Halloween is the Devil's Playground--Christians Beware!

What, I sometimes wonder, is it about Halloween that it should have an appeal to Christians?

Why, I ask myself, do Christians,after leaving the kingdom of darkness and sin for the kingdom of light; why are they so eager to return to the kingdom of darkness?

Most believers in Christ embrace the biblical reality that Jesus came to bring light to the world and provide eternal life. Yet every year, many believers come to look for Satan and his kingdom in this yearly tradition of the night.

So the question is as to whether true-believing Christians, can be part of this celebration of the Dark.

Like it or not it is true that Halloween (All Hallow's Eve in Old English) is not a manufactured holiday.

In fact, Halloween has its origins in the ancient culture of the northern region of Europe where religion comes from the Celts of Ireland and Great Britain. This religion is linked to many pagan gods and the spiritual realm.

The Celts and their religion ("new era") kept for consecration four important dates or annual Highest days. One was known as Saman or Samhain (pronounced the original word sou'en) which effected the first of November. The date was considered one of the most important because it began with the Celtic New Year.

According to this religion the day preceding Samhain (October 31st) is the last day (and last year) of the summer season, being the day after Samhain the first day of winter (and New Year's Day ). Being located "between" seasons or years, Samhain considered a very special day. The Celts claimed that Samhain is the time when the separation between the spiritual world or realm and the material became more narrow and hostile supernatural forces were active and ghosts spirits wandered where they pleased.

The separation between living and dead that night dissolved thus enabling communication between two 'kinds' of beings.

Along with many others Samhain traditions and customs have survived.

One is the familiar expression used in Halloween "trick or treat," translated as "trick or treating" or "trick or surprise."

Although its origins are unclear, we know two legends traditionally spread through the years. One legend says that people go from village to village demanding they give a kind of bread with raisins in a square that is called "cake or pie for the soul of the dead". The more "soul cakes" collected by applicants meant prayers for the souls of deceased relatives were promised.

The other legend tells of a visit by some fairies from abroad that night. Often the fairies were left an offering of milk or other food on the outskirts of homes so the owner could receive blessings from some "good people" the next year (the above is similar to the present false teaching of planting a "seed" money to get a "harvest" of blessings for ourselves).

Additionally, in many households Halloween night left a plate of "lunch or dinner" designed to feed the spirits who had departed.

Another Halloween tradition belonging to or Night of the Witches is the "jack-o-lantern". The light passes through the holes in the face of the pumpkin producing a very haunting effect. Its origin is also based on two possible traditions.

One legend says that originally carved turnips and the Irish beets in the form of lamps or lanterns to represent the souls of the dead or goblins freed from death. Irish immigrants in America could not find turnips available to be carved as Jack lamps. Instead they found pumpkins plentiful.

The tradition of "bobbing for apples" has its antecedent in a pagan custom also owned by the Celts.

Many predictions about the future of the marriages of couples were associated with the use of an apple. In Celtic tradition, the above result was connected with the female deity of love in all its manifestations. A common divination rite was that unmarried girls tried to bite an apple held by a rope or sometimes floating on the water. The first girl who managed to catch the apple with their teeth would be the next to marry. Today, the above tradition is paralleled by the release of bridal bouquet or corsage for the wedding reception to catch.

Superstition and witchcraft are dominant themes at the time of Halloween. Witches claim to belong to an ancient religion known as "Wicca." This religion worships nature and promotes a return to ancient worship of Norse gods and goddesses, Greek and Celtic all of pagan origin.

This Wicca is one of the most widespread religions in the United States as, according to reliable sources, the fastest growing spiritual sect in North America. Importantly, the witches in Wicca have been allowed to practice their pagan rituals inside military bases in the United States.

Fort Hood gave an initial group of Wiccans official permission to operate its facilities, opening the way for followers of Wicca can conduct their rituals, approve the selection of a priestess and enjoy the presence and approval of an Army chaplain ( all as a result of "freedom of expression and religion" that exists in the U.S.)

The human tendency is to try to ignore these things and take Halloween as an innocent and fun without any meaning normal real or authentic.

But Halloween ("Samhain") is a ritual that has nothing innocent. Followers of the Celtic religion (including Wicca) take the holiday seriously and consider it one of the most sacred dates in your calendar. The Christians and the world at large to celebrate, keep, observe or participate in some way with the festival of Samhain and its powers, by masquerading as evil creatures and decorating homes, schools, businesses and churches with occult symbols, ultimately glorifies Satan.

When Christianity spread throughout the regions of Europe, people, instead of abolishing their pagan customs, introduced new ideas which reflected a more Christian world view. Halloween has always been a confusing mixture of traditions and pagan practices with Christian traditions. The Romans celebrated the feast of Feralia, whose goal was to honor and bring peace to the dead. Participants made ​​sacrifices in honor of them offering prayers and offerings in their honor.

The party occurred on February 21, the culmination of the Roman year. The seventh century, Pope Boniface IV introduced All Saints' Day to replace the pagan festival of the dead by changing the date to May 13.

