Halloween: the Veil Grows Thin (Redux)

The title of this post is the same as one I wrote in 2015, and is a continuation of the forewarning I have given since 2014 about celebrating Halloween. I find it perplexing that so many Christians find no harm in celebrating this occultic holiday. [And trying to soften its connection to the occult by holding "Trunk or Treat" events on the same night doesn't eliminate the association with its pagan origins]. 

It also amazes me the extent to which our culture is willing to ignore the warnings about Halloween which have been extended by such noted men as Pastor David L. Brown, PhD (President of Logos Consortium, and developer of Logos Research Pages) and the late esteemed Bible Teacher Chuck Missler, and backed up by Anton LaVey, the founder of the Church of Satan and the religion of Satanism. To a man, they all agree that the celebration of Halloween finds its roots in the ancient Celtic pagan celebration of Samhain [pronounced "sow-in"]. Chuck Missler wrote, "The Celtic people engaged in what we’d now call the occultic arts. They worshipped nature, ascribing to it supernatural qualities ... The Celts were the trunk from which Halloween grew. The priestly class of the Celts [the Druids] believed that on the last day of the old year, Samhain, the lord of darkness and death gathered the souls of the evil dead that had been condemned and forced them to enter the bodies of animals. It was believed that he would then decide which animal form they would take for the next year. The souls of the good dead were reincarnated as humans. The Druids also believed that the punishments suffered by the evil dead would be lightened by sacrifices, prayers, and gifts to the lord of death".  

Missler continues, "The Celtic worshipers attempted to placate Samhain because of his power over the souls of the dead. On Halloween, it was believed that the separation between the realms of the living and the dead grew thin, and those who had died during the preceding twelve months were permitted by Samhain to cross over. Whether good or evil, they were permitted to visit their former places of habitation for a few hours, to associate once again with their families. It was on these occasions that ancient fire festivals were celebrated on local hilltops. The Celts would build giant bonfires to frighten away the evil spirits. Because the souls of the dead were supposed to visit their homes that day, the annual festival acquired a sinister significance. The Celts believed that ghosts, witches, goblins, fairies, and demons of all kinds roamed about. Evil or frustrated ghosts were supposed to play tricks on humans to cause supernatural manifestations. The Celts were determined to handle the supernatural powers, and as part of the celebration, the people would don grotesque masks and danced around the bonfires to scare away those wandering evil spirits. In some cases, food was placed out for the dead to make them feel welcome. We begin to understand how those traditions reached across the ages to the celebration of the holiday today". 

Sadly, too many will dismiss the connection of our nation's most commercially successful holiday with the ancient pagan festivals as exaggeration and overly religious rhetoric. But all too clearly, Halloween has become an acceptable opportunity for witches and satanists to introduce demonic beliefs and rituals. Pastor David Brown shares his reasons for alarm concerning Halloween: "I can tell you that many children get their first exposure to occult activities at Halloween. I have received communications from all over the United States testifying to that fact. In one school district a “real” Witch was brought in and told the children of the wonderful world of witchcraft including teaching them how to cast a spell. Another group of teens went on a school sponsored Halloween field trip and visited a channeler, which is nothing but a spirit medium who practices necromancy. [Leviticus 19:31 is still valid for today's Christians]".

Pastor Brown shared another example: "Last year I got a call from an alarmed parent. They had discovered their daughter’s diary and what they read blew them out of the water. She and several of her teenage friends were planning on being baptized into witchcraft on Halloween. Obviously this was not her first contact with witchcraft, but she and her friends had been reading occult material from the school library and decided Halloween would be a good time to form their own coven".

Ex-Satanist [and now Evangelist and Author] John Ramirez shares how he was trained to be a satanic cult (Santeria and Spiritualist) high ranking priest in New York City—casting powerful witchcraft spells and controlling entire regions. He relates that during Halloween night, Satanists and occultists summon spirit guides to help them hone their magic powers. Others meet in covens and chant curses on people and areas within their territory. When Ramirez was still a warlock, he celebrated Halloween with people and literal demons alike.
He also prayed to the devil and offered animal sacrifices [to appease the demon gods] in return for favors. But perhaps the most chilling quote Ramirez offers comes from Anton LaVey, founder of the Church of Satan: "I am glad Christian parents let their children worship the devil at least one night out of the year".

You see, that's exactly how Satan and the demonic view our celebration and observance of Halloween. They love that we give so much attention to "normalizing" their occult practices. Although there is an obvious attempt to mainstream these practices as legitimate "religions", we must never lose sight of the fact that modern day witches and satanists still worship demon gods and goddesses, cast spells, practice bizarre and immoral sexual rituals, and certain individuals and groups offer animal and human sacrifices. Both our prison and military systems are seeing increasing numbers of people worshiping as part of pagan/occult "faiths". 

