HALLOWEEN, Trick or Treat?

Points of Truth Christian Ministries Used by Permission -

Halloween Trick or Treat?

By: Larry R. Lasiter © 1996

As Customary, many dress as witches and goblins

Adults send their children door to door asking for treats

Seems strange, doesn't it? Yet millions do it every year. . .WHY?

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The celebration of HALLOWEEN is an established observance in the United States, British Isles and various Scandinavian countries.

Come early October the stores will be full of merchandise directly related to Halloween observance. Costumes, candy, and various decorative items will fill the shelves of most every retail store.

On October 31, as the sun fades and darkness begins to spread across our neighborhoods, the footsteps of America's children can be heard scurrying down the sidewalks. "Trick or treat!" they cry as each door is opened. Of course, most adults play right along, dropping candy and various other treats into the little Halloween bags the children hold open.

Even our public schools get into the act with decorations, parties and plays. Townships and clubs sponsor "haunted houses" for a scary sort of fun.

It seems as though the celebration of Halloween is growing in popularity with each passing year. But Why?

Why do we in America observe this festival?

Just where did it come from anyway?

What does it commemorate to us?

Every holiday you keep you probably have an idea of what it commemorates. If you were asked WHY you observed Christmas, you would probably say,- "To honor the birth of Jesus Christ." If you were asked WHY you observed Easter, you would probably say,- "To acknowledge the resurrection of Jesus."

Now I don't observe Christmas or Easter, because frankly, their roots and observance PRE-DATE Jesus Christ. But I do observe Thanksgiving Day. And probably for the same reason you do, to commemorate the landing of our forefathers at Plymouth Rock, and to give thanksgiving to God for the wonderful blessings He has bestowed upon this country and its people. But think for a moment. . .WHY HALLOWEEN? Just what does its observance commemorate?

Notice this quote from Encyclopedia Americana,- "Halloween, a festival of Scottish-Irish origin, held on All Hallows Eve, the night of October 31. Elements of the customs connected with Halloween can be traced to a Druid ceremony in PRE-CHRISTIAN times."

Notice this quote from The Book of Holidays, by J. Walker McSpadden, pages 149-153- "Halloween, in spite of the fact that it takes its name from a Christian festival (All Hallows or All Saints Day), it comes from PAGAN TIMES and has never taken on a Christian significance."

The Roman Catholic Church established All Hallows Day to be observed on November 1. But this was after AD 900! Clearly 900 years after the establishment of the Christian Church.

But we see that the CUSTOMS connected with this holiday, and its celebration were taking place at the very least, 1500 years earlier. WHY? If Halloween is not to honor the God of Christianity, then WHAT, or WHO was it established to honor?

From the Encyclopedia Brittanica,- "Samhain (Halloween), one of the most important and sinister calendar festivals of the Celtic year. At Samhain, held on November 1, the world of the gods was believed to be made visible to mankind, and the gods played many tricks on their mortal worshipers; it was a time fraught with danger, charged with fear, and full of supernatural episodes. Sacrifices and propitiations of every kind were thought to be vital, for without them the Celts believed they could not prevail over the perils of the season or counteract the activities of the deities."

Yes, this was a time of fear, of great concern for the Celtic peoples. Their priest, the Druids instructed them to observe two important festivals each year, one in the spring called "Beltane" and this one in the fall called "Samhain". Beltane is the Druidic assembly marking the opening of Summer, the meaning of the word "Samhain" reveals the purpose of its observance, it means "end of summer."

From A Dictionary of Non-Christian Religions, by Geoffrey Parrinder,- "Samhain is an ancient Celtic feast, held at the end of October and beginning of November. In Ireland it was celebrated on the shores of lakes. Samhain marked the beginning of winter, as Beltane marked the onset of summer. Samhain meant "summers end", and bonfires were lit to strengthen the powers of the WANING SUN. These are perpetuated in the bonfires of November, still popular in Britain. In the Christian calendar, Samhain was merged into All Saints Day on November 1."

Little by little we see that the seemingly harmless activities associated with halloween today have sinister roots that go deep into PAGANISM and superstition. You may still think this is all harmless, but let's examine some of the fruits of the observance of Halloween.

One of the gods that was feared and worshiped on this day was CROMM CRUAC.

From The Standard Encyclopedia of Folklore, Mythology and Legend,- "Cromm Cruac, a HUGE IDOL which stood on the plain of Mag Sleact in County Cavan, in Ulster, near the present village of Ballymagauran; also call Rigiodal h-Eireann, the KING IDOL of Ireland. Around him were twelve idols made of stone but he was of gold and to him the early Irish SACRIFICED ONE THIRD OF THEIR CHILDREN ON SAMHAIN. (Halloween) The idol and sacrifices are mentioned in the 6^th Century Dinnsenchus in the Book of Leinster. Cromm Cruac was held in HORROR for his terrible exactions; it was DANGEROUS TO EVEN WORSHIP HIM, for the worshipers themselves often perished in the act of worship."

