Halloween: A Doorway to Evil?

I’ve avoided writing about Halloween because it’s one of those hot button topics. For most of my life, I didn’t really think much about it. I didn’t think it was a big deal. If you want to celebrate, celebrate. If not, fine. You have your convictions, I have mine, and we will coexist.

But recently, God has really convicted me about that attitude and opened my eyes to the demonic aspects of Halloween.

I didn’t grow up celebrating it. We would turn off all the lights in the front rooms and hide out in the back, playing games for Reformation Day, and drinking apple cider. It was always fun to have our own celebration, and I never felt like I was missing out on anything. Over time, my brothers decided to protest Halloween, though they didn’t really have any knowledge about what they were protesting. It was just a fun game for them. I was slightly annoyed because I didn’t want to be seen as one of “those” Christians who gave out tracts instead of candy and was generally despised by everyone.

This year, however, in doing some research on how demonic doors are opened, I came across several testimonies by ex-witches and ex-satanists speaking about how truly demonic Halloween is and how, as Christians, we absolutely should not be partaking in it in any way. It was a shock because I’d never taken the day seriously before.

Halloween is to people in the occult what Resurrection Sunday is to Christians. Which is crazy! But we treat it like it’s no big deal. After all, we are Christians, and we can redeem the night, can’t we? What’s wrong with dressing up and getting some free candy?

The devil wants us to believe that he is harmless, that he doesn’t really exist. He is incredibly happy that Christians will allow themselves and their children one night of the year to disobey God and indulge in darkness.

“I’m not doing any occult things,” you say, “What’s the harm in having fun? We can redeem the holiday!”

That’s where the problem comes in. We are led astray by the belief that it is harmless, when it is in fact an open door to demonic presence. One ex-satanist said that on the 31^st, if you participate in Halloween in any way, you are giving demons permission to enter your home and your life. They can’t work without that permission, but you give it to them by simply decorating your home or dressing up.

If that’s not creepy, what is? My goodness, my mind was blown to hear these things. Of course, Halloween isn’t the only demonic door that we easily open, but it is an obvious one.

We are followers of Jesus, the Light of the World. Even if Halloween didn’t have such a demonic undertone, is it right for us to indulge in a holiday that glorifies death, violence, gore, and immorality? As Christians we are unafraid because Jesus conquered death and because he reigns over all. Is it right to glorify fear?

We can serve God all year round, but are we really faithful if we allow ourselves one day to celebrate evil? The devil is more than happy to take advantage of that day and to work much harm in that time. He is thrilled that we allow not only ourselves as adults but our children to celebrate.

The celebration of Halloween began somewhere around 2,500 years ago as a Celtic celebration. They called it Samhain and believed that it was a day the doorways between the spirit world were thinnest, and that spirits and ghosts would come and walk on the earth. There were sacrifices to the gods, fortune telling and the like. People would wear costumes in hopes that the spirits would mistake them for their own and not harm them.  From the beginning, the day has been a glorification of fear, witchcraft, and darkness. Why do we Christians think that we have any part in that?

Can we redeem the day? What about “Trunk or Treat” and other church activities? Can we take a pagan holiday and turn it into something good? Can we honor Christ by celebrating darkness? In the past I would have said that it’s one of those issues of conscience that individuals must make up their own minds on, but I don’t believe that anymore. We don’t redeem the day by participating in it. We don’t indulge in evil to bring light. That’s one of Satan’s lies – that we can dabble in darkness with the hopes of making it better or making it Christian or whatever. But we can’t.

Jesus didn’t call us to be like the world. It’s hard. It’s not fun to be the only person on the block who doesn’t decorate, the awkward conservative family who hands out tracks, or the person everyone labels as “legalistic” because you don’t celebrate. I’ve said this before, and I’ll say it again – we aren’t called to blend in with the world. We are different. We will be hated, despised, mocked, and shunned for our faith and our beliefs. If we look like the world and live like the world, are we really Jesus’ disciples?

Don’t be afraid of the judgment of the world. Don’t be afraid of the darkness and evil of the 31^st. Don’t be afraid because we are under Christ’s blood and if we follow him, the darkness has no power over you. Take Halloween seriously. Pray that God will reveal himself in your home and your neighborhood. Be aware of the spiritual warfare around us, and don’t be led astray.

~Hattush

What are your thoughts? Do you celebrate Halloween? If so, why? If not, why? Let’s chat!