So many have differing stances on Halloween. From "I won't participate in this demonic holiday...to church's having kids dress as bible characters and having a event...just curious where my SI friends stand.
Many will be against it, just a heads up for you :) I personally like candy along with watching my kiddos get dressed up in silly costumes. Then again I could always buy candy and put my kids in costumes any day of the week so yeah. *braces self for stones* ;P
I unfortunately for this threads sake I don't have a strong opinion on the topic.
This might surprise some folks... but my kids (even our older kids) enjoy costuming. Last year one of our teenage boys made himself up to look like a large order of McDonald's french fries. It was hysterical.
Our local homeschool association (which is a Christian organization) has homeschool kids dress up and go to the retirement homes and visit the elderly. Let me tell ya something, the elderly in those places LOVE the kids doing that. It brings a lot of smiles and joy to a bunch of people who lead rather dismal life in those places. We also visit them at Christmas time too (another hot button topic on this forum).
I think when it's done like that, and the kids are not encouraged to dress up as witches and such... who cares? But I also can understand why some folks have nothing to do with, and I think thats great! Dont participate.
Where both sides err is when they begin to judge the other side, and assume if you participate you're not a real Christian... or if you dont participate then you are "the weaker brother". We have no business doing that!
My kids are goofy... they put on costumes year round, not just on this date. Ahh, the glory of homeschooling! Our kids are actually encouraged to be "weird".
Krispy
Let's face it, which topic ISN'T a hot button topic on this forum?
Boy, aint that the truth! lol
Krispy
LOL Brother Krispy, my kids aren't homeschooled and I still encourage them to be "weird" Life's recipe sometimes requires a few nuts. You did give me a fine idea though I am going to talk to my wife and visiting the local nursing home she works at this evening. :)
as the Spirit leads me, i think "halloween" is the spiritual "canary in a coal mine" as to the state of this nation. halloween has grown HUGE, and it seems right to say, the whole thing is of the devil.
just look at the very costumes, skeletons, the walking dead, demons, its just madness, and thats for the wee ones. the adults are another story altogether. its a night of adult partying, where excess is the rule, a drink to you drop sort of thing.
there's three modern "holidays" that seem to fit this bill in america, new years eve, st patricks day (ROME!) and halloween, adults use these three holidays as license to party like "its 1999". just absolute craziness rules the night, and its all rather sad and dreary to me, i can only imagine how God views it all.
granted some pastors and churches, hold "harvest parties" as an alternative outreach, and though i personally wouldnt construct such, my first mentor and the church where i came to know Jesus, used to hold these, and i "worked" them. i did this, because Godly leadership thought it was right to do, and in such matters, i remain submissive to leadership. i dont know how much fruit was obtained for Messiah, but God does.
personally, i believe they are a waste of time, kids just want candy, there's a pro forma unveiling of Jesus and the witness of the saints, a bike is given out, there's a bouncy room rented, so the wee ones can play, and then there's the clean up.
in everything, where i feel led, that its not "kosher", i just ignore it, just like this halloween. i ignore it. its of the devil, its his little show, he's a dead man walking, his day is drawing near, and thats an end of it.
i mean in some towns, you see these pitiful storefronts that read "psychic fortunetelling!!" "tarot cards read!"....so do you heave a brick thru the window?...no, you ignore it, its not of Jesus.
Jesus will return, and That is my focus.
neil
...Neil?
Krispy
Steven?.....yes, its me neil......laugh with me, xo
I find it repulsive for anyone to dress up looking like it is demonically inspired. This is not limited to Halloween although it seems to be worse then.
To dress up looking like witches...ah, cannot image the apostles children being allowed doing this, can you?
I think it looks like fun when people do take a pagan day and work to salvage it for something edifying to the LORD and to fellow men.
My opinion..
QUOTE:
"kids just want candy"
I suppose for many children this is the heart of their 'trick or treating'. Since we live in town we could always expect a group to come around. We would answer the door after they knocked and kindly tell them we do not celebrate Halloween but if they want candy to come back another day and we would give them some. So far nobody has taken us up on the offer. I have heard of some giving out Christian lit with the candy. Sounds like a good idea, actually, and I never remember to do this until someone brings up the idea which is after the event.
When you no longer have children living at home we seniors become oblivious to some of these advents until reminded by others.
Well it's here to stay, probably just because most Christians condemn it, like a lot of others things in life we have to deal with. All my children and grand children did the Halloween thing in their younger years, and now their all in the Church, go figure. I guess it were the heart is that really matters on our directions in life. Since there are Gay Pastors now and Pastors condoning gay marriage, "WE" the Church have been stereotyped by the world, and technically it's our fault for letting this happen. Some Christians take a stronger stance on Halloween, than Gay Pastors in the church. The world has been out of control, and the Church is not far behind unless some mighty army of Christians wake up, and say enough is enough and do a little protesting of our own outside these Churches. It's one thing to read about the Gay pastors in the Churches, but it's another when 50,000 God fearing, Praying Christians our outside of that Church "showing" God how much we hate this and don't agree with it,take some physical action, and not just on your keyboards.
For the first time this Halloween I will be giving Gospel tracts with candy taped to them. I think the "holiday" is demonic but then again, how often do you have droves of kids at your door willing to take anything you've got to give them including Gospel tracts?
Steven?.....yes, its me neil......laugh with me, xo
Dude, I always laugh at you... er, I mean with you!!
Krispy
Ginny... when did anyone say they encourage their kids to dress up like witches?
I said my kids dress up kinda goofy... like a large order of McDonald's french fries. Heck, he'd do that any time of year!
I dress up as *gasp*... Santa once or twice in December. Altho these days I am a skinny Santa!
Krispy
QUOTE:
"Ginny... when did anyone say they encourage their kids to dress up like witches?"
Krispy, I did not say anyone here on SI dresses their children up like witches. My comment about witches was in regard to what is done in prevailing culture.
ginnyrose
Ohhh... ok, well I agree, of course.
Krispy
I dont like the day either but I am going to use it to share Jesus with anyone who comes to my door. I am creating tracts to hand out with a piece of candy and loving on them with the love of Jesus who God brings to my home.
The Church I am attending is having a fun gathering at Church for the whole town to come by and get a chic tract and candy and some of the adults are dressing up in frontier style clothes. This is the most awesome godly Church I have ever attended.
Not missing an opportunity to share Jesus with the community. They love Jesus & their neighbor as themselves.
Just a note on the religious spirit.
I am in Oklahoma right now and a young woman was sharing with me, she is not born again, about some things that have happened here.
One is there is the mailman, he is the grumpiest and even mean at times to my step-dad, 93. He didnt stand the outgoing mail in just the position to suit the mailman. No one knew he liked it in such a way. So he, very disrespectfully, chewed my dad out. Not just a bad day, he has been the same for years. Now, I find out the same man asked this young woman one day "do you ever read your Bible"? In a very demeaning tone.
Then there is the John Deer retailer who is friends with my Dad due to him purchasing equipment from him. Well, he makes horrible sensual comments to this young woman and the next thing is he has been hounding her to go to Church with him. And there is the neighbor who has been so hateful and then one day I see a sign out front her yard saying "Revival" at her Church everyone invited. It has been 3 years since that sign was put out and she is still the same mean person.
Now what would make a person want to read the Bible when a person with a mean spirit asks with a demeaning spirit? Who would want to go to Church with a person who is so disgusting even a non believer is appalled. No one!
That religious spirit is a bad spirit and deceives people into thinking they are doing something good for God.
It is people who have the fruit of the spirit and walking in the spirit that God uses to draw people to Him. The Pastor where I am going to Church is a man of God like that. There are signs and wonders that follow Him and he walks in the spirit of love in the Spirit of Jesus.
Yes, I do pray for them as it is God's desire that we all be set free from anything that does not radiate Him.
My point is, anyone can say they are Christians but not everyone is producing the fruit of the spirit and hurting people more than they know. God help all.
Might be a time to have a talk with God and see if we are reflecting our Savior. I know I look back and there are times I am very ashamed of my reactions etc. Yes, I am forgiven. PTL But what about the people I may have turned against the Lord. I do what I can to fix it. If it is asking them to please forgive me or if I cant - I pray for them.
Let's all be honest and please get with the Lord and ask Him to create in us a clean heart and shine upon areas where we need adjusting. I know I have not arrived and ask Him all the time to work in me and show me. He has always been very loving to do so.
God bless us all with His heart. More of Jesus and less of me.
Amen,
Sheri
PS G.R. if you turn off your porch light most of the time no one will come to your door. Or hand out tracts and a piece of candy. Just a suggestion in love.
The Church I am attending is having a fun gathering at Church for the whole town to come by and get a chic tract and candy and some of the adults are dressing up in frontier style clothes. This is the most awesome godly Church I have ever attended.
I took our younger boys to a 1st Baptist church last night... they wanted to go because they are both "bounce house" enthusiasts. So I took them. I would dare say easily 1,500 people came thru there.
They had the whole "trunk & treat", music that was too loud (boy am I getting old!), 4 bounce houses, hotdogs and drinks, etc. Nice family event.
NOT ONE WORD OR TRACT ABOUT THE GOSPEL! NOTHING...
But they sure promoted their Upward Basketball program! Lots of pressure to sign your kids up for that. Even brochures... 3 different ones for Upward Basketball! Everytime I turned around someone from the church was hitting me up to sign my kids up for basketball.
What an opportunity LOST by this church!!
Worse than that... when I got home I wrote about this experience and my disappointment in this church on Facebook. An atheist friend of mine commented back politely, but said "hey, c'mon... it's a safe alternative for the kiddies... lighten up." ....and 7 of my Christian friends agreed with him... AN ATHEIST!!
An eye opener indeed.
Krispy
I dont know if you guys here on SI have heard about a thing called judgement house. there are a few churchs here in east TN that do it around halloween. its a play kinda deal where they give different senarios about death and where you go after. heaven or hell. I attended one this year just to check it out it was good. several people got saved in my group. praise Jesus! and there was lots of tears. its set up so people will come because its scary like a haunted house but its not hell is just that scary for real. anyway i thought i would share this with you.
luke
praise Jesus
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