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Dear Friend,
I appreciate your kindness in expressing concern over my article Dabbling in the Occult. I have spent the last number of days in prayer and Bible study, ransacking the Scriptures and the Internet for all I could find pertinent to the topic.
I agree with you that Halloween, with its focus on death and all manner of demonically inspired characters, is an especially good time to share the good news of eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. It would be wrong to hide the Gospel from those who are lost and blinded to the truth by the god of this world. “For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ” (2 Cor. 4:3-6).
However, we must be very careful not to embrace worldly means in our endeavor to spread the truth. For example, we would both agree, I believe, that using rock music with Christian words in order to reach the lost would be gross compromise. We would reference:
Romans 12:2 “And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.”
2 Cor. 6:14-18 “Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in [them]; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean [thing]; and I will receive you, And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.”
Would not these same principles apply to every means of evangelism? Evangelism is necessary, commanded by our Lord. However, should we evangelize the lost through participation in their celebration of a pagan holiday?
Now I must back up and explain that, yes, Halloween is indeed a pagan holiday. As I stated in my article, Halloween began with the Druids as the feast of Samhein. It was a three day event focused on worshiping pagan deities, appeasing evil spirits through sacrifices, communicating with the dead, etc. It was not until the 800s that Pope Boniface IV moved the Catholic holiday All Saint’s Day from May 13 to November 1. This was probably done to “Christianize” the pagan holiday. “Christianizing” pagan practices and holidays was a common practice of the Catholic church.
Allow me to share the perspective of several modern day pagans on Halloween. The first is Isaac Bonewits, author of several pagan books (about witches, Wicca, Druids). In his article The Real Origins of Halloween he writes,
“The Christian Church was unable to get the people to stop celebrating this holiday, so they simply sprinkled a little holy water on it and gave it new names, as they did with other Paleopagan holidays and customs. This was a form of calendrical imperialism, co- opting Paleopagan sacred times, as they had Paleopagan sacred places (most if not all of the great cathedrals of Europe were built on top of earlier Paleopagan shrines and sacred groves). So when Fundamentalists come to your local school board and try to get Halloween removed from the public schools because ‘it’s a Pagan holiday,’ they are perfectly correct. Of course, Valentine’s Day/Lupercalia, Easter/Eostre, and Christmas/Yule also have many Paleopagan elements associated with their dating and/or symbols, as the Jehovah’s Witnesses and others have pointed out for decades. So if we decide to rid the public schools of all holidays that have Pagan aspects to them, there won’t be many left for the kids to enjoy.”
Mr. Bonewits does not see the holiday as being evil. He and other neopagans celebrate by taking the kids trick-or-treating, handing out candy, having parties, and participating in divination. He also states “Halloween is a time to deepen our connection to the cycles of the seasons, to the generations that have come before us and those that will follow, and to the Gods and Goddesses we worship.” He claims that the evil symbols associated with Halloween (“ghosts, skeletons, black cats, ugly witches, demons, monsters, and Jack O’Lanterns”) are not really evil. “The ones that are negative were added by people opposed to the holiday.”
(It is actually very sad to read his articles. He and other pagans would say they are NOT worshiping the lord of death or Satan. They are simply worshiping ancient gods and goddesses. The poor man does not know how blinded he is! The worship of any false god is ultimately worshiping Satan. The Bible is clear that demons are behind all false gods that have been worshiped throughout history. 1 Cor. 10:20-21 “But I say, that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to devils, and not to God: and I would not that ye should have fellowship with devils. Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of devils: ye cannot be partakers of the Lord’s table, and of the table of devils.” See also Lev. 17:7, Deut. 32:16-18, and Ps. 106:36-37)
The second perspective comes from a former witch (now born again)
named Valerie Duffy. Berit Kjos in her 1999 article Halloween, a Seductive Bridge Between Two Worlds, writes,
“Valerie knows all too well why Neopagans love Halloween. The old Celtic “sabbat” is their main feast — a window of time when the walls between the physical and spiritual worlds supposedly become thin enough to allow easy crossovers. This was the time to catch up with one’s ancestors and other spirits from the underworld. But don’t think the Vigil of Samhain was just a fun holiday. The ‘Lord of the Dead’, Samhain himself, is no deity to laugh at. Valerie explains why:
‘On October 31, black-cloaked Druids bearing torches would go door to door to select humans for their New Year’s sacrifice to the Lord of the Dead. In return for the child or infant, they would leave a hollowed turnip with candle light shining through the carved face — a satanic counterfeit for the biblical Passover.
‘In the reveling that took place on that night to Samhain, the demons supposedly loosed for the night would pass over the homes ‘marked’ by the carved lantern. Those families had provided the required gift or sacrifice. Other homes could be hit — sometimes with sudden death.
‘The children selected for sacrifice were tossed into a bonfire. The Druids called it a bone-fire since only the bones were left. From the agonizing screams of the dying, the divining priests would foretell the future of the village.’”
