Halloween
By Victoria JW Meyers on Tuesday, October 23, 2012 at 11:09am
From the book Reasoning on the Scriptures published by Jehovah's Witnesses *** rs p. 180 - p. 181 Holidays ***What underlies holidays in memory of the “spirits of the dead”?The 1910 edition of The Encyclopædia Britannica states: “All Souls’ Day . . . the day set apart in the Roman Catholic Church for the commemoration of the faithful departed. The celebration is based on the doctrine that the souls of the faithful which at death have not been cleansed from venial sins, or have not atoned for past transgressions, cannot attain the Beatific Vision, and that they may be helped to do so by prayer and by the sacrifice of the mass. . . . Certain popular beliefs connected with All Souls’ Day are of pagan origin and immemorial antiquity. Thus the dead are believed by the peasantry of many Catholic countries to return to their former homes on All Souls’ night and partake of the food of the living.”—Vol. I, p. 709.The Encyclopedia Americana says: “Elements of the customs connected with Halloween can be traced to a Druid ceremony in pre-Christian times. The Celts had festivals for two major gods—a sun god and a god of the dead (called Samhain), whose festival was held on November 1, the beginning of the Celtic New Year. The festival of the dead was gradually incorporated into Christian ritual.”—(1977), Vol. 13, p. 725.The book The Worship of the Dead points to this origin: “The mythologies of all the ancient nations are interwoven with the events of the Deluge . . . The force of this argument is illustrated by the fact of the observance of a great festival of the dead in commemoration of the event, not only by nations more or less in communication with each other, but by others widely separated, both by the ocean and by centuries of time. This festival is, moreover, held by all on or about the very day on which, according to the Mosaic account, the Deluge took place, viz., the seventeenth day of the second month—the month nearly corresponding with our November.” (London, 1904, Colonel J. Garnier, p. 4) Thus these celebrations actually began with an honoring of people whom God had destroyed because of their badness in Noah’s day.—Gen. 6:5-7; 7:11.Such holidays honoring “spirits of the dead” as if they were alive in another realm are contrary to the Bible’s description of death as a state of complete unconsciousness.—Eccl. 9:5, 10; Ps. 146:4.
From the book “Keep Yourselves in God’s Love” published by Jehovah's Witnesses
*** lv chap. 13 p. 150 Celebrations That Displease God ***“HOLY” DAYS AND SATANISM It is of interest to note that the most important day in the religion called Satanism is one’s birthday. Why? Because Satanists hold that each individual is a god if he chooses to view himself as one. Thus, to celebrate one’s own birthday is to celebrate the birth of a god. Of course, most people do not take such an extreme, egotistical view. Nevertheless, the book The Lore of Birthdays states: “Other holidays lift the heart, but birthdays warm the ego.” The next most “holy” days on the Satanists’ calendar are Walpurgis Night and Halloween. Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary defines the former as “the eve of May Day on which witches are held to ride to an appointed rendezvous.”
*** g93 11/22 p. 14 The Facts Behind Christmas, Easter, and Halloween ***Perhaps in no other “Christianized” celebration does Satan so blatantly honor himself and memorialize his war dead. The writer J. Garnier suggests that celebrations of suffering and death can be traced back to the ancient destruction of all of his human followers, as well as the hybrid sons of fallen angels, at the time of the Flood. Cultures the world over have festivals for the dead, “held by all on or about the very day on which, according to the Mosaic account, the Deluge took place, viz., the seventeenth day of the second month—the month nearly corresponding with our November.”—The Worship of the Dead, by J. Garnier.The Druids were no exception. On October 31, Samhain was said to release the spirits of the dead to mingle with the living. Druids roamed the streets with lanterns, and on coming to a house, they demanded money as an offering for Satan.Halloween is a major satanic ritual day. “It’s a religious holiday for the underworld, with satanists performing sacrifices and witches quietly celebrating with prayer circles or meals for the dead,” according to a USA Today article. It quoted Washington witch Bryan Jordan as saying, “[Christians] don’t realize it, but they’re celebrating our holiday with us. . . . We like it.”
