Origins of Halloween Traditions

Halloween is only six days away. Because of that fact, I felt the need to spread awareness quickly!

I suppose it is no secret that the Church has adopted Halloween and embraced most of its traditions like the Jack-o-Lanterns, dressing up in costumes, trick-or-treating, and games like bobbing for apples. It's all innocent fun! you say. It's tradition! Well, here is my question: Do we know the origins of these traditions? Ignorance is bliss so they say, but I, for one, do not want to be ignorant of the practices of Halloween. I do not want to be ignorant of what God has to say. I would rather know what I am participating in. I would rather know what I am allowing my children to join into. So here are, for your information, some origins of Halloween traditions. It is my prayer that we, as Christians and as parents, can take this information and make wise, honorable decisions that will glorify the God of light and truth.

   
   
• Jack O'Lantern. The Druids (Celtic priests) carried large turnips with them and carved demon faces on it as their charm. There was a candle placed inside the turnip and the candle was made from human fat. It was believed that this charm contained a demon spirit that guided the priest. According to author Owen Rachleff. "The candlelit pumpkin or skull... served as a beacon for the sabbat and as a signal to mark those farms and homes that were sympathetic to the Satanists and thus deserving of mercy when the terror of the night (Halloween) began."
     
  It is believed that faces, rather than other images or symbols, were originally carved onto the pumpkin because they gave the jack-o’-lantern the look of a head. The Celts of ancient times believed that the head was the most sacred part of the human body, for it housed a person’s immortal soul. (Dunwich, Gerina. The Pagan Book of Halloween, p. 32)
          
  Carved and illuminated by a candle, they are symbolic of death and the spirit world. (Thompson, Sue Ellen. Holiday Symbols and Customs, p. 256)
    
• Skulls. An interesting symbol, the skull . . . It is prominent in Witchcraft and Demon worship as a celebration of death. (Burns, Cathy. Masonic and Occult Symbols Illustrated, p. 388)
  
              
• Trick-or-Treat. In Ireland, which is where Halloween began, you were to set out a TREAT of food and fruit, and provide the wandering spirit with shelter for the night. If the demon was satisfied with your TREAT, it was believed that they would not TRICK you by casting an evil spell on you causing havoc. The Druids would go through neighborhoods on October 31 to collect offerings for Satan. They would carry lanterns, bags of money, and canes with very sharp points on the ends (currently known as leprechaun staffs, good luck horns, or fairies' wands). At each house, they would demand a specific amount. If the household would not or could not give the offering (penance or treat), the Druid would use the cane to maim, hurt, or disable the man or sometimes, take a human sacrifice (usually a virgin girl). Whoever refused them would be cursed and tormented. History shows that someone in the cursed family would die within a year. To this day, witches and Satanist will hide glass, poison, and such in candy to continue the ancient practice of sacrifice...as their "trick."
            
• Costumes. In Ireland during the festival of Samhain, children would dress like IMPS and fairies to lead the evil spirits out of town after the feast of Samhain. Halloween is called by many the "Day of the Dead" and years ago, the Celts believed that the border between this world and the spirit world became thin on Halloween, allowing spirits (both harmless and harmful) to pass through. They believed that they could ward off harmful spirits by wearing costumes and masks. Their purpose was to disguise themselves as a harmful spirit and thus avoid harm.
        
• Witches. Our country is consumed with witches, vampires, warlocks, and wizards (no doubt thanks to Harry Potter, True Blood, Twilight, The Vampire Diaries and the dozens of other movies and TV shows which are infiltrating this generation). Halloween is the high holy day for every witch and pagan in the world. They watch the moon and plan, all year, for the sacrifices and rituals they will perform. Much of today's kidnapping is in accordance with Halloween. If you’ve been lullabied by the gospel of Halloween that witches are harmless folks, wake up, witches worship the devil:
       
  The witches held a party at Hallowe’en and the women . . . sold their soul to the devil, would put a stick in their beds anointed with the fat of murdered babies. . .(Douglas, George William. The American Book of Days, p. 569)
     
  Although witches vigorously protest they have no dealings with the devil, under the heading, "A Witch’s God," the popular witch’s training manual, Witchcraft: Theory and Practice, plainly states: A Witch’s God. . . He is . . . Lord of the Underworld [Hell] . . . He is named . . . Baphomet . . . Lucifer . . . Baal. . . (Angeles, Ly de. Witchcraft: Theory and Practice, p. 60)
         
• Monsters. In Druidism, the dead are raised as horrifying creatures of the night, hideous monsters, decaying skeletons, vampires, and so forth. They received not glorified bodies as Christ promises in our resurrection, but inhuman ones.
             
