‘All Saints Day’ – day of honoring all saints – Nov. 1)
SAMHAIN (pron: sowan or shavnah): (Celtic festival meaning: ‘summer’s end’) – end of ‘light half’ of year,
beginning of ‘dark half’, border between earth and ‘otherworld’ on this day is weak, allowing spirits to pass
through. Good spirits were welcomed home, bad spirits were warded off by wearing masks/costumes to disguise
the person as a bad spirit also. Turnips were hollowed out and carved with faces to be used as lanterns and to
ward off bad spirits.
ALL HALLOW’S DAY (All Saints Day - Nov. 1) Children and poor people would go door to door to receive cakes in
return for prayers for the dead. Each cake represented someone being freed from purgatory to go to heaven.
SUMMARY OF WRONG BELIEFS/PRACTICES:
1. Deceased spirits haunting the living
2. Fear of such spirits
3. Making yourself look like an evil spirit
4. Belief in purgatory
5. Belief in praying for the dead
6. Belief that eating a cake frees a person from purgatory and sends them to heaven.
2. Truth about Deceased Spirits, Evil Spirits, Hauntings
1. Luke 16:22,23, Luke 23:43
2. Philippians 1:23,24, II Corinthians 5:8
3. Isaiah 41:10; I John 4:4, 18
4. Mark 5:1-9; I Peter 5:8
SUMMARY OF BIBLICAL TEACHING:
1. Spirits of deceased leave earth and go to punishment, or heaven
2. AS SOON AS a person dies, they go either to punishment or heaven. Purgatory doesn’t exist and is unbiblical.
3. As believers, we are told not to live in fear but to trust in God – and to convey the same message to others. Fear
is a weapon that Satan loves to use.
4. Satan and his demons roam the earth, seeking to oppose the kingdom of God and His work.
3. What are Mediums, Spiritualists, Sorcerers, Witches and Necromancers?
Medium: a person believed to be in contact with the spirits of the dead and able to establish communication
between the living and the dead.
Spiritualist: a person who believes that spirits of the dead exist on a higher plane around us and can offer
guidance to us through our communication with them.
Sorcerer / Witch : a person who uses the help of the (evil) spirit realm to accomplish supernatural acts.
Necromancer: a person who seeks to summon the presence of a deceased spirit, as a ghost or in bodily form.
- Scripture to consider:
*Exodus 22:18
*Leviticus 19:31
*Leviticus 20:6, 27
*Acts 19:19,20
*Galatians 5:19,20
*Revelation 21:8
SUMMARY OF BIBLICAL TEACHING:
1. The punishment for involving oneself with evil spirits was death.
2. The Israelites were commanded to never seek out the help of mediums or necromancers.
3. God promised to set Himself against and cut off a person who turns to mediums and necromancers.
4. Those in Acts who turned to God immediately burned all their books on magic arts, and God blessed them.
5. Sorcery is a ‘work of the flesh’ along with idolatry, murder, etc. and such people will be sent to the lake of fire.
4. Today’s Focus
1. Fear, Scare, Haunt – Trick or Treating, Haunted Houses, Decorations
2. Mutilation, Death – T.V., Movies
3. Costumes, Candy – Trick or Treating
4. Ghosts (deceased spirits), Evil Spirits – Trick or Treating, Haunted Houses, Decorations, T.V., Movies
5. Different Views of Christians
VIEW #1 - It’s focus is fear, ghosts and demons, and therefore it is clearly satanic, demonic, entirely of
pagan origin and so doing anything related with Halloween is evil.
VIEW #2 - Costumes and asking for candy is harmless, so is carving fun designs in pumpkins. ‘Harvest
Fest’ and other Autumn alternatives as well as handing out Bible tracts with candy is actually good.
-- Scripture passages to keep in mind:
*I Corinthians 6:12, 10:23
*I Corinthians 10:18-22
*I Thessalonians 5:22
*Romans 14:13-19
*Luke 19:10
*Mark 2:15-17
SUMMARY OF BIBLICAL TEACHING:
1. Even though there isn’t a state law or biblical command against something, it could still be wrong.
2. We shouldn’t judge what other believers do. We also shouldn’t let our own convictions or even liberties cause
division in the body of Christ, or offend unbelievers that we could be reaching out to.
