Why I Don't celebrate Halloween

Thursday morning October 31, was just a morning like other mornings with my usual daily routine. I usually wake up at 3 am every morning to do my morning devotions, "Morning Glory," and to plan on the days work. My devotions are not typical of what most of you may think. Morning Glory for me is more a time for meditation and reading the WORD of God in quitness of the morning. During my devotions I go to God with a open heart and mind, not only to talk to him but more so to listen to Him.

It is at this devotion time I come up with a theme for the day, ..start your day with God..." and multiple other inspirational, challenging and faith building themes for throughout the day. This day was unique in that the spirit reminded me that it is Halloween's celebration day. I was not receptive to the fact that I thought about Halloween, leave alone doing anything about it. As a result I screemed, " I DON"T CELBRATE HALLOWEEN." See Ephasians 5:7-12

There are many other Bible verses similar to this, but nothing that specifically warns against observing Halloween. Rather than providing an answer, the purpose of this article is to cause you to ask yourself questions and think about your convictions on this issue. 2 Corinthians 3:10.

As Christians, why are we here in this world? Are we here to live in a safe and protected environment, guarded against the evils in the world, or are we called to reach out into a world filled with dangers and be the light of Christ? Halloween brings people of the world to our door step. Halloween brings our neighbors out into the streets. I can think of various creative ways to seize this opportunity for developing new relationships and sharing my faith.

Is it possible that our negativity toward Halloween only alienates the people we seek to reach? Can we be in the world, but not of the world? Romans 12:2

Considering the pagan celebrations that were once prominent this time of year, it’s understandable why a God-fearing preacher, chaplain and born again christian might be cautious, however today’s traditions are certainly very different from the pagan practices that mark the now so called Halloween. As noted in one of my inspirational posting on social media, Halloween celebrations as  adopted by Pope Boniface IV, was set aside to honor Martyrs and saints, an idea that the church in Rome drived from early Celtic Culture. Today however the imagery, emphasis and symbols used deviate from the original initentions of the celebrations to hold christian church services of prayer, fasting and remember those departed.

Halloween's History

Halloween's origins date back to the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain (pronounced sow-in). The Celts, who lived 2,000 years ago in the area that is now Ireland, the United Kingdom and northern France, celebrated their new year on November 1. This day marked the end of summer and the harvest and the beginning of the dark, cold winter, a time of year that was often associated with human death. Celts believed that on the night before the new year, the boundary between the worlds of the living and the dead became blurred. On the night of October 31 they celebrated Samhain, when it was believed that the ghosts of the dead returned to earth. In addition to causing trouble and damaging crops, Celts thought that the presence of the otherworldly spirits made it easier for Celtic priests, to make predictions about the future. For a people entirely dependent on the volatile natural world, these prophecies were an important source of comfort and direction during the long, dark winter.

To commemorate the event, Druids built huge sacred bonfires, where the people gathered to burn crops and animals as sacrifices to the Celtic deities. During the celebration, the Celts wore costumes, typically consisting of animal heads and skins, and attempted to tell each other's fortunes. When the celebration was over, they re-lit their hearth fires, which they had extinguished earlier that evening, from the sacred bonfire to help protect them during the coming winter.

By 43 A.D., the Roman Empire had conquered the majority of Celtic territory. In the course of the four hundred years that they ruled the Celtic lands, two festivals of Roman origin were combined with the traditional Celtic celebration of Samhain. The first was Feralia, a day in late October when the Romans traditionally commemorated the passing of the dead. The second was a day to honor Pomona, the Roman goddess of fruit and trees. The symbol of Pomona is the apple and the incorporation of this celebration into Samhain probably explains the tradition of "bobbing" for apples that is practiced today on Halloween.

On May 13, 609 A.D., Pope Boniface IV dedicated the Pantheon in Rome in honor of all Christian martyrs, and the Catholic feast of All Martyrs Day was established in the Western church. Pope Gregory III (731–741) later expanded the festival to include all saints as well as all martyrs, and moved the observance from May 13 to November 1. By the 9th century the influence of Christianity had spread into Celtic lands, where it gradually blended with and supplanted the older Celtic rites. In 1000 A.D., the church would make November 2 All Souls' Day, a day to honor the dead.

It is widely believed today that the church was attempting to replace the Celtic festival of the dead with a related, but church-sanctioned holiday. All Souls Day was celebrated similarly to Samhain, with big bonfires, parades, and dressing up in costumes as saints, angels and devils. The All Saints Day celebration was also called All-hallows or All-hallowmas (from Middle English Alholowmesse meaning All Saints' Day) and the night before it, the traditional night of Samhain in the Celtic religion, began to be called All-hallows Eve and, eventually, Halloween.