Here's something else to consider: Have you ever considered the proliferation of movies such as "Nightmare on Elm Street", "Halloween", the "Friday the 13th" series, the "Saw" franchise, or the glamorization of vampires in the "Twilight" series and cult favorite "True Blood"?  The proliferation of horror-themed shows on TV these days is truly alarming. Have you ever wondered if they were pure fiction -- or if they were created by someone with real knowledge of such terror?  Are you concerned at all that these kinds of spectacles are desensitizing our kids by their glorification of violence, death, mutilation and gore; and setting them up for the acceptance of real-life satanic rituals?  

I know there are some people who will dismiss the warnings about the possible demonic implications of Halloween. But I think that we do that at the risk of our children. The celebration of Halloween can be an effective tool to lure them into the occult and/or to become victims of satanic rituals. I am just thinking of the number of young women, in the last two weeks, whose faces have appeared on my TV screen as they are reported as missing. If you think that is a coincidence, then I would suggest we are naive as a society. And current headlines have certainly shown us that evil and wickedness are on the rise; with more and more lurid stories of bizarre and sadistic murders and rituals happening almost every day. I pray for the protection of our children on the most unholy of nights on Halloween!

In the end, it is up to you to decide what you think about this accepted and increasingly popular holiday. But for me, I know the power that the Enemy wishes to use against us, and I will not only be on guard Halloween night, but will be praying for protection and authority for all those threatened by the attacks of his followers. Let me leave you with these chilling words from a high priestess of the Church of Satan:  "As a child drawn to darker passions from birth, I always delighted in the fear and fantasies of Halloween. It gives even the most mundane people the opportunity to taste wickedness for one night. They have a chance to dance with the Devil, either stumbling, tittering and nervous in the arms of the Black Prince, or boldly, ravenously sharing in the sensual excesses and fright of others on this magical, unholy night. Now, birth and death have, for me, become inextricably interwoven into this day." 

#halloween #dangersofhalloween #demonicinfluenceofhalloween #halloweenanddemons

Sources for this post are as follows: 

https://www.john15.rocks/john-ramirez-former-satanist-warns-christians-dont-celebrate-halloween/ 

https://khouse.org/articles/2021/1421/

http://logosresourcepages.org/2020/05/01/the-harm-of-halloween/

1 Corinthians 10:21   You can’t drink from the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons. You can’t feast at the table of the Lord and feast [participate] at the table of demons.

How Great Is Our God!

 

Recently, I saw a meme featuring a lunchroom with tables marked, Moses and Aaron, Noah, Abraham, David, Mary and Joseph, Elijah and Elisha, Paul and Timothy, The Disciples, Peter, and finally, Adam and Eve. The title of the meme asked the question, "If you have 30 minutes for lunch, who are you going to choose to sit with?" Think about it. That's a pretty intriguing question. And so were the answers. To be honest, it's hard to pick just one, but if I'm forced to just choose, I think I'd like to spend 30 minutes with Adam and Eve and find out what it was like when they had dominion on the earth and were in intimate relationship with God. What was it like to be a spirit being, walking with Him and having access to His Presence? What did the Father impart to them about His purpose for their lives; what was His original plan for mankind? And because they knew the rules of the Garden -- that on the very day that they disobeyed God and chose to eat of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, they would die (Genesis 2:17) -- what about Satan's deceptive invitation convinced them it was worth the cost?  

Obviously, 30 minutes isn't enough time to get all those answers. But that simple little meme has me meditating on greater questions and truths. To begin, I know that the Bible is all about God, Jesus, and Holy Spirit. But everything I want to know about my relationship with them is not spelled out within the 1545 pages of this Holy Book. As I mature into the fullness of the understanding of my faith, I am relying on Holy Spirit to reveal more and more about the significance of the Word for my life... and yours. I can only describe what I have discerned as both magnificent and deeply concerning.

It is magnificent because I have seen the extravagant love that both the Father and Jesus have for us, and am so thankful that the Holy Spirit is the conduit for re-establishing our kinship and connections with the Godhead. It is deeply concerning because while I believe I gain a greater understanding [every day] of just how big God is (in all His manifestations), I know that I only discern in part. But my spirit is recognizing [and worried] that far too many of my Christian brethren are unenlightened as to their true identity and are at risk in these tumultuous times to falling prey to the spirits of fear, deception, doubt and unbelief. I daresay we all are aware that Evil is on the rise. It cannot be denied. 

