Why do Christians Give Satan "Gifts"?

[awantz]

O…k… I’m trying to ba patient here… really. your answer has nothing to do with my question.

I know people who hide every year. My own mother made me do this every year as a child. I even gave links to prove it happens.

Yeah I know that. I have many of the CDs. How does calling them Christian answer my question?

Well again, I teach my Daughter about the real St. Nick every Christmas. I have a tree for each family member at my house every year.

I posted links to the arguments these people have that say Christmas is pagan. I asked WHY? I asked WHY again. Denying it happens dosn’t convince people with these ideas that they are wrong.

I origionally posted in Apologetics because I thought perhaps Catholics here would agree with me and have suggestions for me in dealing with this. Obviously, I am too lousy at typing or something. :banghead:

Well, I am non-denominational like your friend and we don’t believe the way your friend does. I think he needs to talk to his pastor or another member at his church, because his thinking is way off from the church’s way of thinking. Maybe, somthing really bad has happened in his life and now he is always on the edge of his seat about everything. I don’t know why your friend feels the way he does.

 

[MariaG]

O…k… I’m trying to ba patient here… really. your answer has nothing to do with my question.

I know people who hide every year. My own mother made me do this every year as a child. I even gave links to prove it happens.

Yeah I know that. I have many of the CDs. How does calling them Christian answer my question?

Well again, I teach my Daughter about the real St. Nick every Christmas. I have a tree for each family member at my house every year.

I posted links to the arguments these people have that say Christmas is pagan. I asked WHY? I asked WHY again. Denying it happens dosn’t convince people with these ideas that they are wrong.

I origionally posted in Apologetics because I thought perhaps Catholics here would agree with me and have suggestions for me in dealing with this. Obviously, I am too lousy at typing or something. :banghead:

No, the fault is not with you.

Your post was quite clear.

People are “hearing” attacks on the Catholic Church and responding defensively when in fact your original post was nothing of the kind. People need to slow down and read more carefully and if in doubt go look at some other posts by the same person to see what kind of “tone” there is to them to try to clarify what might be being said.

The only advice I can give to you is to start your thread with a disclaimer of what you are NOT saying. Maybe then people will stop jumping to conclusions about what the Protestant is saying about “the Catholic Church” and was in fact looking for advice or commisseration on the number of Christians who see Satan around ever holiday and holiday symbol.

Of which there are many. Your links are only a small fraction. My goodness, the JW’s have a whole theology around not doing anything that was once pagan. They just give it over to Satan instead of claiming it for God as scripture shows that claiming those once pagan holidays is what God wishes His people to do.

Keep up the good work:thumbsup:

God Bless,
Maria

 

[HailMary]

things Christians seem willing to just give to Satan and let him have:

What about the most obvious sacrifice? Children.

An Abortion is a blood sacrifice to Satan.

silentscream.org/video1.htm

Watch the video and spread it.

Jerimiah 1:5
Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I dedicated you, a prophet to the nations I appointed you.

 

[Sixtus]

Satan’s Day. Are you serious or is this a wind up?

I think it is a rather clever wind up. I think it is good to laugh and having a dry sense of humour myself, even I would not have thought of this one.

Well done whoever thought of it. Yes, 31 st October satan’s day.

 

[Sixtus]

Of course, Halloween is what it says: Hallow = Holy [in the Lords prayer we say ‘hallowed by thy name’], ‘een’ is an old English word for eve, which in turn is the shortened version of ‘evening’.

So, Halloween means een [or eve] of All Hallows [or All Holies].

Halloween is simply the evening announcing that great day of All Hallows or All Saints as we call it nowadays.

Halloween is no different to Christmas Eve. In old English, Christmas Eve was also called Christmas-een.

Get a life… Halloween is as much part of the Christian feast as the following day. Don’t be hoodwinked. It is still part of our feast. Celebrate it by attending mass and sharing with the Church in Heaven

 

[Daniel_Marsh]

I think that what you’ve noticed is that some people have a tendency to see the devil under every stone & behind every bush.​

And some people see paganism where it doesn’t exist. ##

Please leave the president out of this.

