Halloween's original name, All Hallow's Eve, is the day before All Hallows Day, that is All Saints Day (The same as Christmas Eve). However, it is true society has taken it and made it into something different (hardly anyone realizes there is an actual holiday after All Hallow's Eve). Trivia: Reformation Day is also on Oct. 31.
There are as much grounds for saying Halloween is demonic because of what
the culture has made it into as there is in saying Christmas is demonic because it has been corrupted by consumerism, greed and over consumption. Christmas is a Holiday>Holy Day> Hallowed Day as much as Halloween is a Hallowed day. (BTW, The Sabbath day is another Holy day)
Is the celebration of Halloween Sin? Sure, it can be if God is not remembered and honored, but that applies to all things. However, I think we would go a bit to far in calling this day "demonic" and evil. We need to understand how evil demons truly are. They kill, steal, and destroy. They are murderous liars whose only goal is to lead people into destruction by deceit. They try to make people forget God and worship them. You are underestimating the power of demons if you think Halloween comes anywhere close to the realm of the demonic. If you think Halloween is evil then I doubt you know what evil truly is. The Holocaust? The Killing fields? The Betrayal of Christ? The Fall of Man? Child Sacrifice? Evil. Dressing up in costumes and trick-or-treating? Not so much.
If your objection is that you do not awnt to be like the world and celebrate Halloween, then don't! You don't have to celebrate like the pagans do if that makes you uncomfortable, but Christ did call us to be in the world and not separate from it. You're not going to see me in satanic regalia, but if I decide to dress up like Martin Luther so I can hang out with my non-Christian friends at parties, is that wrong? Even Jesus was friends with sinners, and Paul became all things to all people so that he might save some. As a Christian, I feel I am well within the freedom Christ has given me through his grace. Until we are in heaven, Christians walk the fine line between Heaven and Hell and it is only the grace of God the Holy Spirit that keeps us on that narrow path.
Here's a useful saying I have followed from a preacher I love: "Whatever is not required for our salvation can be done in the name of ministry."
I think in a world where culture is continually changing, celebrating Halloween now is most likely not sinful. People don't even know much about the origins of the holiday itself. I didn't, until I looked it up on wiki after reading your blog, and its origins are actually in Christianity! Although I don't agree with the reasoning behind the original customs. And go figure, the Protestants challenged the rituals of this holiday in Britain during the Reformation. But anyway, I agree that you can celebrate with non-Christian friends as a way of being with sinners, like Jesus, and use the friendships as a way to minister/evangelize to them.
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