I Don't Celebrate Death On Halloween I Celebrate Death On Easter

Oh and every time someone is baptized....

I hear the same things every year from, perhaps well meaning but mistaken, Christians. I can guarantee I'll hear or see the following every October: Halloween is a demonic/pagan holiday, it is wrong and sinful to participate in any way, you cannot try to use a demonic day to promote Jesus he will not approve, you are celebrating death and evil...etc.

 I always get frustrated because, firstly, no day belongs to the devil. Think about it, did the devil create time? No. God did. Therefore the days that we live, each and every one, belong to the Lord. If a day is taken by a devil worshiper to celebrate something, it doesn't change the ownership, it just means they stole it right? If someone steals your cell phone, does the phone now belong to them? No, it's still yours, they merely stole it.

But let's go a little further.

Do I think death and skulls and pumpkins are evil and from the devil? ....Since I have a skull and will one day die, and considering God created my skull and gives and takes away life, I have to say no on those two.

And since pumpkins get cup up and put in pies and stews and cupcakes, and the devil sure doesn't have the power to create plant life, I have to say no, carved pumpkins are not evil or from the devil.

Am I celebrating death at Halloween? Well to answer this question I'll have to take a look at some of the other major holidays that I participate in, let's see:

New Years: I pop fireworks and reflect on my memories of the past year. I thank God for the coming year and resolve to be a better person. I would say, I'm in a general sense celebrating life and the coming year.

Thanksgiving: We have a huge meal with family and friends, I teach my kids in home school about the pilgrims, religious freedom, and the first thanksgiving, and we talk about what we are thankful for. I would say, I'm celebrating relationships and blessings from the Lord.

Christmas: We learn about the birth of Jesus, we sing songs about him, we reenact the nativity, we decorate a tree and give our kids things like pajamas, gloves, blankets, socks, and movies. We also last year started doing Elf on a Shelf and the kids go and have a picture with Santa.

I would say that we celebrate the birth of our savior and also enjoy the fictional but magical world of Santa Clause for the kids enjoyment. Santa Clause was a real person who did good things in the name of Jesus. He also is not evil or from the devil, and I have no problem and no conviction whatsoever letting my children believe he comes and puts little toys and candies in their stockings.

So, Halloween: We put a few "creepy" decorations up, the kids pretend to be scooby doos, pirates, lady bugs, fairies, and superheros and they run around being cute and getting candy. We don't tell stories about anything special, we don't sing songs about anything special. The kids don't like scary or evil costumes and neither do I.

I would say we are celebrating....candy. LOL And maybe some fun in getting dressed up and pretend for an evening that you're someone/something else.

Honestly I would say the people that enjoy hunting and then posting pictures of the dead animals they killed are more in line with celebrating death. That's not to insult hunters as evil because obviously they aren't. But if someone is to be accused of celebrating death, I think that comes much closer don't you?

And for that matter, what about Easter? Do we not celebrate the DEATH and resurrection of Jesus? You cannot say you are only celebrating his resurrection, since without first having died he could not be resurrected.

Here's the thing, if you feel a conviction about Halloween, or about eating cactus on Fridays, or wearing purple socks, then you absolutely should follow those convictions. I would never try to convince a person to ignore their convictions. However, you cannot force your convictions on other people. Especially not by giving the devil ownership and credit for so many things, which Christians who participate in these activities, don't associate with him at all.

Romans 14(NASB)

Principles of Conscience

Now accept the one who is weak in faith, but not for the purpose of passing judgment on his opinions. ² One person has faith that he may eat all things, but he who is weak eats vegetables only. ³ The one who eats is not to regard with contempt the one who does not eat, and the one who does not eat is not to judge the one who eats, for God has accepted him. ⁴ Who are you to judge the servant of another? To his own master he stands or falls; and he will stand, for the Lord is able to make him stand.

⁵ One person regards one day above another, another regards every day alike. Each person must be fully convinced in his own mind. ⁶ He who observes the day, observes it for the Lord, and he who eats, does so for the Lord, for he gives thanks to God; and he who eats not, for the Lord he does not eat, and gives thanks to God. ⁷ For not one of us lives for himself, and not one dies for himself; ⁸ for if we live, we live for the Lord, or if we die, we die for the Lord; therefore whether we live or die, we are the Lord’s. ⁹ For to this end Christ died and lived again, that He might be Lord both of the dead and of the living.
¹⁰ But you, why do you judge your brother? Or you again, why do you regard your brother with contempt? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God. ¹¹ For it is written,

“As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to Me,
And every tongue shall give praise to God.”

¹² So then each one of us will give an account of himself to God.

¹³ Therefore let us not judge one another anymore, but rather determine this—not to put an obstacle or a stumbling block in a brother’s way. ¹⁴ I know and am convinced in the Lord Jesus that nothing is unclean in itself; but to him who thinks anything to be unclean, to him it is unclean. ¹⁵ For if because of food your brother is hurt, you are no longer walking according to love. Do not destroy with your food him for whom Christ died. ¹⁶ Therefore do not let what is for you a good thing be spoken of as evil; ¹⁷ for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.