Is Halloween a christian festival?
820936
No, it's a pagan festival.
936908
Because it deals with the dead and evil spirits.  People always tend to view evil as having to do with the devil/Satan.   Then include with that belief the symbols of the black cat, witches, bats and spiders, all symbols of evil or bad things, and the stories of the dead roaming the earth, etc., you have a bunch of people thinking that Halloween is bad.\nNevermind the fact that it was started as a celebration of the end of the harvest and the beginning of winter, nor that the Halloween that we observe was actually started by the "Church" to honor saints and to cleanse the spirits of the dead so they may go into Heaven.
704429
It's funny you asked that.  My girlfriend and I were discussing last night what we and our friends will be doing for Yule this year.\nWe always get together at one or the other's house and do a ritual that is kid as well as non pagan friendly because we usually have family and/or friends in attendance who are not pagans.  And of course we eat... a lot.\nI was just about to do a little research and start working on our ritual.  Thanks for reminding me...
863905
My husband and I saw this on the news this morning. We both agreed that either they (Toys For Tots)should ask the families first their opinions before rejecting the toys or they should be given to churches to give out at Christmas. There are a lot of families that wouldn't mind the toys. I don't think all of the children should suffer because of a few others beliefs (I feel the same about Halloween). After all we do live in America... don't we? Since when is it American to not be Christian? Oh that's right... most of the people complaining aren't American. Silly me!
748429
Diwali festival came from hindu religion and Halloween festival came from christian religion. Diwali is the festival of goddess and money but halloween is the festival of evils and devils . Regarding lights even in chrismas we have lights . So instead of making similar it would be better to take as a different culture but lots of fun.
713554
Halloween comes from the old pagan ceremony of Samhain
954270
Halloween\nFrom Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia\n\nThis article is about the holiday. For other uses, see Halloween (disambiguation). \nHalloween \n \nA jack-o'-lantern \n--------------------------------------------------------------------------------\n \nAlso called Hallowe'en, All Hallows Eve, All Saints' Eve, Samhain, Spooky Day, Snap-Apple Night \nObserved by Many Western nations, including the USA, Ireland, Scotland, Wales, England, Canada, sometimes Australia and New Zealand \nType Pagan, Religious, Cultural (celebrated mostly irrespective of religion) \nSignificance There are many sources of the significance of Halloween \nDate October 31 \nCelebrations Trick-or-treating, Bobbing for apples, Costume parties, Carving jack-o'-lanterns \nHalloween is a tradition celebrated on the night of October 31, most notably by children dressing in costumes and going door-to-door collecting sweets, fruit, and other treats. Apart from this trick-or-treating, there are many other traditional Halloween activities. Some of these include costume parties, watching horror films, going to "haunted" houses, and traditional autumn activities such as hayrides, some of these even "haunted". A more complete coverage of Hallowen customs can be found at Halloween traditions.\n\nHalloween originated as a Pagan festival among the Celts of Ireland and Great Britain with Irish, Scots, Welsh and other immigrants transporting versions of the tradition to North America in the 19th century. Most other Western countries have embraced Halloween as a part of American pop culture in the late 20th century.\n\nHalloween is celebrated in most parts of the Western world, most commonly in the United States, Canada, the UK, Ireland, and with increasing popularity in Australia and New Zealand, as well as the Philippines. In recent years, Halloween has also been celebrated in parts of Western Europe, such as Belgium, France and Spain.\n\nThe term Halloween, and its older spelling Hallowe'en, is shortened from All-hallow-even, as it is the evening before "All Hallows' Day"[1] (also known as "All Saints' Day"). The holiday was a day of religious festivities in various northern European Pagan traditions, until Popes Gregory III and Gregory IV moved the old Christian feast of All Saints Day from May 13 to November 1. In Ireland, the name was All Hallows' Eve (often shortened to Hallow Eve), and though seldom used today, it is still a well-accepted label. The festival is also known as Samhain or Oíche Shamhna to the Irish, Calan Gaeaf to the Welsh, Allantide to the Cornish and Hop-tu-Naa to the Manx. Halloween is also called Pooky Night in some parts of Ireland, presumably named after the púca, a mischievous spirit.\n\nMany European cultural traditions hold that Halloween is one of the liminal times of the year when spirits can make contact with the physical world and when magic is most potent (e.g. Catalan mythology about witches, Irish tales of the Sídhe).
333618
Easter is not a Christian Holiday neither is chocolate candy good for children to eat.Christmas is not a Christian holiday either December 25 is the day Tammuz was born, the son of Nimrod (who I believe to be satan) and Semiramis (the sun god.) Tammuz was killed buy a wildbore or pig. Thats where they get the easter ham. Every first Sunday after the first full moon of spring the sun worshiper would celebrate giving rabbits and eggs as a symbol of Life. Paganism has taken over most christian churches that's why most church worship on Sunday (The Devils Day) Gods Holy day is The Sabbath the 7th day Saturday. This is why The bible warn as against false teachings. Follow Gods commandment out of Love not in the tradition the rest of the so call christians are doing.
