Why I Think Jesus is (Mostly) Fine with Halloween

This one-sided debate hosted by my six-year-old began shortly after trick-or-treating concluded last year; her Little Mermaid costume having served its purpose, at least for the moment. Hours after scouring our neighborhood for candy, she started planning for the next year’s haul, verbally contemplating which princess she should embody, whether that’s Elsa (repeating her 2021 costume), Anna (2022), or Jasmine (2023), before circling back to Elsa.

To be clear: I love every one of these discussions (debates) because I, like my daughter, also love Halloween. But I also understand, as someone who claims to follow Jesus, that it is a very tricky subject. I mean, if He were here today, would Jesus partake in Halloween festivities? Would His house be decked out in fake cobwebs, strobe lights, and a 12-foot-tall Jack Skellington? Or would He view it as a pagan holiday to be ignored or protested?

My friends and family know my thoughts on the subject. Between mid-September (the start date moves a little earlier each year) through Oct. 31, I spend most of my free time watching monster movies (Alien 1-3 and John Carpenter’s The Thing are required viewing), listening to a running playlist filled with soundtracks from Gremlins, Beetlejuice and Halloween (I move just a little faster if it sounds like Michael Myers is nearby) and pre-planning the trick-or-treat route with my daughter, to ensure we bypass the truly haunted houses but still pick up all of the full-size candy bars. The season peaks as kids pick the nearby houses clean of anything sugar-filled while the parents set up fire pits at the end of our driveways, handing out treats to kids and beers to parents.

I’m guessing you fall in one of three camps. The first being like-minded fans of the 31st who are reading this on your phone while waiting in line at the nearest Halloween storefront. The second being someone shocked that any Christian would endorse a holiday encouraging children to dress up as ghosts, goblins, and Taylor Swift. And finally, those who don’t put more than two brain cells into the matter, outside of throwing on a last-second costume and Door-Dashing overly marked-up candy. (Seriously, $3.48 for a King-Sized Twix?!)

And while I fall firmly into the first camp, I also sympathize with the other groups. As with everything else I base my family’s values on, I want to ensure that my stance on Halloween aligns with the teachings of Jesus and the Bible’s teachings—because God calls me to give everything to him, in places like here and here). And while Scripture does lay out some fairly specific lines NOT to cross (“Thou shalt not murder” is fairly straightforward), it’s also filled with a fair amount of gray area, especially when it comes to modern-day customs. Is It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown OK to watch? What about The Texas Chainsaw Massacre? Neither title was covered in Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount!

Personally, when it comes to navigating the gray area, that’s when I pray and invite God to speak into the situation. And while I’ve never heard audibly from God, I have felt him “reply” a few different ways—namely, providing feelings of peace around decisions or actions he’s OK with, versus feelings of unease around decisions he’s not on board with. That feeling of a response, which comes outside of myself, is what the Bible refers to as the Holy Spirit. (If you’re interested in learning more about the Holy Spirit and hearing from God, here’s a good place to start.)

Based on what I’ve read, my prayers, and the responses that follow, here’s why I believe, for a few reasons, Jesus would be (mostly) okay with Halloween:

1. Jesus Encouraged Fun

This is easy to forget, especially for those of us who grew up in the church and developed a perception that God is perpetually looking for an excuse to smite us. God created everything, including our ability to smile, laugh, and have fun. He made certain things taste great (like candy) and was always commissioning craftsmen and artists to create beauty. (Have you seen a full-size Darth Vader costume? It’s absolutely a work of art.)

Jesus clearly supported opportunities to bring people together in healthy, fun ways. His first miracle involved turning water into wine at a wedding when the first supply ran out—specifically, good wine. Personally, I have no idea what that means (I’m a beer guy and can barely tell the difference between pinot and Welch’s), but Scripture tells us the banquet master complimented the groom on saving the best wine for last, rather than switching it up to the cheaper supply once guests were in less discerning moods.

In this story, Jesus didn’t send everybody home when the wine ran out. Nor did he manifest jugs of Gatorade and lecture the crowd on the evils of drinking. Instead, He instantly crafted a beverage that would normally take years to ferment and kept the party going. So on Halloween night, as kids gather in packs and trade notes on which houses are passing out name-brand vs generic candy bars—and parents smile at the sight and sound of our children’s sugar-infused ecstasy—I have to believe Jesus would smile, too.

