Halloween-Good or Bad?
I never had any thoughts growing up that Halloween was bad and evil; it was only a good night where we got lots of candy. Since my family was poor, we most of the time had homemade costumes. On some I remember being Superman with only a dish towel pinned around my neck tracking the streets of my West Texas town yelling “Trick or Treat” as every door was opened. I never entertained a thought of a trick if I didn’t get candy. It was just what you said to get candy. Some older kids were very aggressive “with their big hands” in their candy accumulation and would get 20 to 30 pounds of candy in a few hours of door-to-door hustling. I am sure that our town’s dentists loved those kids. The town’s slogan, “Town Without a Toothache”, was temporarily put on hold every Halloween.
Halloween is thought to have influences from Christian beliefs and practices. The English word 'Halloween' comes from "All Hallows' Eve", being the evening before the Christian holy days of All Hallows' Day (All Saints' Day) on 1 November and All Souls' Day on 2 November.
For some people like my family and friends, this holiday is a time for dress-up and candy; it is an opportunity for fun. Others express concern for their children’s safety or for the emphasis that is often put on violence or horror at this time of year. Those who are interested in the right or wrong of the celebration may look at the holiday’s origin in the occult and believe it should not be celebrated at all; they are aware that some groups celebrate Halloween as a tribute to Satan.
On the other hand, others recognize that Halloween, the eve of “All Saints’ Day” is also associated with Martin Luther and the Reformation. They celebrate the religious freedoms won at that time in history. Since each of these perspectives contain truth, it is difficult to have a clear-cut answer to whether Halloween is good or bad.
So, should a Christian participate in Halloween? Is there anything evil about a Christian dressing up in an innocent costume and going around the block asking for candy? No, there is not. Are there things about Halloween that are anti-Christian and should be completely avoided? Absolutely! If parents are going to allow their children to participate in Halloween, they should make sure to keep them from getting involved in the darker and bad aspects of the day.
If Christians are going to take part in Halloween, their attitude, dress, and most importantly, their behavior, should still reflect a redeemed life as stated by the apostle Paul in Philippians 1:27 “Only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving side by side for the faith of the gospel”.
There are many churches that hold "harvest festivals" and incorporate costumes, but in a godly environment. At my local Houston church, Faithbridge, Candypalooza Sunday is a huge outreach into the community to encourage the congregation to invite their neighbors to bring their kids dressed up in costumes. The parents and kids hear about the love of Jesus (many for the first time) and literally hundreds of pounds of candy distributed to demonstrate a small part of that love.
There are many Christians, who at their homes, hand out tracts that share the gospel of Jesus Christ along with the Halloween candy. The decision is ultimately ours to make in the spirit of Christian love. But as with all things, we are to incorporate the principles of Romans 14. We cannot allow our own convictions about a holiday cause division in the body of Christ, nor can we use our freedom to cause others to stumble in their faith. We need to have as our underlying principle, 1 Corinthians 10:31 “ So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.”
Ultimately, Christian participation in Halloween is a matter of conscience before God. Whatever level of Halloween participation you choose, you must honor God by keeping yourself separate from the world and by showing mercy and love to those who have yet to be members of Christ’s family. Halloween provides the Christian with the opportunity to accomplish both of those things in the gospel of Jesus Christ. It's a message that is holy, set apart from the world; it's a message that is the very mercy and love of a forgiving God. What better time of the year is there to share such a message than Halloween?