It seems to be mostly Christians who do not see Halloween as a pagan holiday. Yes, there is, as you say, “nothing ‘inherently evil’ about dressing up in appropriate costumes, getting candy from neighbors and handing out candy to neighbors” any other time of the year, but, according to a former high priest of Wicca, Tom Sanguinet, at Halloween these fun customs unfortunately represent evil practices. He writes, “Trick or Treat is a reenactment of the Druidic practices. The candy has replaced the human sacrifices of old, but it is still an appeasement of those deceptive evil spirits. The traditional response to those who do not treat is to have a trick played on them. When you give out Halloween candy, you are, in essence providing a sacrifice to false gods. You are participating in idolatry.”
(I know this sounds rather extreme. I’m just telling how a former pagan who is now saved views the festivities.)
Oftentimes what one generation allows in moderation the next practices in excess. Halloween was not really celebrated in America until the late 1800s when the Irish came here as a result of the potato famine. The Puritans would not allow it before then. Gradually the holiday has been accepted and now participation is taken for granted, even in Christian circles. It is sobering to think that small areas of compromise in our lives today may result in major aberrations in future generations.
Well, what about Christmas and Easter? If we cut out Halloween, would not consistency demand the elimination of these holidays also? Honestly, I haven’t had time to research these yet. Yes, these holidays have pagan roots also, but to my currently un-researched way of thinking there is a big difference. While Christmas and Easter have major Christian emphases—the birth, crucifixion, and resurrection of Christ—there is absolutely nothing Christian about Halloween.
As I researched the topic of Halloween, I came across articles representative of nearly every view on the subject. It is vital to go back to the authority of the Word of God. We know from Scripture that paganism, witchcraft, and the Occult are abominable to the Lord (Ex. 22:18, Lev. 19:26-31, Lev. 20:27, Deut. 18:10-14). God tells us to “come out from among them and be ye separate…touch not the unclean thing” (2 Cor. 6:17). Eph. 5:11 “And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.”
When Christians dress up in costumes along with everyone else on this day (even cute, innocent costumes) and go trick-or-treating, how does a non-Christian discern the difference? One pagan said that they liked Halloween so much because that was the time when Christians and pagans worshiped the same god. It appears to them that the Christian is celebrating Halloween just like them. The Bible says, “Only let your conversation [conduct, manner of living] be as it becometh the gospel of Christ” (Phil. 1:27a).
Yes, share the Gospel. Be out on the street talking, witnessing to neighbors you wouldn’t see otherwise. Take full advantage of their willingness to talk on that night. Yes, give a gospel witness and tracts to those who come knocking at your door. But wouldn’t it be better to do it un-costumed and without participating in the festivities in any way, so as not to give an uncertain picture?
I Thess. 5:21-22 “Prove all things; hold fast that which is good. Abstain from all appearance of evil.”
Dear friend, please know that if you do not agree with my conclusions, I will not think harshly of you. I truly appreciate your questioning me on my article. It drove me to the Word of God, forced me to deepen my study, and further substantiate my convictions. I simply share these thoughts for your prayerful consideration.
Dearly,
Vida
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© Copyright 2007 by Vida Earnshaw
(Note: The first painting above is titled Graveyard Under Snow by Caspar David Friedrich. The second is The Crystal Ball by John William Waterhouse.)
October 31, 2007 at 5:49 pm
Concerning Easter, I don’t think we, Christians, should be celebrating Easter at all. “Easter” comes from the name of a pagan goddess, or pagan goddesses, of fertility. Bunnies, eggs, and other symbols of Easter pertain to fertility.
What _we_ celebrate is the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus. The fact that that happened during the Passover was no coincidence. It was the fulfillment of the Passover. The Jews at the time probably thought it rather inconvenient to have to put someone to death on that most holy of holidays. (I’m not entirely certain, but wasn’t that against Jewish law?)
I think we ought to celebrate the Passover when the Jews do. For they celebrate the angel of death passing over their ancestors because their doors were marked with the blood of a lamb. We celebrate the death passing us over because we’re marked with the blood of _the_ lamb; the lamb that conquered death.
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As for Christmas, we celebrate it on December 25 as sort of a compromise with the pagans. They celebrate Winter Solstice on Dec. 21. I can’t remember when the original Christians celebrated the birth of Christ, but I don’t think it was Dec. 25. I think that practice started shortly after Christianity became the official religion of the Roman Empire in the fourth century. Afterwards some pagan rituals were combined with Christian practices, like Christmas and Easter. I could be wrong on that.
I think we ought to celebrate Christmas towards the end of February. I have no Biblical reasons for this (except it provides separation between Christmas and Winter Solstice). Instead, my reasons have to do with Winter being a long and dreary time. All you have to look forward to is Christmas. After that you have 3 months of sub-zero temperatures, snow and ice storms, bad drivers putting us all at risk, cold and flu season, etc. If we shift Christmas to the last week of February, then all through winter we have Christmas to look forward to. Once it’s over, we’ll have Spring to look forward to!