959851
I know This :-)\n\n Halloween evolved from an irish holiday much like the Mexican Day of the Dead. I forget the name it went By but They would go throughout the town asking for donations for a big town feast. Hence where trick or treating originated, They would Light Up a Rutebegga or similiar vegetable by hollwing them out and lighting them with candles supposedly to help light the way for wandering spirits to cross the river of life.\n  Once the new settlers Came to America Pumpkins were discovered and found much easier to use for the same Purpose :-)\n\nThat should be Real Close to the truth If im Not exactly Right :-)
828941
My husband & I were just having this conversation, as well as having one with my son's babysitter.\n\nPeople are trying to downplay it for the fear of offending 5% of the population.  Plus, there's a lot of places who advertise "safe trick-or-treating" like at churches, malls, etc.  Trunk-or-treating is becoming a very big thing at schools & churches, too.  I think after people go with their kids to these things (some even happen the weekend before Halloween), they don't worry about doing the actual Halloween things on Halloween.\n\nSad what some of it has come to, but we also wondered how long it would be before no one goes door-to-door trick-or-treating.  Now schools have "fall parties" instead of Halloween - kids can't even dress up for school anymore (reference the 5% comment above).\n\nI hate to see it change like that, but society is making it change.
825428
Yes, they're trying to convert people. They feel they should reach out to all those poor little unsaved kids on that most unholy night. Seriously. http://www.chick.com/seasonal/halloween/default.asp This site encourages passing out little Christian comics with candy and that's probably where most people get the idea from.
833272
Good question.\n\n+ Halloween +\n\nHalloween is actually like Christmas Eve. The night before a Christian holy day.\n\nIt is the eve of All Saint's Day or All Hallows Eve or Halloween. Just like "hallowed be Thy name."\n\nBut just like Mardi Gras (Fat Tuesday, the day before Ash Wednesday), Halloween has taken on a life of its own.\n\nChristians including Catholics do not fear death, evil, or satan. In Christ, we can laugh in the face of death.\n\nFrom an email I received: Being a Christian is like being a pumpkin. God lifts you up, takes you in, and washes all the dirt off of you. He opens you up, touches you deep inside, and scoops out all the yucky stuff--including the seeds of doubt, hate, greed, etc. Then He carves you a new smiling face and puts His light inside you to shine for all the world to see.\n\nWith love in Christ.\n\n+ Prayer in Public School + \n\nAny structured prayer in public schools will favor one religion over all others.\n\nThe Catholic Church agrees with the U.S. Constitution as currently interpreted by the U.S. Supreme Court and does not support "structured" prayer in public schools.\n\nIn the Vatican II document, DECLARATION ON RELIGIOUS FREEDOM, DIGNITATIS HUMANAE (Human Dignity), the Church states: \n\nThe human person has a right to religious freedom. This freedom means that all men are to be immune from coercion on the part of individuals or of social groups and of any human power, in such wise that no one is to be forced to act in a manner contrary to his own beliefs, whether privately or publicly, whether alone or in association with others, within due limits.\n\nChildren will continue to privately pray before tests just like they always have.\n\nhttp://www.vatican.va/archive/hist_councils/ii_vatican_council/documents/vat-ii_decl_19651207_dignitatis-humanae_en.html\n\n+ With love in Christ.
58971
Halloween, and then Christmas
58024
What I love about Halloween is being on the giving end. So many Christians won't give out candy because they disagree with the holiday and they are missing a golden opportunity. Every child that comes to my door gets candy and a Bible tract and a pencil with bible verses on it(or some other trinket like that). Many of the neighborhood children look forward to and expect it at my house. How can you pass up that many people coming up to you asking for something. What better treat than a tract with the plan of salvation. Contact below website for great unique tracts.
1171441
Not true.  It is a feeling of satisfaction.  Christians frighten no one with treats of hellfire and damnation.
602842
yes, some do, like Christians have "Good Friday"  but i don't think your obligated to go, you go because you want to.
1186760
Technically speaking, yes.\n\nMost Christian holidays (Easter and the Easter Bunny, for example) and rituals have their origins with pagan ceremonies.  They were adopted by the Christian Church in an effort to abolish pagan practices- the logic was "hey, we have the same holiday, and we do it better, therefore your holiday is now outlawed".\n\nIn a sense, modern Christians unwittingly practice pagan ideals, and as such may be called, "Christian Pagans"\n\nYou will more than likely receive responses from those who say "CHRISTIANS ARE NOT PAGAN, WE WORSHIP OUR ONE TRUE GOD"\n\nBlind logic and assumptions without proof were also driving forces behind paganism.  Funny, no?