Some Thoughts....
I won't be able to sleep without at least typing all this, even if I decide not to post it just yet, so here goes...
I'm not looking to start an argument, or even a discussion. So if you still disagree when you get to the end, that's fine. But please don't make nasty comments or try to change my mind, because you won't. Just like I am well aware that this blog won't likely change yours. That's the job of the Holy Spirit.
Lately there's been a lot of comments and statuses and blogs written about the big H word. Should Christians participate or not? Is it really a big deal? And everyone seems to have an opinion. I am no different. I just happen to come down on the opposite side of most of my friends, family, and the general population. And I'm ok with that. In fact, I'm rather used to it. But I have some thoughts I'd like to share anyway, beyond the standard arguments against Halloween (most of which I agree with, by the way) that are new thoughts for me in my discussions and ponderings recently. I'd like to think these thoughts come from the Lord, but maybe they're not. Anyway, I will try and keep my passionate rantings to a minimum here!
1. If you want some good Biblical support for not participating in HW (I don't feel like typing Halloween a hundred times!), you can read this article: http://www.prophezine.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=676%3A10-reasons-i-kissed-halloween-goodbye&catid=41%3Atop-headlines She's already written a very well thought-out and researched article, so I don't feel the need to repeat or rewrite any of it.
2. http://troublefacemom.com/2012/10/31/on-halloween/ This blog has been popping up on my newsfeed this week. I don't entirely agree, but I don't entirely disagree. I don't agree that we can say "I know HW is evil and bad and yucky, but we just don't participate in those parts." Folks, that argument screams hypocrisy!! Maybe not in the way most people like to pin that word on Christians, but by definition, it's hypocritical to say you don't believe in or agree with something but you're going to do it anyway!! Which is exactly what this writer says. Let me put it to you this way. If someone baked a big tray of your favorite brownies (cupcakes, pie, cheesecake, or whatever dessert strikes your fancy) but they put a big layer of poop on the bottom of the pan, would you eat the brownies??? Would you say, "Well, I know the bottom is nasty, but I'll just eat the top and everything will be fine."??? Don't you think that saying HW is evil, but you're only in it for the candy is pretty much the same thing? In the Old Testament are numerous laws about what makes things clean or unclean. It's quite clear that if something defiled touches something clean, the clean thing becomes defiled. But it doesn't seem to work the other way around. So how can one say that participating in something not honoring to God won't in some way defile them? Probably the same way you would say you could eat just the top of the poopy brownies and not eat any poop.
Now, I do agree with this writer in the sense that we should be showing the love of Christ to our neighbors. However, I don't think that means we need to celebrate HW in order to do so. If we are out in our neighborhoods, being kind, helping those in need, and getting to know people all year long, then our love for them and for the Lord should be evident already. And if that's the case, chances are pretty good that they will actually respect us for not sending our kids trick-or-treating or passing out candy to kids that do. If we live out our faith the other 364 days of the year, people will be hard-pressed to judge us for taking a stand against something we've already established does nothing to honor the God we say we serve. And for the record, Jesus did not have to join in any sinful activity in order to reach sinners. And He doesn't tell us to either.
3. In continuing the previous line of thought, if we are truly living out our faith, in true holiness and reverence for God, people should not expect us to celebrate HW. By that I mean, they should expect us not to. After all, no one expects Muslims, Hindus, or Jewish people to celebrate Christmas or Easter. Why not? Because the foundation of those holidays have nothing to do with those faiths. Halloween has nothing to do with faith in Christ. Nothing. It has everything to do with Christ's enemy. So by celebrating it, in whatever "harmless" form people may choose, isn't that sending a message that is at best confusing, and at worst hypocritical?? Confusing because it's saying, again, "We know it's really about evil, death, and the devil, but it's ok because we don't believe in that stuff." So does that mean that people can love and serve the Lord but participate in all other manner of sinful things, but it's ok as long as you don't really believe in it?? How is anyone supposed to know what's right and wrong when we are sending such mixed message? And we've already covered the hypocritical aspect. It seems to me that celebrating HW is actually more hypocritical then, than having a conviction that something is wrong and refusing to participate even when everyone else is. If a Muslim, a devout one who truly tries to follow their faith, put up a Christmas tree and handed out gifts (because there's nothing wrong with giving gifts), would you respect their faith as genuine? Not likely. If a Hindu person gave their kids Easter baskets (because it's just candy!), would you think they were really devoted to their gods? I doubt it. And yet, many genuinely-loving-the-Lord Christians are going to dress up their kiddos and take them out to participate in a completely worldly event that at its core is ugly and wicked. Sorry, but I just can't make that work in my brain or in my heart.
4. The fact that it's such a hot-button topic ought to make us think there's more involved here than just costumes and candy. I mean, isn't one of the devil's goals to divide believers? If we are divided against each other, then we aren't united against him. That makes us weak and ineffective. And the very fact that people who choose to participate get so defensive about their choice makes me think that deep down, they know they really shouldn't be doing it but don't want to admit it. I know I get that way when I know I'm wrong! To be quite honest, I don't feel I need to defend my choice not to participate. I hope that's not how any of this has sounded. Like I said, these are my thoughts on the matter. And if you still disagree, it's ok; we can still be friends. :) But I hope you will at least consider it, and pray about it. Thanks for reading!