Yet I see faithful, God-loving Christians unable to face any concept of what the Bible tells us we should expect to see in these days. There seems to be a desire to "soften" or "ease" the message of the Bible to include only those verses that speak of revival, restoration, and our final victory. Make no mistake ... that message is true and glorious and worthy of repeating! But it is a disservice to our faith to turn a blind eye to what the Bible clearly says we will have to endure! And what does this diluting of the Word say about our ability to be effective and impactful in the world? How are we to encourage others in times of struggle, if we only want to concentrate on the joyful verses? And if we are willing to look at the portions of Scripture that are scary, it doesn't mean we are denying the goodness of God! Do Christians even understand who they are and their status in today's world?

I know I keep pounding home my message of Identity, but I think it is one of the most important aspects of our faith. Do you know that our God is so big that even while having foreknowledge [from the beginning of the world] that His creation would be tempted to go astray, He wrote in His Book of Life what His purpose was for each one of us? We each have a page [or a scroll, if you will] that details all He planned for us to accomplish in this short time on earth in this host body. But in His humility, God didn't force us to obey Him. He gave us free will to choose who we would follow, and that gift of freedom leads either to glorifying God or rebelling against Him.

But the foremost aspect of God's Nature is His love for us, and He demonstrates that by showing us that even though He knew we would lose our authority over the earth, and that these dark days would happen, He planned on sending Jesus to provide a way for us to reconcile with Him and restore our identity [made in His image] and our dominion [authority in the earth]. Yet, why don't Christians wake up to the truth of this amazing identity? Why do we still "play it safe" and make decisions based on fear? Why do we not step out in the knowledge that our power and authority to act in this world is greater than Satan's or any of his demonic partners? Why do we allow the Father of Lies to whisper that we are too small or too insignificant; that our position on the earth is inadequate to stand against his schemes to keep us in bondage to plagues, poverty, tyrants, or sin of any kind?

We must not cower from our responsibility to walk in that identity. If we know who we are and are unafraid to speak in bold truth, there is nothing the Enemy can bring against us that will defeat us. We must know that the love of God has transferred not only His power to us, but His authority to take rulership over all circumstances in our lives, in our culture, in the laws of this nation, and in our faith. We must not "soft sell" this power or the Truth that stands behind it. We must be bold in our declarations, even if we find ourselves on the fringes of "accepted" doctrine or Christian theology. God did not design and create us to be "comfortable" in our faith. We have a formidable Enemy and if we are to fulfill the reason for which we were created, we need to become willing to take risks to fulfill our destiny in the Kingdom of God on earth -- even unto death. We must not be afraid! For fear will inevitably lead to doubt and a desire for self-protection.

I was greatly disheartened to read an article on the Charisma News website titled, "How Halloween is a Catalytic Day for Reformation, Revival and Destiny." It exhorted readers to become free from a religious spirit that foments fear regarding this holiday, and rejoice in the rich history of all that has happened on this date in years past -- Martin Luther posted his 95 Theses on the Wittenberg Church door on October 31, 1517; and the Welsh Revival was begun on October 31, 1904 that resulted in 80,000 people choosing Christ as their Savior! I wholeheartedly applaud these accomplishments for the Christian faith, but my spirit was disappointed that the article didn't tell the whole truth. The fact that Halloween is the height of the Satanic Holy Days, and more children go missing during this week of demonic blood rituals than any other time of the year was never mentioned -- merely that Halloween has its roots in an obscure ancient Celtic pagan festival called Samhain. To obscure the depth of evil that is Halloween in today's world is to give Satan and his legions of followers full reign to carry out their heinous rituals. 

I will tell you, Satan loves it when Christians are unwilling to tell the full truth about the evil that happens, and they are satisfied to ignore the wicked ways of Satanists, while declaring that Halloween is "pregnant with potential" to become a powerful day of reformation and revival. Meanwhile, Christians wait in the hopes that revival will take place, and Satanists continue unopposed in their diabolical practices. Yes, we Christians have the potential to partner with God to redeem the world. And I praise our Great God every time I see His presence in the life of one who has chosen to receive His love and is willing to obey Him at all costs. Every victory is precious and God rejoices! But I pray that the Body of Christ will rise to their full potential and fulfill what is written on their page in God's Book of Life. In today's world, we don't have the luxury of playing it safe, or being comfortable in our faith. Satan is trying to use his old playbook of Death to scare us into submission and laying down our calling and inheritance. If we truly desire to mature into the fullness of Christ, we must be ready and willing to walk in His shoes and pay the ultimate price. Our Great God deserves nothing less.

Psalm 27:1     Yahweh is my revelation-light and the source of my salvation. I fear no one! I’ll never turn back and run for you, Yahweh, surround and protect me.

 

Halloween: Partnering With Satan

 

Each year at this time I write about the pagan ties and rituals associated with the culturally-accepted holiday of Halloween. And each year, as the Lord reveals more of the evil that takes place on the kingdom of darkness's sacred and holy night, the more I see Halloween commercially promoted. Not just for kids anymore, adults have increasingly adopted this night for their own celebrations. And the amount of money spent on decorations for the house and yard has steadily increased to make it one of the most successful holidays for retailers. Even the professed Christian retailer Hobby Lobby isn't above cashing in on its success.

