Full disclosure: I am not a fan of Halloween. I find it creepy. I hate horror movies. They give me nightmares, and our family has purposely avoided those movies. I never understood the benefit of giving my kids nightmare material. But that is just me!
After researching the roots of Halloween, I did find some interesting things that we talk about on our show.
For instance, the name “Halloween’ comes from the All Saints Day celebration of the early Christian church. It was a day set aside to remember the martyrs.
All Hallows’ Eve, the evening before All Saints’ Day, began the time of remembrance. Hey, this was the original Halloween alternative!
The important thing to do is research the holiday, pay attention to what you feel the Lord is telling you to do, and talk as a family.
Pray for wisdom and follow the leading of the Holy Spirit, not other people. Then help your children understand the position you take and why.
Hopefully, other people will respect your decision, especially if you have had any personal encounters with the dark side of the spirit world in your family or through the generations.
And if your decision is simply based on the idea that you don’t like what Halloween stands for, and do not want to participate, you don’t need the approval of others.
My caution is not to judge the hearts of those who may participate. Many use this holiday to engage their neighbors and have conversations about spiritual things. The Lord is able to work through all types of unusual encounters.
This is an opportunity to talk about the spiritual world and acknowledge the realness of evil. I did that several years with my neighbors, explaining what I believe and why.
One of the best things that comes out of deciding what to do is that it awakens us to the idea that evil exists, and isn’t some Hollywood fantasy. For children, this is very important.
No matter what you decide, of this I am certain: Jesus overcame all evil, so we don’t have to fear. He overcame the darkness (1 John 4:4) and triumphed over death and evil. Every day, including Halloween, His overcoming power works in us when we are one of His.
And no matter what darkness we encounter on any day of the year, greater is He that is in us then he that is in the world. And for that reason, we don’t have to fear!
Christians and Halloween
