"Some Christians make a fun day of trick-or-treating in their neighborhoods, dressing their kids up in silly costumes, watching them gleefully run from a door after having just received candy from their neighbor, enjoying the crisp fall weather and walking around with other friends and family. The whole neighborhood is out together, and everyone is having a great time. Of course there's always that one house that just goes way overboard and is obviously too frightening for your little ones, so you just avoid that one. Plenty of other houses, obviously. And your kids get home, sweaty and tired, and they dump their sugar-laced treasures on the floor and begin the all-important process of sorting, taking inventory and trading. And you stand watch over it all, eyeing one of those mini-Snickers. Other Christians dress their kids up, but they head to church, where haystacks are set out, games are prepped and ready to go, prizes are piled high and the candy is given freely. The kids laugh with their friends, you sip coffee with other parents, smiling as your kid stumbles in the three-legged race, and you head home afterwards, sweaty and tired, and the sorting, inventory and trading begins as well." -- Darren Wilson
If the argument is that Halloween can go off without a hitch and kids can have a good time you will receive no counter argument from me. Of course that is really not the point. Forgive the analogy but many people in the world visit a strip club because everyone has a great time but that doesn't mean that as a Christian it is somehow acceptable. We know enough to know that going to a strip club would not be right but celebrating the devil's birthday? Sign my kids up and I'll sow the costumes! What are we teaching them beloved? What level of compromise are we willing to show our kids we will make all to pursue the god of refined sugar? Sorry but the argument that you can have a good time is not a Christian perspective. It is pure carnality.
"Halloween has traditionally been a flashpoint for Christians because many hold very strong opinions about it. An opinion is fine, as long as it is used mostly for your own behavior. When it is used to bully or intimidate or pressure someone else who maybe shares a different opinion than you, it becomes sin. I've had conversations with friends of mine who, for the life of them, can't remotely understand why any Christian would even entertain the thought of celebrating Halloween by trick-or-treating with their kids. To them, it's so obviously Satan's holiday, and so obviously a dark spiritual holiday (Don't you realize how many sacrifices happen on Halloween?) that to partake would be the same as endorsing occult activity." -- Darren Wilson
No Darren. It is a flashpoint for Christians because God holds such strong opinions about evil. The argument then that the possession of opinion leads to sin has to be one of the most ridiculous things Darren Wilson has ever said and that is saying a lot. So is the Christian argument Darren Wilson is making that Christians should never voice Biblical truths? At Pentecost, Peter addressed the 3000 and told them his opinion about what they had done to Jesus. When Paul stood in front of Herod he presented his opinion about Christ. The Bible says the Word is profitable for teaching and reproof. Does Darren Wilson even own a Bible? I might add that the notion that Christians are bullying other Christians regarding Halloween is equally absurd. For the record, let's clear up some of the muddying Darren Wilson has engaged in here. There are not two "opinions" at war here. There is God and the devil. There is what is Scriptural and what is cultural. There is what is spiritual and what is carnal. All Darren Wilson has tried to do is lower the spiritual arguments to his carnal level so he can make this a simple choice between two fleshly opinions. It is not. Wilson cannot even be honest here about things that are known and accepted in the world. It is Satan's holiday. The word holiday comes from holy day and that is what this is to Satanists. It is not obvious only to us but to anyone who is honest.
"At the same time, I have talked to many Christians who don't view the day as spiritual at all, but rather view it as a cultural holiday. Yes, there are goblins and witches and monsters, but there are goblins and witches and monsters in Narnia, too, and we don't stop our kids from reading that. It's enjoyable to get out once a year and meet your neighbors, be a part of the neighborhood and see what everyone is wearing. To them, turning the day into an overtly spiritual, satanic ceremony is laughable and silly." -- Darren Wilson
Yes, because the heart is wickedly deceitful above anything ever created. We can convince ourselves anything is righteous. That is why the Bible says woe to those who call evil good. It does happen. It does not matter if they are deceived though. The only thing that matters is the truth of God's Word. It is true that Narnia has goblins, witches and monsters but they are represented correctly as evil. There is no celebration of them in the Chronicles of Narnia. No one desires to dress up like them. As for the neighborhood argument, if the only day of the year that you see your neighbors is Halloween I would suggest that you find a new neighborhood. The final point he tries to make here simply highlights his ignorance. People are not turning Halloween into an overtly spiritual, satanic ceremony. It already is one. So laugh at it and dismiss it but you do so only in your own witlessness. Wilson concludes his scary discourse:
"Regardless of where you fall on this spectrum, always remember that your convictions are your convictions. Scripture gives us very clear instructions for times like this, and my prayer as that we can be obedient in what God is asking of us. If you want trick-or-treat, have a blast. If you want to attend a harvest party because you can't stand all the dark imagery, have a blast. Just don't let your personal conviction become an offense, which then leads you down the road of judgment and condemnation of others. Because if you go there, you're just as bad as the very thing you're condemning." -- Darren Wilson
No Darren my beliefs are my beliefs and they come from the Word of God. If you are a Christian, we should share those beliefs. Convictions come from the Holy Spirit when we violate His Word. Now it is true that everyone is at different maturity levels and many in the church are not actually saved so there are no convictions. Many in this discussion will be buoyed by Darren Wilson assuring them there is nothing wrong with celebrating an evil, evil High Holy Day. For the last time beloved this is not my personal conviction. This is what the Bible says over and over again. I do not say it to condemn anyone but merely to say what sayeth the Lord. Darren Wilson is right about one thing. You ultimately decide what you will do. Just do not pretend that God endorses every opinion. Ultimately it is not my opinion or yours that will matter. Only God's. Is celebrating Halloween a grievous sin? No I do not think so but it opens your family and children up to a very dark side of the spiritual realm we know as believers is very real. It is not innocent beloved. There is no argument against the fact that at its core it is a compromise and that ultimately leads to other compromise. That should frighten us as Christians more than ghosts and goblins.
