Halloween part 1

Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this…to keep oneself from being polluted by the world (James 1:27).

Halloween is a very popular holiday here in America. Retailers make more profits off of Halloween than any other holiday save Christmas. But what makes Halloween so popular?

Part of it has to do with fear. We love to be thrilled, and few things thrill us like danger and fear. Of course, many of us don’t have the skills to participate in some of the most thrilling activities; most people will never drive on a racetrack, jump from a plane, or do aerial tricks on a skateboard. But anyone can get a thrill from watching a scary movie or going through a haunted house.

Another part of Halloween that appeals to many is the opportunity to dress up and pretend to be someone else. Most of us lead pretty ordinary lives. Many youngsters wish they were grownups doing exciting things. Many adults wish they had been more adventurous in their younger days. And there are people who are just plain shy, who long for an opportunity to come out of their shell and get a little wild. Playing dress up on Halloween allows us to indulge our fantasies.

But Halloween has always had another purpose as well. The world is a dark and scary place, filled with unexpected danger. Man has always feared the evil that lurks in shadow, waiting to pounce on the unwary. In the past, some people tried to appease the darkness by honoring the spirit world through ritual and sacrifice. This ancient practice is the birthplace of Halloween. In the years since then, Halloween has been slowly transformed. The holiday still gives us reassurance in the face of darkness, but now the fear is taken away by trivializing it. Witches and ghosts have become decorations with smiling faces. Monsters are played for laughs. Instead of treating the darkness with respect, we giggle at it instead.

But is it smart to giggle at the darkness? Is it a good idea to trivialize the power of the spirit world? In our next devotion, we will take a look at what God has to say about the forces that want to bring fear into our lives.