I buy my kids costumes on sale after wards. Then they play in them all year long. Batman (my ds) did math yesterday, and my dd thinks she can only sort the socks with her Minnie Mouse suit on. LOL I think it is awesome of you to follow through on your convictions like that. It is hard to break away from the old life an follow a new path. But that is what God says he will call us out of the dark and into the light. It isn't easy, but that is the path we are told to take. There is a reason that the bible says the path is narrow. I have a friend who was a drug addict and is having a hard time staying clean and in Gods word, because of his "friends and family" who try to put him back into his old life, not the new ones God gave him. That is what I thought of when you talked about Mardi Gras. Stay strong and steady. God will show you the path. ( we do not celebrate the other holidays either, I would suggest you try to have a passover Seder when it comes time. It blew my socks off on the symbolism and meaning in that meal )
I had a thought while I was posting that last post. These churches are doing Fall Festivles etc.The ones I have been too are not much different then the ones non churchy people put on as safe places for kids. Like the local Rec. center does one that is no scary costumes, no meanness etc. They play kids music in the background. Or the people who only do the nice things ( which 90% of unsaved people in America are only doing the nice things as well they are not out killing cats) So what is there to call out an unbeliever into Christ. I can't remember the verse but it says somewhere that we are to be different, that others will know Christ through our lives. I would think not doing Halloween and being different would show more then acting like them. The popular culture ( not the Bible) says that we are to win hearts by showing the people that Christianity is fun, or easy, or that it is not much different then secular life. I know from that my neighboors, know my family is christian. We didn't tell anybody. They know it because of the way we live our lives ( and we go to church on Sunday..) But really a friend died recently and his wife told us that we are a example of Christ love, because of the way we act. She said that none of her other friends were like us, and none cared for her like we did, She said we were different. She isn't saved, Does that make sense I am up with a teething toddler so not much makes sense to me.
Yes. Right on. Here's a quote the pastor at AWANA camp used all week: If we proclaim the Gospel but don't live the Gospel, we confuse people. If we live the Gospel but don't proclaim the Gospel, we condemn people. So we need to proclaim the Gospel and live the Gospel so that some might be saved.
I do see your meaning. I'm a homeschooling, Christian, conservative, KJV Only, mom who does not celebrate Halloween, listen to secular music (mostly because I am woefully behind..lol) and in a bi-racial marriage. I'm used to swimming up stream...LOL. So when things like this come along I'm used to being the odd duck. Sometimes it isn't so fun and you hate saying "no" all time but the road is narrow, right? lol. OH and did I mention I'm short...I couldn't even have a normal height!
I know many Christians see Halloween in a different light because it is the eve of All Saints Day. See this from here:
This is where Ava's post regarding the heart comes into play. WHO is the festival about and WHY? I have been to some church harvest festivals and the church charges for everything and there is little to no mention about Christ. It clearly isn't a mission to share the gospel. I have been to some, including my church, and everything is free and Christ centered. Our motto, actually God's, is come just as you are. For this reason we do not tell the public what they can or can't come dressed in. We want them to hear the message no matter what they are wearing. A few times we made a HUGE maze. It was great. The maze was dark and along the path, there were scripture verses about following the light and salvation. If a person didn't follow the light or the salvation scriptures, they ended up in a dead end. If they followed the light, they ended up walking into the center of the maze, which was brightly lite and cheerful. It had scriptures about Christs love, tracts, and somebody to share the message about Christ's love. Of course, we added some fun to the maze, which I do not believe is wrong. When the people walked down the wrong path, they were sprayed in the face, had confetti drop on their heads, etc. LOL All the games are scriptural or display an example of Christ's love in a way that adults and children can understand. I can't remember exactly how many years it has been, but one harvest, we had a 15(?) year old boy accept Christ. That night as he was walking home, he was hit by a car and killed. Our pastor went to call on the boy and his parents told him he died. WOW! If one soul is brought to Christ through the churches harvest festivals, I am rejoicing. But I do understand what you are saying about some festivals that really are not any different than the world. What is the purpose if it isn't TRULY for Christ? Great thread!!!!
We are in an interesting dilema this year. Our church just kind of "ignores" Halloween. Nothing is said about it, no one is encouraged to celebrate nor are we encouraged NOT to celebrate it. It is left totally up to the individual. Well, this year, we are really stressing to be more of a pressence in the neighborhood, especially in the elementary school. On Tuesday, the kids and I helped to deliver enough donated school supplies to literally fill one one lady's office, and spill out into the hall. This is what was left over after we delivered backpacks filled with supplies to children in the neighborhood. So Hershey has decided to donate all kinds of candy for a Halloween/Harvest celebration to be held at the school grounds for the neighborhood children. Our pastor is a "no Halloween" kind of guy, but this fits in so well with our church's mission. To turn it down will bring the progress we've made in the neighborhood to a screeching halt. So we plan on going with it.
From the description of your church...inner city focused mostly on outreach...I think this is a fantastic idea. You are serving Christ in this endeavor...that is obvious. I think you can not compromise your beliefs and at the same time use this time to bring glory to God.
I should add at my church we do invite anyone and everyone but mostly it tends to be just church people and not a focused outreach. In that vain, I see no reason to have anything Halloween. But our festival is no where near Halloween so i have no issue with it. I take issue with the trunk or treat...only church people and AWANA which is now only church people.