In 834, Pope Gregory III moved back the date of the feast of All Saints May 13 to November 1, when it served as a reminder to Christians of all their dead and dead saints. Thus the October 31 became the Eve of All Saints ('holy' in English is 'Halloween').

A strange phenomenon recently observed in many Christian congregations is called "Hell House." I investigated directly the website that promotes it and found that: "the Infernal House is a powerful event whose structure is very similar to a typical haunted house visited by people. La Casa Infernal capitalizes on the time of year when we celebrate Halloween , time when the minds of many images and focuses on morbid and scary attractions.

The Hell House is more than a haunted house. It is a spiritual adventure that makes people go for a trip of 7 scenes, each representing Hell and destruction that Satan and this world can offer to those who choose not to serve Jesus Christ. Literally, in Hell House are decisions made ​​on the final outcome of which leads a person to hell.

One of the serious problems we have with this type of "program" and the like, is that the individual tries to inject a real fear of Satan, emphasizing that the Word of God is not powerful enough to change the life of a person .

Another difficulty is that the system leads people to repentance and submission to God just for what God is, but its aim is to avoid spending eternity in Hell. In other words, the central message of "Hell House" is "saved from eternal damnation" instead of "worship the Creator, the God of the Universe, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, worthy of all praise." The truth of the matter is we all deserve to spend eternity in Hell.

It is only by God's mercy and His love for us has been given out to be with Him in eternity. We seek God when we recognize our inability to do things for ourselves alone.

We must reach deep within ourselves and see God for what he really is - the Creator of all things and the only truly good and perfect for all eternity. Recognize that He is the One in whom we trust and that only by His mercy we are redeemed by the blood of the Lamb.

In the Word of God it is written "The fear of man brings a snare, but whoever trusts in the LORD will be safe." (Proverbs 29:25); "Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death I will fear no evil, for thou art me: thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. "(Psalm 23:4) God draws man towards Him through love, Satan does so by using fear."

But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while sinners, Christ died for us. "(Romans 5:8)," Finally, brethren, rejoice, be perfect, be strong, be of one mind, live in peace: and the God of love and peace be with you.

So what are the positions on Halloween from the Bible?

In the ancient city of Ephesus was one of the main centers of the first century occultists. Paul addresses the church located in Ephesus to say that "Christians should take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness but rather expose them" (Ephesians 5:11). According to this word, The Holy Spirit directs us not only to reject the works of darkness (such as holidays are pagan), but also forces us to denounce and expose what they really are - works satanic activities purely product the devil. The next verse says we should not even comment of the detail of them: "it is shameful even to speak of the things they do in secret." (Ephesians 5:12).

Paul exhorts the church of Rome to reject the things of the world: "And be not conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, to prove what the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. "(Romans 12:2)

Contrary to traditional church teaching, we must not conform (adapt the Word of God) in this world. What are we supposed to do is renew our minds with His Word to preach God's message and not the message of Satan.

You can not simultaneously search for God and the darkness: "You can not drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of devils: ye can not partake of the Lord's table and the table of demons. Then turn away from worldly things, whether or not we may, as believers, appear strange. Much Jesus said to His disciples (and us) on the theme: "If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because you are not the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. "(John 15:19);" He who loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal.

Many parents say their children are part of the world and should not be rejected by society, is in part the argument used by Christians to justify the celebration of Halloween.

This position is in keeping with the common belief that Halloween activities are not real and it does not matter if they are held or not. But as a disciple of Christ Jesus, we must die to the flesh, which is always demanding of us to embrace it. . Do not allow our young children having sex outside of marriage just because the world promote, tolerate and accept such behavior. Why bother then if our children are rejected because they hold activities that we consider demonic? We should always be ambassadors of the light, not darkness.

Halloween is a deception so subtle that it is very difficult to see as harmful or demonic.

After all, what we see is just a handful of children dressed in costumes allegorical monsters, ghosts or witches, playing at night on our door saying "trick or gift," right?

The same applies to the subject of the horoscope. Most believe that the query is a simple zodiac nonsense, then why not? Does God really care if we celebrate Halloween or read horoscopes?

God specifically commanded in the Torah: "Do not be found among you anyone who makes pass to your son or daughter in the fire, who practices divination or sorcery, interprets omens or [fortune-fortune, zodiac, horoscopes], or sorcerer , or charming, or medium or spiritist ["that handles familiar spirits", "sorcerer or magician '- King James Version], or who consults the dead. For whoever does these things is detestable to the LORD ..." "Because these nations are going to listen to evict those who practice witchcraft and to diviners, but you the Lord your God has spoken unto you. "(Deuteronomy 18:10-12a, 14) and again," Thou shalt not suffer life to sorceress. God told Israel, "cut off sorceries from your hand and have no more soothsayers." (Micah 5:12).

We know of persecuted Christians around the world shunned for being "different" and not conforming to the way in the world. We should learn from them. We are not allowed into the easy ways of the world.

Can you imagine Saint Peter and his wife playing "trick or treating" with their children? If there had been a tradition at the time)

Can you imagine Jesus at the door of a house giving candy to little ones who so loved? It's absurd.

So please tell me why the followers of Jesus do such things?