Halloween Reflections

It is that time of year again.

Halloween.

Most children look forward to it.

Most parents are ambivalent about it, unless this blogger is mistaken.

Many young-hearted adults enjoy it and wear costumes, even into their jobs.

Families with children with special needs often dread it.

Many child advocates warn us about its dangers and its opportunties for predators to prey on children.

More and more dedicated Christians are denouncing this day as Satan's day, unScriptural and antiChrist.

Survivors of Satanic ritual abuse dread this day.

The Issue


I was raised to believe that Halloween was no more than a fun, harmless holidy. It was not an offical holiday like Thanks giving or Christmas but still a holiday. Fast forward a few decades later and still Halloween is seen in this way. Though I did not like it and would have opposed celebrating Halloween, I still felt I had to go along with my family so that our daughter "would not feel a misfit." The connections with occultic symbols, the opportunity Halloween provides child sex offenders and predators, and the waste of money for candy with little or no nutritional value, convinced me that Halloween was a waste of a holiday. The candy my daughter typically got were cheapie Tootsie Rolls and hard candies. A dentist's dream! More seriously, in the media, I heard more and more about how pedophiles and predators were using this day to lure unsuspecting children through handing them candy. Most seriously, the occultic imagery especially though witch, warlock, ghosts and goblins costumes and accessories, to many in the faith community, just gives the Devil an open door to prey on people and a place in people's life through demonic oppression that can take many forms from depression to addictions as so many of us celebrate this day as a day of harmless fun. More and more, it is being suggested that Halloween is anything but harmless.

Should This Day Be Observed?

Yes, many families still celebrate Halloween. But should it be observed? That is the question. With the common sense observation that Halloween candy is bad for our teeth and has little nutritional value, and that it costs money that can go on other things, is an opportunity for predators and has occultic ties, I do not recommend it for anyone. That is, it should not be celebrated in the traditional way, if we wish to keep our children safe, stay healthy, save money, and avoid ties with the occult--even seeminly harmless ties. Our culture has told us that for our children to "fit in" and not be "misfits," they have to do the things they see their peers doing, including celebrating Halloween. But are the highest goals in life to fit in and to conform to the status quo?

Alternatives to Halloween?

Only the strictest people of faith oppose alternatives to Halloween that many congregations and other outreach services offer. These people have valid concerns, citing the reason that even the appearance or association with Halloween does not eliminate the risks of predators or occultic involvement. But when these events are done in controlled, wholesome venues, they reduce these risks. We are not obligated to celebrate Halloween or any other holiday. We have no right, however, to criticize or judge people who celebrate this day in a wholesome, safe way just as they have no right to criticize those among us who do not like Halloween, think it is evil and pagan and occultic, and choose not to even have anything to do with alternatives.