If you have been reading my blogs for awhile, then you know the different historical persepectives I've brought you regarding Halloween. If not, then you can catch up by reading here and here and here. And for those who want the short version (because it is important to know the ancient history and connections), then here is a summary: The Encyclopedia of Religion describes Halloween as this ... "Halloween is the name for the eve of Samhain [pronounced sow-en], a celebration marking the beginning of winter as well as the first day of the New Year within the ancient Celtic culture of the British Isles. The time of Samhain consisted of the eve of the feast and the day itself (October 31st and November 1st). On this occasion, it was believed that a gathering of supernatural forces occurred as during no other period of the year. The eve and day of Samhain were characterized as a time when the barriers between the human and supernatural worlds were broken. Otherworldly entities, such as the souls of the dead, were able to visit earthly inhabitants, and humans could take the opportunity to penetrate the domains of the gods and supernatural creatures. Fiery tributes and sacrifices of animals, crops, and possibly human beings were made to appease supernatural powers who controlled the fertility of the land ... Samhain acknowledged the entire spectrum of nonhuman forces that roamed the earth during the period" (pp. 176-177, 1987).

Furthermore, The Encyclopedia Brittanica says that on this holiday "huge bonfires were set on hilltops to frighten away evil spirits ... The souls of the dead were supposed to revisit their homes on this day, and the autumnal festival acquired sinister significance, with ghosts, witches, hobgoblins, black cats, fairies, and demons of all kinds said to be roaming about. It was the time to placate the supernatural powers controlling the processes of nature. In addition, Halloween was thought to be the most favorable time for divinations concerning marriage, luck, health, and death. It was the only day on which the help of the devil was invoked for such purposes" (Encyclopaedia Britannica, 15th edition, Micropaedia, Vol. 4, p. 862, "Halloween"). 

By now, I hope that you are able to let go of any deception that this holiday is nothing more than "innocent fun". And the Church trying to "Christianize" the holiday by calling it "All Saint's Day", in the guise of celebrating dead Christian martyrs, is just another case of false pretense. 

Since the Lord has opened my spiritual eyes to the increasing evil in the world and the ways that the devil has infiltrated our culture through witchcraft and the occult [in all spheres of our existence], I have been introduced to deeper and yes, disturbing, revelations about what Halloween represents. I've been able to see how the "spirit" of Halloween, so to speak, has transferred from ancient ceremonies of the Celts and Druids to modern rituals of witches and Satanists. So, as I go to a new level in my exposé on Halloween, it is especially important that Christians understand the trauma and evil that is inflicted on this night, and just how important it is that we counter it with the Light of the Lord.

To that end, I'm going to share the testimony of a woman named Beth, who used to be a witch and was a victim of this satanic ritual abuse on Halloween, and how God delivered her from that situation and healed her. Her testimony will reveal the underlying demonic foundation of Halloween and why it is such a dangerous and contemptible holiday. Here is what she had to say....

"Halloween is all about witchcraft. It is a sacred and holy night in which witches and Satanists pay tribute to the dead. It is a night of celebration; a passage into a different spiritual world. It's a night when the veil between the different world's [realms] is the thinnest and when one has access into other realms. It is the thinnest because of the amount of witchcraft that happens on that night; because of the majik, spells, and incantations that are taking place to diminish the demonic veil."

I found it interesting that she said, "Most witches don't know that what they're doing is evil. It's just a way to get something they want done. Not so, for Satanists and Luciferians -- they actually worship Satan. But it's all witchcraft ... it's all about your intent and purpose ; doing rituals and majik as you partner with the demons in you to push out into the atmosphere to affect change in people, the atmosphere, animals, and things."

She went on, "Halloween is when you have thousands upon thousands of groups of people coming together and doing witchcraft on this one night. So, people [especially Christians] need to understand that when you "trick or treat", or have a Halloween party and dress up in costumes, you are celebrating Halloween and you've made an agreement with the ancient rites! You are in agreement with a Satanic ritual holiday!"

Beth said it is important that Christians understand that "witchcraft is Satanism. Even those who align themselves with neo-paganism or earth spiritualism do not know or believe what they are doing is Satanism. There are even Satanists that are so deceived, they think Lucifer is the bearer of Light and good, and that God is bad. When they are harming people and animals in their rituals, they actually think they are doing good". At this point in her testimony, Scripture came immediately to mind: Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter! (Isaiah 5:20). 