Frankly, I use trick or treat to witness to those who come to my door.

 

[uni]

I for one don’t believe that Halloween is ‘Satan’s day’ or anything - though I’m not overly fond either of the overtly occult aspects or the materialistic aspects of sending children out to basically beg for presents.

QUOTE]

I too don’t believe, Lily.

 

[pnewton]

Wish Granted…

Isn’t the granting of wishes rooted in paganism and witchcraft and a tool of Satan?

 

[uni]

Isn’t the granting of wishes rooted in paganism and witchcraft and a tool of Satan?

yes.

 

[dosdog]

things Christians seem willing to just give to Satan and let him have:

1. His own special day. I think Catholics may be less guilty of this one, I dunno but I keep seeing people planning to “hide” out on Oct. 31 because it’s Satans day. WHAT? it’s the day the Lord ahs made… same as any other.
2. Give out Saint Cardsmemorialprint.com/cards/saints.htm
3. Music. Why can Satan have all the forms of music except Gregorian chants and Hymns and maybe one or two others?!I really believe God looks at where are hearts are way more than the tune, rhythm and musical instrument used in the song.
   catholicmusicnetwork.com/
4. more recently people are complaing about the pagan roots of Christmas and Christmas trees and St. Nick
   The Twelve Days of Christmas are the days from Christmas until the beginning of Epiphany
   catholicculture.org/lit/overviews/seasons/christmas/Christmas_days.cfm

I could go on, but why do people want Satan to have things/days of his very own?
Burned a Witch last year so I am OK

There are two mistakes we make with Satan–one is not to take him seriously enough; the other is to take him too seriously. -C.S. Lewis
7 And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them. And power was given him over every tribe, and people, and tongue, and nation. 8 And all that dwell upon the earth adored him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb, which was slain from the beginning of the world.

 

[Pacbox]

I’m not sure how relevant this is to your post Syele but it sounds like you might be refering to people who believe in what might be termed Christian Urban Legends.

I’ve unfortunately had an occasion where someone convinced me of some pretty stupid lies regarding Halloween. (I was just a teenager at the time and pretty trusting of those in authority so I believed what they said). These were all Christian Urban legends I later came to find out. Plus, I’ve done a small bit of research or have come across information in my studies in regards to Satanists and pagans and for the most part they aren’t like the stereotypes that are put out about them. But, like Gottle of Greer stated in their post, people will do anything to find smoke where there is no fire or to avoid critical thinking.

Personally, as a side note, I’ve always thought of Halloween as a secular holiday and an excuse to give people a lot of candy.

 

[deb1]

I, too, am bothered by the desire to see the devil in everything. My younger brother very smugly told me that he was not celebrating Halloween because it was "pagan.’

Many things in our culture have a pagan beginning. Christianity did not invent culture from scratch, we built on the existencing traditions of the pagans that came before us. For some strange reason, Fundamentalists are very selective about which pagan days they criticize. Friday means Freya day, but I don’t hear of Fundamentalists being frightened to be thankful that Friday came around.

 

[Syele]

No, the fault is not with you.

Your post was quite clear.

People are “hearing” attacks on the Catholic Church and responding defensively when in fact your original post was nothing of the kind. People need to slow down and read more carefully and if in doubt go look at some other posts by the same person to see what kind of “tone” there is to them to try to clarify what might be being said.

The only advice I can give to you is to start your thread with a disclaimer of what you are NOT saying. Maybe then people will stop jumping to conclusions about what the Protestant is saying about “the Catholic Church” and was in fact looking for advice or commisseration on the number of Christians who see Satan around ever holiday and holiday symbol.

Of which there are many. Your links are only a small fraction. My goodness, the JW’s have a whole theology around not doing anything that was once pagan. They just give it over to Satan instead of claiming it for God as scripture shows that claiming those once pagan holidays is what God wishes His people to do.

