Is it Okay to Celebrate Halloween?

Hi, I am commenting on whether or not Halloween should be celebrated. First off, I am mormon by practice and baptism by the Scotch Plains Ward in New Jersey, now attending the Nazareth Ward in P.A. My opinion about Halloween is that it’s a time when kids can dress up and portray as goons and goblins, monsters, etc. and either get frightened by the same or be rewarded with candy because of how scary, or evil their costume looks. But is this the message that we want to send to kids? That it’s o.k. to be scared of the evil goblin or the deceitful monster, and if they dress up to be a demon or an angel they will be rewarded with something that we can buy from the store for a sweet tooth. Just think would God allow his only begotten son Jesus Christ at a young age out as a monster or a pixie to trick for a treat. I personnally don’t think so. That’s my opinion on Halloween. God Bless!

This is exactly what I asked my wife when I was called to be the Ward “Activities Committee Chairman,” (and shortly thereafter asked to organize a Trunk or Treat party).
Though born of Goodly Parents, and LDS from birth, I spent 20 years after baptism “finding myself” as well as my true religion. I would say the same things about Halloween (that it was not developed as an evil holiday, it is just for fun, etc), and laugh at the ‘kooky religious fanatics’ that tried to tell me that Halloween is satan’s only holiday that is officially recognized, approved, and encouraged. Though it may have not started as an evil recognition, like many of our “real” holidays, it has morphed itself into what the adversary wants it to be: an excuse for us to sin, and teach our kids to do the same.
I guess what I ask myself as this day comes up, is this:
Does pretending to steal, murder, rape, whore, and sin make it okay, just because it is only for 1 day?
By shedding our righteousness and armor against evil for one day per year make us more protected from falling into the depths of satans grasp. Or do we crave his attention so much MORE than our Savior’s, that we rationalize it as “Just one day,” and risk our salvation by tempting God, when we KNOW what is right and what is wrong?

I personally feel that no matter what the world at large does, it is up to us Saints that have been shown the true and COMPLETE Gospel, to turn our backs on such an openly unholy day.
The leaders of our Church have never openly condemned Halloween fun and games–Does anyone ponder that it may be because the Lord considers it to be a question of Agency…so He hasn’t told our Prophet? (a question we already KNOW the answer to, so we have to make the personal decision which way to choose).

Halloween, like other holidays, becomes perverted for the few at the expense of many. My children enjoy Halloween kept in it’s proper context as a harvest festival whose origins lie in the customs of the ancient Celtic peoples.
Our Irish heritage is celebrated at Halloween in remembering our ancestors in stories and pictures and honouring them at a special meal. We carve jack-o-lanterns and give out treats to the little ones that come calling. My girls do not wear costumes that are morbid, violent, seductive or vulgar. They wear fun costumes and go trick or treating only where we know the neighborhood.
Yes, I agree we must all make an informed decision regarding this holiday but to make an informed decision one must be educated to the facts regarding Halloween as to recognize the misinformation. For example…Halloween has never been “Satan’s” holiday…perhaps there are some misguided people who pervert it for that purpose, but it is not based in truth. Education is the key to understanding and eliminating irrational fears.

Let’s celebrate Halloween for the right reasons rather than condemning it for the wrong!

In Christ Jesus,
~Inion

Granted it may be wise to use caution with Halloween, we should not become hard line extremist, either. Like the previous commentors have said, Halloween originated as an amalgam of harvest festivals from North European countries, particularly Ireland and the U.K. It was not meant to become what Hollywood has made out of it today. We let our kids participate, but we try to keep it positive, without any harmful themes. We emphasize the fun, rather than the scare. We let them choose their costume, but we don’t allow masks and we use it as an opportunity to teach them church standards of dress. We also tell them that their ancestors used the holiday to take courage against things they were afraid of. I believe that positive things can still be achieved using the holiday, without becoming sour-puss extremists.

Any holiday can become changed from a good to celebration to a not so good one. For example Christmas can become a commercialized frenzy in our homes, if we let it. Easter can become a celebration of the easter bunny rather than of the Resurrection. Similarly Halloween can be a positive experience or a negative one. We must simply keep a good spirit about it and as always avoid demonic type costumes and activities.

When I was on my mission we had a Halloween party for the zone I was in. We just spent a couple of hours playing a few games.

First off I would like to point out that I am not a Mormon, but I am interested in all of theology. I would like to say about what I have learnt.
That is Halloween (or Samhain pronounced sow-in)and is very much like the Mexican holiday celebrating their loved ones who have passed. Lighting jack ‘o’ lanterns to help guide their loved ones who have passed, wearing mask’s so the loved ones can walk around with the living without scaring people.
To speak of it as being the devils only holiday is due to the fact that it is very much celebrated among witchcraft/wicca/paganism and most/if not all nature based religions. In which they do not belive in the devil, and have been known to celebrate and worship duel deitys (male&female)the two common ones are the triple Goddess and the Horned God (hence where the devil aspect comes into it.
And yes I do agree that Hollywood (if not all of America) has demonised this holiday with trick and treats etc etc…..

in all the Halloween comments that I have read so far none of them refers to All Hallows Day or All Hallows Eve/ning i.e. the day before All Hallows Day – http://www.loc.gov/folklife/halloween.html

You only use cartoon ghosts — at church — isn’t that sweet. Halloween should not be celebrated at church. It originated from pagans. We are to be separate from the world.

wow i learned allot from reading your comments.especialy from “sam” and “nancy”. sam pointed out the celebration of the dead family members finding there way home “the ghost and pumkins” and nancy strait up condemmed it without second thaught in ignorance. i love open discussions like this ,sheds light on the truth.

For the record, I’m a Southern Baptist and I don’t believe having fun on Halloween in a safe and positive manner is a problem.

That said, I do have a question for all of you who believe that Halloween should not ever be celebrated/enjoyed by any Christian:

At Christmas time, do you have a decorated Christmas tree in your house?

To the best of my knowledge, the decoration of trees was originally a pagan custom that was adopted. I’ve never seen any reference to decorating trees in the Bible. However, we all have our Christmas trees. If you’re going to take a hard line against items with pagan origins, shouldn’t the tree be included in the forbidden list? If you’re okay with the tree because we’ve managed to adopt it so that it’s no longer tied to it’s original use, why can’t we do the same with a holiday where kids get to dress up, share some time together, get some candy and play some games?

Actually – it makes sense that many mormons would find the issue subjective or arrive at the conclusion that it is not evil at all to celebrate halloween. If you can accept Joseph Smith’s heretical doctrines and revelations – but most of all behavior…then certainly taking time to practice idolatry on a day dedicated to paganism shouldn’t be a stretch for you.

Meanwhile though, the exhortations from 1 Corinthians 10:20-21 have not expired, there is no statue of limitations regarding the encouragement that the Corinthians were receiving in that passage regarding separating, forsaking, distancing and fleeing from idolatry.

1Co 10:20
But I say, that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to devils, and not to God: and I would not that ye should have fellowship with devils.

1Co 10:21
Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of devils: ye cannot be partakers of the Lord’s table, and of the table of devils.

Halloween was once a religious holiday, to cleanse ourselves of evil spirits not bring them in.

In fact if you were to break up what halloween used to be called it would be holy evening. So it has almost nothing to do with the devil unless you make it that way.