This is one of the pagan gods the observance of Halloween honors!

Do you really want to participate in a festival that has its roots in DEMONISM, demanding HUMAN SACRIFICE?

The Druidic Priesthood demanded that each Celtic family offer one of every three of their children to be burned alive in the bonfires of Halloween!

Just imagine how difficult it must have been for parents to choose which of their little ones would be offered to this bloody idol.

To make light of Halloween today is to make light of its sinister past. It dishonors the memory of God's precious and defenseless little children who suffered an agonizing death to honor demons masquerading as God.

1 Corinthians 10:19-21,- "What do I mean then? That a thing sacrificed to idols is anything, or that an idol is anything? No, but I say that the THINGS WHICH THE GENTILES SACRIFICE THEY SACRIFICE TO DEMONS, and not to God; and I do not want you to become SHARERS IN DEMONS. You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons; you cannot partake of the table of the Lord and the table of demons."

Although the Roman Catholic Church tried to "Christianize" the observance of what we call Halloween today, the Holy Scriptures clearly show that one cannot straddle the fence and "whitewash" what to God is filthy and profane! If you want to be a true Christian, you cannot observe PAGAN FESTIVALS that honor demons!

Many today claim to be ministers of God, and claim to follow the Scriptures, yet they are afraid to condemn these pagan practices. But there are no Scriptures supporting these ancient practices, and the Bible is full of warnings against them.

Deuteronomy 4:2-3,- "You SHALL NOT ADD to the word which I am commanding you, NOR TAKE AWAY FROM IT, that you may keep the commandments of the Lord your God which I command you. Your eyes have seen what the Lord has done in the case of Baal-Peor, for all the men that followed Baal-Peor, the Lord your God has destroyed them from among you."

There are NO BLESSINGS from God for participating in the PAGAN WORSHIP of DEMONISM! God blesses those who obey Him. And He does pronounce curses for disobedience. (Deuteronomy 28)

Notice Romans 6:16,- "Do you not know that to whom you YIELD YOURSELVES as servants to obey, whether sin, which leads to DEATH, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness?"

Just WHO are you obeying in commemorating the observance of Halloween? It certainly is not a commandment from the true God. But it is a commandment from the Roman Catholic Church. And it is a commandment from the Druid Priests! An observance to honor CROMM CRUAC, whose very name means "bloody bent one." The Bible reveals WHO is really behind this holiday,- the entity is the bloody, twisted one God calls the Devil.

In Greek, "Devil" means "deified spirit."

To deify means to be extolled to supreme rank. Satan and his demons continually pass themselves off as gods through pagan idolatrous worship. And as Paul said, one cannot mix the cup of the Lord with the cup of demon worship.

Although some may argue that they no longer offer up their children as sacrifices, the fact still remains that it does commemorate those times. And it does take some sacrifice to observe Halloween.

The act of buying the decorations, costumes and even the treats are all financial sacrifices made at the altar of Cromm Cruac. In effect, these are offerings given, to give honor to what is dishonorable.

Be honest with yourself, just what do you really think your Creator thinks when He sees His little ones dressed so grotesquely and practicing this evil festival?

For a moment, examine your memories of observing Halloween. You probably have FOND MEMORIES of it. It may bring to remembrance the excitement of dressing up as someone or something, or the joy you felt as your bag became ever full of all sorts of candy and treats. You may remember visiting a "haunted house" exhibit, or staying up late with friends watching horror movies. It was FUN, wasn't it?

But is it really right to ignore the true meaning of Halloween?

Even today there are HUMAN SACRIFICES offered on this evening by some Satanic worshipers! Some of the missing children whose pictures you may see on America's bulletin boards at your local grocery store, may have been abducted for the purpose of serving as a sacrifice to demons, masquerading as gods.

And what would be the memories of the ancient Celts of this observance? Wouldn't they be memories of extreme fear? And the painful memory of the reality that thousands of their little children perished in the fires of Cromm Cruac on this very day each year? Wouldn't those Celts be shocked and offended if they were to see this festival taken so lightly today?

More importantly, WHAT ARE GOD'S MEMORIES of the OBSERVANCE OF HALLOWEEN?

The Bible says a thousand years is as a single day to God. You see, to God it does not seem so long ago that He watched people He loved take their own trusting children by the hand and lead them to the altar of demons to perish in the fiery flames of Cromm Cruac. Rivers of tears flowed in heaven as the Heavenly Host observed this yearly holocaust.

My friends, as the Apostle Paul said, you cannot mix the cup of the Lord with the cup of demons,- choose the Lord's cup.

"Hear the word which the Lord speaks to you, O house of Israel. Thus says the Lord, "Do not learn the way of the nations. And do not be terrified by the signs of the heavens, although the nations are terrified by them; For the customs of the peoples are delusion." Jeremiah 10:1-2

Related Links: "Halloween's Bloody Legacy"

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