3. However, we certainly shouldn’t promote the works and schemes of Satan, nor should we use our freedom in
Christ to cause other Christians to stumble in their faith.
4. We should keep away from every form/appearance of evil. We shouldn’t participate in activities that Satan
and his demons are involved in, so as not to support him/them.
5. We are to do all things with a motive to please the Lord, and build up the Body of Christ. (I Cor. 10:31)
Conclusion?
- Is it directly sinful for us to participate in any part of Halloween? (ie, costumes
and trick or treating – No.)
- Are there a lot of things that ARE evil about Halloween, and should definitely
be avoided? (Yes)
- Keep away from the evil side of Halloween, things that promote fear and evil spirits.
- Ask God for wisdom to know how to use ‘Fall’ opportunities to reach out to the lost.
thoughts on halloween
1. Origin
- Samhain and All Hallow’s Even (evening before Catholic ‘All Saints Day’ – day of honoring all saints – Nov. 1)
SAMHAIN (pron: sowan or shavnah): (Celtic festival meaning: ‘summer’s end’) – end of ‘light half’ of year,
beginning of ‘dark half’, border between earth and ‘otherworld’ on this day is weak, allowing spirits to pass
through. Good spirits were welcomed home, bad spirits were warded off by wearing masks/costumes to disguise
the person as a bad spirit also. Turnips were hollowed out and carved with faces to be used as lanterns and to
ward off bad spirits.
ALL HALLOW’S DAY (All Saints Day - Nov. 1) Children and poor people would go door to door to receive cakes in
return for prayers for the dead. Each cake represented someone being freed from purgatory to go to heaven.
SUMMARY OF WRONG BELIEFS/PRACTICES:
1. Deceased spirits haunting the living
2. Fear of such spirits
3. Making yourself look like an evil spirit
4. Belief in purgatory
5. Belief in praying for the dead
6. Belief that eating a cake frees a person from purgatory and sends them to heaven.
2. Truth about Deceased Spirits, Evil Spirits, Hauntings
1. Luke 16:22,23, Luke 23:43
2. Philippians 1:23,24, II Corinthians 5:8
3. Isaiah 41:10; I John 4:4, 18
4. Mark 5:1-9; I Peter 5:8
SUMMARY OF BIBLICAL TEACHING:
1. Spirits of deceased leave earth and go to punishment, or heaven
2. AS SOON AS a person dies, they go either to punishment or heaven. Purgatory doesn’t exist and is unbiblical.
3. As believers, we are told not to live in fear but to trust in God – and to convey the same message to others. Fear
is a weapon that Satan loves to use.
4. Satan and his demons roam the earth, seeking to oppose the kingdom of God and His work.
3. What are Mediums, Spiritualists, Sorcerers, Witches and Necromancers?
Medium: a person believed to be in contact with the spirits of the dead and able to establish communication
between the living and the dead.
Spiritualist: a person who believes that spirits of the dead exist on a higher plane around us and can offer
guidance to us through our communication with them.
Sorcerer / Witch : a person who uses the help of the (evil) spirit realm to accomplish supernatural acts.
Necromancer: a person who seeks to summon the presence of a deceased spirit, as a ghost or in bodily form.
- Scripture to consider:
*Exodus 22:18
*Leviticus 19:31
*Leviticus 20:6, 27
*Acts 19:19,20
*Galatians 5:19,20
*Revelation 21:8
SUMMARY OF BIBLICAL TEACHING:
1. The punishment for involving oneself with evil spirits was death.
2. The Israelites were commanded to never seek out the help of mediums or necromancers.
3. God promised to set Himself against and cut off a person who turns to mediums and necromancers.
4. Those in Acts who turned to God immediately burned all their books on magic arts, and God blessed them.
5. Sorcery is a ‘work of the flesh’ along with idolatry, murder, etc. and such people will be sent to the lake of fire.
4. Today’s Focus
1. Fear, Scare, Haunt – Trick or Treating, Haunted Houses, Decorations
2. Mutilation, Death – T.V., Movies
3. Costumes, Candy – Trick or Treating
4. Ghosts (deceased spirits), Evil Spirits – Trick or Treating, Haunted Houses, Decorations, T.V., Movies
5. Different Views of Christians
VIEW #1 - It’s focus is fear, ghosts and demons, and therefore it is clearly satanic, demonic, entirely of
pagan origin and so doing anything related with Halloween is evil.
