Sermon Central
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What Is Wrong With Halloween
Contributed by Michael Mccartney on Jan 16, 2002 (message contributor)
Summary: Halloween is a Satanic Holiday!
’WHAT IS WRONG WITH HALLOWEEN?"
Thesis: Halloween is a Satanic Holiday!
Material and information taken from the book “Halloween and Satanism” by Phil Phillips and Joan Hake Robie.
TEXT:
II Cor. 6:15-17
What harmony is there between Christ and Belial ? What does a believer have in common with an unbeliever? What agreement is there between the temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As God has said: "I will live with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people." "Therefore come out from them and be separate, says the Lord. Touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you."
"There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love."
Introduction:
Ron Ritchie asks us a question today, "Do you believe in the devil, in demons, and demon possession? According to a recent Gallup Poll taken among 1,236 adults and reported a while ago in local papers more than ½ believe in the devil (or 55%, with 8% not sure and 37% why don’t believe the evil one exists). One in ten claim to have talked to the devil. Some 49% believe that people are at times possessed by the devil, and 22% are not sure, leaving 35% of the population who do not believe in demonic possession."
We can say with accuracy that Jesus, Peter, Paul, the disciples and even Legion believed in demons and dealt with them. I challenge you if you are one of the ones that does not believe in the demonic realm to just look around you. Have you noticed the latest movies coming out, the TV shows, the incidents of bizarre things in the paper, serial killers, secular Satanic music, people saying they worship Satan. The list could go on -- just open your spiritual eyes and ears at Halloween. The Satanic realm is present!
I Peter 5:8-9 warns us:
"Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings.
We see horror shows everywhere -- which portrays terror, fear, evil, evil as all powerful none of these characteristics are Gods traits. Then who’s are they?
Halloween’s theme is fear and evil wins -- But fear in this scenario is a destructive force. It can cause one to lose their perspective in life to lose hope. This type of fear has caused many destroyed lives. It causes physical, emotional and spiritual illness. It has at times caused one to lose faith in God. It attributes more power to the element feared than to God.
Halloween’s fear and horror shows have infiltrated our society and caused a deterioration of it.
Illustration: Mark’s comment at SHLBC
Phillips states, "Most of us are all cognizant of the fact that fear plays a leading role in television and theater productions. People want to be, ’scared to death’, and are usually not knowledgeable, or don’t care about the ill effects that fear, whether in reality or in "fun", has on our health and general well being."
T.S. - To better understand what Halloween is about lets look at the historical setting of Halloween.
I The Historical background of Halloween
A. Halloween is the celebration of death and was formed to combat All Saints Day on November 1st.
a. Another name for All Saints Day was All Hallows. October 31st was known All Hallows Eve, which was later shortened to Halloween.
b. All Saints Day is a Holy Day observed by the Roman Catholic Church on November St.. It honors All Christian Saints - especially those who do not have days named for them. It was first celebrated on May 13th, A.D. 610, as the feast of All Holy Martyrs, when the Emperor Phicas gave the ancient Roman Temple of Pantheon to Pope Boniface IV as a church. in the year 900 this date was changed to November 1st.
c. Gradually, the feast was extended to commemorate All Saints, in addition to those who had given their lives for their faith in the Roman Catholic Church. All Saints Day is a Holy Day of Obligation, when Catholics are required to attend Mass and to refrain from unnecessary servile work.
B. The pagan celebration of the Horned god during the 7th Century is the practice which contributed to the Halloween ritual.
1. In this magical rite individuals would dance about in a circle, barking and howling at midnight, using a bronze sickle, they would gather herbs. Spells were cast on enemies, also they bewitched individuals by sticking thorns into a wax model of the person.