*** g01 10/8 pp. 3-4 Popular Celebrations—Harmless Fun? ***Popular Celebrations—Harmless Fun?IN MID-OCTOBER, a strange transformation begins to take place in some cities in France. Shop windows fill up with pumpkins, skeletons, and spiderwebs. In local supermarkets, cashiers don pointed black hats. As a grand finale, little children haunt the streets, knock on doors, and threaten mischief if their demands for a “treat” are not met.These strange customs are all part of the celebration known as Halloween. Formerly viewed as mainly an American holiday, Halloween has spread around the world, becoming popular among both children and adults. France, it seems, has embraced Halloween with open arms. According to one estimate, nearly a third of French households celebrated the event last year. The Italian daily La Repubblica speaks of the current fad as a “boom” that is sweeping the Italian peninsula. The newspaper Nordkurier states that “more [German] citizens than ever before do not want to miss out on the gruesome fun.”Europe is not alone in falling under the spell of Halloween. From the Bahamas to Hong Kong, Halloween is being celebrated with gusto. The International Herald Tribune reports that last year a radio station in Sri Lanka held a competition for “the weirdest Halloween recipes and the most bloodcurdling death screams.” Halloween also has a foothold in Japan, where ‘pumpkin parades’ with thousands of participants have been held in Tokyo.Even in parts of the world where Halloween is not popular, there are often festivals and celebrations that resemble it. During Britain’s Guy Fawkes Night, you can see roving bands of children who plead for money and play Halloweenlike pranks. In Taiwan, there is the colorful Lantern Festival. Small children roam the streets carrying lanterns that depict birds and beasts. Mexico has its Día de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead, a celebration that has traveled across the Mexican-U.S. border. According to writer Carlos Miller, some Mexican-Americans still “don wooden skull masks called calacas and dance in honor of their deceased relatives.”Most people might view such celebrations as nothing more than harmless fun—an excuse for children and adults to dress up and lose their inhibitions. Such a nonchalant viewpoint, however, ignores the fact that these celebrations are undeniably pagan in origin. Taiwan’s Lantern Festival, for example, was started when people lit lanterns in an attempt to see celestial spirits that they believed were floating in the sky. Mexico’s Day of the Dead has its origin in an Aztec ritual that honored the dead.Some might argue that the origin of celebrations like these is of little consequence. But ask yourself, ‘Can celebrations that have such dark origins really be viewed as harmless?’ Commercial promoters of these celebrations are certainly not concerned. Regarding Halloween, a representative of the Cultural Institute of Barcelona, Spain, observed: “It is a festival that is being implanted from a commercial point of view.” Why, last year, receipts from Halloween were estimated at $6.8 billion in the United States alone. In France, a company that makes Halloween costumes has seen its business increase more than a hundredfold in just three years.But should you participate in such celebrations simply because they are popular or profitable? In answer, we will take another look at the celebration of Halloween.
*** g 10/06 p. 27 Why I Don’t Celebrate Halloween ***Why I Don’t Celebrate HalloweenLAST YEAR, while his neighbors were busy preparing for Halloween—in some countries, a popular annual holiday with strong spiritistic overtones—14-year-old Michael in Canada had other things on his mind. In an essay that he wrote for school, Michael stated:‘Tonight is the night before Halloween. As I look outside my window, I see that all my neighbors’ lawns are decorated with tombstones and skeletons and that jack-o’-lanterns light their windows. Parents are making adjustments to their children’s costumes; children are dreaming about how much candy they’ll get tomorrow.‘My family is different. Our lawn isn’t decorated, and our windows aren’t lit up. People ask me why I don’t celebrate Halloween. Basically, Jehovah’s Witnesses don’t celebrate it because of its origins.‘Surprisingly, I like Halloween time. “Why?” you may ask. Because it makes me think. It makes me think about the reason I choose not to do certain things. Each person has to answer for himself whether the origins of a custom matter. I think that the origins do matter. For example, most people would get upset if their neighbors got dressed up as Nazis. Why? Because of the origins of Nazi uniforms and what they stand for—principles that most people find offensive. I find the principles offensive that the devil, wicked spirits, and witches represent, and I don’t want to be associated with them. It’s good to think about the choices we make and our reasons for making them and to make choices based on principle rather than on what is popular. That’s why I like this time of year. I am proud to be different and to stand by what I believe in.’