VIEW #2 - Costumes and asking for candy is harmless, so is carving fun designs in pumpkins. ‘Harvest
Fest’ and other Autumn alternatives as well as handing out Bible tracts with candy is actually good.
-- Scripture passages to keep in mind:
*I Corinthians 6:12, 10:23
*I Corinthians 10:18-22
*I Thessalonians 5:22
*Romans 14:13-19
*Luke 19:10
*Mark 2:15-17
SUMMARY OF BIBLICAL TEACHING:
1. Even though there isn’t a state law or biblical command against something, it could still be wrong.
2. We shouldn’t judge what other believers do. We also shouldn’t let our own convictions or even liberties cause
division in the body of Christ, or offend unbelievers that we could be reaching out to.
3. However, we certainly shouldn’t promote the works and schemes of Satan, nor should we use our freedom in
Christ to cause other Christians to stumble in their faith.
4. We should keep away from every form/appearance of evil. We shouldn’t participate in activities that Satan
and his demons are involved in, so as not to support him/them.
5. We are to do all things with a motive to please the Lord, and build up the Body of Christ. (I Cor. 10:31)
Conclusion?
- Is it directly sinful for us to participate in any part of Halloween? (ie, costumes
and trick or treating – No.)
- Are there a lot of things that ARE evil about Halloween, and should definitely
be avoided? (Yes)
- Keep away from the evil side of Halloween, things that promote fear and evil spirits.
- Ask God for wisdom to know how to use ‘Fall’ opportunities to reach out to the lost.
thoughts on halloween
1. Origin
- Samhain and All Hallow’s Even (evening before Catholic ‘All Saints Day’ – day of honoring all saints – Nov. 1)
SAMHAIN (pron: sowan or shavnah): (Celtic festival meaning: ‘summer’s end’) – end of ‘light half’ of year,
beginning of ‘dark half’, border between earth and ‘otherworld’ on this day is weak, allowing spirits to pass
through. Good spirits were welcomed home, bad spirits were warded off by wearing masks/costumes to disguise
the person as a bad spirit also. Turnips were hollowed out and carved with faces to be used as lanterns and to
ward off bad spirits.
ALL HALLOW’S DAY (All Saints Day - Nov. 1) Children and poor people would go door to door to receive cakes in
return for prayers for the dead. Each cake represented someone being freed from purgatory to go to heaven.
SUMMARY OF WRONG BELIEFS/PRACTICES:
1. Deceased spirits haunting the living
2. Fear of such spirits
3. Making yourself look like an evil spirit
4. Belief in purgatory
5. Belief in praying for the dead
6. Belief that eating a cake frees a person from purgatory and sends them to heaven.
2. Truth about Deceased Spirits, Evil Spirits, Hauntings
1. Luke 16:22,23, Luke 23:43
2. Philippians 1:23,24, II Corinthians 5:8
3. Isaiah 41:10; I John 4:4, 18
4. Mark 5:1-9; I Peter 5:8
SUMMARY OF BIBLICAL TEACHING:
1. Spirits of deceased leave earth and go to punishment, or heaven
2. AS SOON AS a person dies, they go either to punishment or heaven. Purgatory doesn’t exist and is unbiblical.
3. As believers, we are told not to live in fear but to trust in God – and to convey the same message to others. Fear
is a weapon that Satan loves to use.
4. Satan and his demons roam the earth, seeking to oppose the kingdom of God and His work.
3. What are Mediums, Spiritualists, Sorcerers, Witches and Necromancers?
Medium: a person believed to be in contact with the spirits of the dead and able to establish communication
between the living and the dead.
