Peripherals: Every day Alike, Halloween

 

With another Halloween on the horizon, the debate always arises as to the validity of participating in the holiday from a Christian viewpoint. Is celebrating Halloween acceptable for a Christian? If so, why? And if not, why? As it happens, the Bible is very clear about observed days, and whether or not the saints can partake.

Of course, Halloween, or All Hallow’s Eve, or Allhallowtide, or Samhein, is an ancient celebration that some argue as being a Christianized Gaelic festival dating back to at least the 9th century AD. The word itself means, “saints’ evening.” Apparently it can be traced back in Roman Catholicism to the 4th century, originally on the date of May 13th, which is the Roman festival of the dead, known as Lemuria. In the 8th and 9th centuries the Roman Church held feasts for the dead saints in various parts of “Christianized” Europe and beyond. By the 12th century it was attached to the Roman Catholic mythology involving Purgatory, where mourners wearing black would parade through the streets ringing bells for those trapped in this imaginary limbo.

Modern Halloween, as celebrated for many decades now, has given itself over to a veritable parade of witchcraft and demonism. The gorier, and scarier, the better. It certainly is a celebration of darkness, as people revel in the morbid side of the supernatural. The costume aspect does seem to arise from the superstition that vengeful spirits roamed the earth until All Saints’ Day and All Hallows Eve, looking to exact revenge on those who wronged them. To protect oneself, costumes were worn to confuse the spirits and keep people safe. Modern costumes now reflect the older superstition of angry spirits, but we modernly dress like them, rather than wear something to fool them.

One could go on and on about the origins of Halloween and its merits or demerits. But what should be said, and must be said, is that Scripture is silent on whether or not it is wrong for a Christian to observe Halloween. Scripture is clear about Christian liberty, however. “One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day alike. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind. He that regardeth the day, regardeth it unto the Lord; and he that regardeth not the day, to the Lord he doth not regard it,” Romans 14:5, 6, KJV. The footnote in my KJV offers the alternate rendering of “regardeth,” as "respects."

Chapter 14 concludes with this counsel: “Hast thou faith? have it to thyself before God. Happy is he that condemeth not himself in that thing which he alloweth. And he that doubteth is damned (condemned) if he eat, because he eateth not of faith: for whatsoever is not of faith is sin,” Romans 14:22, 23, KJV. As Christians, we are to put others before ourselves; so if a fellow saint is offended that we enjoy or participate in something, we abstain from that something in their presence, so as not to wound their faith. And all Christians are given the admonition that we are not supposed to judge our fellow saints, Romans 14:10. If it is not expressly sin, then a saint is at liberty to enjoy something, provided they may do so in faith, as Paul warned at the end of Romans chapter 14. Does Halloween reflect something profoundly evil? More often than not, yes. But so does much of what the world espouses, and we often find ourselves indulging in or enjoying in terms of music, movies, books, video games, etc.which often or predominantly reflect worldly wisdom and values.

This is why Jesus told us, “Why do you look at the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ and behold, the log is in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye,” Matthew 7:3-5, NASB. But in this instance our hypocrisy is leveled at something that isn’t even a speck, as it were. Filled with a righteousness that is more carnal than spiritual, we rail against the holiday and those who indulge in it, forgetting that the whole world lies in the arms of the wicked one. We aren’t here to quibble about Halloween’s virtue or lack thereof. We are here to plead the virtues of our Lord Jesus Christ to a lost generation, that they may have the gift of eternal life just as we received it: by faith. 

Scripture is clear: the believer may indulge in Halloween, so long as they do so in faith; not honoring Satan, but worshipping the God who set us at liberty to do what Scripture and conscience does not condemn us for. Many holidays have an earthly origin and pagan history behind them, including my own personal favorite, Christmas. Regardless I celebrate it to venerate my Lord and practice cheerful giving and joy toward my fellow man. Even what man means for evil, God can use for good, Genesis 50:20. Who knows what an open conversation about the supernatural might provoke between people? While this opinion may not be a popular one, I stand by the believer’s freedom to do what does not condemn him; so then neither shall I.