*** g04 10/8 p. 27 “We Do Not Want to Celebrate Halloween!” ***“We Do Not Want to Celebrate Halloween!”BY AWAKE! WRITER IN BELGIUMThat was the decision of a school class in Tienen, Belgium. How did the students come to that decision? In Belgium, celebrating Halloween is rather new. October 31, 2002, was actually the first time that the holiday was to be celebrated in this school. So before that day arrived, the teacher assigned all the children a project having to do with Halloween. “The uglier and more grotesque, the better!” she added.One of the children in the class was 10-year-old Matthias. He remembered reading about the hidden dangers of such popular celebrations as Halloween in the October 8, 2001, issue of Awake! He realized that Halloween involves things that are not pleasing to God. So for his project, Matthias wrote a report based on the articles. After carefully reading the information, Matthias’ teacher concluded that Halloween is not as innocent as is commonly thought. She then asked Matthias to give a presentation to the class on the subject.When Matthias began his presentation, some of the other pupils did not seem to be listening. But as he continued, all of them became thoroughly engrossed in his explanation. When he finished, the teacher asked the class if they still wanted to celebrate Halloween. Unanimously, the class responded: “No!” One pupil exclaimed: “It’s gruesome!” Another said: “I did not realize that Halloween shows so little respect for the people who have died.”For Matthias, who had previously been rather timid, this experience was strong encouragement to stick to his Bible-based convictions despite pressure. He also earned greater respect as one of Jehovah’s Witnesses, both from his teacher and from his classmates.
*** w96 12/1 p. 9 Taking a Firm Stand in School Is Rewarded ***On the small western Pacific island of Tol in the Chuuk Islands, the teachers in the local school told all the children to prepare for and participate in a school Halloween celebration. The Witness pupils were aware that the celebration could involve decorations and costumes portraying ghosts, goblins, and witches—all related to spiritistic traditions. These children could not conscientiously participate.From their Bible-based training at home and in the Christian congregation, they knew that such practices are displeasing to God, even when done merely for entertainment. To help explain their stand more clearly, the children invited Barak, one of the Witness missionaries on the island, to speak to their teachers.After hearing the explanation, the teachers arranged for a second meeting, at which Barak could speak to the entire school faculty. At this meeting, Barak presented facts to show the true nature of Halloween. He drew his information from several Watch Tower publications as well as from other sources. Teachers and administrators were amazed at what they learned about the origin, history, and religious nature of the celebration. They chose to hold a staff meeting to decide how to resolve the situation.A few days later, an unexpected decision was announced. All preparations for Halloween were being canceled. The school would simply not celebrate Halloween that year. What a favorable outcome resulted from these young Witnesses’ determination to do what is right in school! Young ones never need to be afraid or ashamed to take a clear stand for Bible truth.
*** lv chap. 13 pp. 152-153 Celebrations That Displease God ***HALLOWEEN IS FAR FROM HOLY15 Known for its witches, goblins, and other grotesque decorations and paraphernalia, Halloween—also called All Hallows’ Eve or the eve of All Saints’ Day—can be traced back to the ancient Celts of Britain and Ireland. On the full moon nearest November 1, they celebrated the festival of Samhain, meaning “Summer’s End.” They believed that during Samhain, the veil between the human and the supernatural worlds was parted and that spirits, both good and evil, roamed the earth. The souls of the dead were thought to return to their homes, and families would put out food and drink for their ghostly visitors in hopes of appeasing them. Thus, when children today, dressed as ghosts or witches, go from house to house threatening a mischievous trick unless they receive a treat, they unwittingly perpetuate the rituals of Samhain.
