Sorry it’s so long. But please read it. Pass this along if you agree.
Skulls of ancestors are worshiped in order to establish connections with the spirits of the dead. The head or its parts, each of which may stand for the whole, can be used as magical food or as a means of increasing the fertility of the soil. Skeleton means- “Symbol of death, often with crossed bones beneath.” A pagan practice that was not eradicated upon the coming of Christianity was witchcraft. The word "witch" comes from the Anglo-Saxon Wicca, or "wise one." Witches were thought to be possessors of magic. Witches, who worship the deities of nature, have living talismans or symbols through which they derive their dark powers. The broomstick is a symbol of the male organ, on which the witch mounts and leaps high around the fields to "teach" the crops how high to grow. The notion of flying witches relates to the fact that witches believed they could fly great distances to their feasts by smearing their bodies with ointments containing drugs. The drugs gave them psychedelic "trips" making them think they flew. Witchcraft is demonic worship in diametric opposition to the worship of the Heavenly Father Yahweh. Yahweh minces no words about it. He told Israel through Moses, "Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live" (Ex. 22:18). He says in Deuteronomy 18:10, "There shall not be found among you any one that makes his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, or that uses divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch.” The black cat particularly was connected to demonic powers. Black cats are the chief idol of the goddess of Wicca, Diana. In legend, she turns into a black cat to commit incest with her brother, Lucifer. Witch hunting during Halloween became almost a national pastime in the colonial years of our nation. But that was yesterday. Halloween is regarded as the high "Sabbath" for practicing witches today. Orange, black, and red, the devil's colors, are the colors associated with Halloween. Black prefigures black magic and demonic influence. The black of night is when these forces of evil are busiest, using the cover of darkness for their sinister works.
Halloween, All saints day, All hallows eve or All souls day is a festival. It was held to honor the Samhain the so called "lord of death. They called together the wicked spirits that within the past 12 months had been condemned to inhabit the bodies of animals. It was a pagan belief that on one night of the year the souls of the dead return to their original homes, there to be entertained with food. If food and shelter were not provided, these evil spirits would cast spells and cause havoc toward those failing to fulfill their requests. Sacrifices were offered on this night to the dead spirits because it was thought they visited their earthly dwellings and former friends. The souls of wandering spirits were in the habit of haunting the living...But there were means by which ghosts might be exorcised. To exorcise these ghosts, that is to free yourself from their evil sway, you would have to set out food and provide shelter for them during the night. If they were satisfied with your offerings, they would leave you in peace. If not, they were believed to cast an evil spell on you .In modern day Satanism and Witchcraft covens, this is the day when Satan himself comes to "fellowship" with his followers. Many changes have occurred over the centuries, but one thing has stayed the same, the practice of giving an "offering". Oh we do it under the name of fun but what is the real meaning? Is it still the same as in the old days? I say the answer is YES. The souling practice(two bonfires side my side and walking through them) of commemorating the souls in purgatory with candle lanterns carved from turnips, became adapted into the making of jack-o'-lanterns. In traditional Celtic Halloween festivals, large turnips were hollowed out, carved with faces, and placed in windows to ward off evil spirits. In North America where pumpkins are both readily available and much larger– making them easier to carve than turnips. The fearsome face of the jack-o-lantern was representative of the god of the dead, Shamin, who would drive off less powerful evil spirits abroad that night. They would use the jack-o-lanterns by placing the jack-o-lantern on posts and in windows to ward off the spirits of the dead on Halloween. The word jack-o-Lantern is an abbreviation of "Jack of the Lantern." Jack is another name for joker or Satan. In the Irish tale, a man named Jack was fond of playing tricks on the devil. Annoyed, the devil tossed Jack a burning coal from hell. With the coal in his "lantern" Jack was condemned to walk the earth forever searching for rest. The jack-o-lantern is a Halloween idol that keeps alive an ancient symbol of demonic superstition. Trick-or-treating resembles the late medieval practice of souling, when poor folk would go door to door on Hallowmas (November 1), receiving food in return for prayers for the dead on All Souls Day (November 2).
Jesus brought light into the world. He came that we might have eternal life. Most Christians whole-heartily embrace these Scriptural facts. Yet, once a year, many of them turn their focus to Satan and his kingdom, all the while denying that it really actually means anything. However, Halloween is not an innocent holiday. It is taken very seriously by those of the Celtic (including Wicca) religion and is considered one of their most holy days. The problem is that Satan has worked very hard to get the rest of us — especially Christians — to think that Halloween is really harmless. In fact, part of the work of Satan has been to convince the world that he does not exist. By doing so, satanic rituals, such as the celebration of Samhain(Halloween), are seen as not being real. When Christianity and the world celebrates the Festival of Samhain and the powers of darkness by masquerading as evil creatures or decorating their homes, schools, businesses, and churches with occult symbols, Satanic power is glorified. The deception of the celebration of Halloween is so subtle it is hard to see it as demonic and evil. After all, it is just some children dressing up as monsters, witches, etc. and going door-to-door "trick or treating", right? Is there any real harm in it? This is the same thing as the reading of horoscopes. Most people think it is just foolishness anyway, so why not do it? Is it just foolishness? Does God really care if we celebrate Halloween (or read horoscopes)? He hates it, for those things are detestable to him. God declared to Israel, "I will cut off sorceries from your hand, and you will have fortunetellers no more" “Let us not enter into the ways of the world for Jesus said his followers were to be no part of the world.” Can we see Jesus and the apostles going "trick or treating" (if it had been in existence at the time)? Or maybe Jesus passing out treats at the door to the little children that were dressed up as his enemy, the devil? I don't think so. Why, then, would the followers of Jesus do it?” Is Halloween a TRICK or TREAT? Most absolutely a TRICK. It is Satan's objective to get all to worship him. God tells us to not have anything to do with this. Peter I 5:8- Be sober, be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.1Thessalonians 5:22- Abstain from all appearance of evil. 1Timothy 4:1- Now the Spirit expressly says that in later times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of demons. If you are a professing Christian, you have no reason to be part of this “holy day” of Satan. Don't use the old cop out "well everybody does it". No everybody is not doing it. God will hold you responsible for what you do this Halloween. Will you go ahead and participate in it? Or will you pass along the word and let someone know what the real meaning is.
(Put Together by Brooke Kempton)