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As for Halloween, I’m still working through my position on it. I’ll likely end up in the same camp as you; don’t participate in the pagan festival. But until then, I just thought I’d get up on my Christmas and Easter soapboxes.
-=Andrew
November 1, 2007 at 12:55 pm
Thank you for quoting me accurately. This is a courtesy I receive rarely from conservative Christians.
I should point out however that the quote supposedly from Valerie Duffy is plagiarized from Jack Chick, who in turn got the ideas from John Todd (a.k.a. Lance Collins) who was exposed as a fraud by Evangelical journalists many years ago. See the essay “Halloween Errors and Lies” at my website for citations.
Tom Sanguinet is also a well-known fraud, having also been exposed by Christian writers. In fact I haven’t yet met a supposed “former Pagan who is now born again,” who wasn’t a fraud milking gullible fundamentalists for money and attention.
You are entitled to your belief that every religion in the world other than your own is demonic. I happen to believe that the Bible is filled with lies, myths, errors, and an occasional good idea and reject your authority to blaspheme my dieties.
As a citizen journalist/blogger, however, you do have an obligation to research your sources and not just quote them because they say what you want to hear. Remember that part of your beliefs about not bearing false witness?
November 1, 2007 at 1:07 pm
By the way, Andrew, Christians celebrate Christmas on December because that was the birthday of Mithras the Persian Sun God. Mithras was very popular with the members of the Roman army and his worship was the primary threat to the conquest of the Empire by Christianity. So the Christians decided to steal his birthday and give it to their own deity so the celebrations could be co-opted.
Shepherds would not be watching their flocks in the hills in December in ancient Israel, though many other aspects of the nativity story are taken from Mithra’s mythology.
November 1, 2007 at 8:21 pm
I just did some research on this Mithras guy. He sure got around. He was a Roman god. Before that, Persian. He was also part of Indian and Chinese mythology.
I wonder how many of his friends, when he was a human, lived under persecution, and eventually died for their belief in him? I’m sure more research will tell me.
Anywho, last I checked, this was a blog. Vida is under no such obligation, as a journalist might be, to fact-check every quote, or fact, or whatever that she puts on this blog. (However, as a judge in South Carolina has recently ruled, journalism can legitimately take the form of blogging.)
Vida can say what ever she wants to, and she can quote whoever she wants to. Bearing false witness would be misquoting, or perhaps taking a quote out of context making it appear to say something other than what it was originally meant to say.
It may be _wise_ to check sources, etc., but I’m not so sure about obligation, so long as it’s not libel.
Just my $0.02.
November 2, 2007 at 10:00 am
Andrew, thank you for your comments and well-meaning defense on my behalf; however, Mr. Bonewits is correct in that I must be very careful to verify my sources. I do not want the truth to be discredited because of faulty research.
I am working on source verification at this time and hope to post my findings in the near future.
Thank you.
~ Vida
Further comments to this post are closed for the present.
December 28, 2007 at 4:19 pm
I apologize for the tardiness of this reply. Life has been quite full. I did attempt to contact Valerie Duffy several times to confirm the statement quoted in the above article, yet could not reach her. However, you may read her personal testimony here: http://www.jesus-is-lord.com/valerie.htm
There actually have been many pagans throughout history who have turned to the One True and Living God. The Bible is full of many such examples. The following are just a few:
Ruth the Moabitess left her pagan country and embraced the One true God. “And she [Naomi, Ruth's mother-in-law] said, Behold, thy sister in law is gone back unto her people, and unto her gods: return thou after thy sister in law. And Ruth said, Intreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God:”
The Thessalonians “turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God;” I Thess.1:9.
Mark 5:1-20 tells of a demon possessed man set free by the Lord Jesus. After Jesus left his city, the man went back to his town and proclaimed the “great things Jesus had done for him” (v. 20).
Luke 8:2-3 tells of “certain women, which had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities, Mary called Magdalene, out of whom went seven devils, And Joanna the wife of Chuza Herod’s steward, and Susanna, and many others, which ministered unto him [Jesus] of their substance.”
“He is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by Him.” Hebrews 7:25
No one, no matter what their life has been, is beyond the reach of God’s saving grace.
The Bible says that all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Rom. 3:23). We cannot measure up to God’s holiness on our own. This puts us in a very precarious position because “the wages of sin is death [eternal separation from God in hell]” (Rom. 6:23a). No matter what good we try to do, we cannot earn God’s forgiveness. Even our righteousness is as filthy rags before God (Isaiah 64:6).
Thankfully, God offers salvation as a free gift to all who believe. “…but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord” Rom. 6:23b.
“Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved” Acts 16:31.
“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God” John 3:16-18.