*** bh p. 223 par. 3 Should We Celebrate Holidays? ***Halloween. The Encyclopedia Americana says: “Elements of the customs connected with Halloween can be traced to a Druid [ancient Celtic priesthood] ceremony in pre-Christian times. The Celts had festivals for two major gods—a sun god and a god of the dead . . . , whose festival was held on November 1, the beginning of the Celtic New Year. The festival of the dead was gradually incorporated into Christian ritual.”
*** g01 10/8 pp. 5-7 The Truth About Popular Celebrations ***WITCHES and ghosts, pumpkins and bonfires, trick or treat. The outward trappings of Halloween are easy to identify. But what lies behind this and similar celebrations? Halloween has also been called All Hallows’ Eve, the eve of All Saints’ Day. This supposedly Christian name, however, hides origins that are far from hallowed. In fact, scholars say that Halloween’s roots go back to a time long before Christianity—the era when the ancient Celts inhabited Britain and Ireland. Using a lunar calendar, the Celts divided the year into two seasons—the dark winter months and the light summer months. On the full moon nearest November 1, the Celts celebrated the festival of Samhain, meaning “Summer’s End.”This festival, which marked the beginning of the Celtic new year, came at the end of summer, when the harvest had been gathered and the flocks and herds had been brought down from pasture into shelter. The Celts believed that as the days shortened, it was necessary to reinvigorate the sun through various rites and sacrifices. In symbolism of the dying old year, all fires were put out, and the new year was inaugurated with sacred bonfires from which all members of the community rekindled their hearths. These bonfires—an echo of which can be found today in Britain on Guy Fawkes Night and in Brazil in the June festivals—were also thought to frighten away evil spirits.It was believed that on the festival of Samhain, the veil between the human and the supernatural worlds was parted and spirits, both good and evil, roamed the earth. The souls of the dead were thought to return to their homes, and families would put out food and drink for their ghostly visitors in hopes of appeasing them and warding off misfortune. Thus, today when children dressed as ghosts or witches go from house to house demanding a Halloween treat or threatening a mischievous trick, they unwittingly perpetuate the ancient rituals of Samhain. Jean Markale comments in his book Halloween, histoire et traditions (Halloween—History and Traditions): “In receiving something in their hands, they establish, on a symbolic level that they do not understand, a brotherly exchange between the visible and the invisible worlds. That is why the Halloween masquerades . . . are in fact sacred ceremonies.”Since people believed that the barriers between the physical and supernatural realms were down, they thought that humans were able to cross over into the spirit world with ease. Samhain was therefore a particularly auspicious time to unlock the secrets of the future. Apples or hazelnuts, both viewed as products of sacred trees, were used to divine information concerning marriage, sickness, and death. For example, apples with identifying marks were placed in a tub of water. By seizing an apple using only the mouth, a young man or woman was supposed to be able to identify his or her future spouse. This divination practice survives today in the Halloween game of bobbing for apples.Samhain was also characterized by drunken revelry and a casting aside of inhibitions. “Traditional values, if not flouted, were reversed,” states Markale. “What was forbidden was allowed, and what was allowed was forbidden.” Halloween still reflects this spirit today, which no doubt accounts to a great extent for its increasing popularity. Commenting on this, The Encyclopedia of Religion describes Halloween nowadays as “a time when adults can also cross cultural boundaries and shed their identities by indulging in an uninhibited evening of frivolity. Thus, the basic Celtic quality of the festival as an evening of annual escape from normal realities and expectations has remained into the twentieth century.”
