The Truth About

    The following message was first released in tract form in 1980 and hundreds of thousands have been distributed over the years.  We and our sister ministries get requests from many corners of the globe--some just for a copy or two, as a concerned mother tries to make an intelligent decision for her own family; and some, like David Wilkerson's Times Square Church, purchase in much larger quantities.  Truthfully, it's the most popular message I've ever preached or written, and each year many more people are introduced to it.  Enjoy it and be challenged and changed.

Kim Harrington, October 1999

Halloween is an ancient holiday and has been observed in many parts of the world for centuries. It is part of a three-day religious festival long associated with departed spirits, fairies, and witchcraft.  Today, of course, few people place any real stock in the spiritual implications of the day.  It is a time for pranks and foolishness, a day for the children to have a good time; it is totally innocent and harmless... or is it?

     What we'd like to do in this little article is trace the origins, examine the Scriptures, and find out just how innocent Halloween is or isn't, especially from an evangelical Christian point of view; for the believer owes it to himself and to God to carefully examine all the implications of such a day before carelessly partaking in it.

     Halloween is an abbreviated form of Hallow Even, the eve of Allhallows or All Saints' Day. These are followed by All Souls' Day, or the Day of the Dead. In many predominantly Catholic countries these three days are a very important religious observance. It is possible to trace them much farther back than their adoption by the Roman church, however.

The Ancient Druids

     The Druids were Celtic priests that lived in the British Isles and practiced their dark arts as early as the Third Century BC. November first, and the evening preceding it, was quite a big day for them--it was their New Year celebration, and it went under the title of Samhain (pronounce it sow-en). The sun god (Lugh) was given thanks for the harvest, and there was a ritualistic mourning of the coming shorter days of the winter months. It was also one of the four times in the year that bonfires were lit on the hills in honor of Bel, the Biblical Baal.

     Most notable, however, were the beliefs and practices concerning Samhain himself, the Lord of the Dead. The Celts believed that on October 31st Samhain gathered up all the souls of those who had died in the past year, who had since been confined in animal bodies. In order to appease him, and release the departed souls that they might enter Druid heaven, horses and humans were sacrificed by burning them in wicker cages. (In later European customs, black cats replaced the horses and humans.)

     These animal sacrifices continued after the Christianization of the Britain and Ireland. Pope Gregory the Great instructed Augustine, the first Archbishop of Canterbury, to allow them to continue to observe the day, but to do it "in honor of the saints and sacred relics."

Holy Days?

     It wasn't for another 250 years that the feast of Samhain was officially fixed by Pope Gregory IV as All Saints' Day, a day dedicated to all those saints and martyrs that didn't have a day in their honor already. That this particular day was already associated in the popular mind with departed spirits was thought to be advantageous, and also very much in keeping with the Roman church's policy of incorporating pagan folk ideas into the framework of the church, in an effort to gradually swallow them up in Christianity.

     By the Eleventh Century another feast day to the dead was added. All Souls' Day, a time of intercession for departed sinners -- especially those who had died in the last year (sound familiar?) -- became fixed at November second. The Day of the Dead, as it is known in many countries, was by no means a new idea. Almost all primitive religions and cults believe that on certain days the spirits of the dead return to their former habitations. The ancient Egyptian legends surrounding Osiris and Isis are but one example of this. This day, in both pagan and Catholic traditions, has long been associated with special hymns and parades for the departed, the preparation of meals for them, and various other observances designed both to honor and placate them.

     Outside of the church, Halloween continued on in the old tradition. Soon, not only the dead wandered about on the eve of All Saints' Day; but goblins, fairies, demons, and Satan himself were joining them. It became a night to mock God and His Kingdom, to hold "black masses," and engage in all manner of foul things -- like desecrating a church with human waste, and other forms of vandalism.

"Innocent" Practices Today

     Many of the customs surrounding Halloween today are not as innocent as they seem to be, but can be directly linked to its dark past. The roasting of nuts and bobbing for apples are old divination and fortune-telling practices. The common "jack-o-lantern" has been associated with the spirits of dead murderers and other evil men, although stories about its origins are many and varied. In all likelihood, it is a sort of spirit house, probably representing the imprisoned souls of the dead awaiting the coming of Samhain on Halloween. Even our modern practice of giving treats and candy to children dressed as ghosts and witches is a kind of peace offering -- lest they should vandalize our property and play "tricks" on us. It can also be traced back to the Lord of the Dead, and the sacrifices offered to appease him and his malevolent spirits.

     Halloween was not particularly popular in America until the late Nineteenth Century. The early fathers of our country, mostly devout Christians, abhorred the whole idea, including the two religious days to the dead which were regarded as unscriptural and morbid. But with the massive influx of Irishmen following the infamous potato famine of the 1850s, the various observances soon caught on here, as well.

