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Just how concerned should you be about the dark past of Halloween and similar
celebrations? After all, in most people¶s minds, Halloween is little more than a time to
dress up and have fun. But would you not agree that it is important for parents to make
sure that whatever recreation their children pursue is wholesome and not harmful?
A school inspector from France with more than 20 years of experience in teaching
was asked about the influence of Halloween on young children. He commented: ³I am
worried that going from house to house threatening adults in order to obtain sweets can
have long-term negative consequences on children. It can foster a selfish and
egocentric personality. They learn that by exerting pressure, by demanding with threats,
by making others afraid, they can obtain what they want.´ Parents must therefore ask
themselves, µWhat ³lessons´ will my children learn from celebrating this holiday?¶
Not surprisingly, many families find that giving in to childish demands for treats and
costumes can be an expensive undertaking. ³Halloween . . . is not a holiday,´ observes
Robert Rochefort, general director of France¶s Research Center for the Study and
Observation of Living Conditions, ³it is event marketing.´ Halloween fills a shopping lull
prior to Christmas. In other words, it is just one more thing pressuring people to spend
money²money that in many cases they cannot afford to spend. Do you really need to
follow the crowd in this regard?
Of even greater concern to Christians, however, is the fact that Halloween and
celebrations like it are steeped in paganism. The apostle Paul wrote: ³I do not want you
to be participants with demons. You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of
demons.´ (1 Corinthians 10:20-22, _
 
) He also asked: ³What
common interest can there be between goodness and evil? How can light and darkness
share life together? How can there be harmony between Christ and the devil? What can
a believer have in common with an unbeliever?´ (2 Corinthians 6:14-16,   ) The
Bible thus condemns the whole idea of putting a Christian mask on a pagan practice!
Also, the Bible warns against the practice of spiritism. (Deuteronomy 18:10-12) While
it is true that the vast majority of those who celebrate Halloween would claim to spurn
Satanic practices, we should, nevertheless, be aware that historically this holiday has
close connections with the occult. Thus, it can serve as a door leading to spiritism,
especially for impressionable youths. Pagan rites and traditions tainted by spiritism
simply have no place in Christian worship; they are far from harmless.
Finally, there is the fact that Halloween, All Saints¶ Day, and All Souls¶ Day are all
based on the beliefs that the dead suffer or that they can somehow bring harm to the
living. However, the Bible clearly shows that such beliefs are not true, saying: ³The
living are conscious that they will die; but as for the dead, they are conscious of nothing
at all.´ (Ecclesiastes 9:5) For that reason, the Bible counsels: ³All that your hand finds to
do, do with your very power, for there is no work nor devising nor knowledge nor
wisdom in Sheol [the common grave of mankind], the place to which you are going.´
(Ecclesiastes 9:10) Since the dead are unconscious and thus incapable of harming
others or suffering themselves, we have nothing to fear from them. At the same time,
prayers to help them are of no use whatsoever. Does this mean that there is no hope for
our dead loved ones? No. The Bible assures us that ³there is going to be a resurrection
of both the righteous and the unrighteous.´²Acts 24:15.
With knowledge comes the freedom to choose. We cannot be expected to make
intelligent decisions if we do not have all the facts. After considering the facts brought
up in this series of articles, what will you decide?
?
    
6
A person¶s worship could be contaminated by false religion as it relates to popular
holidays. Consider Christmas, for example. Christmas supposedly commemorates the
birth of Jesus Christ, and nearly every religion that claims to be Christian celebrates it.
Yet, there is no evidence that the first-century disciples of Jesus observed such a
holiday. The book ã       states: ³For two centuries after
Christ¶s birth, no one knew, and few people cared, exactly when he was born.´
7
Even if Jesus¶ disciples had known the exact date of his birth, they would not have
celebrated it. Why? Because, as        says, the early
Christians ³considered the celebration of anyone¶s birth to be a pagan custom.´ The
only birthday observances mentioned in the Bible are those of two rulers who did not
worship Jehovah. (Genesis 40:20; Mark 6:21) Birthday celebrations were also held in
honor of pagan deities. For example, on May 24 the Romans celebrated the birthday of
the goddess Diana. On the following day, they observed the birthday of their sun-god,
Apollo. Hence, birthday celebrations were associated with paganism, not with
Christianity.
8
There is another reason why first-century Christians would not have celebrated
Jesus¶ birthday. His disciples likely knew that birthday celebrations were connected with
superstition. For instance, many Greeks and Romans of ancient times believed that a
spirit attended the birth of each human and protected that one throughout life. ³This
spirit had a mystic relation with the god on whose birthday the individual was born,´
says the book      Jehovah certainly would not be pleased with any
observance that would link Jesus with superstition. (Isaiah 65:11, 12) So how did
Christmas come to be celebrated by many people?
   