*** g93 11/22 The Facts Behind Christmas, Easter, and Halloween ***Halloween’s Horrible Roots Masks and costumes: “The Celts left out food, drink and other treats for the spirits and then tricked them into leaving by donning masks and costumes and parading to the edge of the village.” Bonfires were “literally ‘bonefires’” wherein “the priests sought to appease the sun god by sacrificing animals and, often, people too.” (The Tampa Tribune) “By observing the way the sacrifices died, the Druids looked for omens of the future.”—Beaumont Enterprise. Trick or treat: “The cry of the Druids was comparable to the modern day ‘Trick or Treat.’”—Central Coast Parent. Scary stories: “The bloody Druid rites live on in the youthful emphasis on ghosts and spirits. . . . Halloween parties and the telling of scary tales also have their origin in the Druid times when spirits were believed to be abroad in the land.”—The Tampa Tribune. Despite the pagan origins of these holidays, some will recoil at the thought of denying children the fun of modern celebrations. After all, what do informed children know of ancient Saturn, Astarte, and Samhain? Some know quite a bit. They also know that they want no part of them.
From the book “Keep Yourselves in God’s Love” published by Jehovah's Witnesses
*** lv chap. 13 p. 150 Celebrations That Displease God ***“HOLY” DAYS AND SATANISM It is of interest to note that the most important day in the religion called Satanism is one’s birthday. Why? Because Satanists hold that each individual is a god if he chooses to view himself as one. Thus, to celebrate one’s own birthday is to celebrate the birth of a god. Of course, most people do not take such an extreme, egotistical view. Nevertheless, the book The Lore of Birthdays states: “Other holidays lift the heart, but birthdays warm the ego.” The next most “holy” days on the Satanists’ calendar are Walpurgis Night and Halloween. Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary defines the former as “the eve of May Day on which witches are held to ride to an appointed rendezvous.”
*** g93 11/22 p. 14 The Facts Behind Christmas, Easter, and Halloween ***Perhaps in no other “Christianized” celebration does Satan so blatantly honor himself and memorialize his war dead. The writer J. Garnier suggests that celebrations of suffering and death can be traced back to the ancient destruction of all of his human followers, as well as the hybrid sons of fallen angels, at the time of the Flood. Cultures the world over have festivals for the dead, “held by all on or about the very day on which, according to the Mosaic account, the Deluge took place, viz., the seventeenth day of the second month—the month nearly corresponding with our November.”—The Worship of the Dead, by J. Garnier.The Druids were no exception. On October 31, Samhain was said to release the spirits of the dead to mingle with the living. Druids roamed the streets with lanterns, and on coming to a house, they demanded money as an offering for Satan.Halloween is a major satanic ritual day. “It’s a religious holiday for the underworld, with satanists performing sacrifices and witches quietly celebrating with prayer circles or meals for the dead,” according to a USA Today article. It quoted Washington witch Bryan Jordan as saying, “[Christians] don’t realize it, but they’re celebrating our holiday with us. . . . We like it.”
