Sermon Tone Analysis

Introduction

Given that Halloween is just around the corner, I would be derelict in my duty if I did not cover this topic with you.

The reason is that I don’t believe this holiday to be just a innocent time of dress up & candy - I believe it to be a Spiritual interaction that goes a long way to introducing children to ungodly things.

And I know what some might say to that statement right there: “Well, it may be wicked & spiritual to OTHER people, but to me and my family we just dress up & go trick or treating...”

This is like saying ‘Sodomy may be wrong in your eyes, but not in mine’.

You see, we don’t get to pick & choose our ‘own truth’, there’s just truth.

Yesterday at the Creation Museum, they had a talk on Halloween and whether a Christians should participate in it.

And a lot of what they gave was really good information.

He started out speaking about who loves Halloween:

Children & Stores (10+billion spent on it; 1/4 of all candy purchased for it)

Then those who don’t

Insurance companies

Crime spikes during Halloween (go figure)

And while it was long on information, it was short on conclusions, and shaky on taking a stand.

This is understandable This is a very popular holiday & you end up turning away patrons when you make them mad.

But I don’t have that worry.

So today we’re going to speak about this topic of Halloween.

And where they fell short in drawing conclusions, I will not.

Church - let me give you a word of caution: Just because you live in a ‘Pleasant County’, don’t think that witchcraft & the occult is out of reach here.

The first thing that we need to look at is The History

I.

The History

The Roots of Halloween

The roots of Halloween are actually two-fold.

Those which are Pagan

Samhain (Sow-ween)

The actual origin of Halloween and many of its customs derive from the Celtic Druids in Britain, Ireland and other parts of Europe.

The Druids were a religious group who according to Greco-Roman accounts held various rituals which included human sacrifice.

They as well believed in reincarnation and held a high position in Gaulish society.

Samhain was one of the four main festivals of the Gaelic calendar and was held on October 31 – November 1, and is named after Samhain, Lord of the Dead.

It was during this time that the Celtic culture believed the "door to the other world was opened" and dead spirits could dwell, communicate and/or haunt the living.

Almost all – if not all – customs that are celebrated today at Halloween such as jack-o'-lanterns, trick-or-treating, wearing costumes, etc. – are derived directly from this pagan Druid festival.

(Look up Samhain on Wikipedia to find out more - not a Christians website at all)

These are the pagan roots of what is presently known as ‘Halloween’ - but as Paul Harvey would say ‘Now’s time for the rest of the story..’

Those which “Christian”

All Hallows Eve; All Saints Day & All Souls Day

I placed the word on your sheets in parenthesis because though they are not Christian, they identify as such.

Hopefully you’ll understand shortly what I mean.

November 1st in the Catholic Church is known as "All Saints Day", November 2nd is known as "All Souls Day" and the evening before November 1st is known as "All Hallows Eve" - which combined with Samhain over the years became Halloween.

In 835, the Pope moved ‘martyrs day’ (later known as All Saints Day) from May 13th to Nov. 1st in order to ‘Christianize’ this pagan holiday… What resulted was essentially the Catholic Church putting their stamp of approval on it, and therefore making it more palatable and acceptable to the unlearned masses (If you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em)

Might I say that this is the same tactic that many Christians take today in regards to Rock & Pop music.

(AND TRUNK OR TREAT).

They are taking something ungodly, then putting a ‘Christian twist’ to it to try to make it acceptable.

Guess what - it’s NOT.

Not in God’s sight anyways...

Notice the History.

Next the Holiday

We see the History, now let’s look at The Holiday

II.

The Holiday

Holiday is short for “Holy-day”

This is not simply a time of fun & games for many people - it’s a holy-day.

One site read this way: Celtic legends taught that fairies cast spells and the dead walked among the living during Samhain.

On October 31, these ancient Northern Europeans believed they could visit the dead and discover their future from immortal spirits.

The Celts were highly superstitious and thought these evil spirits could damage crops, possess the living, and spread incurable sickness.

That’s why they dressed up in scary costumes and animal hides while hovering in fear around bonfires.

Another said this: As Halloween approaches, many of you will be grabbing your costumes, and perhaps you’re going for the classic witch look.

At present, it’s easy to procure not only a “costume,” but a whole witchy wardrobe.

Alternative clothing companies make it easy to wear witchcraft literally on your sleeve with endless designs and occult slogans.

Even Sephora tried to sell witchcraft in the form of a horribly-thought-out “starter kit,” which has since been pulled from shelves.

The positive mainstream attention on witchcraft and the curiosity surrounding it seems to be unprecedented at the moment.

So, we decided to talk to those who practice it for some advice and clarification on what really goes on during the spookiest time of the year.

Describing what one witch does on Halloween: Of the many practitioners we spoke to, several had the following advice to give to those who want to dabble in witchcraft on Halloween: Don’t mess with Ouija boards.

When you call on spirits, it might not be grandma who answers, but something dangerous.

Whitney Woods identifies as a white witch.

Her practice involves positive and well-intended magic through candle spells, rune and tarot-readings and imbuing crystals with positive intent.

“A lot of the magic that interests people around Halloween is darker thanks to the horror genre, and, in general, not the kind a person ought to be playing with,” she says.

“I personally won’t even touch a Hasbro Toys Ouija board, since I believe intention is a large portion of what it takes to do something like communicate with a spirit, and not all spirits are good.

This is a Holy-day for some - and many ignorant Christians celebrate it right along with them.

We see the History, The Holiday, next let’s Compare it with Holiness

III.

A Comparison with Holiness

How does the Word of God line up with the principles of Halloween?

God Speaks Directly Against it

Consider De. 18:9-14 “When thou art come into the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee, thou shalt not learn to do after the abominations of those nations.

There shall not be found among you any one that maketh his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, or that useth divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch, Or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer.

For all that do these things are an abomination unto the Lord: and because of these abominations the Lord thy God doth drive them out from before thee.

Thou shalt be perfect with the Lord thy God.

For these nations, which thou shalt possess, hearkened unto observers of times, and unto diviners: but as for thee, the Lord thy God hath not suffered thee so to do.”

God is speaking of the very thing that Halloween is: He also mentions that he drives them out because of it.

In other words, He did not want His people and those people intermingling with one another.

Do you think that He’s changed His mind?

The Separation Principle

The Bible instructs us Christians to be different.

We are supposed to be a ‘new creature’.

We’re supposed to be separate from the Heathen, Heathen things & ways & Christians who act like Heathens.

2Cor.

6:14-18 “Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness?

and what communion hath light with darkness?

And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel?

And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols?

for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.

Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.”

1Jo.

2:15-17 “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world.

If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.

For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.

And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.”

Eph.

5:9-11 “(For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;) Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord.