This Sunday, the pastor of the church that I attend gave us the following information on Halloween. And with Halloween just around the corner, I thought that I would share this with as many people as possible. Please take a look, and I pray that your eyes will be opened to this truth.
HALLOWEEN ... Harmless or Hazardous?
You Decide!
THE CELTS settled in Europe and were involved in the occult (worshipping nature and supernatural spirits). One of their festivals was called Samhain (October 31). This was the official end of summer, when the herds returned from the pasture. THE ANCIENT DRUIDS (the Celtic priests) believed in reincarnation (people being reborn as animals). On October 31, they believed that Samhain, the Lord of Death, gathered the souls of the evil dead and condemned them to enter the bodies of animals. They also believed that the punishment of the evil dead could be lessened by offering sacrifices, prayers and gifts to Samhain on behalf of their loved ones. On the night before the dead were given new bodies, Samhain allowed their spirits to return to the places they used to live. This terrified the people who would build huge bonfires, to "frighten away the evil spirits."
ON THIS NIGHT evil or frustrated spirits would bring harm to some houses ("tricks"). At other houses, food was left out to welcome the returning good spirits. Because there was so much "interaction" with the "spirit realm," this day became the most favored time for spells and séances.
CATHOLIC TRADITIONS ... In the Middle Ages, the Catholic Church attempted to stop the demonic festival by making November 1, All Saints' Day. But they then adopted the practice of praying for their dead on the night before. In the late 1800's, it was customary for English Catholics to assemble at midnight on "Halloweve" (a shortened version of "All Hallowed Saints Eve") to pray for the souls of their dead friends. They would take special bread called "souls" to the cemeteries, place it on the graves of their dead and then eat the cakes. It was thought that these "soul cakes" would protect them from trouble that the returning ghosts might inflict upon them. Lighted candles were also placed on graves and in windows to guide the dead back home.
MODERN TRADITIONS ... Halloween (formerly "Halloweve") was never practiced by early Americans. It was not widely observed until the 1900's, when it was introduced by the Irish Catholic settlements back East. Today, Halloween has for most people become a social event, which mixes candy with what they suppose are harmless witchcraft and satanic symbols. It has become a "crossover" where innocent games can lead to serious encounters with real Witches, Satanists and other Occultists. While kids are playing around with Ouija boards, attempting to contact make believe ghosts or spirits there are very real séances being conducted up the street. The United States may have the fastest growing body of Satanists and Witches in the world. Interest in the Occult is at an all-time high. Games like the Ouija board are becoming popular but are a very real "doorway" into making contact, not with ghosts, but demonic spirits, who desire to hurt you. WITCHCRAFT is the most common theme of Halloween. You can hardly keep up with the amount of TV shows & movies with "Witchcraft" as their theme. Never has there been such an obsession with witchcraft as we are seeing in our day and age. The current craze among children and teens who are fascinated with witchcraft is frightening! Witches and Neo-Pagans are being painted as harmless "earth lovers". Wicca or "white witchcraft" is being sold as harmless fun. There is a famous quoet, "When you eat dinner with the Devil, you'd better bring a very long fork." Halloween practices open the door to the occult and can introduce demonic forces into people's lives. There is genuine demonic power in the occult, and it can destroy you.
Here are some things to consider about Halloween:
1. It is a sacred unholy day for Witches and Satanists, and throughout history has centered on witchcraft.
2. Human sacrifice was and is offered on this day, while people are bobbing for apples and eating candy.
3. It encourages playing around with the occult and increases interest in Satanic elements.
4. It supports, encourages and joins in pagan practices.
5. Probably no Halloween activity or symbol can be found that does not go back to paganism.
6. Christians participating in Halloween, may in fact be a ploy of the Devil to mock God.
Let no one be found among you who sacrifices his son or daughter in the fire, who practices divination or sorcery, interprets omens, engages in witchcraft, or casts spells or who is a medium or spiritist or who consults the dead. Anyone who does these things is detestable to the Lord, and because of these detestable practices the Lord your God will drive out those nations before you. You must be blameless before the Lord your God. Deuteronomy 18:10-13 (NIV)
Hate what is evil, cling to what is good. Romans 12:9 (NIV)
Abstain from all appearance of evil. 1 Thessalonians 5:22 (KJV)
And this is just the tip of the iceberg. It gets worse! Please read the information that the following website provides:
http://home.computer.net/~cya/cy00061.html
This is not meant to offend anyone, but to wake people up to the truth. We may live in modern times, where anything and everything is accepted. But that doesn't mean that anything and everything should be accepted, or that all things are good. Satan is very real. He hates God and he loathes human beings, because we were made in God's image. And because of this intense hatred, he will do everything in his power to deceive God's creation and destroy us. And Satan gladly uses pagan practices to lure people away from God and into his snare.
Fortunately, God provided us with a way out.
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son. (John 3:16-18)
God loves us all so much that He sent us His beloved Son, Jesus Christ, who suffered a horrible death on the cross and rose again three days later, all so we may have a chance at obtaining eternal life. Life here on Earth is temporary, and you have a choice: you can either choose to repent and accept Jesus as Lord and Savior of your life, or you can face the consequences of your sins, which is death. The decision is yours.