*** g01 10/8 pp. 3-4 Popular Celebrations—Harmless Fun? ***Popular Celebrations—Harmless Fun?IN MID-OCTOBER, a strange transformation begins to take place in some cities in France. Shop windows fill up with pumpkins, skeletons, and spiderwebs. In local supermarkets, cashiers don pointed black hats. As a grand finale, little children haunt the streets, knock on doors, and threaten mischief if their demands for a “treat” are not met.These strange customs are all part of the celebration known as Halloween. Formerly viewed as mainly an American holiday, Halloween has spread around the world, becoming popular among both children and adults. France, it seems, has embraced Halloween with open arms. According to one estimate, nearly a third of French households celebrated the event last year. The Italian daily La Repubblica speaks of the current fad as a “boom” that is sweeping the Italian peninsula. The newspaper Nordkurier states that “more [German] citizens than ever before do not want to miss out on the gruesome fun.”Europe is not alone in falling under the spell of Halloween. From the Bahamas to Hong Kong, Halloween is being celebrated with gusto. The International Herald Tribune reports that last year a radio station in Sri Lanka held a competition for “the weirdest Halloween recipes and the most bloodcurdling death screams.” Halloween also has a foothold in Japan, where ‘pumpkin parades’ with thousands of participants have been held in Tokyo.Even in parts of the world where Halloween is not popular, there are often festivals and celebrations that resemble it. During Britain’s Guy Fawkes Night, you can see roving bands of children who plead for money and play Halloweenlike pranks. In Taiwan, there is the colorful Lantern Festival. Small children roam the streets carrying lanterns that depict birds and beasts. Mexico has its Día de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead, a celebration that has traveled across the Mexican-U.S. border. According to writer Carlos Miller, some Mexican-Americans still “don wooden skull masks called calacas and dance in honor of their deceased relatives.”Most people might view such celebrations as nothing more than harmless fun—an excuse for children and adults to dress up and lose their inhibitions. Such a nonchalant viewpoint, however, ignores the fact that these celebrations are undeniably pagan in origin. Taiwan’s Lantern Festival, for example, was started when people lit lanterns in an attempt to see celestial spirits that they believed were floating in the sky. Mexico’s Day of the Dead has its origin in an Aztec ritual that honored the dead.Some might argue that the origin of celebrations like these is of little consequence. But ask yourself, ‘Can celebrations that have such dark origins really be viewed as harmless?’ Commercial promoters of these celebrations are certainly not concerned. Regarding Halloween, a representative of the Cultural Institute of Barcelona, Spain, observed: “It is a festival that is being implanted from a commercial point of view.” Why, last year, receipts from Halloween were estimated at $6.8 billion in the United States alone. In France, a company that makes Halloween costumes has seen its business increase more than a hundredfold in just three years.But should you participate in such celebrations simply because they are popular or profitable? In answer, we will take another look at the celebration of Halloween.
*** g 10/06 p. 27 Why I Don’t Celebrate Halloween ***Why I Don’t Celebrate HalloweenLAST YEAR, while his neighbors were busy preparing for Halloween—in some countries, a popular annual holiday with strong spiritistic overtones—14-year-old Michael in Canada had other things on his mind. In an essay that he wrote for school, Michael stated:‘Tonight is the night before Halloween. As I look outside my window, I see that all my neighbors’ lawns are decorated with tombstones and skeletons and that jack-o’-lanterns light their windows. Parents are making adjustments to their children’s costumes; children are dreaming about how much candy they’ll get tomorrow.‘My family is different. Our lawn isn’t decorated, and our windows aren’t lit up. People ask me why I don’t celebrate Halloween. Basically, Jehovah’s Witnesses don’t celebrate it because of its origins.‘Surprisingly, I like Halloween time. “Why?” you may ask. Because it makes me think. It makes me think about the reason I choose not to do certain things. Each person has to answer for himself whether the origins of a custom matter. I think that the origins do matter. For example, most people would get upset if their neighbors got dressed up as Nazis. Why? Because of the origins of Nazi uniforms and what they stand for—principles that most people find offensive. I find the principles offensive that the devil, wicked spirits, and witches represent, and I don’t want to be associated with them. It’s good to think about the choices we make and our reasons for making them and to make choices based on principle rather than on what is popular. That’s why I like this time of year. I am proud to be different and to stand by what I believe in.’
