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Under the Spell of Halloween: A Study in Christian Spiritual Adultery
by Jeffrey W. Mardis
Copyright ©2009 Jeffrey W. Mardis - All material on this web page is FREE for distribution.
"And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them." Ephesians 5:11
I was asked once, by an older gentleman, if I believed "witches were real". Having studied various facets of the occult, and most importantly the King James Bible, I knew that witchcraft was a very real thing, and that yes, "witches" were "real". However, what disturbed me the most about this honest question, was that the gentleman claimed to be a "Christian". Why would a Christian have to ask such a question, especially in the twenty-first century? Do not the Scriptures clearly teach that witches and wizards are real, and that Christians are to have nothing to do with them? The Old Testament even pronounced a death sentence against all those who practiced such forbidden arts ("Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live." Ex. 22:18). And although that Scripture was aimed exclusivly at Israel under the Law, witchcraft still remains an abomination in God's eyes (see Deut. 18:10-12). Many Christians today relegate the reality of witches and wizardry to a thing of the past and see no need to be wary of such things. However, as this online study will illustrate, witchcraft is very much alive today and is intricately connected with one of the world's most popular days: HALLOWEEN.
Witches Talk About Halloween
Whatever witches may teach about Halloween, it's best to learn their beliefs from their own words. Gerina Dunwich, High Priestess of the Mandragora Coven of upstate New York, writes:
HALLOWEEN Another name for Samhain - one of the eight Sabbots celebrated yearly by witches, Wiccans and Neo-Pagans. See also SAMHAIN.
SAMHAIN The Celtic name for Halloween - the most important of the eight Sabbots celebrated by Witches ... throughout the world. Samhain (which is pronounced "sow-en") ... is also known as Shadowfest, Old Hallowmas, All Hallow's Eve, Calangaeaf, Festival of the Dead and the Third Festival of Harvest. It is celebrated on the night of October 31 ... Nearly all Halloween-related activities (such as trick-or-treating and bobbing for apples) are Pagan in origin.
[Gerina Dunwich, Wicca A to Z: A Complete Guide to the Magickal World (Secaucus, New Jersey: Carol Publishing Group, 1997), pgs. 61, 111 & 112. Bold type added for Emphasis.]
HALLOWEEN Another name for Samhain - one of the eight Sabbots celebrated yearly by witches, Wiccans and Neo-Pagans. See also SAMHAIN.
SAMHAIN The Celtic name for Halloween - the most important of the eight Sabbots celebrated by Witches ... throughout the world. Samhain (which is pronounced "sow-en") ... is also known as Shadowfest, Old Hallowmas, All Hallow's Eve, Calangaeaf, Festival of the Dead and the Third Festival of Harvest. It is celebrated on the night of October 31 ... Nearly all Halloween-related activities (such as trick-or-treating and bobbing for apples) are Pagan in origin.
[Gerina Dunwich, Wicca A to Z: A Complete Guide to the Magickal World (Secaucus, New Jersey: Carol Publishing Group, 1997), pgs. 61, 111 & 112. Bold type added for Emphasis.]
Raymond Buckland, the man primarily responsible for bringing contemporary witchcraft to America, wrote in his book Witchcraft from the Inside: "Samhain [Halloween] was the most important of the Witches' Festivals." [Ray Buckland, Witchcraft from the Inside (St. Paul, Minnesota: Llewellyn Publications, 1997), p. 183. Emphasis added.]
New Worlds of Mind & Spirit, a magazine published by one of the largest producers of New Age, occult and witchcraft books in the United States said in it's Sept./Oct. 2000 issue: "All Hallows Eve, Samhain, Celtic New Year, Shadow Fest, Celebrations that take place on October 31 go by these and many other names ... Even those who are Wiccan [witches] tend to overlook the full symbolism and meaning of this holiday - this Holy Day. Most think of it mainly as a harvest festival, which indeed it is. Many know it as a time to honor the ancestors who have gone before with offerings of "treats", rituals of remembrance, and communication with the World of Spirit. And others know it as a time of feasting, dressing in costume and mask, and gathering for celebration. October 31 is the last in a series of three Celtic harvest festivals ... " (New Worlds of Mind & Spirit, September/October 2000, pg. 2. Emphasis added.)
