Originally Posted by jiggyfly

Could you post your own study here?

The choice is up to you jiggyfly. This is only the truth and nothing else. In all due respect, I don't have to prove anything to you. It already says it for itself. Here's something I found for you to read if you like:

What Witches, Satanists and Other Occultists Say About Halloween

Pastor David L. Brown, Ph.D.


An Occult Religious Day

So, what do those who are involved in the occult say about Halloween? Do they acknowledge that Halloween is a pagan day past and present? Consider the following

Witch - Doreen Valiente: "Halloween is one of the four Great Sabbats of the witches that everyone has heard about. To witches, Halloween is a serious occasion, however merrily celebrated. It is the old Celtic Eve of Samhain. With the coming of Christianity, the Church tried to Christianize the old festival by making 1st November All Saints Day, or All Hallows as the old term was. Thus Samhain Eve became All Hallows Eve, or Halloween. But attempts to discourage the pagan celebrations were so unavailing that the festival was eventually banned from the Church calendar. It was not until 1928 that the Church of England formally restored All Hallows to its calendar, on the assumption that the old pagan associations of Halloween were at last really dead and forgotten; a supposition that was certainly premature."

Witch - Margot Adler: "All the Great Festivals of Paganism, wherever they may be found, correspond in common with the Solstices, Equinoxes, and other natural annual cycles of life. Most of these remain with us today in more or less disguised form as the so-called Christian holidays of Christmas (Yule), Easter (Ostara), May Day (Beltane), Thanksgiving (Harvest Home), Halloween (Samhain) and even Groundhogs day (Oimelc)."

Witch - Sharon Graham: "Salem (Massachusetts) is a mecca, especially around Samhain. It is our holiday, our new year, and a lot of witches come here from all over the world"

Satanist - Anton Szandor LaVey (now deceased): "Two major holidays, HALLOWEEN and Walpurgisnacht are celebrated by the Church of Satan."

Gothic & Vampire Cults: I was the guest on a nationally aired TV talk show several years ago. I was speaking out against Halloween and warning of the dangers of occult practices. I was seated next to Catrina, who professed to be a vampire. After the show, we were assigned to the same limo to take us back to the airport. In our conversation it was clear that Halloween was a very important day for vampires. Also, many in the Gothic movement assemble at graveyards on Halloween for their bizarre celebrations.

The Day of The Dead: I should note as, well that many Mexicans celebrate El Dia de los Muertos (The Day of the Dead) on October 31. Family members who have died are believed to return to their grave sites.

Voodoo: The Voodoo Museum in New Orleans usually offers a special Halloween ritual in which people may see true voodoo rites.

Followers of Crowley: Major-General J.F.C. (Boney) Fuller was a devotee of the heroine addicted, sex pervert, black magician and so called High Priest of Satanism in Britain, Aleister Crowley (1875-1947). Crowley boasted of being "the wickedest man in the world" and openly despised Christ and the faith of his parents who were Plymouth Brethren. Fuller indicated that Samhain (Halloween) was an important ritual day to Crowley and his followers and it still is today.

Halloween Is A Recognized Occult Holiday

Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of devils: ye cannot be partakers of the Lord's table, and of the table of devils. [1 Corinthians 10:21]
Halloween is a religious day but not a Christian day. Satanists, witches and other occultists will go to court for their right to perform their demonic rituals on this day. Halloween is a recognized religious Holiday. Here is proof --

A federal judge has set the wheels in motion to force a federal correctional facility in Jefferson County, Colorado to allow a prisoner to perform a Satanic ritual on Halloween. Tom McMillan of the Rocky Mountain Family Policy Council cant believe it. This case flies in the face of two upper Appeals Court cases, both of which held that Satanism is not a recognized religion and therefore the prison officials do not have to provide space and implements for the performance of a Satanic ritual. McMillan says Judge Edward Nottingham issued a preliminary injunction allowing the ritual, even though the prisoner admits it includes a destruction ritual, in which he visualizes the death of his enemies.

The Military Recognizes Halloween

A U.S. Air Force physical therapist who says she has been a practicing witch for four years won permission to take Halloween and seven other days off as religious holidays. A spokesman at Lackland Air Force base in San Antonio said regulations require that Patricia Hutchins...be accorded the same freedom to express her religious beliefs as any other religious believer.

The Prison System Recognizes Halloween

The Maine State Prison allowed members of a witch coven (the Coven of Dawn) to hold a two-hour service on the feast day they call Samhain (Halloween), after the Druidic festival of year's end. This is our time to give praise to our lord and lady for the bountiful harvest, said the founder of the goddess-oriented coven. He said that 75 inmates have been initiated into the religion since its start in 1981.

