Duane, I will be answering your questions, hopefully, today.

This was put on some of the lists. Can anyone who claims to know Almighty God, after reading this, believe He is happy with our mixing this with Christianity? Decorating the building with the Lord's name on it,(which in itself is using the Lord's name in vain) with a hint of this evil? Telling the community around the building and the *members* of that *church* that it is A OK to mix all this evil in their lives? Such weakness in the kingdom is helping to gray the line between the kingdom and the world.

<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< Kerby Anderson Commentary

Halloween

October 22, 1999

Next weekend kids will take to the streets to celebrate Halloween and fill up on candy. But is this a holiday that Christians should celebrate?

The date, October 31st, has long been known as "The Festival of the Dead." The Celtic tribes and their priests, the Druids, celebrated this day as a marker for the change from life to death. Today, the modern celebration of Halloween is performed usually by adherents of witchcraft who use the date for their rituals.

Witches celebrate Halloween as the "Feast of Samhain"  the first feast of the witchcraft year. Being a festival of the dead, Halloween is a time when witches attempt to communicate with the dead through various forms of divination. Contrast this with God's command against divination in Deuteronomy 18.

Witches, for example, believe that this day marks the time when the Mother Goddess (also known as Mother Nature, Goddess of the Earth) returns to the underworld to sleep under a blanket of snow. In her place comes another god  the Horned God  who emerges to begin his reign of death.

In later centuries, the Catholic Church attempted to redeem this pagan holiday and designated it as "All Saints Day." Protestant churches during the Reformation chose not the celebrate this day seeing, it as an attempt to Christianize a pagan holiday.

Today, we still have these two options: to ignore Halloween or to provide an alternative like a Fall Fun Festival. Frankly, I think those are about our only two choices.

By the way, if you would like more information on Halloween, please call Probe Ministries for our free Halloween packet which talks about the origin of Halloween and all of its traditions like dressing up and going trick-or-treating. Don't just go with the flow. Take time to make an informed decision about what you will do on Halloween.

I'm Kerby Anderson of Probe Ministries, and that's my opinion.

Kerby Anderson is the president of Probe Ministries International. He received his B.S. from Oregon State University, M.F.S. from Yale University, and M.A. from Georgetown University. He is the author of several books, including Genetic Engineering, Origin Science, Living Ethically in the 90s, Signs of Warning, Signs of Hope, and Moral Dilemmas.

He is a nationally syndicated columnist whose editorials have appeared in the Dallas Morning News, the Miami Herald, the San Jose Mercury, and the Houston Post.

He is the host of "Probe," and frequently serves as guest host on "Point of View" (USA Radio Network) and "Open Line" (Moody Broadcasting Network). He can be reached via e-mail at kerby@probe.org. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Nelta

-- Anonymous, October 26, 1999

Answers

No Scripture for worship?? Nope....couldn't pass this one up:

Acts 2:42: "And they were continually devoting themselves to the apostles' teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread, and pryaer."

Acts 20:7: "And on the first day of the week, when we gathered together to break bread, Paul began talking to them, intending to depart the next day, and he porlonged his message until midnight."

I Cor. 14:26: "What is the outcome then, brethren? When you ASSEMBLE, each one has a psalm, has a teaching, has a revelation, has a tongue, has an interpretation. Let all things be done for edification."

Hebrews 10:25:..."not forsaking our own assembling togehther, as is the habit of some....."

And these were just off the top of my head.

Nelta....let's be REAL honest. I believe you have some real issues concerning male leadership.

Every one of your posts has one overriding theme.....a resentment against God ordained leadership in the church.

I pray that God will take away whatever bitter thing happened to you in the past that makes you this way.

In Christian Concern,

-- Anonymous, October 26, 1999

Nelta, Most of us know the origins of Halloween. The premise of Kathy's original post established that as a given.

The issue is, the wisdom in "catering" to traditions which have evil associations. And your stance, which is to "stay away" from it, is similar to mine.

What I find disturbing, however, (and perhaps, revealing) is your other comment:

Decorating the building with the Lord's name on it,(which in itself is using the Lord's name in vain)

It's no wonder you object to a paper pumpkin posted on the church building! You don't even want a sign on the building! You don't even want a building!

While I'm sure you have strong feelings about this, I think of Paul's letters, some of which he put a "sign" on, or label, so to speak, when he wrote: "to the churches of Christ" Was he taking the Lord's name in vain by identifying the recipients of his letters(which were part of the very Word of God) with the name of Jesus? I think not. He was only being expedient by being sure the letters were addressed to those to whom it was written.

I like the way the accapella brethren have signs at their building which say "the church of Christ meets here" to make sure people understand that the church is NOT the building. However, when we see a building with a sign that says "Kiwanis" we dont think the building is Kiwanis.... we know it houses the Kiwanis who meet there.



