What do you think about Halloween? Is it a trick or a treat? As Christians, should we celebrate this holiday? Well, when I have a tough question to answer the best place to go is always the Bible. In Psalm 119:130, God tells us the entrance of thy words giveth light; it giveth understanding unto the simple. 2nd Peter 1:3 says, According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness. Everything we need is found in the Bible. It should be your standard by which you govern your life - not friends, Oprah, Dr. Phil, books, or not even your minister, unless he is preaching God’s Word. The Bible will never steer you wrong.
Halloween is the 3rd most popular holiday in America. Four hundred million dollars are spent on Halloween each year and over 50 percent of Americans decorate for Halloween with witches on broomsticks, mummies, Draculas, zombies and people with butcher knives stuck in their heads. These are some of the heroes of Halloween, but God tells us in Deuteronomy 18:10-12, There shall not be found among you anyone…that useth divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch, or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard…For all that do these things are an abomination unto the LORD.
This is one of many passages where God wants us to have nothing to do with witchcraft, dark arts or charmers, but many times, we dress our kids up to look like them. Let’s look at it from another angle. Around this time of year, we are exposed to hundreds of violent movies, sounds of bizarre tortures, murders, witchcraft and the occult. Why is it OK in October to expose our children to mutilated bodies, zombies and things that give them nightmares, but any other time, we put up a fuss about too much violence on TV? Don’t you see the paradox? Any other time, when we read of a violent murder, we gasp, but during Halloween we laugh and call it fun.
Halloween’s focus on violence breaks down the inhibitions of our children toward violence and they have difficulty separating fantasy from fact. I know this may seem hard, but as Christians we need to decide if we are going to please God or man. I think the little children’s costumes look cute just like the rest of you, but remember, we need to take everything we do and put it up to the light of God’s Word.
Finally, Halloween is harmful because it thrives on fear. God tells us in 2 Tim 1:7-For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; and in Phil 4:8, Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely…think on these things.
Let’s rethink Halloween this year in light of God’s Word and I guarantee you that if you honor God first, he will honor you. May God Bless you and your home.
— Reflections appears regularly on the religion page. The column features a variety of local writers, coordinated through the Monroe Area Clergy Group. Matthew Spoonhour is pastor of First Baptist Church, Monroe.