It should now be perfectly clear to the Christian that Halloween TODAY (not simply 500 or 1000 years ago) is an important holiday for the witch. From their own statements, the witches admit that Halloween is a "Holy Day" which is "celebrated yearly" by witches "throughout the world". Isn't it amazing that even though the Scriptures command us to "... Learn not the way of the heathen ..." and to "Abstain from all appearance of evil." ( see Jer. 10:2 and 1 Thess. 5:22) that many who profess to be Christian still take part in this unholy day.
The Face of a Witch
While broomsticks and pointy black hats play a part in the rituals and symbolism of modern witchcraft, you're not likely to see a green-skinned old hag flying through the air on a broom anytime soon. Although many may think of the witch filtered through the embellishments of Hollywood, modern witches (for the most part) bear little resemblance to those depicted in fairy tales. Because real witches (both men and women) may appear less ugly or frightening than any preconceived ideas, this is no reason for the Christian to let down their spiritual guard. The Lord Jesus Christ taught; "Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment." (John 7:24) A pretty witch does not equal righteous intentions.
ABOUT THE PHOTOS AT RIGHT: The man on the left is Gerald Gardner (1884-1964). Known as the "Grand Old Man of British Witchcraft", he is the man primarily responsible for the revival of Witchcraft in the West. Gardner rejected the Bible at an early age and studied the jungle natives and headhunters of Ceyland. He was later a member of a Co-Masonic order known as the "Fellowship of Crotona", and an honorary member of the O.T.O. (Ordo Templi Orientis), an occult group lead by the infamous Aleister Crowley (the self-proclaimed "Beast 666" and a man whom the public labeled as the "Wickedest Man in the World"). Gardner's published works, High Magic's Aid (a novel-1949), Witchcraft Today (1954) and The Meaning of Witchcraft (1959) helped birth the dominant tradition of modern Witchcraft, more commonly known as the "Gardnerian Tradition". The woman on the right is Silver Ravenwolf. A famous twenty-first century Witch, author and mother of four teenage witches, Ravenwolf is the author of the children's book Halloween and the creator of the Teen Witch Kit.
ABOUT THE PHOTOS AT RIGHT: The man on the left is Gerald Gardner (1884-1964). Known as the "Grand Old Man of British Witchcraft", he is the man primarily responsible for the revival of Witchcraft in the West. Gardner rejected the Bible at an early age and studied the jungle natives and headhunters of Ceyland. He was later a member of a Co-Masonic order known as the "Fellowship of Crotona", and an honorary member of the O.T.O. (Ordo Templi Orientis), an occult group lead by the infamous Aleister Crowley (the self-proclaimed "Beast 666" and a man whom the public labeled as the "Wickedest Man in the World"). Gardner's published works, High Magic's Aid (a novel-1949), Witchcraft Today (1954) and The Meaning of Witchcraft (1959) helped birth the dominant tradition of modern Witchcraft, more commonly known as the "Gardnerian Tradition". The woman on the right is Silver Ravenwolf. A famous twenty-first century Witch, author and mother of four teenage witches, Ravenwolf is the author of the children's book Halloween and the creator of the Teen Witch Kit.
For the Children
The following advertisement was taken from the July/August 2000 issue of New Worlds of Mind & Spirit a prominent New Age/Witchcraft magazine (pg. 5), published by Llewellyn Worldwide, Ltd., P.O. Box 64383, St. Paul, Minnesota 55164-0383: "For every young person who has ever wanted to cast a spell but wasn't sure how ...The new Teen Witch Kit has everything a beginning witch needs to make magic and practice the Craft of the Wise. All of the spells were created especially for teens by Silver RavenWolf, one of today's most famous witches and the author of the best selling Teen Witch. Inside the Teen Witch Kit you'll find six magical talismans, including a silver pentacle pendant. Spell salt and a spell bag will add power to every spell. Plus, the kit box even converts into a mini-altar!"
Another article published in a different issue of the same New Age magazine reported: "Witchcraft is now one of the fastest growing religions in America ... Whereas may Wiccans a generation ago chose to stay in the broom closet and worship secretly, they are now coming out in droves, more visible and politically active than ever. Witches seem to be everywhere these days, and it's more than a fad - there's something bigger going on. ... it's biggest proponents are teenagers." (New Worlds of Mind & Spirit, September/October 1999, pgs. 6 & 7)
The same article went on and listed three testimonies by young teenage girls (ages 14, 15, 18 & 19) telling how witchcraft had changed their lives "for the better". One of the young girls glowingly wrote: "Knowing ... that the Goddess was watching over me and giving me the tools I needed to change my life was a total revelation. I became a better person." (Emphasis added)
Silver RavenWolf is also the author of Halloween, a children's book telling "what Halloween is really all about". The book purports to include "family oriented" spells, methods of divination (talking to spirits) and charms. An ad for the book states; "Halloween combines serious historical research, how-to goodies, and gossipy tidbits in a rich, entertaining portrait of this important pagan holiday." (Emphasis added) Halloween is used by many modern pagans and witches as a day of recruiting. The fun customs, games and traditions are a way of desensitizing one toward its evil, anti-christian aspects.
