Halloween and Jesus? October 23
Brian LaLonde here… I’ll bet some of you didn’t know that I’m teaching this term? Yep, I have a class of college students going through “Christian Foundations 1 - Christian Maturity”. We’re having a good time at it - well, at least I’m having a good time challenging them to think.
Right now we’re studying Obstacles to our Walk as Disciples. In light of our studies, and in light of the time of year, I’d like to propose a question to these students:
Are these two articles compatible with each other on the question,
“Should Christians be watching horror movies?”
Commentaries: The Horrors! - on Christianity Today Movies www.christianitytoday.com/movies/commentaries/horrors.html
Halloween’s Occult Connection - An extensive study of the roots of Halloween. www.believersweb.org/view.cfm?ID=614
Each student should post some comment here:
- to show that you read the articles
- to participate in any discussion/debate with your classmates
Enjoy! and Happy Halloween!
Alexandra Grimm Oct 24
To some degree the two essays are compatible, but only as far as they both are about acknowledging evil and deciding how to best confront it. The horror movie essay said that if you wish to, watching horror movies is an enlightening experience. They show evil for what it truly is and isn’t. On the other hand the study into the roots of Halloween pointed out that the holiday is completely unchristian and it should be confronted by not allowing ourselves as the body of christ to be drawn into the works of the devil, because that is giving him power over us that we really don’t want him to have.
Brian LaLonde Oct 24
Thanks Lexie! You’re the first comment! I’m still processing the anti-halloween article… but I know my favorite comments so far are “beneath Halloween’s candy coating…” and “Dig beneath the candy.”
Vince Richardson Oct 30
The first article was more extensive on the way to face watching horror movies. If it is for pure enjoyment, it is not worth sacrificing our moral character. However, if watching these types of movies can help us better understand the forces of evil in the world and methods to defeat them, there is a purpose in it. The anti-Halloween article went deep into the practices of the Druids in history as a Satanic Holiday. It was once made as a sacrifice day for those worshipping the sun god, Saman. To contrast All Saint’s Day (All Hallow’s Day) the Satanists came up with the concept of the Devils Day basically. Celebrating practices such as costume dressing, trick or treat, or making jack o’ lanterns may seem harmless but really go back to brutal Druid practices. Both articles reveal the evil in these concepts and encourage the use of these only for the glorification of God. They offer alternatives to celebrate and try to “not overcome evil with evil, but overcome evil with good.” (Romans 12:21)
Steph Nov 5
I didn’t read the entire Halloween article but I did read some of it, and I don’t agree with all of it. Yes, the roots of Halloween may be evil, but the Halloween of today is (for most people) simply fun and candy, totally commercialized for most of the population. I’ve been dressing up and trick-or-treating at Halloween since before I can remember, but just that - costumes and candy. You don’t have to belive in and worship a holiday to take part in the commercial fun of it. Christians trick-or-treating on Halloween just for the fun and free candy is not evil. Maybe some people do take part in witchcraft and demonic practices, but that is their bad and has nothing to do with me dressing up like a character from a movie. Anyway that’s my take on it.
I read the movie one last week so I don’t remember much of it but just for the record I don’t go for “horror” movies as much as suspense, more creepy than horror. But I like comedies and musicals better
Laura Pressprich Nov 5
The two articles were interesting reads on the various aspects of Halloween and horror… but that’s about all they had in common.
I felt that the first article, about horror movies, was quite interesting in that it encouraged an awareness of the evil that our world is subject to. Like Vince said, if we watch horror films to gain a better understanding of the evil spirits present and learn how to better counteract their works, the watching films can be benifical. However, it seems that our society has become preverted from a fascination with those spirits, as mentioned in the Halloween article. It is important to remember that while evil spirits do exist and want nothing more than our destruction, we, as Christians, belong to One who are infinitely more powerful. We should not allow ourselves to become overly fearful or anxious through investigations of the evil one.
“I have told you this so that you might have peace in me. In the world you will have trouble, but take courage, I have conquered the world.” John 16:33
Gabriel Young Nov 6
I read all of the both articles. When it comes to horror movies. I think we should watch them, not to be terrified, but to see and realize the forces we are called to battle against. Yes horror movies are evil. That is why I don’t like seeing them. My next comment will be of halloween.
