Halloween

How should a Christian deal with Halloween? I've, frankly, never had much of a problem with it. My kids dressed up, did some Trick or Treating, took cupcakes to school and carved a pumpkin or two. So far there has been no progression to Satan worship and I do not personally know anyone whose child was kidnapped and sacrificed on October 31.

Yes I know that Halloween has pagan origins. Or Catholic origins. Or something like that. Depends on the current theory and shocking new information. Don't get me wrong, I don't like that Halloween seems to be neck in neck with Christmas and many streets glow with orange lights and the plastic undead. I'm just not afraid of Halloween. I don't feel the need to lock the doors and hide or spend the evening in church praying away the evil spirits. There are evil spirits, make no mistake. But they are not held within the 24 hour time frame of Halloween. I've seen too much of Christianity that has given a lot of power to secular issues by trying very hard to prove themselves set apart. One shouldn't be set so far apart one cannot see the very people we are supposed to be reaching. Public service announcement alert: do not give out tracts or Benny Hinn books for trick or treat. That's completely lame and it makes everyone go home and laugh at Jesus on behalf of his "followers."

What should the Christian do with Halloween? I don't care. Do whatever you want. Ignore it, watch The Great Pumpkin or go away for your anniversary (that's what I'm doing but I intend to hook up with Charlie Brown from the hotel room.) Carve a pumpkin and hand out Snickers. Wear a silly hat to work. Do the Monster Mash.

Just don't, don't, don't be more obsessed with Halloween than the world is. This is how I see Christianity vs. the world. Anything displeasing to God is only something satan twisted into a counterfeit. satan cannot create, he can only steal. So I pretty much spend my days taking it all back. I take back rock music. I take back dancing. I take back pride in my appearance. I take back enjoying life. I take back Halloween by having fun with it but keeping it maintained. I have a glowing pumpkin on my end table. It's not in honor of the devil or to signify my support of child sacrifice.

The little glowing pumpkin on my end table came from my Grandma Trent's house. Our Halloween is about little kids dressing up and doing something as silly as collecting candy. It's innocent and reminiscent. It ain't the world's Halloween.

It's God's.