8 Reasons Why Christians Should Rethink Celebrating Halloween

Halloween is a popular holiday where people dress up and get candy, but some Christians wonder if they should join in. Here are a few reasons why you should reconsider.

1. Pagan Origins of Halloween

First off, when we look back at where this tradition began, we see that its roots trace back to pagan Celtic traditions. Though many argue that other holidays also have pagan origins, it’s crucial to recognize the Bible’s stance: “If the root is holy, so are the branches” (Romans 11:16). At its origin, it was believed that on this day, the line between the spiritual and natural world blurred. As a result, many of the practices of dressing up began to develop, believing that it was a way to avoid being attacked by evil spirits. We see that even though many people don’t understand the origins, they still practice dressing up on this date.

2. Halloween’s Significance in Witchcraft

We also see that for those deeply entrenched in witchcraft and Satanism, Halloween holds more weight than just candies and costumes. Some even claim it’s the most important holiday in these religions.

As Christians, should we participate in a day held in such high regard by these groups?

3. Halloween Isn’t Redeemed

While the church has often repurposed pagan holidays for God’s glory, like Christmas, Halloween seems to resist redemption. Modern Halloween celebrations have become darker, and paganism and witchcraft are increasingly popular.

We see that their are things that the Lord allowed the Israelited to redeem and repackage for His purpose, like cities and buildings, but that isn’t the case with this holiday. It continues to promote darkness, paganism, and fear.

4. Conforming to the World’s Standards

Some argue that not celebrating Halloween makes Christians appear “weird”. However, the church should be known for its love, not its fun. We’re called to be light in the world, not conform to it (Galatians 6:14).

Our aim should not be to be viewed as “pleasing” to the world but rather by God.

5. Halloween’s Contradictory Values

Halloween promotes themes like darkness, fear, and death, which are opposite to the Christian values of light, faith, and life. On this day you never see people decorating their homes with virtures of light and life, but things that instill fear and darkness.

As people of faith, we should live by what the Bible says. We are people of light, and we should not indulge in a holiday that contradicts that (1 Thessalonians 5:22).

6. Fellowship with Darkness

Halloween practices are often associated with dark and unfruitful works. Ephesians 5:8-11 tells us to walk as children of the light and not partake in deeds of darkness. We have been freed from darkness, and we should not willingly partake in something God has freed us from.

7. Activities That Don’t Honor God

Many activities associated with Halloween don’t honor the Lord. For instance, many dress up as demons, witches, or promiscuous. There is also a number of parties, drinking, and drugs that people participate in on this night. All of which should have no place in a Christian’s life.

If that weren’t enough reasoning, the idea of masking our identities and pretending to be someone else is not scriptural. In the beginning, Satan tried to confuse Adam about who he was and tried to make Him believe he could be like God. Satan also tried to cast doubt on Jesus’s identity in the wilderness. In the long-term, this could cause more confusion about our God-given identities (1 John 2:15-17).

8. Increased Crime Rates

Lastly, Halloween night sees a rise in crime rates, with violent crimes reported to be 50% higher than any other day of the year and about twice the daily average (Fox, 2013). According to statistics, there is also a rise in the number of deaths due to drunk driving. This day is not only considered dangerous spiritually, but it could also be dangerous for people who are out on this day.

In conclusion, I believe that as Christians we shouldn’t participate in Halloween. Looking at what it promotes and its fruit, I personally believe that believers should advocate staying away from celebrating this holiday.

Read: Should Christians Celebrate Christmas

James Alan Fox. Home. (n.d.). https://web.northeastern.edu/jfox/