9
It was not until several hundred years after Jesus lived on the earth that people
began to commemorate his birth on December 25. But that was  the date of Jesus¶
birth, for it evidently took place in October. So why was December 25 chosen? Some
who later claimed to be Christian likely ³wished the date to coincide with the pagan
Roman festival marking the µbirthday of the unconquered sun.¶´ ( _
 
) In winter, when the sun seemed weakest, pagans held ceremonies to get
this source of warmth and light to come back from its distant travels. December 25 was
thought to be the day that the sun began its return. In an effort to convert pagans,
religious leaders adopted this festival and tried to make it seem ³Christian.´
10
The pagan roots of Christmas have long been recognized. Because of its
unscriptural origin, Christmas was banned in England and in some of the American
colonies during the 17th century. Anyone who even stayed home from work on
Christmas day had to pay a penalty. Soon, though, the old customs were back, and
some new ones were added. Christmas once again became a big holiday, and that is
what it still is in many lands. Because of the connections that Christmas has with false
religion, however, those who want to please God do not celebrate it or any other holiday
that has its roots in pagan worship.
   
11
Some agree that such holidays as Christmas have pagan origins but still feel that it
is not wrong to celebrate them. After all, most people are not thinking about false
worship when they observe holidays. These occasions also give families opportunities
to draw close together. Is this how you feel? If so, likely it is love of family, not love of
false religion, that makes taking a stand for true worship seem difficult. Be assured that
Jehovah, the one who originated the family, wants you to have a good relationship with
your relatives. (Ephesians 3:14, 15) But you can strengthen such bonds in ways that
God approves. Regarding the matter that should be our chief concern, the apostle Paul
wrote: ³Keep on making sure of what is acceptable to the Lord.´²Ephesians 5:10.
12
Maybe you feel that the origins of holidays have little to do with how they are
celebrated today. Do origins really matter? Yes! To illustrate: Suppose you saw a piece
of candy lying in the gutter. Would you pick up that candy and eat it? Of course not!
That candy is unclean. Like that candy, holidays may seem sweet, but they have been
picked up from unclean places. To take a stand for true worship, we need to have a
viewpoint like that of the prophet Isaiah, who told true worshipers: ³Touch nothing
unclean.´²Isaiah 52:11.
†
  

In the first two of the Ten Commandments given through Moses, God said: ³I am
Jehovah your God . . . You must never have any other gods against my face . . .
because I Jehovah your God am a God exacting exclusive devotion.´ (Deuteronomy
5:6-9) Even the suggestion of false worship would not be tolerated, as was seen time
and again in God¶s dealings with the nation of Israel.
For example, while Moses was yet on Mount Sinai where he received those
commandments on two stone tablets, the Israelites began to mix symbols of Egyptian
religion with their worship of Jehovah. After collecting gold earrings from the people, a
molten statue of a calf was made. Then came the proclamation: ³This is your God, O
Israel, who led you up out of the land of Egypt.´ The Bible account tells us: ³Finally
Aaron [Moses¶ brother] called out and said: µThere is a festival to Jehovah tomorrow.¶ So
on the next day they were early in rising, and they began offering up burnt offerings and
presenting communion sacrifices. After that the people sat down to eat and drink. Then
they got up to have a good time.´²Exodus 32:1-6.
As with those who celebrate the modern-day Easter festival, the Israelites were
professing to worship the true God. Remember, it was called ³a festival to Jehovah.´
They intended to associate Jehovah with the image. Yet, they were frolicking at a
festival that mimicked an Egyptian deity, perhaps Apis, who was represented as a
young bull. Was God pleased? Not at all. He nearly brought the nation to ruin on
account of it!²Exodus 32:7-10.
 Similarly, God expects Christians to keep their worship pure and untainted, having
nothing to do with customs, symbols, or festivals associated with false gods. To
illustrate: Suppose you knew that a knife had been used for a dishonorable purpose.
How would you feel about using that same knife for cutting and eating your food? God
has seen firsthand the unsavory pagan religious practices from which Easter originated.
Should not his view be what matters to us?
The apostle Paul wrote: ³What fellowship do righteousness and lawlessness have?
Or what sharing does light have with darkness? Further, what harmony is there between
Christ and Belial? Or what portion does a faithful person have with an unbeliever? And
what agreement does God¶s temple have with idols?´ The answer: None at all. He
continues: ³µTherefore get out from among them, and separate yourselves,¶ says
Jehovah, µand quit touching the unclean thing;¶ µand I will take you in.¶´²2 Corinthians
6:14-17.
From earliest times, God has emphasized that his people worship him exclusively,
having nothing to do with the appendages of false religion. True Christians show
appreciation for the resurrection of Christ, not by celebrating a festival transferred from
pagandom, but, rather, in line with Jesus¶ command, by commemorating his death and,
like Jesus, continually seeking to please God by worshiping Him with spirit and truth.²
Luke 22:19; John 4:24.
WITH THIS IN MIND I ANELIA MCINTYRE WOULD LIKE TO TAKE THIS MOMENT
TO INVITE YOU TO LOUR ANNUAL MEMORIAL ON APRIL 17 2011«« CONTACT A
WITNESS IN YOU AREA FOR FUTHER INFORMATION