     In the last two decades, although it is not officially recognized, Halloween has become the second most popular holiday on the American calendar, after Christmas. A whopping two a half billion dollars are now spent annually on costumes, greeting cards, and candy. More beer is sold than on St. Patrick's Day, and more cards are sent than on Mother's Day. As our nation carefully distances itself from the God of the Bible, the pagan gods of our past are quietly slipping back into their old places. Among Irish-Americans (of whom the author is descended), there is a revival of Samhain bonfires and ceili dances, and even a new interest in the religion of the Druids.

     Among Satanists, witches and many other occult practitioners, Halloween is still serious business. It is one of four Witches' Sabbats in the year, which fall on the same days as the old bonfires to Baal: Candlemas (Imbolg), February 2; May Day (Beltane), May 1; Lammas (Lughnasa), August 1; and Halloween (Samhain). On these days, thousands of followers in the United States and elsewhere gather for hexing ceremonies, casting spells, sex and fertility rites (sometimes with a nude woman as an altar), and even various animal sacrifices. Dogs and cats that turn up missing on Halloween may very well have been sacrificed to Satan or some other pagan deity. In many of these meetings the devil is worshipped, Christ is mocked, and God is declared to be dead. No doubt because of these ceremonies and the resultant increase of demonic activity, there is a sharp rise in the crime statistics at this time of year.

The Christian and Halloween

     The Bible condemns all such activities as abominations -- one of the strongest words in the vocabulary of God. He is not dead, and He will not be mocked...

Revelation 21:8

     Of course, Christians who observe this holiday are not truly taking it seriously. We may be imitating the old rites and rituals, but it's all done in good humor and means absolutely nothing. At any rate, the true Christian knows that there is only one God -- we certainly won't be burning any bonfires to Baal or Samhain. But do the demons know that?

     The Apostle Paul seems to be addressing just such a situation in First Corinthians. The believers at Corinth didn't worship idols, but they did have an association with the idolatrous practices of the day -- they bought meat that had been ceremoniously offered to the old gods of wood and stone. Paul told them...

I Corinthians 10:19-21

     You see, they knew that idols were nothing -- and they certainly had no intention of engaging in idolatry themselves --so they felt they could, with a clean conscience, partake of that food.  But some things are so spiritually defiling that even an innocent association with them can contaminate you, attract demons, and seriously compromise your Christianity.

     Halloween, I believe, is just such a case. I'm not suggesting that we get fearful and superstitious and start looking for demons under every bed. What I am saying is this: how can a God-fearing Christian have anything whatsoever to do with a day that is so obviously and totally dedicated to the devil? We should be decidedly separated and sanctified from such an unholy practice, that we may show forth what is the good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God, (Rom. 12:2).

     Knowing what we know about the history of Halloween -- and I've just briefly touched on it here -- how could we possibly dress our children up as devils, witches and incredible hulks, and send them out "trick or treating?" Can you see the hypocrisy in that? What must the Lord think when he looks down and sees little innocents walking around in the trappings of idolatry and witchcraft, making a game out of that which has sent untold thousands to Christ-less graves? What do the devils think--do they look upon the hearts, as the Lord does -- or are they more than willing to exploit anyone who, knowingly or unknowingly, wanders on to their spiritual turf?

     Early in my ministry as a pastor, we used to have a Halloween party for the children instead of sending them out on the streets. They would dress up as Biblical characters instead of bogy-men, there would be plenty of candy, and they at least wouldn't feel as though they were missing out on the fun their little neighbors were having. We reasoned that we were now observing Halloween "as unto the Lord" -- we were taking some kind of stand, and yet pleasing the children. Actually, we were committing the same awful compromise that Gregory and the church had done years ago -- making holy an unholy day so that no one, Christian or pagan, would be offended. In addition, our children were dressing up as Queen Esther, Solomon, and other departed saints -- we were beginning to have our own little All Saints' Day! It sobered us to see how easily history could repeat itself, even on so small a scale.

     We will have no more Halloween parties, or praise bonfires, or any other special activities on this holiday, unless it be a prayer-meeting to engage the forces of darkness in battle. Our children don't feel cheated when their parents tell them it's the devil's holiday and we Christians just don't observe it. We don't let them lie, cheat and steal, either; there are certain television shows they don't watch; and we will encourage them to avoid drugs, alcohol, and promiscuity when they're a little older -- all without feeling cheated. A parent doesn't have to feel guilty about keeping a child out of Halloween.

     Christmas and Easter have been defiled by pagan traditions down though the years, too, but the true Christian can still worship God with a pure spirit on these occasions. Halloween, however, is without any redeeming quality at all. It is, and always has been, a day associated with dark superstitions and all that is evil and ungodly. I think Paul's instruction to the Thessalonians is an appropriate way to conclude the matter...

I Thessalonians 5:21,22

Copyright © 1998 Kim Harrington, Masterbuilder Ministries. All rights reserved.