At this point her testimony became difficult to hear, but it is important that we not shy away from the truth that she is sharing... "People will actually sacrifice a baby or animal to the god Molech and tell themselves it's good. It took me years to understand that I was a victim of satanic ritual abuse on Halloween. At the age of three, I was strapped to a table and sexually abused and filled with demons; used as a sexual idol to be worshiped. The satanic rituals performed on Halloween are sexual and sacrificial. Some children are not as lucky as I was to escape the rituals; they are actually murdered as a sacrifice."

I know this is hard to read and perhaps, even harder to accept. But this is why I continually warn against aligning yourself with this evil holiday. Beth was fortunate. By His Grace, God came into the abuse during one of the rituals, because she asked Him to, and she says He took her spirit away so she wouldn't be corrupted. Eventually, she would ask Jesus into her heart where she would find freedom, redemption and healing from her pain and her own personal hell. 

But she is adamant about continuing to warn of the dangers of Halloween. "Hundreds of thousands of others are just like me, and have been subjected to torment on Halloween night. And many more will also be tortured and murdered on Halloween as every year passes. The only difference between myself and most other victims is, I chose to allow God to bring me healing and remember it. I could not have done it without Jesus. It would be impossible. He has shown me a love like I have never known before in my entire life. He has shown me that His love is something that is pure and untainted, and that I am indeed special and valuable to God. There may be evil in this world, but nothing is bigger than the power of the Almighty. The devil may have infiltrated churches, or taken over an entire night to align people unwittingly with darkness, but that can never change the truth of who God is. He is the King, and in the end He will wear the Victor’s Crown." 

So, I know I sound like a broken record, but I believe that a lot of what we are seeing happening in the world today is because Christians don't really believe in spiritual warfare. I think we just expect God to identify evil and deal with it. We're either afraid to engage with the dark side, or we're just too complacent in our security in Christ. But as long as we refuse to face the truth that Satan is looking for every advantage he can get to infiltrate people, animals, the earth and the atmosphere, we are allowing him and his demonic forces free rein to torment and kill. And by our silence and rationalization that "it doesn't mean that to me" or "this is the day the Lord has made, so I'm just going to call it good," we allow evil to continue to reign. You know, we might be able to convince ourselves that our allegiance belongs to the Lord, but we're still in agreement with darkness if we continue to participate in Halloween or refuse to renounce it. If you still need convincing, consider this quote by Anton LaVey, founder of the Church of Satan, "I'm glad Christians let their children worship the Devil at least one night out of the year".

As the Ekklesia, let us redeem the day by coming together [as thousands upon thousands] with our own celebration of the power and might of the Most High God! While that veil between realms is thin, let us bombard the next realm with prayers that sustain and empower the angelic forces of Heaven as they battle the intents and purposes of the witches and Satanists! And then let us use our power and authority to close that access into this realm, sealing it with the blood of Jesus! Let us pray that the minds and hearts of all people be awakened to the ancient darkness that has come down through the centuries to enslave people through witchcraft. Let us pray for the protection of every innocent child who is targeted for this Halloween night. Pray that plans for their torment or sacrifice are thwarted; that every animal or thing upon the earth be defended from wickedness. Let us be instruments of God to bring His Light into this dark night. And please, Lord, expand the time we have between now and Saturday night so that all these things be done in Your Holy and Precious Name! Amen!

Click here for more of Beth's testimony. Be sure and check out her blog, theothersideofdarkness.com. 

1 Corinthians 10:21   You cannot drink [both] the Lord’s cup and the cup of demons. You cannot share in both the Lord’s table and the table of demons [thereby becoming partners with them].

 

The Witching Hour

     If, as a Christian, you are aware of our responsibility to steward the Kingdom of God until Jesus returns, and that we will be accountable for what we did or didn't do; or what we knew or didn't know, then you are probably well-informed about the increase in demonic activity in the world. In fact, if you are paying close attention, Satan is actually tipping his hand. You just have to be tuned in and you will see it.
     For several years now, attuned Christians have seen the devil's forecasting in the entertainment industry. From our movies to our music to our TV shows, the Enemy is becoming more blatant and confident in showing his hand. After all, the Church hasn't sounded the alarm, and he is capturing so many unsuspecting souls in his net of horror and terror ... why should he be concerned that we're going to shut him down?