Keep up the good work:thumbsup:

God Bless,
Maria

Thanks Maria, it’s good to know I was clear… I was really stressed about other things whn I posted…
haha the links were totally random… first ones to pop up in Goodgle… there are OODLES like them. I only posted any cause people seemed to think I was making it all up or something.

pacbox:

people will do anything to find smoke where there is no fire

Yep! that is what frustrates me so … I’m too tired to fight imaginary fires LOL

dosdog:

Burned a Witch last year so I am OK

You’re awesome, I needed a laugh. I’ll check out those Saint cards too.

 

[edward_george]

Whoa there!!

It seems you misunderstood my question. I think that by saying “Halloween (or Christmas or Santa or contemporay Christian music etc etc. ) is evil and wrong for Christians, we must refuse to participate!”, is to “GIVE” those things to Satan and just let him have them.

I am trying to understand people who shun things used for God’s glory. They somehow got the idea that certian things (mostly items or styles of music or a set day) are “Of the world” or “are inherently evil”. My Question was “Why do Christians Give Satan these “Gifts”?”

Indeed I misunderstood your question. I was a bit quick to jump on this. Mea culpa.

-ACEGC

 

[Zooey]

I’m not sure how relevant this is to your post Syele but it sounds like you might be refering to people who believe in what might be termed Christian Urban Legends.

I’ve unfortunately had an occasion where someone convinced me of some pretty stupid lies regarding Halloween. (I was just a teenager at the time and pretty trusting of those in authority so I believed what they said). These were all Christian Urban legends I later came to find out. Plus, I’ve done a small bit of research or have come across information in my studies in regards to Satanists and pagans and for the most part they aren’t like the stereotypes that are put out about them. But, like Gottle of Greer stated in their post, people will do anything to find smoke where there is no fire or to avoid critical thinking.

There are a lot of these stories doing the rounds…It’s very sad. I agree with Syele, that Catholics seem to be a lot more rational about Halloween than many other Christians I know…
One of the weirdest things I came across a few years ago, was a tract to give to trick & treaters, that was all about some (supposedly real) “psychic” who was trying to get people to follow her satanic beliefs instead of God…
Can’t you just imagine the next morning, when all the fathers show up at the door, demanding to know why you gave their kids nightmares?

Personally, as a side note, I’ve always thought of Halloween as a secular holiday and an excuse to give people a lot of candy.

I find it is a dandy time to watch scary movies! All the odd noises that happen every night of the year sound more interesting when you’ve had Hordes of Roving Children roaming the street!!

 

[Red_Meg]

I don’t have a whole lot of patience with people who insist on seeing the work of Satan in anything fun that isn’t explicitly Christian, or that has non-Christian/pre-Christian origins…

My kids go trick-or-treating every Halloween in COSTUMES, not dressed up like their patron saints. They are then late for (public) school the next morning because we are all going to Mass for All Saints’ Day at 7:15 AM. My biggest sticking points with Halloween are that the kids’ costumes cannot immodest, obscene, or gory; that the children mind their manners; and that they not make themselves ill eating too much candy.

We also celebrate Christmas with a decorated, lit tree with wrapped presents beneath. Here, my biggest concerns are that the children not get so much “stuff” that they miss the real meaning of the day, that they not acquire a greedy/materialistic outlook, and the noise level if too many toys are battery-operated.

As far as music goes-- we listen to everything, with rock music like the Beatles (gasp!) being tied in popularity with film soundtracks like Star Wars and Lord of the Rings. We don’t really own any “Christian” music per se. I am pretty sticky that the lyrics of the rock songs not promote unchaste behavior, violence, bad language, etc., not because of concerns over Satanism (which seems pretty bizarre) but because it would be totally irresponsible of me to allow my kids to fill their hearts and mind with that kind of garbage.