Exactly! This is what I was talking about The Catholics took the winter solstice and turned it into Christmas (Christ was born in the fall I think... I feel like I'm remembering August?), the pagan spring celebration and turned it into Easter (before that Passover was what was observed to remember Christ's death... and some Christians still do that instead of Easter), and then, as you said above, they did the same thing with Halloween. So, my personal view is, if you celebrate Christmas and Easter, Halloween shouldn't be a problem for you. If Halloween is a problem for you, maybe you should reconsider Christmas and Easter. They are the same thing really. Not judging... That's just the line of thought my brain follows! As Emerson said, "A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds." Foolish being the key word here of course. Consistency is great, when you know why you are being consistent.
Hey, Ava, small hijack here! Does your older one continue on with AWANA on her own? If so, let me know off-line.
I hear what you're saying, but there's a difference to me. True, we don't know when exactly Christ was born. So they chose to celebrate it at that time because (as stated) they wanted to give an alternative to the Winter Solstice celebrations. But Christmas has by far surpassed that celebration. Everyone knows it celebrates the Birth of Christ. Very few are even aware that the Winter Solstice even existed. Same with Easter. But how much of the Christian world celebrates All Saint's Eve? How much of it is even aware of what it is? I grew up in the church, and know nothing about it. The pagan celebration has preeminence.
But at the time that Christmas and Easter were invented, Christians were very aware of those things. They were invented to lure people into church. So, my point is, if you have no problem with what the church did then, I don't really see a problem with trunk or treating at your local church. If you do have a problem, maybe you should consider why you are celebrating Christmas and Easter.
First of all, I'm not condemning anyone who does or does not celebrate Halloween. It's a personal decision, and I'm cool with whatever you decide. But the reason why I celebrate Christmas and Easter is first and formost to celebrate the birth/death/ressurection of Christ. Most Christians who celebrate those holidays do, too, and a good many of non-Christians at least give lip-service to those events in one way or another during those times. But with Halloween, I know of no one who celebrates it as a Christian holiday. The emphasis is not on any holy celebration or rememberance, but on the dressing up and giving candy at the very least. Whether it be a "trunk or treat" celebration or a Harvest Party or whatever. Even a Harvest Party has no emphasis on what God has blessed us with; that's what Thanksgiving is for.
I know of many. I think Lutherans among other groups celebrate All Saints Day. I personally don't do anything on that day because it is my choice and tradition. I just think we should be mindful that some Christians may have different experiences and traditions. The roots of our holidays are complex and certainly not as simple as saying this one is pagan and this one is not. I've only been to one Fall Festival which occurred around the time of Halloween. It was a carnival type atmosphere with games, elephant rides, and fair-type rides. This is all put on by a local church for outreach. They continually ran a play where the Gospel was presented.
Again it's a heart issue. The bible does address Halloween but witchcraft and paganism. If your Halloween celebrations are based in either than you need to rethink that decision. If your celebrations are not centered on those issues then perhaps there is nothing wrong with it. This is not a huge deal in my house, we simply don't do it. I find it increasingly difficult to find a way to celebrate Halloween without the appearance of evil. But that's me. It also can be a stumbling block to other Christians like Paul addressed about eating meat sacrificed to idols. There was nothing wrong with the meat...he had the freedom and liberty to eat it...yet if it caused a problem or a stumbling block then he should avoid it. This goes both ways as many may think it's a stumbling block to NOT celebrate since it gives off an prideful or self righteous appearance...at least someone said that to me once..lol. As far as Christmas and Easter...I see the issues. If it was entirely up to my dh we would not celebrate them at all. As far as EAster...we just go to church and it's another day. Christmas does bring about some family traditions and such and we do honor God during that time. As much as I have prayed over this issue due to pressure from others...I am still at peace celebrating Christmas but not Halloween. We don't do Santa or focus on gifts...we use it to witness and show love. Can someone do that with Halloween...perhaps...I just leave that day alone.
Oh Jackie....No Olivia is NOT doing AWANA on her own. She chose not to and that was fine. However, I think I remember the junior high books being really nice so I may order a book for her anyway..lol.
To me, the day is what you make of it. We don't 'celebrate' the day and it's dark meaning...it's not like we sit around a ouigi board or anything. lol We simply trick or treat. My boys pick out what they want to dress up as (nothing evil looking), we go trick or treating around a few blocks. Beforehand I like to decorate the house with fall decorations so we go pick out pumpkins and corn for the house. We carve the pumpkins and bake the seeds. Simple and sweet.
I think it's what you make of it. You don't have to sit around a table and pray to make a day a Christ-centered day or to be thankful (for example). A Harvest Party CAN have emphasis on God...it's simply showing off the fall beauty that He created. Just simply looking out my window in awe of the color, is being thankful for God's creation because He made it. There are many ways you can celebrate God...afterall, He did make EVERY day on our calendar. He might not have created what Halloween is known to be today, but he did create 'the day' in and of itself. Every day should be a celebration of Him...not just on man-made holiday's marked on our calendar. So, IMO, whether my kids dress up on Halloween or another day of the year...the meaning behind it is still the same. It's not to celebrate evil, they are simply being kids...playing dress up and rotting their teeth. If you go to a trunk or treat at church, or trick or treat around your neighborhood...do people really think God thinks one is better than the other simply because one is at a church even though the meaning for my children is still the same??? Would seem odd to me if one thinks He does. On a side note, our church hands out labels to put on the candy we pass out, if one chooses to do so. It's a label with our church name, address, and a small message. We stick them on the candy we hand out that day/night. Just an example of how you CAN celebrate the day in a Christ-centered way...even though it's Halloween and we aren't just sitting around a table telling God about what we're thankful for. *wink*
What an awesome post! This is exactly how I feel but I'm not real good at putting into words without offending someone. Bravo!!!:lol:
