October 31, 2011 with 20 Comments

463.

To Trick or not to Treat

It’s that time of the year again.

Time when I evacuate the premise of my home for a few hours in the afternoon, time when I volunteer to work in the ER in the hopes that I don’t have to look at another piece of candy.

It’s not personal. I just know my weaknesses, and don’t want to catch myself wrestling the 3 year old at my door step for that last delicious candy corn.

Plus I refuse to turn the 3 pounds of muscles Monika has worked hard to develop in me into some flab because of my addiction to peanut butter and chocolate.

So I simply avoid the entire hoopla.

Party pooper? Maybe. Proud of me? Good for you.

Somewhere beyond my measly attempts at avoiding talking to the neighborhood kids is a real controversy in the Christian world over the merits of halloween.

I could bore you with the fact that halloween originated with the celebration of “All Saint’s Day”, hence making it a somewhat Christian event.

And I could exhaust you with tales of witches and vampires proving that halloween is really an idea of the devil himself, a hands down heretic holiday.

No matter what I say, half of you reading this blog are in the “Halloween is next to hell” camp, while the other half is having a difficult time reading the blog because of the face paint and heavy masks that you have donned to prove that you simply can enjoy a piece of candy without causing a ripple in your relationship with Jesus.

Good for all of you. As for me, I’m just a scrooge, annoyed by the hoards of teenagers in my neighborhood masquerading as Darth Vader in a feeble attempt to steal that last pack of M&Ms from the 3 year old Dora.

But all kidding aside, the truth of the matter is that though the Bible doesn’t specifically address Halloween, it does give us some principles in dealing with controversial gray areas in the Christian walk. I’d like to share some principles from Romans 14 to help you deal with the gray areas in your Christian Walk. 

1. Don’t judge what others do. It’s easy to point fingers and judge motive, but just because it’s easy doesn’t mean it’s right. My knee jerk reaction is to assign judgement and blame to anyone who doesn’t agree with my point of view – on anything, from the best halloween candy to the right biblical halloween costume. As I’m growing in my walk with the Lord, I’m learning that it is to God alone that we must give account (vs.12). So keep your judgement to yourself and refrain from speaking too soon.

2. Don’t be a stumbling block. In Romans 14:13 Paul says “rather decide never to put a stumbling block or hindrance in the way of a brother”. Frankly, I’m not sure how much God cares about halloween, but one thing I know He cares about – and that is how we treat our brothers and sisters in Christ. There are many activities that may not be wrong in and of themselves, but a mature Christians abstains from them in an effort to protect a weaker brother. The same applies on October 31.

3. Mind your conscience. God gives us many absolutes in His word: don’t have sex before marriage, don’t kill, etc. But He is oddly silent on many other topics. What He does give us is a conscience directed by the Holy Spirit.  Romans 14:5 says “each one should be fully convinced in his own mind”. Later on in vs.23 Paul adds “whoever has doubts is condemned if he eats, because the eating is not from faith. For whatever does not proceed from faith is sin”. In other words, when in doubt – don’t! Don’t waste your conscience. Heed it.

4. Understand the power of a reputation. I love how Paul can hit you with a truth just like that – Bam! In vs.16 he says “so do not let what you regard as good be spoken of as evil”. What that means is that you have a responsibility. Yes, you do. People are watching your life, they are watching your words, they are watching your decisions. You may think of yourself as an island, but you know what they say – no man is an island. Pay attention to how you are perceived. Use the influence God has give you for His glory! Don’t use it to win arguments.

5. Keep the big picture in focus. Finally, don’t lose sight of what’s important. My pastor says it this way: “major on the majors, minor on the minors, in all things, love!”. I love that statement. In vs.17, Paul takes it all back to the kingdom of God. That’s what we’re after, and it has nothing to do with food, or halloween, or funny costumes and trick or treating. What it does have to do with is righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit. Are you so hung up on your opinion over halloween that you’ve lost sight of the big picture? Maybe it’s time to get new glasses!

Are you still trying to guess what I really believe about Halloween? Just go back and read between the lines.

Meanwhile, here’s what I do know for sure: Candy corns are the bomb, and there’s nothing like Reese’s pieces on a cold october evening.

So what’s your take on Halloween? I’d love to hear your comments!

 

 

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  • Kathy

    Our family does not celebrate Halloween, and it’s funny, because this year I feel like we’re the only Christian family that doesn’t! However, I was encouraged by your post this morning, especially Point #3. This is the driving reason why we don’t celebrate – it’s against my conscience (aka the Holy Spirit) and my husband’s to celebrate. And that being said, I know that what I am doing is right in the eyes of the Lord and I don’t have to feel “alone” because I know that I am pleasing God. And I am so thankful for major on the majors, minor on the minors – big picture thinking! Thanks for being courageous and tackling this issue today, Linda! I am blessed!

    • Kathy

      Lina…sorry! (typo) :)

  • Rachael

    Well put Lina. Why don’t you tackle homeschooling and breastfeeding next!!?? Actually I think alot of those points could apply to many of these controversial issues.

  • jean

    This is the first year that I’m not sad that my kids might feel left out because we don’t celebrate (You’re not alone Kathy).
    As I drive down the street and see crucifixes in the ground representing a grave yard, horrid demons and ghosts hanging form trees, heads and body parts strewn across lawns… you get the point- It really confirmed in my mind that although fun for little ones to dress up and get free candy-this holiday is not about light, it’s about darkness. You hear parents say, “well we explain to our kids that we don’t do that dark part-we don’t let them dress as xyz”. But we can put a cute witch with a happy face out because it’s FUN. Somehow I don’t think Jesus would participate.
    PS: My church had a zombie game at their Jr. High party last night. Someone I love came home terribly upset. What in the WORLD is that? It’s dead people walking around! But come on CHRISTIAN it’s FUN.
    PPS: You asked for our take :|

    • Lina

      Jean – I love your take and appreciate your comments.

  • Gina

    morning wow this gave me a different view of Halloween.I like seeing the art in decorations and thought put into costumes.I don’t care for the adult goblins that come out after dark and use Halloween as an excuse to party and get behind the wheel with no conscience and no judgment. I do like seeing my nieces and nephews creative side in their costumes. Great post. Thanks Lina :)

  • Gina

    P.s. I get pastor James media page.still can’t get yours. Love love love his last message. Is there a link to get it?

  • Jennine G

    Aside from the Halloween discussion, I just wanted to share with you that the Lord has placed these verses in front of my face for the third, random time in less than 24 hours. First, I had a stack of old bible verse note cards in my car that I haven’t read for years where I saw these verses. Next, it was in a Jay Adams book, and now with you. I think the Lord is trying to tell me something! Ding! :) Thanks for your faithfulness in blogging, Lina.

  • Sue

    We’ve gone the gamut on this issue as our four children are 10 years apart, and a few years ago, God laid Titus 1:15 on my heart, “To the pure all things are pure,” My kids have always loved to dress up, see their friends and eat candy, regardless of what day of the year it is, so to them, Halloween is not a celebration, but just fun! We have friends that do and do not participate and I respect them both. It is a personal conviction, not a biblical one. I see both sides but for now we use it as outreach, not another “don’t”~

    • Michele Beck

      My comment is an echo of Sue’s. It’s always just 3 girls dressing up and trading candy later on in the evening. Lots of creative costumes over the years. Memories.

  • Gina

    Thanks :) :) :) it finally worked!

    • Danielle

      My husband and I don’t have anything to do with Halloween. I’ve looked up what each tradition represents and I don’t like any of it. I feel that by eating candy or doing anything that emulates this demonic holiday does nothing to glorify the Lord. It sickens me to watch people trivialize the things of Hell (I know most of them are not saved and cannot possibly fathom my point of view). At the same time, I would never dare to criticize anyone who does not know the Lord. Now, here’s where I struggle. When I see Christians doing anything from candy to dressing up in “harmless” costumes, I struggle to hold my tongue. This year, I called my mother and father in-law “sell-outs” because I thought they were on the same page as us. I don’t know if they thought it was funny or if they took it as a rebuke. But, they sent a text pic of them dressed up in costumes in their church parking lot where “trunk or treat” was happening. My family will not have anything to do with the holiday. We’d like to take our son to a water park for Halloween when he gets old enough to do that. But, God will continually work on me to bite my tongue when I see Christians doing anything that is remotely related to this horrid holiday. Thanks for posting, Lina.

      • Melissa

        Great post. We do nothing scary or will be very “sexual” in our house. We celebrate but only for fun. The decorations are only cute ones. Kids dress up in cute costumes. We hand out tracks, pencils & candy. We don’t allow the kids (6 & 2 1/2) to indulge in all the candy they get. We put some aside because before you know, Christmas is right around the corner with more. The rest goes to work to our candy bowls for all to enjoy. But it is all for fun. Tracks are Christian ones. If one person reads it, it is a success. Because you just planted a seed. But all though for fun.

