WHY WE DON’T CELEBRATE HALLOWEEN
By Evangelist Duane Moore
Page 1
Rather than a specific text for our message today, please keep your Bibles open as we look together at some
great Biblical Truths about this topic – Why we don’t celebrate Halloween.
As a child, I can remember the careless times of dressing in costume and going house to house to ask for some
candy treat. At that time it all seemed so harmless to celebrate Halloween – a child’s dress up day – dressed as
your favorite cartoon character or superstar. As an adult looking back at those times, it is clear and obvious to
me that we were in error.
Today Halloween is more of an adult party time than a child’s fun time. Promoted by the beer sellers and party
shops – the day has a distinctly different feel than years ago. If you don’t believe me just visit your local retail
store or party shop and look at the costume selection – notice the price, notice the sensuality, notice the evil – I
think this will support my point.
I think we will see a very clear reason for not celebrating Halloween in the scriptures alone, but first let me offer
some very practical reasons why I won’t celebrate Halloween:
1. First, the very principal of ‘Trick or Treat’ is contrary to the concept of Good Manners that we should
endeavour to instill in our children. The idea that someone should give us something for nothing more
than fear of our retaliation is wrong. In the world of organized crime, that’s protection money; in illegal
politics it’s a bribe; in a world of street crime is robbery … do we dare play games with that which is
wrong. I should remind you too that Halloween night is noted for its ‘Tricks’ – those things that will
be rampant on this particular night – destruction of property, assault of persons, even murder. In
Detroit, MI, the city is often set ablaze by rioters on Oct 30 (they call it the Devil’s night) and Oct 31.
Children find razor blades and foreign objects in the treats and so much more. NOT SOMETHING I
WANT TO BE ASSOCIATED WITH.
2. Secondly, what lesson are we teaching our children about Heroes – do we really want them dressing like
their favorite adulterous athlete, sleazy Hollywood performer or a crooked politician. It is said that
imitation is the greatest form of flattery! Then what about the evil and the macabre? Should our
children (or adults) be dressing up as Ghost, Goblins and Witches (you know the Bible says Ex 22:18
Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live.) Remember that your children will most likely select a costume
of a person they admire or want to be like when they grow up.
3. Finally, the history and practice of Halloween should persuade a Christian to avoid it! November 1 was
designated by the Roman Catholics as All Saints Day. To accommodate the heathen practice in the
areas of their conquest, Halloween (All Hallows Eve) was permitted. These feasts came from Druid
and Celtic influence. For instance, about the same time the Irish celebrated Samhain – a festival to mark
‘summer’s end’. (Samhain was also consider the God of Darkness and Death by the Druids) Harmless
enough it seems, but they believed that the veil between the living and the dead became very thin on that
particular night allowing both Harmless and Harmful spirits to return to the land of the living. This
became know as the night of the Dead. In Mexico, families ‘party’ all night on the graves of their
family members; Houdini believed he could escape from the dead on this night and groups meet with
that expectation today; Satan worshipers consider this to be the holiest of their nights.
Consider some of the traditions practiced today and their origin. On ALL HALLOWS EVE
disembodied spirits roamed the earth seeking food or a body to possess. From this came the ‘trick or
treat’ practice. Jack-o-Lanterns with their ‘scary face’ and light inside were designed to scare away
WHY WE DON’T CELEBRATE HALLOWEEN
Page 2 of 6
these evil spirits parading for food. Costumes and mask were worn so that the spirits could not
determine the living from the dead or know someone’s true identity. Today, Halloween continues as a
mixture of paganism and Roman Catholicism. It is full of
Sinful Iniquity
Sexual Indulgence
Satanic Influence
Now some scriptural points to ponder:
WHY WE DON’T CELEBRATE HALLOWEEN
Page 3 of 6
I. READY COMMAND OF THE SCRIPTURES
1Th 5:22 Abstain from all appearance of evil.
With this clear mandate from the Word of God, how can we justify adorning ourselves in the evil attire of that
which is associated with wickedness – witchcraft, monsters, murderous creatures. How can we condone that
which is associated with the world – music, movie superstars, athletes and individuals of ill repute that have no
regard for the things of God? How can we adorn ourselves with the sensual and immodest apparel of the
wicked?
Eph 4:27 Neither give place to the devil.
Paul’s admonition to the Christians at Ephesus is DON’T GIVE IN! Does the Devil really need a night to work
freely without constraint? I dare say NOT! Keep your family away from his trickery and treachery.
Eph 5:11 And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove
them. 12 For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret.
What a powerful conclusion. Paul says ‘you can’t participate in the works of darkness’ – “no fellowship” he
says. How can we reprove the world of their deeds when we are in the midst of them?
Use October to mark the conclusion of the harvest, certainly a time to be Thankful and Praise HIM, but DO
NOT disappoint our LORD by pretending to be part of the wickedness of this world. Do Not condone the
iniquity of others by participating or mimicking their sins!
