Hey, it's Samhain
I got to work this morning, and someone said 'Happy Halloween!'. I paused for a second, and said 'sorry - I don't celebrate that day.' More often than not a look of disbelief comes over someone when you say that. But let's examine the facts of 'Halloween' and see if it's something we as born-again Christians should be participating in. I hear the arguements already. "OH Chris, it's just fun.. it's just pretend.. it's for the kids... " Sure. Halloween, after all, is the second largest celebrated day other than Christmas. Sure - Let's get the kids indoctrinated into pagan culture early. They'll need it for the New World order anyhow. Sell your kids souls for a handfull of candy, and get your churches to do Harvest festivals... nothing wrong with that, right? WELL... The origins of Halloween come from the pagan tradition of 'Samhain' which is called the feast of the dead in Pagan lore, symbolizing the close of harvest and the initiation of the winter season. They believed the dead existed with fairies. Many of these fairies were feared, because they were angry over mankind taking over their lands. Caused alot of fairy mischief it seems. So on this day many of the people would imitate the fairies and go from house to house begging for treats. Failure to supply the treats would usually result in practical jokes being visited on the owner of the house. Since the fairies were abroad on this night, an offering of food or milk was frequently left for them on the steps of the house, so the homeowner could gain the blessings of the "good folk" for the coming year. Many of the households would also leave out a "dumb supper" for the spirits of the departed. The folks who were out that night imitating the fairies would sometimes carry turnips carved to represent faces. This is the origin of our modern Jack-o-lantern.
Churches: If you are celebrating Halloween, or harvest festival for your flock - you are practicing paganism. You defile the church of our Lord, and will be held accountable for it.
Christians: If you are celebrating Halloween, for your children, for fun, or because your church says it is ok - THINK AGAIN.
Chris
I got to work this morning, and someone said 'Happy Halloween!'. I paused for a second, and said 'sorry - I don't celebrate that day.' More often than not a look of disbelief comes over someone when you say that. But let's examine the facts of 'Halloween' and see if it's something we as born-again Christians should be participating in. I hear the arguements already. "OH Chris, it's just fun.. it's just pretend.. it's for the kids... " Sure. Halloween, after all, is the second largest celebrated day other than Christmas. Sure - Let's get the kids indoctrinated into pagan culture early. They'll need it for the New World order anyhow. Sell your kids souls for a handfull of candy, and get your churches to do Harvest festivals... nothing wrong with that, right? WELL... The origins of Halloween come from the pagan tradition of 'Samhain' which is called the feast of the dead in Pagan lore, symbolizing the close of harvest and the initiation of the winter season. They believed the dead existed with fairies. Many of these fairies were feared, because they were angry over mankind taking over their lands. Caused alot of fairy mischief it seems. So on this day many of the people would imitate the fairies and go from house to house begging for treats. Failure to supply the treats would usually result in practical jokes being visited on the owner of the house. Since the fairies were abroad on this night, an offering of food or milk was frequently left for them on the steps of the house, so the homeowner could gain the blessings of the "good folk" for the coming year. Many of the households would also leave out a "dumb supper" for the spirits of the departed. The folks who were out that night imitating the fairies would sometimes carry turnips carved to represent faces. This is the origin of our modern Jack-o-lantern.
Churches: If you are celebrating Halloween, or harvest festival for your flock - you are practicing paganism. You defile the church of our Lord, and will be held accountable for it.
Christians: If you are celebrating Halloween, for your children, for fun, or because your church says it is ok - THINK AGAIN.
Chris
posted by Chris at
7:20 AM
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