The Jack-o-lantern: Hundreds of years before Christ, on Halloween night each Druid dressed in hooded robes and has slung over his shoulder on a cord, a large, hallowed-out turnip with an oil lamp burning inside. Carved into the side of the hollow turnip is a face, the likeness of the demon spirit that dwells inside. This spirit is the Druid's spirit guide, his personal little god, who directs and empowers his life. When the Celtics immigrated to the New World they found pumpkins, much easier to hollow out and carve than turnips. Among the English-speaking Celts the hollowed turnip or pumpkin was known as "Jock (or Jack) of the Lantern." The World Book Encyclopedia, 1977 edition, volume 9, page 24-26 says, "The apparently harmless lighted pumpkin face of `Jack-O-Lantern' is an ancient symbol of a damned soul." "Trick or Treating": The Druids of old adhered to strange dietary restrictions, and on the night of the Festival of Death they go from home to home demanding these peculiar foods. If the people comply, they pass on in silence; if their demands are not met, the people and their home are cursed with trouble, sickness and death. The wearing of masks and costumes also came from the Druids. During this night of rituals they sacrificed animals (and sometimes humans). Often they wore the skins of these animals. Dressed in this way, they would engage in fortune telling. Villagers also dressed in hideous masks and costumes in an effort to disguise themselves from the spirits. Bobbing For Apples: Since Samhain was the beginning of the new year, much divining was done concerning the coming year, and many things were done to invoke "good luck" (which meant finding favor with the evil spirits) for the coming year. A very popular form of this was to kneel around a tub of water with apples floating in it, and the first one who could get one out without using hands or teeth would have good favor with the spirits in the coming year. Then each would peel his (or her) apple, trying to get the peel off in one piece (which gave the peeling particular power, and gained special favor with the spirits). Bonfires originally came from these nights of human and animal sacrifices where they would throw the remains of the bodies into the fire. They then practiced divination, looked for omens in the struggle of the victims sacrificed in the fires, jumped over the flames or dashed through them, danced and sang. All of this was done to frighten the evil spirits away. The next morning all that was left were the ashes and bones. Thus the name of these fires were called "bonefires". Black Cats In the 1959 edition of World Book Encyclopedia, under Halloween it was noted that Druid priests believed that cats were once human beings but were reincarnated as punishment for evil deeds. "Even after Christianity spread to Europe...oxen were sacrificed on October 31st...and in medieval Europe, black cats [were] chosen as victims in the belief that they were witches in disguise [and] were burned on that day (Halloween)." (The American Book of Day, third edition by Hatch) The Conclusion. (from 'The Dark Side of Halloween' by Dr. David L.
Brown http://www.execpc.com/logos/halloween.)
Results of Halloween Question 1 Cor 10:20-21 I say the sacrifices of pagans are offered to demons, not to God, and I do not want you to be participants with demons. You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons too; you cannot have a part in both the Lord's table and the table of demons. 1 Pet 4:1-3 Therefore, since Christ suffered in his body, arm yourselves also with the same attitude, because he who has suffered in his body is done with sin. As a result, he does not live the rest of his earthly life for evil human desires, but rather for the will of God. For you have spent enough time in the past doing what pagans choose to do--living in debauchery, lust, drunkenness, orgies, carousing and detestable idolatry. Eph 5:6-11 Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things God's wrath comes on those who are disobedient. Therefore do not be partners with them. For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light and find out what pleases the Lord. Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. Deu 18:9-13 When you enter the land the Lord your
God is giving you, do not learn to IMITATE the detestable ways of the nations
there. Let no one be found among you who sacrifices his
son or daughter in the fire, who practices divination or sorcery, interprets
omens, engages in witchcraft, or casts spells, or who is a medium or spiritist
or who consults the dead. Anyone who does these things is detestable
to the Lord, and because of these detestable practices the Lord your God
will drive out those nations before your. You must be blameless before the
Lord your God. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated are taken from
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