Halloween: Pagan Infiltration of the Modern Culture or Church Sanctioned Fun?

I have only received a few pieces of negative fan mail in my time in ministry.  The first was for running a Halloween funhouse through the church I was interning at for the Junior High Youth Group.  They went nuts for it.  The church was huge and old, they set up stations for the tour, and we raised some money for the place.  It was probably the highlight event of the year I spent there.

And it was over the top.  Were it a movie, it would have received at least a PG-13.  I censored for risqué ideas and costumes, but for blood and gore, not so much.  I remember the quietest girl in our group brandishing a plastic kitchen knife as she played the psycho surgeon.

And then I got the long, reasoned letter on how I was leading the children into temptation. He cited some Scripture, and tradition, and his own presuppositions about the day, and that was that.

But since then, some Christians of good faith and conscience have asked me or questioned me about my views of Halloween.  I haven’t taken a settled position (although my attitudes are well displayed at home and at church).  Today, I am going to take a position.

I do not believe that the Bible takes a position on Halloween.  Celebrations are sanctioned, fun is okay, parties are appreciated, in general terms, so long as they don’t cross a line into something more sinful.  Dancing is not sex standing up, but it can lead to inappropriate liaisons.  Alcohol is not a bad thing, but it is easily abused.  There are reasonable limits that reasonable people can see and agree to.

I believe Halloween falls into that same category.  We dress up and have fun.  Yes, blood and gore are standard, as are demons, vampires, zombies, serial killers, and all manners of evil and nastiness.  But there are also angels and puppy dogs, superheroes and sheriffs, police officers and monster hunters.   

If I see a kid coming down the street dressed as Jason Voorhees or Michael Myers wielding an actual chain saw, yah, I have a problem with that.  If the vampire cheerleader is actually attempting to chomp down on trick-or-treaters, I think an intervention is in order.  When a bunch of demon-clad youngsters are gathered in a front yard actually trying to summon Mephistopheles because the home owner went for "trick" instead of "treat", there are issues to be discussed.

But this is my opinion of Halloween.  I don’t pretend that it should be THE rule for other people.  Folks have different opinions and I believe that we need to respect those opinions.  As a pastor, I have worked with people who have real problems from past experiences around Halloween.  But those have been moments when things went too far.

The most important thing about Halloween is that our kids are safe as they have fun.  And I believe the Lord would bless us as we enjoy the day.