Spiritualist: a person who believes that spirits of the dead exist on a higher plane around us and can offer
guidance to us through our communication with them.
Sorcerer / Witch : a person who uses the help of the (evil) spirit realm to accomplish supernatural acts.
Necromancer: a person who seeks to summon the presence of a deceased spirit, as a ghost or in bodily form.
- Scripture to consider:
*Exodus 22:18
*Leviticus 19:31
*Leviticus 20:6, 27
*Acts 19:19,20
*Galatians 5:19,20
*Revelation 21:8
SUMMARY OF BIBLICAL TEACHING:
1. The punishment for involving oneself with evil spirits was death.
2. The Israelites were commanded to never seek out the help of mediums or necromancers.
3. God promised to set Himself against and cut off a person who turns to mediums and necromancers.
4. Those in Acts who turned to God immediately burned all their books on magic arts, and God blessed them.
5. Sorcery is a ‘work of the flesh’ along with idolatry, murder, etc. and such people will be sent to the lake of fire.
4. Today’s Focus
1. Fear, Scare, Haunt – Trick or Treating, Haunted Houses, Decorations
2. Mutilation, Death – T.V., Movies
3. Costumes, Candy – Trick or Treating
4. Ghosts (deceased spirits), Evil Spirits – Trick or Treating, Haunted Houses, Decorations, T.V., Movies
5. Different Views of Christians
VIEW #1 - It’s focus is fear, ghosts and demons, and therefore it is clearly satanic, demonic, entirely of
pagan origin and so doing anything related with Halloween is evil.
VIEW #2 - Costumes and asking for candy is harmless, so is carving fun designs in pumpkins. ‘Harvest
Fest’ and other Autumn alternatives as well as handing out Bible tracts with candy is actually good.
-- Scripture passages to keep in mind:
*I Corinthians 6:12, 10:23
*I Corinthians 10:18-22
*I Thessalonians 5:22
*Romans 14:13-19
*Luke 19:10
*Mark 2:15-17
SUMMARY OF BIBLICAL TEACHING:
1. Even though there isn’t a state law or biblical command against something, it could still be wrong.
2. We shouldn’t judge what other believers do. We also shouldn’t let our own convictions or even liberties cause
division in the body of Christ, or offend unbelievers that we could be reaching out to.
3. However, we certainly shouldn’t promote the works and schemes of Satan, nor should we use our freedom in
Christ to cause other Christians to stumble in their faith.
4. We should keep away from every form/appearance of evil. We shouldn’t participate in activities that Satan
and his demons are involved in, so as not to support him/them.
5. We are to do all things with a motive to please the Lord, and build up the Body of Christ. (I Cor. 10:31)
Conclusion?
- Is it directly sinful for us to participate in any part of Halloween? (ie, costumes
and trick or treating – No.)
- Are there a lot of things that ARE evil about Halloween, and should definitely
be avoided? (Yes)
- Keep away from the evil side of Halloween, things that promote fear and evil spirits.
- Ask God for wisdom to know how to use ‘Fall’ opportunities to reach out to the lost.
thoughts on halloween
1. Origin
- Samhain and All Hallow’s Even (evening before Catholic ‘All Saints Day’ – day of honoring all saints – Nov. 1)
SAMHAIN (pron: sowan or shavnah): (Celtic festival meaning: ‘summer’s end’) – end of ‘light half’ of year,
beginning of ‘dark half’, border between earth and ‘otherworld’ on this day is weak, allowing spirits to pass
through. Good spirits were welcomed home, bad spirits were warded off by wearing masks/costumes to disguise
the person as a bad spirit also. Turnips were hollowed out and carved with faces to be used as lanterns and to
ward off bad spirits.
ALL HALLOW’S DAY (All Saints Day - Nov. 1) Children and poor people would go door to door to receive cakes in
return for prayers for the dead. Each cake represented someone being freed from purgatory to go to heaven.