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³The notion of a „    was far from the ideas of the Christians of this
period in general.´²     !    " #   
$   (New York, 1848), Augustus Neander (translated by Henry John Rose),
p. 190.
³The later Hebrews looked on the celebration of birthdays as a part of idolatrous
worship, a view which would be abundantly confirmed by what they saw of the common
observances associated with these days.´² %  „ &# (London,
1874), edited by Patrick Fairbairn, Vol. I, p. 225.
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³The various customs with which people today celebrate their birthdays have a long
history. Their origins lie in the realm of magic and religion. The customs of offering
congratulations, presenting gifts and celebrating²complete with lighted candles²in
ancient times were meant to protect the birthday celebrant from the demons and to
ensure his security for the coming year. . . . Down to the fourth century Christianity
rejected the birthday celebration as a pagan custom.´²ã
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(magazine supplement (    ), April 3/4, 1981, p. 4.
³The Greeks believed that everyone had a protective spirit or  % who attended
his birth and watched over him in life. This spirit had a mystic relation with the god on
whose birthday the individual was born. The Romans also subscribed to this idea. . . .
This notion was carried down in human belief and is reflected in the guardian angel, the
fairy godmother and the patron saint. . . . The custom of lighted candles on the cakes
started with the Greeks. . . . Honey cakes round as the moon and lit with tapers were
placed on the temple altars of [Artemis]. . . . Birthday candles, in folk belief, are
endowed with special magic for granting wishes. . . . Lighted tapers and sacrificial fires
have had a special mystic significance ever since man first set up altars to his gods.
The birthday candles are thus an honor and tribute to the birthday child and bring good
fortune. . . . Birthday greetings and wishes for happiness are an intrinsic part of this
holiday. . . . Originally the idea was rooted in magic. . . . Birthday greetings have power
for good or ill because one is closer to the spirit world on this day.´²  
  (New York, 1952), Ralph and Adelin Linton, pp. 8, 18-20.
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Eccl. 3:12, 13: ³There is nothing better for them than to rejoice and to do good during
one¶s life; and also that every man should eat and indeed drink and see good for all his
hard work. It is the gift of God.´
See also 1 Corinthians 10:31.

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DID you ever send or receive a valentine, a card or a gift? In many countries it is the
custom to send them out for February 14, Valentine Day. It is supposed to be a day
celebrated by lovers. But how did the custom start?