• Bobbing for Apples. In A.D. 43 the Roman Empire was in solid control of the Celtic people. To honor their goddess of fruit trees, they would try to grasp fruit, floating in water, without the use of their hands.
          

1 Thessalonians 5:21-22
"Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.
Abstain from all appearance of evil."
  

While Halloween masquerades as childish and innocent fun, it’s serious business in the occult world. Witchcraft, Wicca, Satanism and paganism believe, on the night of Halloween, devils and spirits are unleashed. They perform their most hideous and potent rituals on the night of Halloween.

Samhain: This is the "Witch’s New Year" and the primary Sabbat from which all others flow. (RavenWolf, Silver. Teen Witch, p. 42)

Halloween is one of the four major Sabbats celebrated by the modern Witch, and it is by far the most popular and important of the eight that are observed. . . Witches regard Halloween as their New Year’s Eve, celebrating it with sacred rituals. . . (Dunwich, Gerina. The Pagan Book of Halloween, p. 120)

Halloween is also among Satanism’s most cherished days. Anton LaVey, founder of The Church of Satan and author of The Satanic Bible writes: After one's own birthday, the two major Satanic holidays are Walpurgisnacht (May 1st) and Halloween. (LaVey, Anton Szandor. The Satanic Bible, p. 96)
 

Satanic High Priestess Blanche Barton, on The Church of Satan web site, praises Halloween: It [Halloween] gives even the most mundane people the opportunity to taste wickedness for one night. They have a chance to dance with the Devil . . . I see Satanists all over the world meeting in small groups this night and Hallowe’ens 500 years hence, to raise a glass to the Infernal Hosts. . .
       

The Satanic Calendar decrees for Halloween: "One of the two most important nights of the year. . . Blood and sexual rituals. Sexual association with demons. Animal and human sacrifice—male or female." (www.theforbiddenknowledge.com/hardtruth/satanic_calendar.htm)

Former occultist Johanna Michaelsen reveals, "Halloween is also a prime recruiting season for Satanists." (Michaelsen, Johanna. Like Lambs to the Slaughter, p. 192)

Halloween is the most dangerous time of the year for our children. It is not child's play. Reports show that more small children turn up missing, injured, and are found dead from Halloween than any other time of the year. Farm animals and pets are often slaughtered by Satanists and they drink the animal and human's blood and urine and digest their entrails and perform orgiastic rituals.

Satan loves Halloween because it lures more kids into his fold and it's definitely paying off. Witchcraft is exploding amongst children and teenagers today and psychic hotlines are making millions of dollars everyday from adults! It is rapidly growing all over the world and we can see popular movies and TV shows (yes, even on the Disney Channel) that praise witchcraft and vampires.

We should educate ourselves on what Halloween really is and THEN ask ourselves this question: Am I going to participate and allow my children to participate in a holiday so vile and ungodly? Am I going to place my stamp of approval upon the Satan's holy day? Am I going to acknowledge it, recognize it, or support it in any way? As parents, we are responsible for what we allow into our homes and for what we allow our children to partake in. As for me and my house, we will give no place to the devil.

Jeremiah 10:2a
"Thus saith the LORD, Learn not the way of the heathen...."

   
In closing, here is an excerpt from an article in Moody Magazine by Joy A. Sterling called "We Should Unmask Halloween":

"We evangelicals cringe at the descriptions of Satan worship in books and shudder at occult rites. But we dress our children as witches and devils and send them out to trick or treat…. Whenever the apostles met persons connected with fortune-telling, witchcraft or the occult, the Holy Spirit dealt firmly and swiftly with them. When revival came to Ephesus, the occult books were the first to go (Acts 19:18-19). Anything that conjures up the spirits of evil has to go. And I believe that the symbols of Halloween do conjure up the spirits of evil. Not deliberately, not openly perhaps. But the devil never has been noted for working openly. He tries to convince people that he doesn't exist. And what better way to deny his power and identity than to tell children and their parents that witches, ghosts, fortune-tellers and devils are 'just for fun?'"