I think there are more than enough real evils in this world and real threats to our children to worry about. These issues aren’t it…

Margaret

PS We even read Harry Potter (ducking)

 

[deb1]

I don’t have a whole lot of patience with people who insist on seeing the work of Satan in anything fun that isn’t explicitly Christian, or that has non-Christian/pre-Christian origins…

My kids go trick-or-treating every Halloween in COSTUMES, not dressed up like their patron saints. They are then late for (public) school the next morning because we are all going to Mass for All Saints’ Day at 7:15 AM. My biggest sticking points with Halloween are that the kids’ costumes cannot immodest, obscene, or gory; that the children mind their manners; and that they not make themselves ill eating too much candy.

We also celebrate Christmas with a decorated, lit tree with wrapped presents beneath. Here, my biggest concerns are that the children not get so much “stuff” that they miss the real meaning of the day, that they not acquire a greedy/materialistic outlook, and the noise level if too many toys are battery-operated.

As far as music goes-- we listen to everything, with rock music like the Beatles (gasp!) being tied in popularity with film soundtracks like Star Wars and Lord of the Rings. We don’t really own any “Christian” music per se. I am pretty sticky that the lyrics of the rock songs not promote unchaste behavior, violence, bad language, etc., not because of concerns over Satanism (which seems pretty bizarre) but because it would be totally irresponsible of me to allow my kids to fill their hearts and mind with that kind of garbage.

I think there are more than enough real evils in this world and real threats to our children to worry about. These issues aren’t it…

Margaret

PS We even read Harry Potter (ducking)

I agree with you on all counts! I love Halloween and all the fun that surrounds it. It is a wonderful time to at least say hello to your neighbors. Plus I have known of elderly people who are disappointed that each year the number of kids who come to their homes dwindle.

WHen I trick or treated, every house was lit for us. Now about half of neighbors have turned off their porch lights.

By the way, if anyone wants to send me presents for Halloween, it is my birthday! Now you all know for certain what is wrong with me.

 

[Gottle_of_Geer]

Whoa there!!

It seems you misunderstood my question. I think that by saying “Halloween (or Christmas or Santa or contemporay Christian music etc etc. ) is evil and wrong for Christians, we must refuse to participate!”, is to “GIVE” those things to Satan and just let him have them.

I am trying to understand people who shun things used for God’s glory. They somehow got the idea that certian things (mostly items or styles of music or a set day) are “Of the world” or “are inherently evil”. My Question was “Why do Christians Give Satan these “Gifts”?”

Sometimes, people shun things from an ascetic motive - “I will avoid this & deny myself any part in it so that my desire for gratification & pleasure can be starved” - another form of this is “God forbids us to do or enjoy X; this is an example of X; I will give glory to Him by obeying Him in abstaining from X”.​

This motive can come from a desire to be generous with God - it is not always ascribable to a purely “kill-joy” attitude. It can be that - but it needn’t be that.

We seek God’s Glory - & so do they : we do so in different ways, that’s all ##

 

[Sixtus]

For crying out flippin louder! Halloween is not pagan it is Christian.

Hallow -means Holy, Hallows-means Holies, Een-means Eve

Hallow-een = Hallow’s eve or eve of Hallows.

Modern English prefers ‘Saints’ to ‘Hallows’

Halloween = Eve of All Saints.

If you don’t like trick or treat, stop whinging about it and reclaim it for Christ

 

[Syele]

"Gottle of Geer:

We seek God’s Glory - & so do they : we do so in different ways, that’s all ##

Good point, Maybe I will continue to jsut try and ignore it, However This Halloween we will live next door to my mom who will be Hiding as usual. Although to my knowledge there are zero children in that neighborhood. (Soon to be 1 though)

If you don’t like trick or treat, stop whinging about it and reclaim it for Christ

This gave me a googd laugh. Good answer, but I doubt it’ll convince my friends and family. I can just picture me telling my very serious mother to stop whineing. Ohh now THAT’S scary!

Zooey:

Can’t you just imagine the next morning, when all the fathers show up at the door, demanding to know why you gave their kids nightmares?

But I thought that's what they wanted on Halloween... to be scared.  :p

Edward_George:

Indeed I misunderstood your question. I was a bit quick to jump on this. Mea culpa.

Forgiven.