     So, if you're like my husband and myself, you are adept at picking up the subtle clues in a song or movie plot that shows how the devil is targeting the world and luring them into accepting the occult and demonic without a fight. But imagine our surprise as we re-watched a 2009 TV episode of "Terminator:The Sarah Connor Chronicles", and the main character spoke these chilling words: "Midnight is the witching hour… if you believe that kind of thing. And most people won’t admit it if they do. Midnight is the time when the door opens from our world into the next, and we are visited by dark spirits in the shadow lands… the incubus, the succubus, the Old Hag. Visitors are known by many names, but each story bears the same marks. The demons come after midnight in the first three hours of the new day when we are alone and at our most vulnerable; in our deepest sleep and helpless. We cannot move. They lay on us, press on us, suffocate us, take from us what is most precious -- our lives, our love, our sanity, our sleep… If you believe in that kind of thing".
     I will tell you that I definitely believe in that kind of thing. I have heard too many similar testimonies in our Deliverance Ministry to dismiss these assertions. But I will also tell you that we weren't watching this show expecting to get this kind of "in your face" revelation. The whole Terminator movie franchise has always fascinated us because of its predictions of a future dominated by artificial intelligence. But this particular episode of the TV spinoff caught us off-guard, and at just the right season of the year. You see, each year at Halloween, I am astonished at how much this holiday preoccupies our culture.  It is becoming as big as Thanksgiving and Christmas in our national psyche, and I am astonished at how much our adult population has adopted it.

     But I am here, once again, to warn everyone [Christians included] that Halloween is not the innocent celebration of costumes and candy it is made out to be. Whether a devout Christian or a non-religious secularist, most people believe that Halloween is a night of innocent fun and autumn celebrations/festivals that ALL people can share. But what is it to the Satanists and witches? I think it is important to repeat some of the information that I have presented throughout the years for those who are new to this site.
     Known as "Samhain" to this latter group, Halloween is a transitional time, and an initial stage of a process in which the veil between life and death grows thin.  I found a Christian website (Logos Resource Pages) that featured an article by Pastor David Phillips that seemed to offer some straightforward information on the holiday.  Consider what the following self-declared witches had to say about the holiday... "Halloween is one of the four Great Sabbats of the witches that everyone has heard about. To witches, Halloween is a serious occasion, however merrily celebrated. It is the old Celtic Eve of Samhain. With the coming of Christianity, the Church tried to Christianize the old festival by naming November 1st as All Saints Day, or All Hallows as the old term was. Thus Samhain Eve became All Hallows Eve, or Halloween. But attempts to discourage the pagan celebrations were so unavailing that the festival was eventually banned from the Church calendar. It was not until 1928 that the Church of England formally restored All Hallows to its calendar, on the assumption that the old pagan associations of Halloween were at last really dead and forgotten; a supposition that was certainly premature." 
     Here's another witch's testimony: "All the Great Festivals of Paganism, wherever they may be found, correspond in common with the Solstices, Equinoxes, and other natural annual cycles of life. Most of these remain with us today, in more or less disguised form, as the so-called Christian holidays of Christmas (Yule), Easter (Ostara), May Day (Beltane), Thanksgiving (Harvest Home), Halloween (Samhain) and even Groundhogs Day (Oimelc)." 
     Here is what we ALL need to understand ... Witches and Satanists love Halloween. They get a lot of media coverage around this time of year. It's good P.R. for them because the coverage, as a rule, portrays them in a favorable light.  In addition, Halloween generates interest in "the craft" [as in "witchcraft"] and is good for recruitment purposes. As Craig Hawkins, Founder and President of Apologetics Information Ministries, put it: "With increasing vigor, witchcraft is coming out of the broom closet. Many witches are actively seeking public understanding and acceptance."
    What should be especially concerning is the fact that the practice of witchcraft and satanism is becoming mainstreamed -- from lawsuits to allow rituals to be performed in our prison system, to Wicca becoming the fastest growing religion in our military. And I can tell you that from the Beloveds that my husband and I have ministered to, these associations and the rituals attached to them open spiritual doors that, unless closed and covered by the blood of Jesus, will render torment and oppression in a Believer's life. Furthermore, if you think Halloween doesn't measure up to being included in satanic rituals ... think again.

     If you think I am exaggerating this or my warnings about Halloween, just listen to what a former Satanist has to say on the subject. John Ramirez is a born-again Christian; a pastor who was once, in his own words, "a general to the kingdom of darkness in witchcraft". Ramirez warns Halloween isn't just about costumes and candy – there's a much darker reality.  "It is the most diabolical demonic holiday. Sometimes people say, 'I celebrated Halloween 10 years ago, [or] I did this 15 years ago, I did this 20 years ago.' But the door's still open. You just cursed your family from three to four generations," Ramirez told CBN News. [The "this" he's talking about is the rituals and sacrificial offerings that are made to the Dark Prince on this evil night].