It should be disturbing to Christians to learn that much of Halloween is aimed at children (admittedly by the Witches themselves). It should also be equally as disturbing to learn that many parents use "the children" as an excuse to participate. Many Christians are afraid their children will feel "left out" or "neglected" if they aren't taken out on Halloween night to go trick-or-treating, therefore, door to door visits are made "for the sake of the children". Other parents encourage their children to partake in alternatives like "Harvest Festivals" or "Harvest Parties", not realizing that the "Harvest" is another name for this pagan celebration. If Christian parents care about their children, why not use Halloween as a opportunity to teach the child that being a Christian is not always "fun" (nor is it supposed to be). Many times Christianity involves standing for the truth even if it means being unpopular and going against the customs and traditions of the world and being different than our friends around us.
The Apostle Paul wrote; "Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ." (2 Tim. 2:3) Although, abstaining from Halloween could hardly be called "enduring hardness", I suppose for the young child, that not being allowed to go door to door collecting bags of candy might qualify. If you teach your child this, you'll really be doing something worthwhile, biblical and godly. And most importantly, you'll be doing it "for the children". For the born-again Christian, to teach your child otherwise is to encourage spiritual adultery. Unfortunately, as a result of poor Bible teaching, leadership, and a severe lack of spiritual discernment, many children raised in Christian homes grow up oblivious to this fact. The word "spiritual adultery" really means nothing to them and they, in-turn, begin to teach the same anti-Christian traditions and customs to their own kids. For some Christians it's just an honest ignorance of the truth. But, Halloween is NOT THAT DIFFICULT TO DISCERN. With a little digging anyone can discover the truth - if they really want to. For others I'm afraid, it simply boils down to "making the word of God of none effect" by willfully choosing the customs and traditions of the world over the words of the Bible. After all, they partook in Halloween, and they turned out alright. It is written; "Thou shalt not follow a multitude to do evil..." (Exodus 23:2) That is, the Bible commands us not to use the excuse that "everybody does it" as a reason to partake in something which the Scriptures tell us not to. Participation in Halloween is just the type of thing this is talking about. "Learn not the way of the heathen ... For the customs of the people are vain." (Jeremiah 10:2-3)
Another article published in a different issue of the same New Age magazine reported: "Witchcraft is now one of the fastest growing religions in America ... Whereas may Wiccans a generation ago chose to stay in the broom closet and worship secretly, they are now coming out in droves, more visible and politically active than ever. Witches seem to be everywhere these days, and it's more than a fad - there's something bigger going on. ... it's biggest proponents are teenagers." (New Worlds of Mind & Spirit, September/October 1999, pgs. 6 & 7)
The same article went on and listed three testimonies by young teenage girls (ages 14, 15, 18 & 19) telling how witchcraft had changed their lives "for the better". One of the young girls glowingly wrote: "Knowing ... that the Goddess was watching over me and giving me the tools I needed to change my life was a total revelation. I became a better person." (Emphasis added)
Silver RavenWolf is also the author of Halloween, a children's book telling "what Halloween is really all about". The book purports to include "family oriented" spells, methods of divination (talking to spirits) and charms. An ad for the book states; "Halloween combines serious historical research, how-to goodies, and gossipy tidbits in a rich, entertaining portrait of this important pagan holiday." (Emphasis added) Halloween is used by many modern pagans and witches as a day of recruiting. The fun customs, games and traditions are a way of desensitizing one toward its evil, anti-christian aspects.
It should be disturbing to Christians to learn that much of Halloween is aimed at children (admittedly by the Witches themselves). It should also be equally as disturbing to learn that many parents use "the children" as an excuse to participate. Many Christians are afraid their children will feel "left out" or "neglected" if they aren't taken out on Halloween night to go trick-or-treating, therefore, door to door visits are made "for the sake of the children". Other parents encourage their children to partake in alternatives like "Harvest Festivals" or "Harvest Parties", not realizing that the "Harvest" is another name for this pagan celebration. If Christian parents care about their children, why not use Halloween as a opportunity to teach the child that being a Christian is not always "fun" (nor is it supposed to be). Many times Christianity involves standing for the truth even if it means being unpopular and going against the customs and traditions of the world and being different than our friends around us.