SUMMARY OF WRONG BELIEFS/PRACTICES:
1. Deceased spirits haunting the living
2. Fear of such spirits
3. Making yourself look like an evil spirit
4. Belief in purgatory
5. Belief in praying for the dead
6. Belief that eating a cake frees a person from purgatory and sends them to heaven.
2. Truth about Deceased Spirits, Evil Spirits, Hauntings
1. Luke 16:22,23, Luke 23:43
2. Philippians 1:23,24, II Corinthians 5:8
3. Isaiah 41:10; I John 4:4, 18
4. Mark 5:1-9; I Peter 5:8
SUMMARY OF BIBLICAL TEACHING:
1. Spirits of deceased leave earth and go to punishment, or heaven
2. AS SOON AS a person dies, they go either to punishment or heaven. Purgatory doesn’t exist and is unbiblical.
3. As believers, we are told not to live in fear but to trust in God – and to convey the same message to others. Fear
is a weapon that Satan loves to use.
4. Satan and his demons roam the earth, seeking to oppose the kingdom of God and His work.
3. What are Mediums, Spiritualists, Sorcerers, Witches and Necromancers?
Medium: a person believed to be in contact with the spirits of the dead and able to establish communication
between the living and the dead.
Spiritualist: a person who believes that spirits of the dead exist on a higher plane around us and can offer
guidance to us through our communication with them.
Sorcerer / Witch : a person who uses the help of the (evil) spirit realm to accomplish supernatural acts.
Necromancer: a person who seeks to summon the presence of a deceased spirit, as a ghost or in bodily form.
- Scripture to consider:
*Exodus 22:18
*Leviticus 19:31
*Leviticus 20:6, 27
*Acts 19:19,20
*Galatians 5:19,20
*Revelation 21:8
SUMMARY OF BIBLICAL TEACHING:
1. The punishment for involving oneself with evil spirits was death.
2. The Israelites were commanded to never seek out the help of mediums or necromancers.
3. God promised to set Himself against and cut off a person who turns to mediums and necromancers.
4. Those in Acts who turned to God immediately burned all their books on magic arts, and God blessed them.
5. Sorcery is a ‘work of the flesh’ along with idolatry, murder, etc. and such people will be sent to the lake of fire.
4. Today’s Focus
1. Fear, Scare, Haunt – Trick or Treating, Haunted Houses, Decorations
2. Mutilation, Death – T.V., Movies
3. Costumes, Candy – Trick or Treating
4. Ghosts (deceased spirits), Evil Spirits – Trick or Treating, Haunted Houses, Decorations, T.V., Movies
5. Different Views of Christians
VIEW #1 - It’s focus is fear, ghosts and demons, and therefore it is clearly satanic, demonic, entirely of
pagan origin and so doing anything related with Halloween is evil.
VIEW #2 - Costumes and asking for candy is harmless, so is carving fun designs in pumpkins. ‘Harvest
Fest’ and other Autumn alternatives as well as handing out Bible tracts with candy is actually good.
-- Scripture passages to keep in mind:
*I Corinthians 6:12, 10:23
*I Corinthians 10:18-22
*I Thessalonians 5:22
*Romans 14:13-19
*Luke 19:10
*Mark 2:15-17
SUMMARY OF BIBLICAL TEACHING:
1. Even though there isn’t a state law or biblical command against something, it could still be wrong.
2. We shouldn’t judge what other believers do. We also shouldn’t let our own convictions or even liberties cause
division in the body of Christ, or offend unbelievers that we could be reaching out to.
3. However, we certainly shouldn’t promote the works and schemes of Satan, nor should we use our freedom in
Christ to cause other Christians to stumble in their faith.
4. We should keep away from every form/appearance of evil. We shouldn’t participate in activities that Satan
and his demons are involved in, so as not to support him/them.
5. We are to do all things with a motive to please the Lord, and build up the Body of Christ. (I Cor. 10:31)
Conclusion?
- Is it directly sinful for us to participate in any part of Halloween? (ie, costumes
and trick or treating – No.)
- Are there a lot of things that ARE evil about Halloween, and should definitely
be avoided? (Yes)
- Keep away from the evil side of Halloween, things that promote fear and evil spirits.
- Ask God for wisdom to know how to use ‘Fall’ opportunities to reach out to the lost.