    And that's what 21st Century people have a hard time understanding. Even though the attempt in the 6th Century to "Christianize" the holiday by calling it "All Soul's Day" in commemoration of the "faithfully departed", the original conception of the holiday [in which the souls of the dead were supposed to revisit their homes and that ghosts, witches, goblins, black cats, fairies, and demons roamed the earth], has never been excised from its celebration. And calling it a "fall harvest festival" doesn't erase its spiritually dark undertones. As John Ramirez says, "The only harvest we should be celebrating is the harvest of souls [for the Kingdom of God]".
     And then there's Texe Marrs. Although a controversial New Age researcher, he nevertheless offers advice that is hard to ignore:  "Our own research confirms that on this unholy night [Halloween], witches' covens meet, drink, dance, spit out curses and spells, conjure up spirits, engage in sexual orgies, induct new members, and offer up animal and human sacrifices. (Witches have become expert at covering up these sacrifices by use of cremation ovens and the use of privately owned land preserves for disposal of bodies in deeply dug graves.)"
     And lest you dismiss this notion as pure conjecture, let me share the words from a high priestess of the Church of Satan:  "As a child drawn to darker passions from birth, I always delighted in the fear and fantasies of Halloween. It gives even the most mundane people the opportunity to taste wickedness for one night. They have a chance to dance with the Devil, either stumbling, tittering and nervous in the arms of the Black Prince, or boldly, ravenously sharing in the sensual excesses and fright of others on this magical, unholy night. Now, birth and death have, for me, become inextricably interwoven into this day."  
     You see, it doesn't really matter what we Christians say to try to convince ourselves that the warnings about Halloween have been blown out of proportion. We need to listen to those who openly declare that they worship the dark side during this unholy holiday. They have made it the devil's holiday! And when we participate -- even in the most innocent way -- we are telling the spirit world that we are in agreement with its celebration. And in case you have any last doubts, I'm going to leave you with these chilling words from Anton LaVey, the founder of the Church of Satan, who said, "I'm glad that Christian parents let their children worship the devil at least one night out of the year."

1 Corinthians 10:21     "You can’t drink from the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons. You can’t feast at the table of the Lord and feast [participate] at the table of demons".
     
     

Halloween: The Satanic Connection

    I was going to continue yesterday's blog on Prayer with a post on how the Holy Spirit has recently moved in my life. But a text message from a concerned Christian friend has me taking a slight detour. I will continue with my testimony on Friday, but I wanted to address this question, because it is of primary consideration over the next few weeks.  So, here is the question: Is "trunk or treat" a God-honoring alternative to Halloween? Here is my answer and some important facts you need to know...

     One can go online to search out whether Halloween is an acceptable holiday for Christians, or if it is really an evil day, celebrated by Satanists and occultists.  For each site you visit, I suspect you will find a different answer.

      There will be those sites who declare it to be a benign evening of "tricks and treats" for the youngsters, while others will warn of its demonic undertones.  There will be attempts to "Christianize" the holiday by offering Trunk-or-Treat events (popular among churches) to bring Halloween to parking lots where kids go from car to car and get candy.  There will be countless Fall Festivals innocently celebrated, and there will be people who simply don't care, accurately saying that all holidays have pagan roots and it is what you make of it today that matters.
     And that's exactly why we should care about this controversial holiday.  Whether a devout Christian or a non-religious secularist, most people believe that Halloween is a night of candy and costumes and autumn celebrations/festivals that ALL people can share.  But what about the satanists and witches?  Shouldn't we care what it is to them?
     Known as "Samhein" to this latter group, Halloween is a transitional time, and an initial stage of a process in which the veil between life and death grows thin.  I found a Christian website (Logos Resource Pages) that featured an article by Pastor David Phillips that seemed to offer some straightforward information on the holiday.  Consider what the following self-declared witches had to say about the holiday... "Halloween is one of the four Great Sabbats of the witches that everyone has heard about. To witches, Halloween is a serious occasion, however merrily celebrated. It is the old Celtic Eve of Samhain. With the coming of Christianity, the Church tried to Christianize the old festival by naming November 1st as All Saints Day, or All Hallows as the old term was. Thus Samhain Eve became All Hallows Eve, or Halloween. But attempts to discourage the pagan celebrations were so unavailing that the festival was eventually banned from the Church calendar. It was not until 1928 that the Church of England formally restored All Hallows to its calendar, on the assumption that the old pagan associations of Halloween were at last really dead and forgotten; a supposition that was certainly premature."

