Would Jesus Celebrate Halloween ?

Taking a short break from the discussion of unity, let us focus a moment on a topic that maybe many don’t wish to speak about. For years the church preached God’s word against it, and stood its ground when confronted with their stance on such topic. The topic I speak of, is what is called Halloween. Today many churches not only don’t speak truth concerning it, but actively participate in such. In my opinion compromising their own integrity, and giving proof to their worldly and not spiritually adapted behavior. In doing so, could it mean many churches have placed the will of carnal (not spiritual) member’s ahead of the will of God? That the saints of God would even consider mingling with those that celebrate pagan and ungodly traditions, according to Christian teaching.
I have heard so many times that it is simply an innocent day of fun for the kids, and it is in no way harmful. Indeed commercialism has somewhat changed the origin of this holiday; meaning some of its original purposes are not necessarily celebrated today by society , but that in no way changes where this holiday came from, or its founding purpose. Perhaps many don’t truly understand where Halloween does come from, so let me briefly lay it out.
Ephesians 5:7-12 don’t participate in the things these people do. For though your hearts were once full of darkness, now you are full of light from the Lord, and your behavior should show it! For this light within you produces only what is good and right and true. Try to find out what is pleasing to the Lord. Take no part in the worthless deeds of evil and darkness; instead, rebuke and expose them. It is shameful even to talk about the things that ungodly people do in secret (NLT)
Halloween goes back to the ancient Celtic festival of Samhane, the god of the dead. This was the night they thought the barrier between the human and the supernatural worlds was broken down. "During this interval the normal order of the universe is suspended, the barriers between the natural and the supernatural are temporarily removed, the side lies open and all divine beings and the spirits of the dead move freely among men and interfere sometimes violently, in their affairs"
The Celtic priests who carried out the rituals in the open air were called Druids, members of pagan orders in Britain, Ireland and Gaul, who generally performed their rituals by offering sacrifices, usually of crops and animals, but sometimes of humans, in order to placate the gods; ensuring that the sun would return after the winter; and frightening away evil spirits.
To the Celtics, the bonfire represented the sun and was used to aid the Druid in his fight with dark powers. The term bonfire comes from the words "bone fire," literally meaning the bones of sacrificed animals, sometimes human, were piled in a field with timber and set ablaze. All fires except those of the Druids were extinguished on Samhain and householders were levied a fee to relight their holy fire which burned at their altars. During the Festival of Samhain, fires would be lit which would burn all through the winter and sacrifices would be offered to the gods on the fires. This practice of burning humans was stopped around 1600, and an effigy was sometimes burned instead.( Study by Vic Bilson)
Let each person seek God in this matter. Ask ourselves “What would Jesus Do” Should we use this time and evangelize or should we simply ban its practice? Would the God we serve in our churches be pleased in what we do? Would Christ actively participate?

Richard A. Kent