*** g04 10/8 p. 27 “We Do Not Want to Celebrate Halloween!” ***“We Do Not Want to Celebrate Halloween!”BY AWAKE! WRITER IN BELGIUMThat was the decision of a school class in Tienen, Belgium. How did the students come to that decision? In Belgium, celebrating Halloween is rather new. October 31, 2002, was actually the first time that the holiday was to be celebrated in this school. So before that day arrived, the teacher assigned all the children a project having to do with Halloween. “The uglier and more grotesque, the better!” she added.One of the children in the class was 10-year-old Matthias. He remembered reading about the hidden dangers of such popular celebrations as Halloween in the October 8, 2001, issue of Awake! He realized that Halloween involves things that are not pleasing to God. So for his project, Matthias wrote a report based on the articles. After carefully reading the information, Matthias’ teacher concluded that Halloween is not as innocent as is commonly thought. She then asked Matthias to give a presentation to the class on the subject.When Matthias began his presentation, some of the other pupils did not seem to be listening. But as he continued, all of them became thoroughly engrossed in his explanation. When he finished, the teacher asked the class if they still wanted to celebrate Halloween. Unanimously, the class responded: “No!” One pupil exclaimed: “It’s gruesome!” Another said: “I did not realize that Halloween shows so little respect for the people who have died.”For Matthias, who had previously been rather timid, this experience was strong encouragement to stick to his Bible-based convictions despite pressure. He also earned greater respect as one of Jehovah’s Witnesses, both from his teacher and from his classmates.
*** w96 12/1 p. 9 Taking a Firm Stand in School Is Rewarded ***On the small western Pacific island of Tol in the Chuuk Islands, the teachers in the local school told all the children to prepare for and participate in a school Halloween celebration. The Witness pupils were aware that the celebration could involve decorations and costumes portraying ghosts, goblins, and witches—all related to spiritistic traditions. These children could not conscientiously participate.From their Bible-based training at home and in the Christian congregation, they knew that such practices are displeasing to God, even when done merely for entertainment. To help explain their stand more clearly, the children invited Barak, one of the Witness missionaries on the island, to speak to their teachers.After hearing the explanation, the teachers arranged for a second meeting, at which Barak could speak to the entire school faculty. At this meeting, Barak presented facts to show the true nature of Halloween. He drew his information from several Watch Tower publications as well as from other sources. Teachers and administrators were amazed at what they learned about the origin, history, and religious nature of the celebration. They chose to hold a staff meeting to decide how to resolve the situation.A few days later, an unexpected decision was announced. All preparations for Halloween were being canceled. The school would simply not celebrate Halloween that year. What a favorable outcome resulted from these young Witnesses’ determination to do what is right in school! Young ones never need to be afraid or ashamed to take a clear stand for Bible truth.
*** lv chap. 13 pp. 152-153 Celebrations That Displease God ***HALLOWEEN IS FAR FROM HOLY15 Known for its witches, goblins, and other grotesque decorations and paraphernalia, Halloween—also called All Hallows’ Eve or the eve of All Saints’ Day—can be traced back to the ancient Celts of Britain and Ireland. On the full moon nearest November 1, they celebrated the festival of Samhain, meaning “Summer’s End.” They believed that during Samhain, the veil between the human and the supernatural worlds was parted and that spirits, both good and evil, roamed the earth. The souls of the dead were thought to return to their homes, and families would put out food and drink for their ghostly visitors in hopes of appeasing them. Thus, when children today, dressed as ghosts or witches, go from house to house threatening a mischievous trick unless they receive a treat, they unwittingly perpetuate the rituals of Samhain.
*** bh p. 223 par. 3 Should We Celebrate Holidays? ***Halloween. The Encyclopedia Americana says: “Elements of the customs connected with Halloween can be traced to a Druid [ancient Celtic priesthood] ceremony in pre-Christian times. The Celts had festivals for two major gods—a sun god and a god of the dead . . . , whose festival was held on November 1, the beginning of the Celtic New Year. The festival of the dead was gradually incorporated into Christian ritual.”