     Another witch's testimony:  "All the Great Festivals of Paganism, wherever they may be found, correspond in common with the Solstices, Equinoxes, and other natural annual cycles of life. Most of these remain with us today, in more or less disguised form, as the so-called Christian holidays of Christmas (Yule), Easter (Ostara), May Day (Beltane), Thanksgiving (Harvest Home), Halloween (Samhain) and even Groundhogs day (Oimelc)."
     Still, another confirmation of Halloween's importance to occultists:  "Salem (Massachusetts) is a mecca, especially around Samhain. It is our holiday, our new year, and a lot of witches come here from all over the world".
     And if that's not enough confirmation for you that everyone should avoid the celebration of Halloween, let me give you the cold hard facts of their official "holy days":
December 21st (Yule, or the Winter Solstice);
February 1st (Candlemas, also Groundhog's Day; a Illuminati Human Sacrifice night);
March 21st (homage to goddess Ostara; Human Sacrifice Night);
May 1st (Beltaine Festival, also called Walpurgis Night. This is the highest day on the Druidic Witch's Calendar. May 1st is the Illuminati's second most sacred holiday. Human sacrifice is required);
June 21st (Summer Solstice; Litha is one of the Illuminati's Human Sacrifice Nights);
August 1st (Lughnasa, Great Sabbat Festival; One of the Illuminati's Human Sacrifice Nights); September 24th (Autumn Equinox); and
October 31st, which is the highest and holiest night of sacrifice for the secret society of the Illuminati.
      For the discerning Christian, it should be easy to see the connection between ancient paganism and the modern customs and costumes of Halloween. Perhaps the most relevant is the goddess Hecate, the Titan Earth mother of the wizards and witches, who illustrates perhaps better than any other ancient goddess the connection between Wicca, the Celtic Halloween traditions, and the realm of evil supernaturalism.

     Hecate's followers sincerely believed in and feared her magic, and her presence was legendary. This was primarily due to her role as the sorceress of the afterlife.  But true believers also feared Hecate's ability to afflict the mind with madness, as well as her influence over night creatures. She was thought to govern haunted places where evil or murderous activity had occurred. Such areas where violence or lechery had a history were believed to be magnets of malevolent spirits, something like "haunted houses," and if one wanted to get along with the resident apparitions they needed to make oblations to the ruler of the darkness—Hecate.
     But here's what we need to know: the Hecatian myths adopted by Celtic occultists continue in today's pop culture, symbolism and tradition in the following ways:
•  People visiting neighborhood homes on Halloween night represent the dead in search of food (the treat).
•  Masks of devils and hobgoblins represent evil spirits seeking mischief (the trick).
•  Those who pass out candy represent the homes visited by the dead, or may also represent worried individuals seeking to appease Hecate and other nighttime terrors.
•  The Jack-O-Lantern (will-o-the-wisp, fox fire, fairy fire, etc.) is, according to some histories, a wandering soul stuck between heaven and hell. Others claim the Druids left Jack-O-Lanterns on doorsteps to ward off evil spirits. Another legend concerns a drunk named Jack who made a deal with the devil. Each claims to be the true origin of the Jack-O-Lantern myth.
     And in case you think this is all just a bunch of harmless folklore, I want you to consider this .... not long ago some 300 exorcists flocked to Poland for a week-long congress to examine the current fashion for Halloween-themed monsters like werewolves and vampires the world-over, and the apparent connection between this fascination and a surge in demonic possession. Is it possible that  the world is experiencing an explosion of ancient occultism combined with wicked fascination for ghosts and all things paranormal?  Those who monitor social trends now say that Halloween is the second most popular holiday, surpassed only by Christmas; itself full of pagan symbolism.
     I know there are some secularists, and even Christians within the Church who will dismiss all this information as an imagination run wild.  But it is imperative that we understand that the Mass Media, including the Internet, television, film, radio, and other communications systems, have traded Bela-Lugosi-like vampires of former years and silly Abbott and Costello's Frankensteins and Mummies, (which could be vanquished with Christian symbols), for monsters of profound demonic character depicted as impervious to Christ's power. As a result, today's youth have exchanged yesterday's pigtails and pop-guns for pentagrams and blood covenants aligned with forces far stronger than former generations could have imagined.... and forces that they are ill-informed to withstand.
     I think it is dangerous to dismiss these warnings that I've presented. I think that we do that at the risk of our children.  The celebration of Halloween can be an effective tool to lure them into the occult and/or to become victims of satanic rituals.  Current headlines have certainly shown us that evil and wickedness are on the rise; with more and more lurid stories of bizarre and sadistic rituals happening almost every day.  It will be interesting to see what the headlines reveal in the coming days, as to the unholy celebrations that will be taking place at the end of this month.
     Obviously, it is up to you to decide what you think about this commonly accepted holiday.  But for me, I know the power that the Enemy wishes to use against us, and I will not only be on guard tonight, but will be praying for protection and authority to thwart his attacks against innocent children.  Let me leave you with these frightening words from a high priestess of the Church of Satan:  "As a child drawn to darker passions from birth, I always delighted in the fear and fantasies of Halloween. It gives even the most mundane people the opportunity to taste wickedness for one night. They have a chance to dance with the Devil, either stumbling, tittering and nervous in the arms of the Black Prince, or boldly, ravenously sharing in the sensual excesses and fright of others on this magical, unholy night. Now, birth and death have, for me, become inextricably interwoven into this day."  Parents beware!

2 Thessalonians 2:10-12   "And with all wicked deception for those who are perishing, because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. Therefore God sends them a strong delusion, so that they may believe what is false, in order that all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness."