I don't know why people are asking this, but they do. "Is Halloween "evil"? Should I, as a God-fearing person, allow my children to participate in a "holiday" started by "Satan"?
I did some research (someone else has summarized it nicely here). I discovered, to my surprise, that Halloween, as we celebrate it today with food and costumes actually has CHRISTIAN origins. The early church, as they have done with other "holy" days, such as Christmas and Easter, chose November first as "All hallowed Day" or "All Saints day" - a celebration that was intended to lure pagans away from their own celebrations that day (varying accounts will say things about "day of the dead" and "samhain", but I couldn't nail down anything definitive).
The day before came to be known as "All hallow's eve" and thus "hallow's eve" and slang-ified into "Halloween". The wearing of costumes and sharing food was claimed to keep the "bad spirits" away so that "All Saints day" would be a fully holy day.
At least that's what's I've pieced together from many conflicting accounts.
So why not? As it is celebrated today in America, it has nothing to do with the church or "pagan" or anything like that. It's all a big financial boost for the candy companies.
This is just another thing that Christians have allowed to become a distraction. Recently I've posted about the "Evolution/Creation debate" and "Why won't God heal amputees", this is just another one of those things that really has no point in being argued about.
Instead of worrying about how "bad" a children's event is, why don't yo worry about how "bad" you are? While you're worrying about trick or treating and getting candy are you more worried about people that don't even have food? While you're worrying about whether wearing a costume is bad, are you more worried about people that have no clothes?
"'For I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.' Then they also will answer, saying, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to you?' Then he will answer them, saying, 'Truly, I say to you, as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.'" -Matthew 25:42-45 (English Standard Version)