  • Alethea

    Thanks for your post. I agree with “minor on the minors, major on the majors, in all things LOVE”. I think a lot of things are what you make of them. Some people use it as an opportunity for good and glorifying God and having fun, and some use it for darkness and wickedness. As you said we must live according to our convictions. I don’t have a problem with dressing up and such for a laugh and for positive reasons that glorify our Father.

  • Tanya

    Thanks for the reminder of not to judge. My husband and I have 5 children and do not celebrate Halloween. We have a harvest party at church, or, like last night, the kids had a pajama pizza party and played games. I have heard both views on the “Christian” background of Halloween and of course, the fact that it is the “Devil’s Holiday”…whatever the true meaning behind it, we choose not to celebrate and keep our lights off and don’t dress up…a big reason why we choose not to participate is that it is so commercialized..like the Easter bunny and going to see “Santa Claus” and sit on his lap for a pic. We’re expected, as a society, to throw all of our hard-earned money into all of this stuff, just because everyone else is doing it, and/or it’s no big deal! Sorry, with 5 kids and costumes ranging from $10-$20 each, plus the price of candy…there’s no way I can AFFORD Halloween! So, to each his own, we just decide not to feed into the commercialization aspect of it!

  • Taylor

    I am commenting because I feel I need a safe place to share my opinion. Every year as halloween approaches I feel great sadness in my heart. My flesh and spirit are torn. I find myself in lots of prayer during this time and struggle to find peace in my heart about what to do again regarding this holiday. I remember my childhood and the fun I had dressing up and getting candy….and my heart breaks. Because on one hand yes, it is fun and harmless and why shouldn’t my kids participate – after all I did. And I cry, and I cry. I am torn. On the other hand and as the month lingers on, my sadness turns not quite anger but a real upsetness (if that can be a word). I look at the things people decorate their yards with….skeletons, gravestones, hands coming out of the yard….and this year I saw a guillotine. This is a glorification of death! What are we teaching our children? If the scales can be removed from our eyes what might we truly see? Why are we participating in this darkness? I can’t help it but this feels like spiritual warfare. And for me and my children, I just can’t do it. And I cry some more and I seek the Lord some more. I look at this stuff and think this is just not good. I show my children these things and ask them, what do you think about this? Do you understand what this is? And we have conversations. And I don’t want to judge, b/c we are all at different places in our walk with or without Jesus. I understand for some it is okay, I WANT it to be okay for my family too, but it just isn’t. And I feel ALONE. I feel like the jewish people feel at Christmas – God is teaching me compassion. I just wish our culture could be more respectful of others. I feel like every year halloween is shoved down my throat. From the happy meals at mcdonald’s to the ballet teacher going around the room asking what each of the girls will be for halloween – we just can’t escape it. So we are learning how to be different, and people ask us why and these open up conversations to talk about my faith (and I emphasize that this is not a christian thing or not – but a personal conviction) all the while we learn how to live in this world and still try to be light. But we also must understand that the world is watching us (Christians) and we need to bridge the divide in respecting each other’s choices between believers in celebrating halloween.

  • Kimberly

    Love your comments Lina! Eventually I might be a mature enough Christian to have an opinion about Halloween, but I do have a strong opinion about my relationship with Jesus! So, I looked at a kid about 10 or 11, with a self made tin-foil magnet at my door, with baby chicks pasted on it, and said, “hey, chick magnet, I think you are awesome and God thinks you are awesome!” he looked at me and smiled, probably thinking’hey lady, I think you are drunk.’ but he smiled….reminding me that my identity is in who Jesus says I am, and not the Mask I choose to wear.

  • Gina

    Honesty time.im a new believer. some of this seriously upset me. I understand everyone has something to say. crazy enough day.did something I didn’t know was in me to do it.God knew.still upset with what I saw. sorry Lina from going off your post.

  • Gina

    P.s. I followed a lady who was driving bad..called her info in. Police kept me on phone. He called me back to let me know. She has cancer and is chemotherapy.that’s why she was falling asleep behind the wheel.he thanked me.I didn’t do anything. I actually drove a different route to work.God did it.when I got home I called my mom and cried harder then I ever have.