Tentpegs

Here is, shall we say, a seasonally appropriate one:

Is celebrating Halloween participating in evil? As a Christian should I celebrate it?

This is a sticky one. Many people are so concerned about anything that might possibly begin to think about to commence to lean towards the dark side that they stay away from Snow White (witches), Harry Potter, and even deviled eggs or devil food cake (true: an elder I used to have thought they were inappropriate). Others look upon all of this as just a bit of fun. So, what’s a Christian to do?

The Bible is very plain that we are not to consort with evil in any of its forms. The Old Testament is full of laws against any involvement with necromancy, witchcraft, demons, sorcery, etc. The New Testament even gives us the example of the church at Ephesus. There, the gospel was met with fierce resistance — even riots — and evangelism failed until the Christians burned their books of sorcery. Then, all of a sudden, the church grew and prospered. Hmmmm.

Set that aside for a moment and look at something else: people have made pagan connections to almost everything in life. Most of those pagan ideas have dropped away over the centuries but it cannot be disputed that, at one time, things we now view as innocent were once seen as acts of faith in dark things. Wedding rings, wearing white at weddings and black at funerals, church bells, sharp points on roofs, tombstones, the names of the days of the week, the names of some of the months of the year, Christmas trees, wreaths, etc. ad nauseum were once pagan and are now secularized or Christianized.

I get folk every year who challenge my love for Christmas. They insist that since lights and trees were once used in pagan events we can have no part of the holiday. They bring up the fact that Jesus was not born on December 25th — and they’re right — but that many pagan societies had celebrations around that date — and they are right again. Still, when they are done, I usually reply this way. “It used to be pagan. It isn’t now. We took it from the devil and it belongs to us and God now.” I look upon much of my work as redeeming territory from the devil and giving it to God. That territory is usually the human soul but it also can be nations, laws, traditions, places, and events.

Halloween, however, poses a particular challenge. It is well known as a dark time when people dress in dark, occultic costumes. Present day witches continue to hallow this day. Detroit has had a real struggle with this time of year for decades. It is known as “devil’s night” here and arson fires spring up all over the area (dozens already this year; so much so that insurance companies are pulling out of Detroit and others are sending in investigators to, as the Free Press said this week, “declare war on arsonists.”). How can Christians respond to this day?

Some churches create alternatives (as they used to do for prom nights and other events that didn’t get the blessing of the church) such as Trunk or Treat. This gives kids the joy of dressing up and going from place to place to get candy and play games, but strips out the darkness (churches ban the scary stuff). You can also do this on a lesser scale. Dress your kids in sweet and fun costumes; stay away from the scary stuff. Give out candy with a smile. Compliment the kids who are in cute costumes but do not be unkind to those dressed as our spiritual enemies. THEY are not the enemy and they are doing this out of ignorance. Be sweet to them. Your rejection and hostile looks will not interest them in your religion.

If your children are going out door to door, go with them. Don’t inspire fear in them with stories of needles and spikes in candy (the FBI says not one incidence of that has ever been found. All that X-raying at the airport is a waste of time caused by urban myths). Allow NO ONE to jump out and scare your kids. Be a hero. I used to carry a five cell D battery flashlight. When I saw adults jump up to scare kids, I would put the light on them from dozens of feet away. My kids thought I was a hero! The scary guys were scared of their daddy! (in truth, the scary guys just stopped being scary when they saw I wasn’t playing)

Of course, you can decide to shut your doors and have nothing to do with the event — even if it is a church alternative. I honor that decision but I do not think it is the best one. I prefer wise engagement with the world. It isn’t for everyone, but it works for me. I like the fact that I taught my kids that they could walk, surrounded by devils and witches, and not be afraid because Someone unseen walked with them… and I was His representative. I love showing love and kindness to the kids who come to my door — and they love me back. The only yard decorations we have are the ones we always have: a US flag and the flag of the US Marine Corps. Kids know that our place is a safe place. Halloween gives me the opportunity to show the difference between us and the darkness in such a way as to make our way of life attractive to the kids and their parents.

That is our decision. It isn’t everyone’s and we respect that. The one rule I would strongly suggest adopting is: if you participate, do without any costume or activity that gives glory to our enemy. Remember who you are and Whose you are.