Credits:

Encyclopedia Britannica- 1920

Wikipidia- Not a reliable source

Catholicism  in Rome, By Bishop of Myan (Main) 1977  

The difference between a pastor and a Chaplain

Pastors and chaplains are similar in many respects. Both provide counseling and spiritual ministry to those in need. However, differences exist between the two callings. Pastors typically are associated with a specific church or parish, while chaplains are generally associated with a specific employer or agency. Chaplain employer may include but not limited to; private sector, cooperate sector, and federal or local governments. The primary differences between pastors and chaplains lie in where, how and to whom they offer spiritual pastoral and counseling care.

The title of pastor is bestowed on religious leaders in protestant churches, for example, but a pastor also may be a rabbi, priest or imam. Pastors focus on ministering to those of their own faith or those who wish to convert. Chaplains may be of any faith and typically do not discuss their personal faiths with those to whom they are ministering unless they are asked. Chaplains don’t proselyte

Although pastors may visit members of their congregation at home, in the hospital or at a nursing home, most activities are church-based. Chaplains perform their duties beyond church walls. Hospital chaplains comfort patients in their rooms or minister to the families of patients. Military chaplains may hold services in chapels while stateside or in tents when deployed to a combat zone. Prison chaplains counsel inmates and staff. Chaplains also act as a liaison between the prison and external churches. See my article on; "A pastoral reminder to spiritual leaders." 

Comparing a pastor and a chaplain involves comparing a religious leader and a spiritual leader. Religious leaders deal with the doctrines, rituals, beliefs and morality specific to their religion. Chaplains respect the right of all people to follow any religion or no religion at all. Rather than focus on religious morality, chaplains deal with the question of ethical behavior. Chaplains may counsel forgiveness as being in the person’s best interests rather than because it is a religious tenet.

Although most countries have constitutions that provides for the freedom of religion, the same also orders the separation of church and state. Chaplains do not violate that separation if the purpose of the chaplaincy is secular, such as crisis intervention, chaplain remains neutral on the subject of specific religions and chaplaincy is open to members of all religious beliefs.

Chaplains are more likely to deal with those in immediate crisis or who have experienced a recent trauma. Many chaplains are trained in crime scene and trauma scene protocols so they can venture into settings that might be off-limits to pastors. Because pastors are paid by their churches, they must satisfy the demands of their congregations; chaplains are employees of a company or agency and must satisfy the demands of their employers, which may include maintaining a low public profile or maintaining a politically correct appearance, sic.

Credits:

Jeffrey Joyner - Demand Media

Association of Professional Chaplains-APC

Texas TMC Chaplain’s Symposium -2011

From Chaplain’s Desk- A pastoral reminder to Spiritual Leaders-

Most hospitals have well-trained chaplains on staff for spiritual care of the patients, family and staff. These chaplains can be valuable allies when spiritual leaders in any community visit sick parishioners in a hospital setting. Over the years in the hospital, I have had pastors call to inquire about parishioners in the hospital and request that I visit them on their behalf.

In hospitals, Chaplains are there to assist and not interfere; therefore, it is important to contact the chaplain during the time a parishioner from your church, Temple, Mosque, is hospitalized. A person's faith and faith community can play a vital role in the recovery process. The Chaplain’s goal is to harness the power of both for healing.

Chaplains recognize that collaboration with community clergy is something important and desirable. They are there as colleagues, not competitors. The hospital chaplain is in a position to visit sick patient during times pastors and other parishioners are unable to be there. In addition, as part of the interdisciplinary team caring for the patients, the chaplain can become an advocate for addressing patient’s needs and also a liaison to both the family and the community clergy. Personally in my capacity as a hospital chaplain I double as a patient relations officer and patient advocate.

Hospital chaplains regularly join clergy in prayer for the sick parishioners, and strive to assist them as best as they can. Visiting clergy may have questions or concerns which a chaplain is often able to address and sometimes rapidly resolve. Chaplains are there to serve, and are always glad to have community clergy contact them and draw upon their expertise for the benefit of sick patient parishioners.

The chaplain serves the hospital staff as well. Everyone from physician to the person cleaning the floors can benefit from chaplains kind words, a smile, or a willingness to really listen. Like pastors in the church, rabbis in a Temple, Imams in Mosques, chaplain will allow God to work in and through them for the benefit of the patient. You may be pleasantly surprised at how many people are touched, blessed, and helped through a simple chaplain’s smile. You will be surprised how staff may confine to the hospital chaplain for spiritual guidance. My advice here is that pastors, Imams, rabbi, and parishioners among other spiritual leaders should encourage those working in hospitals to utilize the services of the chaplain.

As part of their ethical guideline, chaplains are aware that protecting the privacy of patients and the confidential information related to them has always been important.  Chaplains know that patients have the right to release or prohibit the release of information about them. Chaplains respect patient’s decision. Chaplain will not lease patient information on the phone even when the caller is claiming to be the clergy to the patient.

Once again I want to remind all spiritual leaders to encourage their parishioners who are patients in the hospital or employees of the hospital to utilize the services provided by the chaplain.

Faithfulness in worship and true obedience. Psalm 50

Every time I read Psalm 50, I am startled. In this psalm, God recognizes that the Israelites are properly offering the sacrifices God himself requires in the law. Yet he says that he doesn’t need these sacrifices.

What God wants most of all from his people is not proper religious activity, but faithfulness in worship and true obedience.

 “But giving thanks is a sacrifice that truly honors me. If you keep to my path, I will reveal to you the salvation of God” (50:23).

It’s easier to put on a good show of religiosity than to live a life of genuine gratitude and faithfulness to God. Though we Christians aren’t offering literal sacrifices, we often focus on doing all the “right things” that show others what fine Christians we are. Yet, in private, our lives can be far from God’s intentions for us. We can look great on Sunday morning. But how do we look on Monday evening when nobody’s watching, except the Lord?

Nothing in Psalm 50 suggests that we should stop gathering with God’s people for worship or singing the songs or praying (See my previous article of Singing the Psalms) the prayers. But it does challenge us to take a good look at our whole lives.

Are we living each day for God and his purposes? Are we honoring him when we’re alone, in our daydreams, in our finances, in our secret ambitions? What really matters to God is not that we excel in religious activity, but that we offer our whole selves to him in every moment. As Jesus made it clear, our highest calling is to love God with all that we are and to love our neighbors as ourselves; see Luke 10:27.
When you read Psalm 50, it’s as if you heard God say “Gotcha!” You know how hard you work to look good to others. You can put on a show of your religion. But what about you hidden thoughts? What about your daily living? Do you offer yourself to God fully, and consistently? You know the answer to this question.

May God forgive you, for all the times you live as if He weren’t there or as if He didn’t matter. May God forgive you and I for the shallowness and hypocrisy. May God help us by His Spirit, to live for Him completely, giving Him all that we have. What matters most to Him is all ours; heart, soul, mind, and strength. May we offer our whole self to Him this day and every day ahead.

Are you ever tempted to put on a religious “show” for the sake of others? When? Are you living your life with a consistent awareness of what matters most to God?

Running and Winning the Race- Hebrews 12:1-3

Yes, there will be challenges to your faith; there will be times when you will be tempted to give up your faith and quit being a believer. But what great glory it will bring to God if you keep running the race with the aim of winning! And what a great reward will await you at the finish line, as you finish focusing unto Jesus.

 Hebrews 12:1-2 “Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, ² looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”

We know from the Word of God that God will meet our needs if we go to Him and ask Him in faith. Yet in this world, we face circumstances that can cause us to stumble in our faith.  There are many problems in the world today that may make us lose the faith we have in God; the poor economy, unemployment situation, world wars, threat of terrorism, and the daily life and family issues we face; such as; divorce, infidelity, luck of finances, illnesses, and death of a loved one, among others can cause us to quit the race. But it is in these difficult times that we must aim at finishing the race of faith we first began.

During such times of difficulties, is the time for us to believe God and trust in His Word more than ever before. The Bible says in First Timothy 6:12 that we are to fight the good fight of faith. These are the times when we must stand our ground and not quit—even if it looks like we’re going downhill with no hope of return. Don’t quit! God will cause us to be victorious if we will believe His Word and not give up.

It’s one thing if you quit a race in the natural. But when we embark upon this spiritual race and we quit in the middle of it, the consequences can be extremely sobering; whether or not we stay in the race could mean life or death.

So stay in the race of faith. Yes, you may fall once or twice, or grow weak and weary in the race of faith. The devil may take you by surprise, but just because you encounter these obstacles, doesn’t mean you quite the whole race. You may come away from that race with a swollen leg and or a sweaty nose, until you learn how to stand on the Word for your victory. But just because the devil gets in a couple of good licks—maybe a right cross and a left hook, and you may be staggering a little or bouncing off the lanes, that doesn’t mean he’s won the race ahead of you.