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Christian Pastors Mostly OK With Halloween Observance
"I think it's like anything else -- in moderation. Know what it is, know what you're dealing with and then just be careful with it."
By Bill McAllister
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It's the 'things-go-bump-in-the-night' night: Halloween -- the annual festival of fear.
It's a secular event, but are spiritual matters involved?
The era when ministers would, if you will, demonize Halloween appears to be largely past.
But that does not mean there are not some lingering reservations about how contemporary America treats the subject of the occult.
The question posed by the killers in the “Scream” films – “What's your favorite scary movie?” -- gets a quick answer from Pastor John Carpenter of Baxter Bible Church.
"I guess the movie that really grabbed me the most as a kid was 'Halloween.' the first one. And the best part, of course, was John Carpenter was all across the screen," he added, referring to the famous director of the film.
But Carpenter tossed his collection of Stephen King hardcovers when he became a Christian, and now urges caution in Halloween-related activities.
"I think it's like anything else -- in moderation. Know what it is, know what you're dealing with and then just be careful with it."
Likewise, Pastor Jim Strutz of Anchorage City Church has a low-key view of Halloween.
"There are some Christians who believe there is a lot of danger in it. Some take serious issue with Halloween. I'm not one of those."
But make no mistake: Although these Christian ministers don't speak out forcefully against Halloween, they do believe in the occult."
Strutz said: "I do believe that's true, yes, that Satan has basically hoodwinked American society into not believing that he exists, yes."
"You know, I grew up dressing up, and I enjoyed it,” Carpenter said. “And I’ll take my son trick-or-treating tonight. But the biggest thing as a Christian I have against Halloween is it does celebrate and promote fear. We know that fear isn't of God. Fear in fact is like a perverted faith."
So while these ministers aren't warning anyone away from Halloween parties, they say the spirit world is very real -- and potentially dangerous.
Halloween gets its name from All Hallows Day, or All Saints Day, which once was widely observed on November 1, although it is largely forgotten today.
So Halloween, which emphasizes the dark side of the spiritual spectrum, is the equivalent of Fat Tuesday to Lent.
