Should Christians celebrate Halloween or should they not? This question has divided the faith-based community for the longest time, with some Christians believing it is wrong while others thinking it's harmless fun.
But as far as John Ramirez, a former Satan worshipper, is concerned, Christians should take no part in Halloween celebrations. He wrote for Charisma News that believers can be surprisingly quick on their feet to honor the Devil. They see no harm in Halloween because they are not performing any demonic rituals or human sacrifices.
"But did you know that as soon as you dress up, whether you color yourself or put on a costume, the enemy owns you? Because by doing so, you have turned over your legal rights, and you have dedicated yourself and your kids to celebrating the devil's holiday," he said. "You have just made a pact with the enemy, and you are already sacrificing your children spiritually by dressing them up and changing their identity."
When he was still a Satan worshipper, Ramirez considered Halloween a very special time because "dark power" is highlighted that night. In fact, he even got married on Halloween so that his wedding bells would be heard "all the way down to the gates of hell."
"It is very different from every other night in the witchcraft world. It would be like me saying to believers today, 'How important to you are Good Friday and Resurrection Sunday?' Halloween has that much weight and importance to those who dwell on the dark side," he said.
So whenever he sees some churches remove the word "Halloween" and call it "harvest" instead, while their members dress up in costumes and hand out candies, he feels saddened. If it were up to him, Ramirez would create a biblical movie night and share with unsaved friends and families the dangers of Halloween.
"The only harvest we should celebrate is the harvest of souls," he said.
Meanwhile, world-renowned evangelist Billy Graham said some parents might find it difficult to keep their children from celebrating Halloween since they will always be attracted to costumes and treats. He wrote on his website that Christian parents should probably find alternative and positive ways to enjoy these pleasures while still being rooted to their Biblical upbringing - maybe have their kids dress up as their favorite Bible characters.
"We encourage each family to develop their own approach to Halloween based on their own convictions and the options for celebration available to them," he said.
