It’s October. This means that we’ve moved out of the arguing-about-yoga-pants season and are fully into the arguing about Halloween season. One of the critiques of Halloween is that it glorifies evil. If that is the case, then it should be obvious that Christians should not participate.
In this article I’ll attempt to answer that question. Does Halloween glorify evil? In order to answer this, we need to understand what is evil, what it means to glorify evil, and what it would look like to glorify evil. Lastly, we’ll consider whether or not Halloween matches this definition.
What Is Evil?
A little boy steals a candy bar from the store. What words will you use to describe him? I think most of us understand things like this on a scale. While we might be comfortable saying that he has sinned, and even that he is a sinner, we’d likely be a little hesitant to use terms like wicked or evil. Wickedness and evil tend to be reserved for profoundly immoral. I appreciate this definition provided by the Lexham Theological Workbook:
“The concept of evil generally describes behavior or attitudes characterized by extreme wickedness and intent to cause social, physical, psychological, emotional, or spiritual harm. The concept encompasses moral, ethical, behavioral, and spiritual dimensions.”
While there might be some theological truth to saying that evil is anything which goes against God, it might be helpful to reserve some of those words for that which is exceedingly wrong. The words of C.S. Lewis are fitting here: “Don't use words too big for the subject. Don't say 'infinitely' when you mean 'very'; otherwise you'll have no word left when you want to talk about something really infinite.”
How Do We Glorify Something?
“Glorify” is one of those churchy words that we often say but rarely stop and ponder its meaning. In secular usage we might use a phrase like this to speak of someone “glorifying violence.” In this instance it means that we are bestowing glory, honor, praise, admiration, and significance on a thing. But in this example, we are describing as excellent something which doesn’t deserve it. You can glorify something which isn’t worthy of it. You can make something look bigger and better than it actually is.
When we speak of glorifying God, we might use a different definition. It’s a bit of a wordy definition but I think John Piper’s definition of glorifying is helpful:
“Definition: ‘Glorifying’ means feeling and thinking and acting in ways that reflect his greatness, that make much of God, that give evidence of the supreme greatness of all his attributes and the all-satisfying beauty of his manifold perfections.”
What is common with Piper’s definition and the more secular usage, is that glorifying something is to ascribe worth and honor to it. In the case of God — we’re only acknowledging what is already true. In the case of something like evil, we are ascribing glory and honor to something which isn’t innately worthy of such honor.
What Does It Mean to Glorify Evil?
If we combine what we have learned about evil and glorification, we might say that to glorify evil is to exalt or promote actions, attitudes, or behaviors that are explicitly and profoundly contrary to God's divine standards and principles as outlined in the Scripture. Glorifying evil involves celebrating, encouraging, or endorsing actions and values that are in direct opposition to the righteousness and holiness that God desires for humanity.
The Bible provides a clear foundation for identifying evil and the consequences of glorifying it. In the book of Isaiah, it states, "Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter!" (Isaiah 5:20, ESV). This passage warns against the distortion of moral values and the danger of reversing the standards of good and evil. To ascribe honor and worth to something which God detests is woeful.
In Romans 1:32, the apostle Paul writes, "Though they know God's righteous decree that those who practice such things deserve to die, they not only do them but give approval to those who practice them." This verse highlights the notion that glorifying evil goes beyond personal sin; it extends to endorsing or applauding sinful actions, which can have detrimental spiritual consequences. We shouldn’t celebrate (or glorify) that which is evil.
Where does this leave us with Halloween? Does it glorify evil?
Does Halloween Glorify Evil?
Maybe.
I realize this might not be a satisfactory answer to some, but I believe it is complex and largely subjective. It is clear that we should not be celebrating or ascribing worth to evil. And it is clear that evil is that which is profoundly wicked and intending harm. But does a little girl dressed up in a princess costume, walking through her community, in an attempt to score a Kit-Kat bar profoundly wicked? Does it matter if those around her are dressed up as witches, in houses with cobwebs, and ghosts and ghouls?
Yes, it is clear that some of the origins of Halloween were evil. But there are also some roots in Celtic and Christian traditions. The origin is a bit muddy. Yes, there is a history of dressing up in costumes that is related to a glorification (or even a false view of protection from) evil spirits. But even if it is shown definitively that Halloween had a wicked origin — it doesn’t necessarily mean that we aren’t able to redeem that practice. That would be succumbing to an etymological fallacy. Simply because something has a wicked origin doesn’t mean it is an embodiment of present wickedness.
Let’s think for a moment about a little boy in a devil costume. Is this without a doubt glorifying evil? Well, it depends. What is the intention of the little boy and his parents? Yes, the devil is certainly wicked. But is the devil costume necessarily ascribing worth and honor to the Satanic? It could be. It might be thinking that the devil is cool, that death and destruction are fun things to toy around with, and that wickedness should be celebrated.
Yet, it’s possible to consider a different story. Perhaps, we might be engaging in a mockery of sorts. What Justin Shaun Coyle says on this point should at least be considered. Using Julian of Norwich as his queue, Coyle suggests another way of engaging evil:
“…that they are real means they need to be fought. That is just Julian’s point: fighting them means mocking them. For her, taking the demonic seriously means taking it comically, as the pathetic incursions of an enemy already long vanquished. This is why St. Anthony prescribes the sign of the cross against the devil. Do it, he says, to remind the enemy of when ‘he was dragged with a hook like a dragon by the Savior, haltered around his snout like a beast of burden . . . bound by the Lord as a sparrow for our amusement’”
It's also possible that a little girl wearing a princess costume has within her heart greed, deception, and an intent to harm some of the other little girls she is trick-or-treating with. This might be a bigger display of wickedness than the little boy wearing a devil costume. The heart and intentions are what ultimately matters.