Conclusion

Witches and Satanists love Halloween. They get a lot of media coverage around that time of year. It's good P.R. (public relations) for them because the coverage, as a rule, portrays them in a favorable light. In addition, Halloween generates interest in "the craft" and is good for recruitment purposes. As Craig Hawkins put it: "With increasing vigor, witchcraft is coming out of the broom closet. Many witches are actively seeking public understanding and acceptance."
Despite the public relations campaign to "sell" the public on the "virtues" of witchcraft, modern day witches and satanists still worship demon gods and goddesses, cast spells, practice bizarre and immoral sexual rituals, and certain individuals and groups offer animal and human sacrifices.
Texe Marrs, well known New Age researcher said this about the activities of witches on Halloween:

Our own research confirms that on this unholy night [Halloween], witches' covens meet, drink, dance, spit out curses and spells, conjure up spirits, engage in sexual orgies, induct new members, and offer up animal and human sacrifices. (Witches have become expert at covering up these sacrifices by use of cremation ovens and the use of privately owned land preserves for disposal of bodies in deeply dug graves.)

It is clear that Halloween is a religious celebration, but not a Christian celebration. It was and still is the holiday of witches, satanists and occultists. Read carefully the following words of a former High Priest in the Celtic tradition of Wicca -- "Halloween is purely and absolutely evil, and there is nothing we ever have or will do that would make it acceptable to the Lord Jesus."
Owen Rachleff gives us some additional food for thought.

Halloween can be, and to many is, a deadly serious affair. [It] originated with pre-Christian Druids or Celts in Northern Europe, who marked the year by four seasonal festivals. The autumn feast took place on November 1st. Early Christians, desiring a part in the traditional festivities, created All Saints' Day to coincide with the pagan rites. Satanists, acting true to form, reversed the Christian procedure. Because November 1st was All Saints' Day (All Souls' Day, November 2nd, memorializes the dead), Satanists established October 31st as an "All Demon's Night". As surely as the Christian martyrs and saints dominated their own holiday, so did the demons permeate the preceding evening. All Hallows' Eve predictably became a time of spells, curses, and horrors for those who did not believe, but for the Satanists, particularly the witches, it was a joyous festival and major sabbat. So it remains in a diluted form, ironically celebrated by Christian society ! far more vigorously than All Saints' Day.

Historically, Halloween is obviously and totally a pagan, worship day. It is still the most important unholy day for Witches, Satanists and other occultists. The Bible says, "I would not that ye should have fellowship with devils."[1 Corinthians 10:20] In another place it is written, "And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness" [Ephesians 5:11].

I have read about the traditions associated with Halloween. However, in this day and age I personally feel that Halloween is simply a commercialized holiday. It's not about honoring the dead anymore. It is about having the "best" costume, a competition over who collects the most candy. I hate all of the mean tricks that people do to scare others (especially scaring young children). I think people participate because they want to have fun (and for adults, have a reason to have a party), and don't even think about the history behind Halloween. Just my opinion, though.

Originally Posted by Christ4Ever

Halloween
Which I believe was what you were responding to from Sheep in the initial requote above.

Actually I don't care about Halloween, All Saints Eve, or All Saints Eve, I see no less evil in much religious liturgy and church history.


My argument was strictly with the "the roots of Halloween"


But I don't like fable passed off as historical fact. Religion is full of such nonsense.
And they shall turn away [their] ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables. 2Tim 4:4

Originally Posted by Sheep

The choice is up to you jiggyfly. This is only the truth and nothing else. In all due respect, I don't have to prove anything to you. It already says it for itself. Here's something I found for you to read if you like:

What Witches, Satanists and Other Occultists Say About Halloween

Pastor David L. Brown, Ph.D.


An Occult Religious Day

So, what do those who are involved in the occult say about Halloween? Do they acknowledge that Halloween is a pagan day past and present? Consider the following

Witch - Doreen Valiente: "Halloween is one of the four Great Sabbats of the witches that everyone has heard about. To witches, Halloween is a serious occasion, however merrily celebrated. It is the old Celtic Eve of Samhain. With the coming of Christianity, the Church tried to Christianize the old festival by making 1st November All Saints Day, or All Hallows as the old term was. Thus Samhain Eve became All Hallows Eve, or Halloween. But attempts to discourage the pagan celebrations were so unavailing that the festival was eventually banned from the Church calendar. It was not until 1928 that the Church of England formally restored All Hallows to its calendar, on the assumption that the old pagan associations of Halloween were at last really dead and forgotten; a supposition that was certainly premature."

Witch - Margot Adler: "All the Great Festivals of Paganism, wherever they may be found, correspond in common with the Solstices, Equinoxes, and other natural annual cycles of life. Most of these remain with us today in more or less disguised form as the so-called Christian holidays of Christmas (Yule), Easter (Ostara), May Day (Beltane), Thanksgiving (Harvest Home), Halloween (Samhain) and even Groundhogs day (Oimelc)."