WHY WE DON’T CELEBRATE HALLOWEEN
Page 4 of 6
II. RISK OF BECOMING COMFORTABLE WITH SIN
I think this may be the strongest argument yet for not partaking in Halloween. The Devil knows that he can
never undermine good moral teaching by simply attacking it, but he instead will endeavor to get you
comfortable with iniquity. He wants you to let your guard down and soon you will become his prey.
Remember that great truth in Jeremiah 6 that we don’t blush at sin any longer – we have gotten used to sin.
The Devil has already made us comfortable with sex (marital, fornication, adultery – makes no difference);
cursing, violence, drugs, alcohol and on and on I could go. These things don’t embarrass us or even catch our
attention any longer.
Through Halloween, the Devil wants to make us comfortable with a deeper evil side. Halloween celebrates
witchcraft, sorcery, fortune telling, evil things, séances, evil spirits and even the Devil himself (although he
doesn’t have a red suit, horns and pointed tail).
Consider these verses to see what God thinks about this side of evil…
Ex 22:18 Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live.
Without fanfare God says ‘I am serious about this.’
Le 19:26 …neither shall ye use enchantment, nor observe times.
Le 19:31 Regard not them that have familiar spirits, neither seek after wizards, to be defiled by
them: I am the LORD your God.
Not words from a Novel but from the word of God
Le 20:6 And the soul that turneth after such as have familiar spirits, and after wizards, to go a
whoring after them, I will even set my face against that soul, and will cut him off from among
his people.
7 Sanctify yourselves therefore, and be ye holy: for I am the LORD your God.
I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to deal with God on this issue. Notice the contrast in the verses –
don’t follow spirits and wizards, but BE HOLY – you can’t do both!
1Ch 10:13 So Saul died for his transgression which he committed against the LORD, even
against the word of the LORD, which he kept not, and also for asking counsel of one that had
a familiar spirit, to enquire of it;
14 And enquired not of the LORD: therefore he slew him, and turned the kingdom unto David
the son of Jesse.
I would imagine that Saul wouldn’t be interested in celebrating Halloween wouldn’t you. He died for
embracing that spirit world. Serious? I think so. Notice the gender neutral pronoun “it” .. mark it down, that’s
not normal!
Isa 8:19 And when they shall say unto you, Seek unto them that have familiar spirits, and unto
wizards that peep, and that mutter: should not a people seek unto their God? for the living to
the dead?
WHY WE DON’T CELEBRATE HALLOWEEN
Page 5 of 6
20 To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there
is no light in them.
SPEAKS FOR ITSELF
Isa 19:3 And the spirit of Egypt shall fail in the midst thereof; and I will destroy the counsel
thereof: and they shall seek to the idols, and to the charmers, and to them that have familiar
spirits, and to the wizards.
God identifies the charmers and idols, wizards and familiar spirits as the SPIRIT OF EGYPT. We know that
Egypt is always a type of the WORLD and the FLESH and is to be avoided.
SO THAT”S OLD TESTAMENT – WHAT ABOUT THE NEW … we only need to go here!
Ga 5:19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication,
uncleanness, lasciviousness,
20 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,
21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before,
as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the
kingdom of God.
Consider how these evil things are presented in such an acceptable format: Casper the Friendly Ghost; Papa
Smurf (a wizard); Bewitched, I dream of Jeanie: Sabrina the teenage witch; and Harry Potter! CAUTION – its
easy to get comfortable!
WHY WE DON’T CELEBRATE HALLOWEEN
Page 6 of 6
III. REALITY OF CORRUPT SPIRITS
Finally, please note that the concept or idea of corrupt and wicked spirits is not make believe – but VERY
REAL. Though they are NOT the spirits of those who have departed this life before us – they are supernatural
creatures that exist in the invisible realm. Eph 6:12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against
principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in
high places. We are in a warfare like never before. Demonic and Evil Spirits are real, raging and ravaging this
generation!! They can be seen in the rock music culture, films and movies, books and such much more. Why
should we celebrate, condone or otherwise become comfortable with that dark spiritual world who are the
enemies of the church and the people of God.
2Co 6:14 Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with
unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?
15 And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel?
16 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.
17 Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean
thing; and I will receive you,
18 And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.
We are not in the compromising business! We are here to WIN over these forces of evil! We can never do that
while playing with them!
I close with these thoughts from Paul to the young preacher Timothy
1Ti 4:1 ¶ Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving
heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;
2 Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron;
3 Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with
thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth.
From these verses, take notice of the source of these false teachings and the downfall of those that fell away -
seducing spirits and doctrines of devils!
REAL? Yes they are! FREIGHTING? Yes, most Certainly! VICTORIOUS? Not in the end – for Victory
is ours. I plan to give the Devil no Victory on October 31st!
NO HALLOWEEN FOR ME!
(The author acknowledge information contained above was collected from a variety of sources over several
years. Some facts are disputed by opposing points of view.)