2. Jesus Loved Kids

Some time after co-catering the wedding party, Jesus was in the midst of teaching when parents started bringing their children to him, asking him to bless the kids. His disciples tried to stop them, but Jesus welcomed the kids and told the adults to follow their example, saying, “The kingdom of God belongs to such as these. Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.”

Kids have a wonderful sense of both curiosity and honesty—they want to know about and interact with the world around them. There is an innocence and a lack of cynicism in the way they intake and process information. They don’t have the “Yeah, but…” reaction that so many of us, myself included, develop as adults. Personally, I think these are the characteristics Jesus admires the most in children, and why he set them as the example for adults to follow.

And in the specifics of Halloween, my daughter isn’t thinking about anything dark or nefarious while trick-or-treating or in the weeks leading up to it. In fact, she hates being scared. All she wants to know is “How do I look?” and “How much candy can I eat without making myself sick?” As a father, I welcome this kind of innocent curiosity and pure joy that such a holiday brings.

3. Jesus Said to Love Your Neighbor

The greatest commandment Jesus gives is to love God with all of our heart, mind, soul, and strength. The second, he says, is like it: to love our neighbors as ourselves. Unfortunately, in the hustle and bustle of everyday life—being glued to world news and our favorite spot on the couch—our literal neighbors are often the last people we think about.

Some of us have never met our neighbors. Some of us are best friends with them. And some of us only see them while wearing a robe and dragging our garbage cans to the curb. But no matter your relationship with those who live on your court, street, or in your hallway, I believe spending $20 on a bag of Walmart goodies to pass out is arguably the easiest way ever to fulfill Jesus’ second-greatest commandment: love your neighbor.

Is it the only way to love your neighbor? Nope. Is it the best way? Depends on who you ask (and if they’re one of those people that does cosplay year-round). Either way, it presents an opportunity to love those that God has placed us closest in proximity to—to strike up a conversation, invite them over for dinner, or toss them a Hershey’s bar (or smile and take one of theirs).

Know Your Limits

Of course, there are exceptions to every situation. Jesus making wine at the wedding wasn’t a license for all of the guests to get blackout drunk, or done so that everyone would drink. While alcohol is OK for some of us, others need to avoid it. And just because there are things out there that children would enjoy doesn’t mean we as parents should necessarily let them participate in them (running in a busy intersection in their underwear, for example). There are certain things we need to prohibit for their betterment, despite what they or culture may protest with. And I believe these same principles can apply to Halloween.

In the book of Romans, the apostle Paul (who wrote most of the New Testament) talks about those spiritual gray areas previously mentioned (one could say things like tattoos, gambling, or cremation) and how to navigate them. As an example, he used food. At the time, and in the centuries prior, certain foods were considered unclean and not to be eaten by those following God. This was before Jesus’ death served as a sin offering that redeemed everyone who accepted Him as savior. Based on Jesus’ death, Paul no longer considered foods like pork, which up to that point had been off limits, as “dirty.” Bacon was now fair game (Thank you, God). At the same time, Paul respected those who chose not to eat foods thought of as unclean, saying, “If your brother is grieved by what you eat, you are no longer walking in love.” And in 1 Corinthians, he states that while all things may be permissible, not everything is beneficial.

The point being: Not everyone is comfortable with all of the materials connected with the spooky season, and I ought to be accommodating to that. While dating, my wife graciously sat through hours of horror movies with me, but I quickly learned that she’s not a fan of the genre (thankfully, I learned this before showing her Halloween, otherwise there’s a chance I’d still be single). Dark material has the potential to take her (and my daughter) to a dark place, so it’s my job to respect and protect them in that.

I also have to set limits for myself. I draw a line with movies that wade too deeply into satanic or spiritual warfare. The Exorcist is considered a classic, and if you’re a fan, I think that’s great. But it takes my heart and mind to a dark place, so I avoid it.

And as much as I enjoy watching spooky movies, I don’t make that the sole vision for the month. We choose for our focus on Halloween to be about the joy of giving, the fun of dressing up and expanding our imaginations, and connecting with neighbors—all things that I personally think Jesus is in favor of. If that’s not your opinion or you’re not into Halloween, then all the best; college football Saturday and NFL Sunday are standing by to take the edge off. To everyone else, I’ll see you out there on the 31st.

Now, if you’ll excuse me, via the latest update, my daughter wants to be a genie. Unsure if it’s the one from Aladdin or something else. (Pray for me.)

Disclaimer: This article is 100% human-generated.

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