*** g01 10/8 pp. 5-7 The Truth About Popular Celebrations ***WITCHES and ghosts, pumpkins and bonfires, trick or treat. The outward trappings of Halloween are easy to identify. But what lies behind this and similar celebrations? Halloween has also been called All Hallows’ Eve, the eve of All Saints’ Day. This supposedly Christian name, however, hides origins that are far from hallowed. In fact, scholars say that Halloween’s roots go back to a time long before Christianity—the era when the ancient Celts inhabited Britain and Ireland. Using a lunar calendar, the Celts divided the year into two seasons—the dark winter months and the light summer months. On the full moon nearest November 1, the Celts celebrated the festival of Samhain, meaning “Summer’s End.”This festival, which marked the beginning of the Celtic new year, came at the end of summer, when the harvest had been gathered and the flocks and herds had been brought down from pasture into shelter. The Celts believed that as the days shortened, it was necessary to reinvigorate the sun through various rites and sacrifices. In symbolism of the dying old year, all fires were put out, and the new year was inaugurated with sacred bonfires from which all members of the community rekindled their hearths. These bonfires—an echo of which can be found today in Britain on Guy Fawkes Night and in Brazil in the June festivals—were also thought to frighten away evil spirits.It was believed that on the festival of Samhain, the veil between the human and the supernatural worlds was parted and spirits, both good and evil, roamed the earth. The souls of the dead were thought to return to their homes, and families would put out food and drink for their ghostly visitors in hopes of appeasing them and warding off misfortune. Thus, today when children dressed as ghosts or witches go from house to house demanding a Halloween treat or threatening a mischievous trick, they unwittingly perpetuate the ancient rituals of Samhain. Jean Markale comments in his book Halloween, histoire et traditions (Halloween—History and Traditions): “In receiving something in their hands, they establish, on a symbolic level that they do not understand, a brotherly exchange between the visible and the invisible worlds. That is why the Halloween masquerades . . . are in fact sacred ceremonies.”Since people believed that the barriers between the physical and supernatural realms were down, they thought that humans were able to cross over into the spirit world with ease. Samhain was therefore a particularly auspicious time to unlock the secrets of the future. Apples or hazelnuts, both viewed as products of sacred trees, were used to divine information concerning marriage, sickness, and death. For example, apples with identifying marks were placed in a tub of water. By seizing an apple using only the mouth, a young man or woman was supposed to be able to identify his or her future spouse. This divination practice survives today in the Halloween game of bobbing for apples.Samhain was also characterized by drunken revelry and a casting aside of inhibitions. “Traditional values, if not flouted, were reversed,” states Markale. “What was forbidden was allowed, and what was allowed was forbidden.” Halloween still reflects this spirit today, which no doubt accounts to a great extent for its increasing popularity. Commenting on this, The Encyclopedia of Religion describes Halloween nowadays as “a time when adults can also cross cultural boundaries and shed their identities by indulging in an uninhibited evening of frivolity. Thus, the basic Celtic quality of the festival as an evening of annual escape from normal realities and expectations has remained into the twentieth century.”
*** g93 11/22 The Facts Behind Christmas, Easter, and Halloween ***Halloween’s Horrible Roots Masks and costumes: “The Celts left out food, drink and other treats for the spirits and then tricked them into leaving by donning masks and costumes and parading to the edge of the village.” Bonfires were “literally ‘bonefires’” wherein “the priests sought to appease the sun god by sacrificing animals and, often, people too.” (The Tampa Tribune) “By observing the way the sacrifices died, the Druids looked for omens of the future.”—Beaumont Enterprise. Trick or treat: “The cry of the Druids was comparable to the modern day ‘Trick or Treat.’”—Central Coast Parent. Scary stories: “The bloody Druid rites live on in the youthful emphasis on ghosts and spirits. . . . Halloween parties and the telling of scary tales also have their origin in the Druid times when spirits were believed to be abroad in the land.”—The Tampa Tribune. Despite the pagan origins of these holidays, some will recoil at the thought of denying children the fun of modern celebrations. After all, what do informed children know of ancient Saturn, Astarte, and Samhain? Some know quite a bit. They also know that they want no part of them.
