Ghosts, Ghouls, and Goblins

[The Martins]

With Hallowe'en around the corner, I thought I'd ask...

When I was a kid, our church had a Hallowe'en party - complete with a Haunted House, ghosts, demons, all the normal stuff. It did no apparent damage to me. Is it really all that bad?

However, now that I have a 7-year old of my own, I don't want to do anything to invite a demonic presence. Or is this leftover from WoF teachings?

[Gerald Creasy]

Who is stronger? Christ or Satan?

Who is stronger in you?

I don't know about leftover WOF but I do know that our past willy nilly approach of what the devil CAN do and what he CANT (combined with a healthy dose of Hollywood) have left us with more fear than faith (true faith).

I know some yahoo might see this and froth and foam about how demons can manifest dance a boogie on your bedstead and steal all your crackerjacks but such things are fantasy.

Christ is more powerfull and I have no fear.




I love Halloween. Especially all the old Horror films that appear on Tv or in the cheap DVD bin at Walmart during the season.

We just watched the restored version of Mario Bavas Black Sabbath in Italian with subtitles (Must be Boris Karloffs ONLY Italian film) and an atrociously cheesy The She Beast (redeemed only slightly by an extended appearance by Barbara Steele). The most horrific thing in the film was the crashing of a perfectly beautiful early 60s VW Beetle.

We've got a couple of Vincent Price double feartures lined up for later.

[Penny]

What is WOF teaching?

[Gerald Creasy]

What is WOF teaching?

Oh! Oh! Let me!


WOF = Word Of Faith

The aberannt and heretical modern day doctrine taught by the late Kenneth Hagin, Kenneth Copeland, Fred K. Price and others and echoed as modern day Christianity by Paul Crouch, Benny Hinn et al.

It's roots are more in the cults of metaphysics than in Christiainty. It denigrates the level of God to manlike and elevates man to Godlike status.

[Daniel 11:33]

I believe we have been misled into thinking something is just innocent fun, when in fact it is following a moc tradition of Satan worship. This is a suttle way for Satan to get a foot hold into our phyque, and thus make it easier to decieve us in other matters as well. The only way to understand what your truely celibrating is to study the sorce of the tradition for Halloween. That goes for other holidays as well, such as Christmas.

God help us

[Doug]

I was going to ask what WoF stands for but that is now redundent.

I don't want to say too much about haloween because I haven't figured out what it is all about yet. It has been peddled up here for about the last 10-12 years but as far as I can see it is just a comercial opportunity to sell witches hats and those weird orange pumpkins.
Some Churches I know of have been holding some sort of evangelical children's outreach service/activity to happen on that appointed day/night, so I guess some people see it as an opportunity to spread the gospel......why not?

Gerald Creasy is right when he asks who stronger Christ or satan?

The issue reminds me abit of the Harry Potter controversy.
Taking things the other way though we have Eric Von Danekin who read the Bible and then wrote 'Chariots of the Gods' etc.
And Imanuel Velekovsky who also read the Bible, sat down and wrote books like 'Worlds in collision' and 'Worlds in chaos'. Doubtless there are hosts of others too.

I think it all comes down to who a person wishes to be influenced by; if Christ then the devil has no hold; if not Christ; then the devil can go on R&R as far as that person is concerned.

Doug

[The Martins]

I think the Harry Potter controversy among Christians is akin to Hallowe'en. For months, my wife and I would not allow my daughter to watch it or have anything to do with it. Then, it came on HBO and my wife watched it. She said it was no worse than "Bewitched" - the old TV sitcom. So, we've let her watch it now.

It all boils down to how Gerald summarized it: Who is stronger in you? Christ or Satan. Christ is the Lord of my life. I have nothing to fear!

[Kenya]

Some of the most fun times in my life as a child were Halloween related. I never dressed in scary or devilish costumes and never liked haunted houses - but loved walking around the neighborhood knocking on doors.

When my girls were very little (about 3 & 4), I decided that Halloween was the devil's holiday and would not let them participate. In fact, we just ignored the holiday altogether.

One of my close friends who also babysitted my girls couldn't just sit by and watch this. She rebuked me for taking this stand and withholding innocent fun from my children who did not understand. Again, I felt convicted - only this time in another direction. As I began to read Romans, I realized that God created October 31st and it is what we make it. I asked myself if there is really anything wrong in dressing up and going door to door to collect candy. The answer I got was NO.

This year, my kids are too old to participate in the festivities. They will be passing out the candy and Children's tracts this year. We also have a jack-o-lantern every year with a cross, rather than a face. It has become our witness to the neighborhood. I am glad that my friend corrected me - we have had some wonderful family times together walking around the neighborhood - and I will miss that this year.

[Pastor Bill]

I would not give a definate answer, because I believe much of it is personal conviction, and not something we can point to biblical truth. I will say that we have nothing to fear, but at the same time I don't care to promote fear in my children either.

Personally I look at these things.

1. What is being celebrated (comercialism, fear, demonic powers, candy?) but not much of God there.

2. How are my children effected (they have not participated in "traditional" halloween activities, and what limited activities they have had pushed on them at school have left them with nightmares) Their understanding of what is "real" and what is "fake" are not the same as mine, and it's important to look at how they will individually be effected, for other children it may not be as big of a deal.

3. Is it safe? Trick-or-treating isn't what it used to be, Halloween is a big time for pranks and crime. It isn't even recommended to allow your child to eat their candy till it's been inspected or even X-rayed. This doesn't seem to build much community trust.

We have a "Hallelujah festival" that night at church, and we have plenty of activities for the kids and adults so that we can change those three things. We can guarantee safety (as much as we can for any other church function), and we can focus more on God, and less on fear. I think this is the best of both worlds, because we can provide the fun, and bring God into the picture. We do dress up, we still have plenty of candy, and all this in a safe environment while uplifting Christ above all else.

[Sherry]

Halloween has always been a time of lots of fun for our family. We have a party (usually at my sisters, her house has LOTS of trees, and a scary walkway) the house is decorated very spooky and very scary (not evil )...eerie music is playing loudly through the windows, theres a path, with lots of unexpected surprises along the way that the trick or treaters have to walk to get their treats. For us adults, some dress up and participate, others sit back and watch the fun. After that last trick or treater leaves, we pop in a scary movie, the scarier the better. I love horror movies...I love to be scared....I love watching my hubby get spooked (He's a big baby when it comes to horror movies, there's something just too funny seeing a 280 pound, 6 ft tall man hide his eyes and jump out of his seat!!! ). I love the fact that our extended family and friends have just another excuse to have a good time. Lots of food, and lots of fun is the theme for the night. It's a tradition that all our kids love, even us old kids.

I remember as a kid, our church always had a big Halloween party, spook house, fortune tellers, all kinds of fun stuff. It was a time to have fun with our church family. Alot of good memories come from those parties. Like my dad dressing up as an old lady and looking just like a older member and being mistaken for her repeatedly!! I remember all the good costumes my mom and grandmother made for us...a witch, a genie, a hobo, Cleopatra, a pilgrim (recycled from Thanksgiving pageant ) Those are great memories for me.

So in my own opinion, such as it is, Halloween is whatever you put into it. If you use it to promote evil...then that's what it will be, for you. If you use it for a time of getting together with family and friends to have fun, that's what it will be, for you.


So here's to all of you...............

^..^ HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!! ^..^

[Joey]

Halloween is the Devil!!!
And he's so mean because of his medulla oblangata!

[The Martins]

We also have a jack-o-lantern every year with a cross, rather than a face. It has become our witness to the neighborhood.

I like that! I'm going to start that this year.