Witch - Sharon Graham: "Salem (Massachusetts) is a mecca, especially around Samhain. It is our holiday, our new year, and a lot of witches come here from all over the world"

Satanist - Anton Szandor LaVey (now deceased): "Two major holidays, HALLOWEEN and Walpurgisnacht are celebrated by the Church of Satan."

Gothic & Vampire Cults: I was the guest on a nationally aired TV talk show several years ago. I was speaking out against Halloween and warning of the dangers of occult practices. I was seated next to Catrina, who professed to be a vampire. After the show, we were assigned to the same limo to take us back to the airport. In our conversation it was clear that Halloween was a very important day for vampires. Also, many in the Gothic movement assemble at graveyards on Halloween for their bizarre celebrations.

The Day of The Dead: I should note as, well that many Mexicans celebrate El Dia de los Muertos (The Day of the Dead) on October 31. Family members who have died are believed to return to their grave sites.

Voodoo: The Voodoo Museum in New Orleans usually offers a special Halloween ritual in which people may see true voodoo rites.

Followers of Crowley: Major-General J.F.C. (Boney) Fuller was a devotee of the heroine addicted, sex pervert, black magician and so called High Priest of Satanism in Britain, Aleister Crowley (1875-1947). Crowley boasted of being "the wickedest man in the world" and openly despised Christ and the faith of his parents who were Plymouth Brethren. Fuller indicated that Samhain (Halloween) was an important ritual day to Crowley and his followers and it still is today.

Halloween Is A Recognized Occult Holiday

Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of devils: ye cannot be partakers of the Lord's table, and of the table of devils. [1 Corinthians 10:21]
Halloween is a religious day but not a Christian day. Satanists, witches and other occultists will go to court for their right to perform their demonic rituals on this day. Halloween is a recognized religious Holiday. Here is proof --

A federal judge has set the wheels in motion to force a federal correctional facility in Jefferson County, Colorado to allow a prisoner to perform a Satanic ritual on Halloween. Tom McMillan of the Rocky Mountain Family Policy Council cant believe it. This case flies in the face of two upper Appeals Court cases, both of which held that Satanism is not a recognized religion and therefore the prison officials do not have to provide space and implements for the performance of a Satanic ritual. McMillan says Judge Edward Nottingham issued a preliminary injunction allowing the ritual, even though the prisoner admits it includes a destruction ritual, in which he visualizes the death of his enemies.

The Military Recognizes Halloween

A U.S. Air Force physical therapist who says she has been a practicing witch for four years won permission to take Halloween and seven other days off as religious holidays. A spokesman at Lackland Air Force base in San Antonio said regulations require that Patricia Hutchins...be accorded the same freedom to express her religious beliefs as any other religious believer.

The Prison System Recognizes Halloween

The Maine State Prison allowed members of a witch coven (the Coven of Dawn) to hold a two-hour service on the feast day they call Samhain (Halloween), after the Druidic festival of year's end. This is our time to give praise to our lord and lady for the bountiful harvest, said the founder of the goddess-oriented coven. He said that 75 inmates have been initiated into the religion since its start in 1981.

Conclusion

Witches and Satanists love Halloween. They get a lot of media coverage around that time of year. It's good P.R. (public relations) for them because the coverage, as a rule, portrays them in a favorable light. In addition, Halloween generates interest in "the craft" and is good for recruitment purposes. As Craig Hawkins put it: "With increasing vigor, witchcraft is coming out of the broom closet. Many witches are actively seeking public understanding and acceptance."
Despite the public relations campaign to "sell" the public on the "virtues" of witchcraft, modern day witches and satanists still worship demon gods and goddesses, cast spells, practice bizarre and immoral sexual rituals, and certain individuals and groups offer animal and human sacrifices.
Texe Marrs, well known New Age researcher said this about the activities of witches on Halloween:

Our own research confirms that on this unholy night [Halloween], witches' covens meet, drink, dance, spit out curses and spells, conjure up spirits, engage in sexual orgies, induct new members, and offer up animal and human sacrifices. (Witches have become expert at covering up these sacrifices by use of cremation ovens and the use of privately owned land preserves for disposal of bodies in deeply dug graves.)

It is clear that Halloween is a religious celebration, but not a Christian celebration. It was and still is the holiday of witches, satanists and occultists. Read carefully the following words of a former High Priest in the Celtic tradition of Wicca -- "Halloween is purely and absolutely evil, and there is nothing we ever have or will do that would make it acceptable to the Lord Jesus."
Owen Rachleff gives us some additional food for thought.

