Well, folks, it’s the time of year when Christians take sides on whether October 31^st is a day of death and satanism or a day to dress up and have fun. Some Christians will judge people within their church family, and some Christians won’t even bat an eye at the thought of celebration. There are so many vastly different opinions on Halloween within the evangelical church today that it’s hard to know where to stand and what to do when it comes to Halloween. Are we worshiping Pagan gods when we carve pumpkins? Are we entertaining the idea of evil by dressing up? Should the historical roots of our traditions mean anything to us today?

These are questions that I revisit every year at this time. I will admit that year after year of researching different opinions on Halloween I still have not come to a firm conclusion about what I believe. I think it’s important to have some stance on what you believe about Halloween and to let the Lord convict your heart.

There are generally two stances on Halloween. The first opinion is that because of the pagan roots of Halloween, and the holiday’s nature of origin, it should not be celebrated among Christians.

There is no denying that Halloween is rooted in evil. Halloween originated from the Celtic Samhain festival where sacrifices were done, animals were killed, and ghosts were warded off. Jacko-lanterns were also created to ward off evil spirits. Dressing up in disguises was a tactic to trick the spirits.

In addition, while the majority of people who celebrate Halloween view it as a fun an innocent activity, there are groups of practicing witches today who still use Halloween as a time for blood sacrifices and other rituals. It makes sense, then, that many Christians have chosen to speak against Halloween and do not participate.

Some Christians pick and choose what to participate in concerning this day. For example, a lot of evangelicals will give out gospel tracts with candy to trick-or-treaters. Another popular activity is host church harvest parties that are sort of like Halloween parties but are just a little less Halloween-like. Giving something out at the door or at a social event is a way to spread our hope in the midst of what this day represents.

At the end of the day, there are horrifying pagan roots to the celebration of Halloween. The question still remains: should we run from Halloween altogether?

The other opinion is that the original evil purposes behind these actions can be completely separated. There are followers of Christ who believe that Jesus died so that all can be redeemed, even things that were originally meant for evil. They believe that it is about the intentions of the heart. These are the people that say that Halloween can just be about dressing up and having fun with your friends. They believe that God is glorified through spending time with people you care about, and not making an idol out of fear.

In the Bible, paganism is often talked about in the context of idolatry. Jeremiah 10:1-5 addresses idolatry saying that there is no good in those who make idols. The activities of Halloween do not have to be used for idolatry purposes.

Halloween practices then and now have the potential to be used in idol and spirit (not Spirit) worship. However, God has, and always will be, more powerful than any force that stands against Him.

Above all, Satan wants Christians to turn to anything else but Christ. How, then, should we respond?

I’m not going to tell you a definitive answer. Let’s agree, though, to ask for God’s discernment, and pray that those who stand against Him find instead His hope and salvation.