) #     $„ says: ³Valentine, St. A priest of Rome who
was imprisoned for succouring persecuted Christians. He became a convert and, . . . he
was clubbed to death. His day is 14 February. . .
³The ancient custom of choosing
   has only accidental relation to [the] saint,
being essentially a relic of the old Roman    . . . or from association with the
mating season of birds. It was marked by the giving of presents and nowadays by the
sending of a card on which cupids, transfixed hearts, etc., are depicted.´
And what does Cupid have to do with Valentine Day? The same source says: ³Cupid
(Lat[in] " desire, love). The Roman god of love, identified with the Greek Eros. He
is usually represented as a beautiful winged boy, blindfolded, and carrying a bow and
arrows.´
       gives further information, offering various theories on
the origin of Valentine Day practices. ³According to one story, the Roman Emperor
Claudius II in the A.D. 200¶s forbade young men to marry. The emperor thought single
men made better soldiers. A priest named Valentine disobeyed the emperor¶s order and
secretly married young couples. . . . Many stories say that Valentine was executed on
February 14 about A.D. 269. In A.D. 496, Saint Pope Gelasius I named February 14 as
St. Valentine¶s Day.´
Regardless of the true origin of the practice, it is evident that it is rooted in ancient
pagan beliefs and in Christendom¶s listing of so-called ³saints.´ Valentine Day is also
another excuse for commercial exploitation of an often uninformed public.²
2 Corinthians 6:14-18.

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The    says: ³A festival derived from the custom of mother
worship in ancient Greece. Formal mother worship, with ceremonies to Cybele, or
Rhea, the Great Mother of the Gods, were performed on the Ides of March throughout
Asia Minor.´²(1959), Vol. 15, p. 849.
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John 18:36: ³Jesus answered [the Roman governor]: µMy kingdom is no part of this
world.¶´
John 15:19: ³If you [Jesus¶ followers] were part of the world, the world would be fond
of what is its own. Now because you are no part of the world, but I have chosen you out
of the world, on this account the world hates you.´
1 John 5:19: ³The whole world is lying in the power of the wicked one.´ (Compare
John 14:30; Revelation 13:1, 2; Daniel 2:44.)
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18
To please God, you must reject false worship and take a stand for true worship.
What does this include? The Bible states: ³Let us consider one another to incite to love
and fine works, not forsaking the gathering of ourselves together, as some have the
custom, but encouraging one another, and all the more so as you behold the day
drawing near.´ (Hebrews 10:24, 25) Christian meetings are happy occasions for you to
worship God in the way that he approves. (Psalm 22:22; 122:1) At such meetings, there
is ³an interchange of encouragement´ among faithful Christians.²Romans 1:12.
19
Another way that you can take a stand for true worship is to speak to others about
the things you have learned from studying the Bible with Jehovah¶s Witnesses. Many
people truly are ³sighing and groaning´ over the wickedness that is taking place in the
world today. (Ezekiel 9:4) Perhaps you know some people who feel that way. Why not
speak to them about your Bible-based hope for the future? As you associate with true
Christians and speak to others about the marvelous Bible truths you have learned, you
will find that any desire for the customs of false worship that may have remained in your
heart will gradually disappear. Be assured that you will be very happy and will receive
many blessings if you take your stand for true worship.²Malachi 3:10.
If, after reading this magazine, you have any Bible questions, please feel free to
contact Jehovah¶s Witnesses at a Kingdom Hall in your area,
*  ! /
0
1, 2. What question must you ask yourself after leaving false religion, and why do you
think this is important?
?3. (a) What does the Bible say about the use of images, and why might God¶s view be
difficult for some to accept? (b) What should you do with any items you own that
are connected with false worship?
?4. (a) How do we know that ancestor worship is futile? (b) Why did Jehovah forbid his
people to engage in any form of spiritism?
?5. What can you do if the use of images or the practice of ancestor worship was in your
religious past?
6, 7. (a) Christmas supposedly commemorates what, and did Jesus¶ first-century
followers observe it? (b) What were birthday celebrations associated with during
the time of Jesus¶ early disciples?
?8. Explain the connection between birthday celebrations and superstition.
?9. How did December 25 come to be regarded as the day to celebrate Jesus¶ birth?
10. In times past, why did some people not celebrate Christmas?
11. Why do some people celebrate holidays, but what should be our chief concern?
12. Illustrate why we should avoid customs and celebrations that have bad origins.
13. What challenges may arise when you do not participate in holidays?
14, 15. What could you do if a holiday greeting is extended to you or if someone wants
to give you a gift?
16. How can you be tactful when handling matters related to holidays?
17. How can you help your children not to feel deprived because they see that others
are celebrating holidays?
18. How can attending Christian meetings help you to take a stand for true worship?
19. Why is it important that you speak to others about the things you have learned from
the Bible?
?