-- Anonymous, October 26, 1999

Duane,

Just to clarify a bit. I am not against Christians owning a building so long as it is a decision of the individual members to have a place for their different types of gatherings. It should not be for the purpose of *worship* since there is no scripture for group worship. If it is a business venture between the people who want to gather together and not taught that it is a *house of God* bought with His money I see nothing wrong with that. The said members can do anything in such a building that does not show themselves and the world that they are not following Christ. My point was that if we accept this Holy Day as being all right to participate in, in any form or fashion (this fellow said we could have a fall fest. in place of Halloween. I say if we want a fall fest lets have it on another occasion and not show to the world we are giving our *amen* to the thought.)

But that is not the way it is viewed today by most people in and out of the kingdom. It is a special place for the *big business* run by the powers that be, including all staff. It is a place where members go to be fed. Jesus talking to the woman at the well might have a bearing on this question.

-- Anonymous, October 26, 1999

Nelta...

You do like to stir up trouble don't you? I must put in my thought though on your comment of no Scriptural for a corporate worship experience. First, is this really a true statement? Are there absolutely no Scriptural precedents (OT and NT) for a corporate worship experience? Secondly, even if there was no Scriptural precedent (which I have not asserted, but you did) then does this in and of itself necessarily exclude corporate worship? Because ISTM (it seems to me), that when Jesus made the statement he did about not having those in the crowd worship Him that if they were forbidden that experience then rocks and stones would do the same thing. Jesus' concern seems to be for never prohibiting worship (corporately or individually).

Logically, if you would assert that one can worship God in just about any circumstance and setting, then one would naturally assume that would be inclusive of a corporate experience as well.

-- Anonymous, October 26, 1999

This forum is just too much fun. I am going to go back into teaching and I should certainly be spending my time with *spring* cleaning.

Mike,

I don't call what I do *stirring up trouble*. I just throw things out for people to consider (if they want to so do.) Would you believe some people have never heard this stuff before? For example, I once put a post on RM-Bible (before I was canned) about our taking out of context 1 Cor. 16:1-2 and on that scripture building the common treasury today. A preacher on that list said he had never heard any thing like that before. Did he change his mind? No! but it gave him something to *hear.) So you see....I just present. If it is worthwhile God will give the increase.

The only way (that I can find in the Bible) that worship can be done is from one's heart to God. He judges our hearts. He looks into our hearts for our worship to Him. (Of course, out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.)

Can two people be worshipping God at the same time...side by side..yes, but it is still individual.

I don't think I dealt will all your thoughts here but the way this *response thing* is set up we can't read the one we are responding to at the time.

-- Anonymous, October 26, 1999

Nelta: Is that what U really think goes on in [the church] the modern- day American (even christian)festivites of celebration?!?!?! Do U really think that we are celebrating the "dawn of the dead"??!?!?! I can hear the words of Joseph echoing in my ears as a lesson.....U meant it for evil but God meant it for good i.e. the day,the symbols; AND just because we happen to have a black cat DOESN"T mean we are perpetuating an evil,religious practice. As a matter of fact we had adopted this kitty off the side of a country road because someone else meant to do that poor critter evil...leaving it to the elements & wildlife.... We saw it as a way of honoring God by caring for HIS creation.....timing was right for this time of yr. wouldn't ya say?!?!?! I surely hope U don't think that we practice such things that were cited in your post.Hey , BTW last yr I was sent a very interesting item on what all the symbols meant in the "early" yrs...U wouldn't believe what the practice was for bobbing for apples!!! Not that we think of it but anything but for fun....... Kathy C. ><>

-- Anonymous, October 26, 1999

Historical background: A pagan festival of ancient Druids which honors Samhain, "lord of the dead". Came before Christianity by hundreds of years. Supposedly, Samhain called together all the wicked souls who died within the last twelve months and had been condemned to inhabit the bodies of animals - Last day of October - the eve of the Celtic new year. A time of falling leaves - seasonal decay. The Druids believed on this night these souls of the dead would return to their former homes to be entertained by the living. If acceptable food and shelter were not provided, these evil spirits would cast spells and cause havoc, terror, and haunt and torment the living. The gifts were "treats", and if not provided, one would receive a "trick" instead.

A Christian Response to Halloween:

1. RECOGNIZE Satanic origins of Halloween. Christians should have no relationship to it. 2 Cor. 6:14-18

2. REMEMBER what God says about pagan customs. Deut. 18:14-18

3. REFUSE to have anything to do with practices that promote Satanic rituals or occultic methods. Lev. 19:31; Is. 8:19-20;1 Thess 5:22

4. REALIZE the consequences of such practices. Lev. 20:27

5. REBUKE lovingly, but firmly, all satanic practices and expose them for what they are. Eph. 5:8-14

6. RELY on the Lord in facing evil forces and spiritual wickedness. Eph. 6:10-20

7. RESPOND to the community with positive activities that seek to win lost people to Jesus Christ and encourage God's people to stay away from such pratices. Cor. 9:19-22

Be a light! dan

-- Anonymous, November 02, 1999