He said Hallowe'en celebrations "make evil look innocent", and has appealed for families to boycott the festival.
The Hallowe'en Carnival will take place on the Foyle on 30 and 31 October.
Rev Campbell said his church was opposed to Hallowe'en because it was "one of the two major days for Satanists", and "God's word clearly condemns and warns people about celebrating or glorifying Hallowe'en or the occult"....
Please understand that I have attended churches (and know of folks that have attended churches) where doing such things as driving a four wheeler resulted in excommunication; eating potato chips was interpreted as breaking the 6th commandment; dancing, attending movies, playing cards, or not spanking your children for certain offenses was reason for the Pastor to perform an immediate unscheduled oversight visit; and yes, participating in Halloween activities was frowned upon as taking up the devil's banner. Perhaps God has spared you from these type of experiences, but these are things that are still happening today in so-called Christian circles. Please understand that when I see legalism, I react as Paul did in writing Galations. Although Christians will observe the following, we are saved by grace through faith - not by the keeping of a set of church rules or ordinances, holding to a set of doctrines, beliefs, or practices - these are the tail with Christ only being the head. Legalism and "blue laws" (as you refer) are in the church today. Now having said that, I would also warn that the other extreme of antinomianism has its own dangers lurking about as well.
B. Newman, No "blue laws" have come down, and it is trying to cure the problem of sin by futilely trying to stop its practice. You have to change the man from inside out. Legalism is Shadow, Christ is Substance.
One thing we use to do is to put religious tracts inside sacks of candy that we handed out. It may serve some useful purpose.
Secondly, I would like to voice my opinion about those that lord over the Christian liberty we have to allow our children to dress up in costumes on Oct 31 and go door-to-door for candy. Next thing you know there will be those that dictate we can't eat candy. I have seen practices that I believe are godly - these include selecting appropriate costumes that are pleasing to God. For those concerned about accepting candy from strangers, I suggest visiting the houses of people you know. But telling folks they are practically throwing their lot in with satan because they allow their kids to participate in Halloween sounds like legalism to me - next thing you know we won't be able to play cards, go to movies, and dances (if you get my drift). Bottom line, all of these things can be done while keeping a clear conscience toward God and man - yes, even while allowing our children to say "trick-or-treat"!
B Newman wrote: First, I would like to respond to the comment left by John Paul's wife. The comment states that we can do nothing to be saved. I am a Calvinist in my theology, but pure Calvinism teaches us that we must repent and believe. I understand that faith is the gift of God, but we need to be careful not to step into the realms of unbiblical hyper-Calvinism in telling folks that we need do nothing. The gospel preached by John the Baptist, by Jesus, and by Paul was the same - repent and believe, not do nothing. Doing nothing results in eternal condemnation.
First, I would like to respond to the comment left by John Paul's wife. The comment states that we can do nothing to be saved. I am a Calvinist in my theology, but pure Calvinism teaches us that we must repent and believe. I understand that faith is the gift of God, but we need to be careful not to step into the realms of unbiblical hyper-Calvinism in telling folks that we need do nothing. The gospel preached by John the Baptist, by Jesus, and by Paul was the same - repent and believe, not do nothing. Doing nothing results in eternal condemnation.
Staying home will not save people. Salvation is a gift of God through Christ's sacrifice on the cross. There is nothing we can do to be saved. But in an ironic way, blatant evil is the Christian's opportunity to illustrate what evil is. Even though evil will exist until Christ comes back, we don't have to give him (satan) all the ground. As long as the motivation is love and truth for our lost neighbors, that's what they will see.
Leigh, I like you response, "Curse upon the city" Now, I would agree with the pastor that Halloween should be ignored, especially in it present pagan form. I would however point out,
Galatians 3 13 Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law, having become a curse for us-- for it is written, "CURSED IS EVERYONE WHO HANGS ON A TREE"-- ---NASB as Spurgeon pointed out in his sermon, The Curse Removed. A person could be condemned for much less than supporting the Halloween in its present form if he isn't a Christian. We are not to reform nations or cities, but individuals. The Only Gospel, Only the Gospel
Jim, since you still don't get it, I'll just drop it.
"Do you honestly think the BBC will accurately report all of this pastors words or just choose the ones they want?"
Leigh, even a stopped clock is right twice a day. I know the BBC et al. are untrustworthy, but I also know that pastors often argue poorly (not having learned formal logic, I think). If the quotes I addressed are false or misleading, please inform me what the pastor really said.
Mexico's Day of the Dead is startlingly similar to Samhain despite originating an ocean away. I find it hard to believe this resemblance is a mere coincidence.