The Apostle Paul wrote; "Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ." (2 Tim. 2:3) Although, abstaining from Halloween could hardly be called "enduring hardness", I suppose for the young child, that not being allowed to go door to door collecting bags of candy might qualify. If you teach your child this, you'll really be doing something worthwhile, biblical and godly. And most importantly, you'll be doing it "for the children". For the born-again Christian, to teach your child otherwise is to encourage spiritual adultery. Unfortunately, as a result of poor Bible teaching, leadership, and a severe lack of spiritual discernment, many children raised in Christian homes grow up oblivious to this fact. The word "spiritual adultery" really means nothing to them and they, in-turn, begin to teach the same anti-Christian traditions and customs to their own kids. For some Christians it's just an honest ignorance of the truth. But, Halloween is NOT THAT DIFFICULT TO DISCERN. With a little digging anyone can discover the truth - if they really want to. For others I'm afraid, it simply boils down to "making the word of God of none effect" by willfully choosing the customs and traditions of the world over the words of the Bible. After all, they partook in Halloween, and they turned out alright. It is written; "Thou shalt not follow a multitude to do evil..." (Exodus 23:2) That is, the Bible commands us not to use the excuse that "everybody does it" as a reason to partake in something which the Scriptures tell us not to. Participation in Halloween is just the type of thing this is talking about. "Learn not the way of the heathen ... For the customs of the people are vain." (Jeremiah 10:2-3)
A Final Word
I see no reason to go into a long discourse on the reasons why witchcraft and its related customs are forbidden by the Bible. Such Scriptures as those found in Deuteronomy 18:10-12 should provide ample proof and instruction for the Bible-believing Christian.
"There SHALL NOT BE FOUND AMONG YOU any one that maketh his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, or that useth divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch, or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer. For all that do these things are an abomination unto the Lord: and because of these abominations the Lord thy God doth drive them out from before thee." Deut. 18:10-12
Christians need to remember that Witchcraft is not something to be taken lightly, or simply assigned to a period of time in the distant medieval past. Witchcraft is more prominent and active in the United States today, than any other time in American history. The popular day known as "Halloween" is the HIGHEST HOLY DAY celebrated by witches around the world. Halloween is not and should not be a day for children to associate with "fun", because it desensitizes the child towards the occult, and this is exactly what the witches intend for Halloween to do. The Scriptures instruct the Christian not to call evil "good" (see Isa. 5:20). Halloween, for the witch, is simply a doorway through which your child may pass in order to reach full-blown Witchcraft. The fact that many professing Christians take part in Halloween without ever becoming a witch is totally irrelevant. The proper role for the Christian is to "... come out from among them, and be ye seperate ..." (2 Cor. 6:17). Instead, many of the professing Christians of today are "joining-in among them" and "becoming one". Just remember, if your church basement looks like the image above, you've got some serious thinking to do about the spiritual wisdom and guidance of your church.
"There SHALL NOT BE FOUND AMONG YOU any one that maketh his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, or that useth divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch, or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer. For all that do these things are an abomination unto the Lord: and because of these abominations the Lord thy God doth drive them out from before thee." Deut. 18:10-12
Christians need to remember that Witchcraft is not something to be taken lightly, or simply assigned to a period of time in the distant medieval past. Witchcraft is more prominent and active in the United States today, than any other time in American history. The popular day known as "Halloween" is the HIGHEST HOLY DAY celebrated by witches around the world. Halloween is not and should not be a day for children to associate with "fun", because it desensitizes the child towards the occult, and this is exactly what the witches intend for Halloween to do. The Scriptures instruct the Christian not to call evil "good" (see Isa. 5:20). Halloween, for the witch, is simply a doorway through which your child may pass in order to reach full-blown Witchcraft. The fact that many professing Christians take part in Halloween without ever becoming a witch is totally irrelevant. The proper role for the Christian is to "... come out from among them, and be ye seperate ..." (2 Cor. 6:17). Instead, many of the professing Christians of today are "joining-in among them" and "becoming one". Just remember, if your church basement looks like the image above, you've got some serious thinking to do about the spiritual wisdom and guidance of your church.
