Halloween Origin – Harmless or Harmful
Every year on October 31st, millions of children around the world look forwards to racing home from school, eating an early dinner, scattering around to put on their costumes, grab a pillow case or a grocery bag and get ready to walk door to door shouting out, “Trick or Treat” to have somebody come to the door, sometimes dressed up themselves and receive a tasty treat to enjoy for weeks or even in some cases, even days to come.
To your doorstep you might have superman one moment, an angel a half hour later followed by a police office (costume of course) and out of no where, you could have Freddy Kreuger with razor edge blades on their fingers, only to look above and past to the end of the driveway with a parent with a sheet on trying to hide behind the garbage cans. Most people see this as an innocent night where kids (of all ages) can just have a harmless night of fun, right? Sorry to say, they aren’t.
On November 1st, ancient Celtic peoples considered this day the day of death after watching leaves falling off trees with colder temperatures approaching. The Celtics believed that Muck Olla, their sun god, was loosing strength and power because Samhain, lord of death, was overpowering him causing this time to occur which had been names, “Festival of Death”.
Further, they believed that on October 31st Samhain assembled the spirits of all who had died during the previous year. They had been confined to inhabit animals' bodies for the past year as punishment for their evil deeds that they had done. On the eve of the feast of Samhain, October 31st, the spirits were allowed to return to their former homes to visit the living to supposedly protect these people from having to go through the same punishment that they had gone through.
The Druid (High Priests in the Pagan occult) led the people in diabolical worship ceremonies in a grove of trees (preferably oak trees being as one of their main gods, resided in Oak Trees) or in a Druidic stone circle which horses, cats, black sheep, oxen, human beings and other offerings were rounded up, stuffed into wicker cages and burned to death. This was done to appease Samhain and keep the spirits from harming them. The most famous surviving Druid stone circle being located in Stonehenge, England. It is evident that human sacrifice was common at this ancient Druid Sacrificial Circle because within three miles of this sight there are over 350 funeral mounds that contain the remnants of countless human sacrifices.
The Druids, before the worship ceremonies, went from house to house demanding certain foods, and all those who refused are cursed. The people were tormented by means of magic. As they went, the Druids carried lanterns made from large vegetables, i.e. turnips, squash, etc which they had hollowed out and carved in faces of the spirit that “guided” that priest and was believed that each carved vegetable that each Druid priest had contained the demon spirit that personally led or guided that priest - his own little god.
Long dark robes with head pieces made of animal heads and skins were worn at times to hide the identity of the Druid as he would threaten people with curses if they did not comply with the food he demanded.
In the middle ages there was a great revival of satanic practices, witchcraft, and magic - like there is today. During this time, the belief developed that witches traveled on broomsticks to the black sabbaths (witchs' celebration help every October 31) to worship Samhain. They were guided by spirits in the form of black cats. The Druids worshipped cats believing them to be reincarnated evil people.
Modern Day Halloween
Now let's look at the present day celebration of Halloween. The theme (from my own understanding) is that of darkness, death and risen spirits, fear, threats, destruction and evil doings and pranks as well as “hiding” behind masks and costumes. Among the children who are dressed as their favorite hero’s or animals, vegetables and aliens, parents are dressing their children as demons, witches, ghouls, monsters and werewolves, sending them out onto the streets in the dark which reenacts the Druids' practice of demanding food from people or be under a threat of tricks and gags if they don't comply. This being Trick or Treat.
No longer are turnips being carved out, but a pumpkin (much bigger and easier to handle and display) carve demon faces in it and decorate with it. At Halloween there will be apple bobbing, divination, fortune telling, haunted houses, candles lit, and spirits called up. There will be seances and ouiji boards in the name of fun and excitement.
When asked "Does anyone today celebrate Samhain (Halloween) as a religious Holiday?" a major witches' organization responded, "Yes, many followers of various pagan religions, such as Druids and Wiccans (witches), observe this day as a religious festival. They view it as a memorial day for their dead friends similar to the national holiday of Memorial Day in May. It is still a night to practice various forms of divination concerning future events. Also, it is a time to...initiate new projects.
Members of one surviving coven in Somersetshire, England still carry small blue tattoos pricked below a particular finger joint made from woad (an Old World plant with leaves that yield a blue dye) as did ancient Druids. You will still find Druids meeting at Stonehenge this Halloween symbolically carrying out their grotesque sacrifices. Although they claim no longer to practice human sacrifices but yet still sacrifices of dogs, cats, rats, chickens and goats.
Noted New Age Researcher Texe Marrs said this about the activities of witches on Halloween. "...our own research confirms that on this unholy night [Halloween], witches' covens meet, drink, dance, spit out curses and spells, conjure up spirits, engage in sexual orgies, induct new members, and offer up animal and human sacrifices. (Witches have become expert at covering up these sacrifices by use of cremation ovens and the use of privately owned land preserves for disposal of bodies in deeply dug graves.)" He goes on to say, "Somewhere in America in the week prior to this coming Halloween, children will be kidnapped by witches and become statistics as `missing children.' ...While chances of your children being snatched may be remote, never the less we believe caution and good judgment is in order."
Jack Roper, occult researcher with C.A.R.I.S. (Christian Apologetics: Research & Information Service) says "...the time of the year where you have the highest rate of Satanic ritual crimes is Halloween." Jack also said, "Around Halloween, one of the things you see is graveyard desecrations." Self-styled Satanists use human bones in their rituals. Graveyard vandalism is a common Halloween occurrence.
A Milwaukee county park worker told me of finding numerous remains of small animals that had been sacrificed in area parks around Halloween. It was clear that these sacrifices were occult related because the remains were associated with either an altar, inside a circle, triangle or pyramid structure.
