Hollowed Halloween
I went trick or treating when I was a kid, and even as a teenager. I was in it for the candy and maybe the costume (if I had come up with a really good one) and for the scare factor. But that was it; it wasn't like I couldn't wait for Halloween. It was a day like most any other, and could take it or leave it. My folks seemed to tolerate the day and weren't really into it, except that one year my dad hid in the bushes and jumped out at some trick or treaters.
Halloween fell off my radar until I had kids of my own. It was fun to find cute little costumes and parade them around the neighborhood, collecting candy that they either couldn't eat or couldn't keep track of, allowing me to indulge. The kids enjoyed it, but it wasn't that big of a deal.
But after a few years, it just didn't feel right. Maybe because decorations and costumes became markedly darker. Maybe I was changing. I'm not sure, but one year, we decided to just hand out some candy but not take the kids trick or treating. The next year, we were invited to a Reformation party on that night, so we weren't even home. And then, we just stopped participating in the day in any way. No big pronouncement or throwing away all items pertaining to the day (not that I had that much anyway). We asked some friends and searched the Bible, and decided that we were not going to observe the day any more.
At this point in my life, I am pretty sure that participating is most likely unbiblical, but I am not willing to beat someone over the head with Bible verses to make my case. At the least, it's not beneficial, even if it is lawful. And at the worst, well, it's pretty wicked. I suppose it's all in your motivation and how you approach the day that matters, using the day as a way to witness to your neighbors and friends. But I prefer to err on the side of caution, and use other holidays to do that (Christmas, Valentine's Day, St Patrick's Day, Thanksgiving, Easter come to mind). And as for motivation, I can't help but wonder if underneath the desire to witness to the world, or shine a light in a dark place, is a desire to fit in and not let the kids feel left out or weird. I know I felt those things. For a time, I felt that maybe I could use the day to witness to the dark world, and redeem the day. But by doing so, I had tacitly admitted that the day is somehow wicked and in need of redemption. And if that is the case, then why why was I allowing the kids to participate?
That kind of logic could be dangerous. Taken to its conclusion, one could argue for participating in all sorts of ungodliness and sinful activities in order to redeem them and to witness for Christ. Where do you draw the line? How far do you go?
I know, most folks only allow their kids to dress up in "nice" and not scary costumes. and they don't go all out with the dead bodies and severed heads and caskets strewn all over their front lawn. But a lot of folks do go all out with the darkness and death for the day in disturbing ways. Do we really want to associate with that? Do we have to?
I say no, we should not. We need not. There are countless other ways to shine a light in dark places, to witness to our neighbors and friends, to be in the world but not of it. It's OK to be different. Talk about the Reformation, talk about All Saints' Day, talk about Halloween and how it has evolved over the years. You may not come to the same conclusion I did; you may come to the same conclusion but for different reasons. And either way, it's your decision.
Sadly, this day has caused much division among believers, with folks on both sides slinging Bible verses and calling into question the oppositions' very salvation. And some days, I could be on either side! But I come back to how Satan works: he plants doubt (did God really say you should have nothing to do with evil?) then he lies (you aren't really a part of all that wicked stuff just because you let the kids trick or treat) and then he makes promises (you will fit in and the neighbors will love you).
And that's why I keep a safe distance.
Keep the day as you see fit. There is much to celebrate during this beautiful time of year. We keep it with a fun dinner, a movie and popcorn for the entire family, and yes, some candy. What can I say? Some habits die hard.
Halloween fell off my radar until I had kids of my own. It was fun to find cute little costumes and parade them around the neighborhood, collecting candy that they either couldn't eat or couldn't keep track of, allowing me to indulge. The kids enjoyed it, but it wasn't that big of a deal.
But after a few years, it just didn't feel right. Maybe because decorations and costumes became markedly darker. Maybe I was changing. I'm not sure, but one year, we decided to just hand out some candy but not take the kids trick or treating. The next year, we were invited to a Reformation party on that night, so we weren't even home. And then, we just stopped participating in the day in any way. No big pronouncement or throwing away all items pertaining to the day (not that I had that much anyway). We asked some friends and searched the Bible, and decided that we were not going to observe the day any more.
At this point in my life, I am pretty sure that participating is most likely unbiblical, but I am not willing to beat someone over the head with Bible verses to make my case. At the least, it's not beneficial, even if it is lawful. And at the worst, well, it's pretty wicked. I suppose it's all in your motivation and how you approach the day that matters, using the day as a way to witness to your neighbors and friends. But I prefer to err on the side of caution, and use other holidays to do that (Christmas, Valentine's Day, St Patrick's Day, Thanksgiving, Easter come to mind). And as for motivation, I can't help but wonder if underneath the desire to witness to the world, or shine a light in a dark place, is a desire to fit in and not let the kids feel left out or weird. I know I felt those things. For a time, I felt that maybe I could use the day to witness to the dark world, and redeem the day. But by doing so, I had tacitly admitted that the day is somehow wicked and in need of redemption. And if that is the case, then why why was I allowing the kids to participate?
That kind of logic could be dangerous. Taken to its conclusion, one could argue for participating in all sorts of ungodliness and sinful activities in order to redeem them and to witness for Christ. Where do you draw the line? How far do you go?
I know, most folks only allow their kids to dress up in "nice" and not scary costumes. and they don't go all out with the dead bodies and severed heads and caskets strewn all over their front lawn. But a lot of folks do go all out with the darkness and death for the day in disturbing ways. Do we really want to associate with that? Do we have to?
I say no, we should not. We need not. There are countless other ways to shine a light in dark places, to witness to our neighbors and friends, to be in the world but not of it. It's OK to be different. Talk about the Reformation, talk about All Saints' Day, talk about Halloween and how it has evolved over the years. You may not come to the same conclusion I did; you may come to the same conclusion but for different reasons. And either way, it's your decision.
Sadly, this day has caused much division among believers, with folks on both sides slinging Bible verses and calling into question the oppositions' very salvation. And some days, I could be on either side! But I come back to how Satan works: he plants doubt (did God really say you should have nothing to do with evil?) then he lies (you aren't really a part of all that wicked stuff just because you let the kids trick or treat) and then he makes promises (you will fit in and the neighbors will love you).
And that's why I keep a safe distance.
Keep the day as you see fit. There is much to celebrate during this beautiful time of year. We keep it with a fun dinner, a movie and popcorn for the entire family, and yes, some candy. What can I say? Some habits die hard.
Comments
Post a Comment