Halloween is for the Bats!

"All of today's seemingly innocent Halloween customs and symbols have their origins in the ancient Celtic day of the dead. For example, the practice of 'trick or treat' is from Celtic traditions where people gave food in return for blessings from spirits of the dead. Failure to supply treats would result in demonic retaliation. Jack 'O' Lanterns grew out of the Celtic traditions of carving the faces of demonic spirits on turnips and later on pumpkins. The World Book Encyclopedia says the apparently harmless likeness of a pumpkin face on a Jack 'O' Lantern is actually an ancient symbol of a damned soul. Candlelit pumpkins or skulls at a home signifies the occupants were sympathetic to safety and would therefore receive mercy by spirits and 'trick or treaters' on their halloween runs.

Perhaps the most sickening of all druidic practices were the human sacrifices that occurred at midnight. Adults and children alike would be thrown into huge fires while the celebrants danced in demonic fits of abandon. At mornings' light only ashes and bones would remain. These were called 'bone fires', which is where we get the tradition of 'bon fires' today.

The druids believed that black cats were reincarnations of the evil dead and were possessed with super-natural power and knowledge. Bobbing for apples was part of the druidistic new year sexual divination ceremony of fertility. The broom stick and witches' hats were originally considered phallic symbols. When used in the rituals of witchcraft those objects supposedly transferred sexual energy released during orgasms into psychic energy. By understanding the pagan origins of halloween, we can no longer claim ignorance.(1)"

"One of the biggest promoters of halloween is the public school system. School sponsored halloween activities often include dances, costume contests and arts & crafts projects. Education officials admit that more effort is usually put into the celebration of halloween than any other holiday including Christmas and Easter.

"For many entrepreneurs halloween is big business, a major promotional event used to bring in billions of dollars worth of revenue. One well-known department store will sell more than 1/2 billion dollars worth of halloween [junk] this year, that doesn't include revenue from the sales of trick or treat candy. Costume shops can stay in business year round as the result of tremendous sales and rentals they receive during the halloween rush. Farmers also view halloween with the eye towards making big profits. Pumpkins are a traditional halloween accessory used by households nationwide as Jack 'O' Lantern decorations. One southern California field with 164 acres will yield nearly a quarter of a million dollars to its owner.

"Halloween is a major marketing opportunity for video producers.. Horror videos... account for nearly 20% of all the revenue received by feature film producers and distributors."(2)

Over and over it has been shown that what we watch, feed on affects us and we tend to act it out. The word says, "[F]or as he thinketh in his heart, so is he.." Proverbs 23:7. Jesus said, "A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth evil things" Matt. 12:35. In computer language that's "Garbage in, garbage out."

Historic roots:
"Most of halloween customs are the reminder of pagan superstitions in relation to salein, 'the Druidic new year'. The Druids were the influential priests, magicians, and sorcerers of the nature religions that prevailed in early northern Europe. This belief permeated Celtic culture for about 2,000 years until the introduction of Christianity. Today a revival of the practices of Druidism along with various forms of witchcraft are sweeping across Europe and North America.

"Halloween is often confused as a Christian holiday because of its association with Christian "All Saint's day", or the Eve of St. Hallow's "All Soul's Day." The original Christian celebration use to be celebrated in May and was intended to honor those Christians who died for their faith. By the 9th. century, the influential Roman Catholic Church changed the holiday to November and the Protestant Church soon followed. Today, a thin veil attempts to disguise an ancient pagan festival of the dead, which has become, not only its secular observance but notorious as the most famous holy day for witches, sorcerers, and devil worshippers."(3)

In America, the founding fathers forbade Halloween. It was not celebrated until the 1900's when Irish immigrants brought it over. Something once forbidden has now become part of our culture. (4)

It's sad but true. Think about all the kids who have eaten candy with needles, razor blades, and other junk in them. Witches put evil spirits in the candy they give out hoping that the child will be affected. Do you really think that Halloween has anything to offer except fear, hate, confusion, and big time money to the stores who are taking advantage of your ignorance.

God says that his people are destroyed for lack of knowledge (Check Hosea 4:6) and to the world that don't know him, he says, "Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest" (Matt. 11:28). The word says, "But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:" He died for sinners and death didn't hold him, He is alive and in the world today. Come to Jesus, He is the answer to this life's problems and the door to the next life at its best.

(1) Halloween, Trick or Treat- The Pagan Invasion, Vol. 1; Jeremiah Films
(2) Ibid.
(3) Ibid.
(4) Halloween: Tis the season to be evil...- William J. Schnoebelen

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