Settle down lads! No need to have a go at each other over this. Neil: Do you honestly think the BBC will accurately report all of this pastors words or just choose the ones they want? Alan: You are partly right, "light and bright" parties or harvest parties held on 31 Oct by any assembly of believers teaches children to compromise. Complete abstinenance is the answer, in fact our family make a point of using the opportunity to go on the streets to preach. We also hand out bags of candy with tracts at the door - the gift makes way for the giver. We even brought tract & candy bags to the local police station and shared them out with the policemen and they took some into the cells too!
If Christians want to celebrate a harvest festival, celebrate the Jewish one - known as Succoth or The Feast of Tabernacles - Jesus celebrated this one. This one never falls on 31 Oct and so cannot be mistaken for compromise.
I for one applaud this pastor. If you know how embedded halloween and witch craft is in the Irish culture you would realise what a BIG step he has taken in going to the media about this.
First of all, Neil, you took offense where none was implied! Could I or anyone else complain about someone not listing all the errors of Catholicism in general or monasticism in particular? Hardly. Just one excellent article that at least gives a short look at English monestaries
Clive Gillis wrote: Monasteries were now more corrupt than the world. Testimony from these times is unrepeatable here. Although individual monks could not possess wealth the corporate body, the monastery and monastic order, could and did. Lands, houses, hunting-grounds, forests; tithes, tolls, orchards, fisheries, wool and cloth all fabulously enriched the monasteries....
I John 16 33 "These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world." ---NASB
Jim, you said to me "there are more errors to the Romish Church than that," which implies negligence on my part. If you want to digress or expand, fine, but don't do it at others' expense.
Ah, Neil, I didn't notice it was an Independent Methodist, and Alan2 is no doubt correct that it is not Calvinist as most Methodists would be Arminian as taken from it's founder. I doubt if they would support the Lordship issue either.
You mean I can't expand on a topic? Usually, there are no complaints when someone brings up something completely different to the topic, as long as it is tangential to it.
"Not everything in life is clear-cut and not everything has easy answers. All things considered, however, we think the most prudent and wise decision for Halloween is abstinence...." from, Can Halloween Be an Entirely Innocent Practice? —Part One.
Neil, its an Independent Methodist and apart from myself siding with the Calvinist side of things can`t say to much against the IM, they preach Christ Crucified!
There goes Jim the Digressor again. I see no evidence that this pastor is affiliated with the UMC (notice the "Independent" in his church's title?). And I wasn't presenting a comprehensive summary of Rome's faults, either.
Neil, some good points, but of course, there are more errors to the Romish Church than that, and The Truth Behind The Church's Purpose isn't that monks and nuns should be setting up wineries and bakeries. A rather good pdf file from the Ankerberg site on What is the Origin of Halloween?
While the church ho's and hum's, Satanic groups out there plot to win over and use our children. Yes, it is better to just remain quiet. The great work of Christ is just within those four walls and everything else belongs to the prince of the air.
Alan, I'm not against villagers having a sober party after a good harvest. I just don't believe the organized church should sponsor it (as if in the name of Christ), as the RCC did during the Middle Ages, where cathedrals were the center of village social life. It is this sort of "ecclesiocentrism" that the pope favored against Protestant "secularization" or "de-Hellenizing" in his controversial (to Muslims) speech. Almost no one recognized the speech as an attack on the Reformation!
Now it is true we are to do all things to God's glory, but that does not imply that the organized church should "own" or sponsor such observances, any more than the church should run a business because work is to be done "as for the Lord." That was the error of Medieval monasticism.
One hundred percent true along with most other `holy days` including Christmas (Yuletide) and Easter (Ishtar) are all actually Pagan holy days usually tied to a solstice festival!
However I am not so sure I agree with Neil about Harvest. A Harvest service is whilst `tradition` and certainly not required, in my mind totally harmless thanksgiving service to God at the end of Harvest - perhaps it is more appropriate in the rural farming (pioneers)communities it obviously originated in (including here in Ulster). I see it no different to saying Grace at the dinner table!
"One of the main reasons we as a church are opposed to the carnival is that children are being disturbed"
So would it be OK if no appeal was made to children? This sounds like the standard "do it for the children" ad misericordiam fallacy often used by irresponsible politicians.
While I agree that Halloween (aka Samhain) is a bad business, the pastor forgets that Scripture warns *believers* about participation in the occult (2 Cor 6:14). Did Paul try to stop the Ephesians from worshipping Diana? See Acts 19:37 for the answer.
"Harvest festivals" promoted as an alternative to Halloween by American churches (at least) have no warrant in Scripture & are unlawful for that reason alone. The church is for edification, fellowship, & worship, not entertainment.
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Rev Ian Brown | 4/10/2009
Now, I would agree with the pastor that Halloween should be ignored, especially in it present pagan form. I would however point out,