Another article that was brought to my attention was by Dave Benoit that tells of a mother finding a strange diary, called "The Book of Shadows" in her son's room. She with fear and trembling leafed through pages filled with satanic drawings. Then her eyes fell on these horrifying words, "Last year I stole a car at Halloween and ran over a kid and killed him. This year, at Halloween, I plan to do the same thing!" The words in his satanic diary proved to be true. The teenager is now incarcerated. He murdered a kid as a sacrifice to Samhain
Dr. John MacArthur stated that, "First of all, dressing up like witches, ghosts, or goblins is incompatible with a Christian's testimony. Furthermore, many of the customs of Halloween are associated with the worst kinds of pagan beliefs and ceremonies; they are usually sinister things such as demons, witchcraft and superstition.”
A former Alexanderian Wiccan witch clarified this by stating, "As I got to the higher degrees I learned that the name of the horned god was Lucifer. I learned that the sign of the second degree was an inverted pentagram...symbolizing the horns of Satan." (Quote from Devil Worship: The Rise of Satanism, by Jeremiah films) Wiccan’s and Pagans like to believe that The outline of the inverted pentagram forms a goat's head and so is sacred to Baphomet - The Horned God.
The 3 categories of the occult and what God spoke to us through His Word about them.
There are 3 main categories of the occult.
1. DIVINATION -- Seeking to know the past, present or future by astrology; horoscopes; channeling; tarot; etc. This can include animal or human sacrifice.
2. SORCERY or MAGIC(K) -- Seeking to control or manipulate reality for ones own purposes. This can include animal or human sacrifice to accomplish that end.
3. SPIRITISM -- Seeking to communicate with the dead or other entities through a medium.
Whether being a Satanist, wiccan, pagan or into any form of human sacrifice, they are all forms of worship to Satan and are an abomination to God and all His Glory. A friend had said to me once, “Would you ever find Jesus at a Halloween party dressed up as Moses bobbing for apples?” I would have to say no! “What fellowship can light have with darkness” 2 Corinthians 6:14-17 Jesus would not be at one of these parties, and in fact, the rituals and practices are against everything who God is! God does not promote, encourage nor endorse fear, destruction, human sacrifices, curses, ghosts, goblins, evil or magic of any kind nor does any good come from practicing any of these things! God does speak to us very strongly about this subject.
1 Corinthians 10:19-22 – “Do I mean then that a sacrifice offered to an idol is anything, or that an idol is anything? No, but the sacrifices of pagans are offered to demons, not to God, and I do not want you to be participants with demons. You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons too; you cannot have a part in both the Lord's table and the table of demons. Are we trying to arouse the Lord's jealousy? Are we stronger than he?”
Deuteronomy 18:9-14 - “When you enter the land the LORD your God is giving you, do not learn to imitate the detestable ways of the nations there. Let no one be found among you who sacrifices his son or daughter in the fire, who practices divination or sorcery, interprets omens, engages in witchcraft, or casts spells, or who is a medium or spiritist or who consults the dead. Anyone who does these things is detestable to the LORD, and because of these detestable practices the LORD your God will drive out those nations before you. You must be blameless before the LORD your God.
Ephesians 5:11-12 - “And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them. For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret.”
1 Timothy 4:1 - “Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;”
God does tell us to be discerning against such evil spirits and practices.
Yes, spiritual warfare is something a Christian is engaged in from the moment they accept Jesus Christ into their hearts and bow to Him as Lord and Saviour. However, as God manifests where Christians praise and worship Him in all His glory within congregations, so does satan and his minion of demons appear where he is worshiped. On October 31st, it is made clear that Wiccan, Pagans and every other occult that has to do with satanic worship (whether they believe it is satanic or not) come together on this night and cause havoc and destruction and fear within many. Some Celtics even today fear this particular night believing that Samhain (Satan) and the resurrected spirits will come forth and curse their homes and their lives.
Proverbs 22:6 says teach a child the right ways of righteousness. “Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.”
Ephesians 6:11-18 says, “Put on the whole armour of God that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;”
Romans 13:12 – “The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light.”
1 Corinthians 11:1 – “Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ.”
1 Thessalonians 5:21-23 – “Test everything. Hold on to the good. Avoid every kind of evil. May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
I strongly urge Christians, who do participate in “innocent” Halloween activities, to prayerfully look and consider what you are doing. Even if believed that this is just a holiday for children to have soon to be trips to the dentists, guess again. These Trick or Treat pumpkin rituals are re enacting satanic and demonic ceremonies and beliefs that started long before Christ was born to show us the will of the Father and who died so that we may live in Him for all His Glory.
1 Corintians 10:31 says, “Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God”
Partaking in Halloween “traditions and customs” is only glorifying that who is in the world. Today, many Wiccan and Pagan’s promote what they believe with local media to express what they believe in ways that most people only see as, “they’re just putting on a show” or “coming out of the broom closet for the day.”
Like a person who works in a factory all day, in their checklists for the day, push the big red button. They don’t know why they are pushing the big red button, but it’s on the list. This goes with with parents. Dressing up your child and sending them out in the dark “house to house” collecting “treats” while carrying bags to store the “goodies” in from houses who decorate their homes with “jack – o – lanterns” while “hiding” themselves with “costumes”, is pushing a very big red button, not realizing that they are celebrating evil rituals that started a few thousand years ago by Satan worshipers. What is this doing? This is giving evil a chance to enter a young person’s life.
Glory to God and may God speak to you through these words about this occult holiday and that these “innocent activities” are un-masked and shown for what they truly are. God Bless,
Craig R. McPherson
1 John 4:4, “Greater is He that is in us than he that is in the world”