Conclusion
This is why I say it is largely subjective — much of it depends upon the person wearing the costume or “celebrating” the holiday. What is the intention? It very well might be a glorification of evil. And it should be something which we thoughtfully consider. If your conscience condemns you in participating in Halloween, don’t do it. And if your participation will cause serious stumbling by a brother or sister in Christ, this too should be weighed.
Yet, I’m hesitant to say that Halloween absolutely glorifies evil. To me, there is no definitive answer. There are things which could be a glorification of evil. And in these believers absolutely must refuse to participate. But Halloween is now a diverse celebration with a wide range of traditions and interpretations. It might be a day of harmless fun, a time to express creativity, and to engage the community. It might provide opportunities to talk about Christ the Victor and the devil as a defeated enemy. And for others, the association with the supernatural and the macabre may raise these concerns about potentially glorifying evil.
So, does Halloween glorify evil?
Maybe.
Participate accordingly.
Originally posted on Bible Study Tools
"Evil" is the act of physically violating the Consent of an innocent Being.
The degree of how "evil" that act is rests upon the effect it has on the victim.
People who vilify and criminalize others for how they dress and celebrate life
need sympathy (at a safe distance) for their afflictions.
Halloween has pagan origins! I believe that people back in ancient times payed attention and watched the cycles of nature! The time that we call "Halloween" today was the time or cycle of nature telling ancient people to harvest their crops from the fields and store their crops for food for the year!
Ancient people saw that at this time of the year the days started getting shorter with less sunlight and they learned that the time for growing crops for the year was over and darkness was setting in with shorter days! Ancient people worshipped mother earth and nature spirits in ancient times or its better known as Goddess worship! Ancient people had to depend on nature or mother nature for food production and for survival!
What we call paganism or pagan worship today is actually just paying attention to and watching the life cycles of nature! People had to survive! Ancient people realized the power of nature and had different names for it! Native Americans called it "The Great Spirit" because it controlled everything! Ancient people started worshipping the sun because the sun gives life and makes crops grow! They realized that if the sun disappeared then crops wouldn't grow, they would be in darkness and would starve with no crops!
Europe and Asia is basically where paganism started with the Celts, druids and ancient Europeans and Asians because America wasn't created yet and still unknown! Indigenous Native Americans had Shamans and medicine people who worked with herbal remedies and nature spirits! Which some still do today and it's called ayahuasca or "plant medicines" for healing ailments and healing spiritual ailments, which I don't recommend doing! Stay away from that plant medicine! Ancient people all over the planet looked to nature and the sun for survival, producing crops and natural herbs for herbal remedies!
Somewhere back in history looking to nature for healing, looking to the sun for its life giving properties and power with people asking to be blessed by nature and the nature spirits to bless them became heresy and considered bad to do! The rise of Christianity? Because many ancient people lived in small villages and had women who would tend to growing herbs, looking after herb gardens and create herbal remedies for all kinds of ailments, men did some of this too! These were the medicine people and women especially were known as "wise women" or "mid wives" and they took care of people in the village, dealt with all kinds of ailments from boils to child birth and would also give spiritual advice and wisdom to the people! Somewhere all of these practices became "demonized" and the Goddess worship and looking to mother earth for nurture and life became a bad thing with the these women and "mid wives, especially, getting demonized and called "mistresses of the devil" and witches practicing witchcraft which is the devils arts! This is when Christianity took over and the Emperor Constantine decided that Christianity was going to be the world's religion forcing Goddess worship, people depending on nature and mother nature for sustenance all went underground and was completely "demonized!"
All of this was done to gain control over the people, and it worked, it's still in place today through the Vatican! We went through "the burning times" the Salem witch trials all to scare people into submission! Because in ancient times people were self sufficient and independent depending on nature and living and working alongside the cycles of nature!
Halloween came from the ancient Celtic festival called "Samhain" which marked the end of the harvest season and the onset of winter! The ancient Celts believed that the veil between the living and the dead becomes blurred at this time of year and so the tradition of lightning bonfires, wearing masks and costumes was to fool and ward off the evil spirits and the people left the spirits offerings of food and drink in hopes that nature and the nature spirits would continue bless the people with good fortune for the dark colder winter season! The ancient name of Halloween was called "All Hallows' Eve" before it was known as Halloween!
I don't think that Halloween was ever meant to be evil! People have misunderstood and misinterpreted the true meaning of Halloween and I blame the churches for that! Many innocent people over the centuries have died because of this misunderstanding that's been pushed by the churches! So to me, I think that the churches are more evil for their practices over people's lives and trying to control people like this!
I don't do religion or follow any religion! But I do believe in the teachings of Jesus and His message! I actually believe that all religions or religion, Inc. has been hijacked, all of them by evil for control purposes! I believe that this is why new age came back and is mainstream today! I've been down this road myself, I was into Wicca and witchcraft back in the 1990s! I've read many books on Wicca and witchcraft and the history of it! These ancient nature practices that ancient people practiced for growing crops and for survival has been hijacked by the evils controlling this planet and the teachings and information has been occulted(which means hidden) from humanity for control purposes! Because ancient people were self sufficient and independent! The evils have occulted this knowledge and twisted it up and they are using it for evil control purposes! They have kept the knowledge and workings of the natural world and universe from humanity! That library that was burned down in Alexandria, Egypt was no accident! I just wonder how many of those ancient texts with all of this knowledge is hidden away in the Vatican's library away from the public! I would say all of it! That Vatican library probably has the original Bible written by the original authors too, every single book of the Bible! But humanity is told that the original Bible doesn't exist, only copies, yeah right! 😆