I'm not looking to start an argument, or even a discussion. So if you still disagree when you get to the end, that's fine. But please don't make nasty comments or try to change my mind, because you won't. Just like I am well aware that this blog won't likely change yours. That's the job of the Holy Spirit.
Lately there's been a lot of comments and statuses and blogs written about the big H word. Should Christians participate or not? Is it really a big deal? And everyone seems to have an opinion. I am no different. I just happen to come down on the opposite side of most of my friends, family, and the general population. And I'm ok with that. In fact, I'm rather used to it. But I have some thoughts I'd like to share anyway, beyond the standard arguments against Halloween (most of which I agree with, by the way) that are new thoughts for me in my discussions and ponderings recently. I'd like to think these thoughts come from the Lord, but maybe they're not. Anyway, I will try and keep my passionate rantings to a minimum here!
1. If you want some good Biblical support for not participating in HW (I don't feel like typing Halloween a hundred times!), you can read this article: http://www.prophezine.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=676%3A10-reasons-i-kissed-halloween-goodbye&catid=41%3Atop-headlines She's already written a very well thought-out and researched article, so I don't feel the need to repeat or rewrite any of it.
2. http://troublefacemom.com/2012/10/31/on-halloween/ This blog has been popping up on my newsfeed this week. I don't entirely agree, but I don't entirely disagree. I don't agree that we can say "I know HW is evil and bad and yucky, but we just don't participate in those parts." Folks, that argument screams hypocrisy!! Maybe not in the way most people like to pin that word on Christians, but by definition, it's hypocritical to say you don't believe in or agree with something but you're going to do it anyway!! Which is exactly what this writer says. Let me put it to you this way. If someone baked a big tray of your favorite brownies (cupcakes, pie, cheesecake, or whatever dessert strikes your fancy) but they put a big layer of poop on the bottom of the pan, would you eat the brownies??? Would you say, "Well, I know the bottom is nasty, but I'll just eat the top and everything will be fine."??? Don't you think that saying HW is evil, but you're only in it for the candy is pretty much the same thing? In the Old Testament are numerous laws about what makes things clean or unclean. It's quite clear that if something defiled touches something clean, the clean thing becomes defiled. But it doesn't seem to work the other way around. So how can one say that participating in something not honoring to God won't in some way defile them? Probably the same way you would say you could eat just the top of the poopy brownies and not eat any poop.
Now, I do agree with this writer in the sense that we should be showing the love of Christ to our neighbors. However, I don't think that means we need to celebrate HW in order to do so. If we are out in our neighborhoods, being kind, helping those in need, and getting to know people all year long, then our love for them and for the Lord should be evident already. And if that's the case, chances are pretty good that they will actually respect us for not sending our kids trick-or-treating or passing out candy to kids that do. If we live out our faith the other 364 days of the year, people will be hard-pressed to judge us for taking a stand against something we've already established does nothing to honor the God we say we serve. And for the record, Jesus did not have to join in any sinful activity in order to reach sinners. And He doesn't tell us to either.
3. In continuing the previous line of thought, if we are truly living out our faith, in true holiness and reverence for God, people should not expect us to celebrate HW. By that I mean, they should expect us not to. After all, no one expects Muslims, Hindus, or Jewish people to celebrate Christmas or Easter. Why not? Because the foundation of those holidays have nothing to do with those faiths. Halloween has nothing to do with faith in Christ. Nothing. It has everything to do with Christ's enemy. So by celebrating it, in whatever "harmless" form people may choose, isn't that sending a message that is at best confusing, and at worst hypocritical?? Confusing because it's saying, again, "We know it's really about evil, death, and the devil, but it's ok because we don't believe in that stuff." So does that mean that people can love and serve the Lord but participate in all other manner of sinful things, but it's ok as long as you don't really believe in it?? How is anyone supposed to know what's right and wrong when we are sending such mixed message? And we've already covered the hypocritical aspect. It seems to me that celebrating HW is actually more hypocritical then, than having a conviction that something is wrong and refusing to participate even when everyone else is. If a Muslim, a devout one who truly tries to follow their faith, put up a Christmas tree and handed out gifts (because there's nothing wrong with giving gifts), would you respect their faith as genuine? Not likely. If a Hindu person gave their kids Easter baskets (because it's just candy!), would you think they were really devoted to their gods? I doubt it. And yet, many genuinely-loving-the-Lord Christians are going to dress up their kiddos and take them out to participate in a completely worldly event that at its core is ugly and wicked. Sorry, but I just can't make that work in my brain or in my heart.
4. The fact that it's such a hot-button topic ought to make us think there's more involved here than just costumes and candy. I mean, isn't one of the devil's goals to divide believers? If we are divided against each other, then we aren't united against him. That makes us weak and ineffective. And the very fact that people who choose to participate get so defensive about their choice makes me think that deep down, they know they really shouldn't be doing it but don't want to admit it. I know I get that way when I know I'm wrong! To be quite honest, I don't feel I need to defend my choice not to participate. I hope that's not how any of this has sounded. Like I said, these are my thoughts on the matter. And if you still disagree, it's ok; we can still be friends. :) But I hope you will at least consider it, and pray about it. Thanks for reading!
Agree 100%! Blessings! Thought we were aliens and all alone in this mindset. Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDelete