HALLOWEEN IS SATAN’S HOLIDAY
Pastor James J. Barker
It is that time of year when people decorate their homes and stores with devils, spooks, witches, vampires, and other
occultic images. The average unregenerate worldling thinks it is all "good clean fun." But it is hard to
comprehend what is good, clean or even funny about pictures of ugly witches or horrible ghouls. How did this wickedness
develop in a "Christian nation" like the U.S.A.?
First of all, despite what some uninformed people may do or say, Halloween never was a "Christian holiday.
" It originated in Europe as a Druid holiday. The Druids were pagans who practiced human sacrifices and magic.
On October 31st they believed that the souls of the dead came back to haunt them. "It was the time to
placate the supernatural powers controlling the processes of nature. Immigrants to the U.S., particularly the Irish,
introduced secular Halloween customs that became popular in the late 19th century" (The New Encyclopedia
Britannica, Vol.5, 1990 edition).
Should a Christian participate in any way with this foolishness? The Word of God is clear: "Thus saith the Lord,
Learn not the way of the heathen" (Jer.10:2). "Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this
world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience"
(Eph.2:2). God commands His children to separate from all sin and worldliness. "Wherefore come out from among them,
and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you" (II Cor.6:17).
The tradition of putting candles in a pumpkin (or a large turnip) with a scary demon face carved out is to appease the
unclean spirits. The Christian knows a better way of keeping the demons away. "Resist the devil, and he will flee
from you" (James 4:7). "Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is He that is
in you, than he that is in the world" (I John 4:4). "Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed
on Thee: because he trusteth in Thee" (Isa.26:3).
Most unsaved people celebrate Halloween because they do not know any better. Let us shine our light before them and
show them from the Bible how to be saved.