Halloween is the Devil’s day. It’s the day where Satan takes adavange to extend his kingdom. Since he knows we are weak and he is way more intelligant than us. he also knows that we prefer watching TV than going to church, or listen to any other type of music except Christian music in our daily lives. He also uses this day to use peer pressure not only to the children, but to the parents too. How you may ask? Well every time you go out and celebrate it, you are falling to his trap. He tells the parents is ok, it’s just pretending or its just people in costumes. The only difference is that the parents are the ones who mostly tell us not to dress up. But we as children not know why. So we go ahead and do it, because “EVERYONE IS DOING IT”. Well this article is super long, but I liked that it portrated clearly that this day is bad, wrong, evil. How what can we do on Halloween? As the writer here said, lets spend some family time, spread the gospel door to door. Watching a movie that will leave us inspired to become better people and better Christians.
Finally, GOD WITH US WHO AGAINST US!
Mary Joy Nov 6
I mostly agree with Stephanie about Halloween. I think that it is perfectly fine to celebrate Halloween, either as just fun and candy or as All Saints Eve, which is what I personally do. I think that it is not OK to dress up as ghosts, witches or other evil things. One of the things the article said was that the Catholic Church had tried but failed to turn it into a Catholic holiday. I think that it did not fail, that anyone who still celebrates it as a Catholic holiday is doing just that: celebrating it as a Catholic holiday. In and of itself, there is nothing evil about dressing up.
As far as watching horror movies, I agree with the article in that it depends on the person and what they can handle. I also agree that people need to be careful not to become desensitized or overly interested in evil spirits.
Corey Nov 6
Well… since im in a hurry i wont go into to much of this. i read all of both of the articles, and well to be honest didnt care much for the second much at all. I found myself compelled to be irritated, downright frustrated that this author felt they had the right to judge all those participating in halloween. This piece was clearly written in an attempt to encourage a band wagon approach for all Christians. They do not encourage individuals to discern for themselves, pray, nay not even delve into the scriptures.It was put out there simply that good Christians do not celebrate this pagan holiday… ouch… i know many christians whom celebrate this holiday… i celebrated this holiday and was the only holidays i can recall fondly with my family… and then bam it hit me… this man is entirely right… Halloween is of the devil.. and im allowing the devil right now to work in my mind… clearly my instant inability to like this individual resignates with the reality of the power of the evil one to corrupt… the fact that this was the only holiday not surrounded by family bickering and screaming is probably a bit of a sign that satan does not always use the POWERS of DARKNESS(fighting, prfanity, anger, mnurder,etc fill in the blank pretty much) sometimes he slides you into the bath water gently(evil that is) it was eye opening… i still have to say i found the article distasteful but it is convicting and i doubt ill again celebrate Halloween…
As for the first article… Im sorry its just not for me… If you can astest to something purely being of evil why should you watch it… who here on Earth has the ability to discern between true evil and a corrupted off evil… and im sorry a corrupted evil… hmm sounds off… ok so in sum.. Im not saying that I will never again watch a horror movie… I do find that when i watch movies(when they dont have excessive nudity) I dont really struggle… but at the same time when i close my eyes at night… images of evil to pass before my eyes… they dont come specifically from a horror movie but prehaps they have been refined over years of satan giving me doses of filth via blockbuster…
I do appoligize i wrote this in about 5 minutes and must rush off.. it prolly doesnt make alot of sense but if you like call me we can make sense of this word jumbalaya
God Bless
Corey
Katie Nov 6
I thought the articles were very interesting. I really made me think about the origins of halloween and the horror movies.
It is kind of scary reading about it.
Mariepovz Nov 6
The article puts in perspective but most importamtly showed me the truth and how people use humor to deal with horror but you must know why and that’s because they are real fears. I wish most people addressed this issue for what it is and recognized what they were doing. The history in the 2nd article made it quite credible and I was pretty naive about the common occurences still going on today. It’s really too bad people’s innocence are being exploited when halloween is used to view witchcraft is a positive light. Maybe it would be different if the general public knew what I know now.