Halloween can be, and to many is, a deadly serious affair. [It] originated with pre-Christian Druids or Celts in Northern Europe, who marked the year by four seasonal festivals. The autumn feast took place on November 1st. Early Christians, desiring a part in the traditional festivities, created All Saints' Day to coincide with the pagan rites. Satanists, acting true to form, reversed the Christian procedure. Because November 1st was All Saints' Day (All Souls' Day, November 2nd, memorializes the dead), Satanists established October 31st as an "All Demon's Night". As surely as the Christian martyrs and saints dominated their own holiday, so did the demons permeate the preceding evening. All Hallows' Eve predictably became a time of spells, curses, and horrors for those who did not believe, but for the Satanists, particularly the witches, it was a joyous festival and major sabbat. So it remains in a diluted form, ironically celebrated by Christian society ! far more vigorously than All Saints' Day.

Historically, Halloween is obviously and totally a pagan, worship day. It is still the most important unholy day for Witches, Satanists and other occultists. The Bible says, "I would not that ye should have fellowship with devils."[1 Corinthians 10:20] In another place it is written, "And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness" [Ephesians 5:11].

I will take the fact that you posted someone else's study, indicative that you have not not studied it for yourself, unless of course you are David L. Brown.

Originally Posted by jiggyfly

Actually I don't care about Halloween, All Saints Eve, or All Saints Eve, I see no less evil in much religious liturgy and church history.


My argument was strictly with the "the roots of Halloween"


But I don't like fable passed off as historical fact. Religion is full of such nonsense.
And they shall turn away [their] ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables. 2Tim 4:4

Seems that historical fact has turned into a real time fable. Halloween has morphed into practices that are ungodly to say the least.

By the by, I don’t see your personal historical study included in any of the posts here that might have helped those less studied as yourself. If helpful is what you want to be, then include and expand upon your foundation, so that others may grow from the experience of your years instead of just critiquing with snippets which serve no instructional value. Case in point is the comment you just made to Sheep as quoted below. Unless you actually believe this was being helpful?

Originally Posted by jiggyfly

I will take the fact that you posted someone else's study, indicative that you have not not studied it for yourself, unless of course you are David L. Brown.

Originally Posted by Christ4Ever

Seems that historical fact has turned into a real time fable. Halloween has morphed into practices that are ungodly to say the least.

I agree much like some of the other christian holidays. But Again my argument was with the roots of halloween.

By the by, I don’t see your personal historical study included in any of the posts here that might have helped those less studied as yourself. If helpful is what you want to be, then include and expand upon your foundation, so that others may grow from the experience of your years instead of just critiquing with snippets which serve no instructional value. Case in point is the comment you just made to Sheep as quoted below. Unless you actually believe this was being helpful?

OK what are you in question about maybe I can help give you some understanding.

Originally Posted by jiggyfly

OK what are you in question about maybe I can help give you some understanding.

Who, what, when and how? (Historical) Would be a start.

Once done there a couple below.

Is it damaging to a believer (level of growth to be taken into consideration) or a non believer for that matter to be involved with the current practices in its present state?

The pro/con would be appreciated, and your position within the context of scripture.

Appreciate your insight.

Originally Posted by Christ4Ever

Who, what, when and how? (Historical) Would be a start.

Once done there a couple below.

Is it damaging to a believer (level of growth to be taken into consideration) or a non believer for that matter to be involved with the current practices in its present state?

The pro/con would be appreciated, and your position within the context of scripture.

Appreciate your insight.

Well I think a good place to start is with the word "Halloween" and what it actually means.
"Halloween" is the Scottish shortening of Allhallow-even or Eve of All Saints' Day.

All Saints' Day was/is the celebration or feast in honor of the Christian martyrs initiated by the Greek church Pentecost and by the Roman Catholic church on November 1st sometime during the fourth century. It was later introduced to the western church in the beginning of the seventh century on May 1st by Boniface but in 834 the celebration was changed from May 1st to November 1st by Gregory IV.

How All Saints Day is celebrated varies from culture to culture and in some cases is mixed with other celebrations. For example in Mexico it coincides with "The Day Of The Dead" which is a celebration in honor of deceased children and infants.
But in general most celebrate All Saints' Day by prayers and visiting the grave sites with flowers, tending to the graves and then having a feast there and lighting candles.

IMO Halloween and what it has come to be in general is no more harmful than participating in Easter egg hunts and putting out cookies and milk for Santa.

I appreciate your patience Christ4Ever and I hope I answered your questions sufficiently.

I'm adding the resources referenced.
McClintock and Strong Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological, and Ecclesiastical Literature.
The Compact Oxford English Dictionary
History of the Christian Church (Schaff)
Online Etymology dictionary (Douglas Harper)