Halloween: What Are We Allowing Into Our Homes?
What Are We Really Celebrating? — Part Two
By Shannon Lee Perry
In the first article of this series, we examined what happens when traditions become so deeply rooted in our lives that we stop questioning them. We also considered the responsibility we have as parents to raise our children according to the Word of Elohim rather than allowing the world to determine what is acceptable. But there is another responsibility that comes with raising our children in truth, and I believe it is one that many of us have failed to take seriously. We have to be willing to examine what we are allowing to influence them, because the things we welcome into our homes do not suddenly become harmless simply because society has labeled them entertainment.
Every October, we watch people decorate their homes with images of death, witchcraft, frightening spirits, and other representations of darkness. Children are encouraged to dress as characters associated with evil, while stores fill their shelves with decorations designed to make the very things Scripture warns us against appear amusing. And somewhere along the way, we have become so accustomed to these images that many people no longer question why they would want them in their homes in the first place.
I understand that Halloween has become a family tradition for many people. Some have celebrated it since childhood and associate it with pleasant memories. Others participate because they want their children to enjoy the same experiences as their friends. But I want us to consider whether those memories and intentions are sufficient reasons to continue something without examining what Scripture teaches.
Because the question is not simply whether we enjoy Halloween. We need to examine what we are choosing to celebrate and what we are allowing to enter our lives through that celebration.
What Are We Placing Before Our Eyes?
There is a passage in Psalm 101 that I believe deserves serious consideration when we examine the entertainment and imagery we willingly allow into our homes.
Psalm 101:2–4 (ASV)
"I will behave myself wisely in a perfect way: Oh when wilt thou come unto me? I will walk within my house with a perfect heart. I will set no base thing before mine eyes: I hate the work of them that turn aside; it shall not cleave unto me. A perverse heart shall depart from me: I will know no evil thing."
David is expressing his commitment to walk uprightly before Yahweh, and I want you to notice that he specifically addresses how he will conduct himself within his own house. His concern for righteousness was not limited to what other people could see. He understood that what he tolerated privately mattered.
When David declares that he will set no base thing before his eyes, he is expressing a deliberate rejection of what is wicked. He is not merely promising to avoid personally committing certain acts. He is considering what he will willingly place before himself and allow to remain in his presence.
Now, I realize that David was not writing about Halloween decorations, television programs, or video games. But the principle he establishes should cause us to examine our own choices.
What are we willingly placing before our eyes?
We have become accustomed to watching movies filled with murder, cruelty, sorcery, and demonic activity. We allow children to play games where killing becomes a form of recreation, and we decorate our homes with images representing things that Scripture identifies as evil. Yet when someone questions these choices, the response is often that none of it matters because it is only entertainment.
But where does Scripture teach us that something becomes spiritually harmless simply because we are pretending?
There is a difference between recognizing that evil exists and choosing to take pleasure in it. Scripture itself records murder, idolatry, demonic activity, and many other forms of wickedness, but those accounts are given to reveal truth, not to encourage us to enjoy evil. When we read about Cain murdering Abel, we are not being entertained by the murder. We are being shown the destructive consequences of sin.
That distinction matters because I believe we have allowed entertainment to become an excuse for exposing ourselves to things we should be rejecting.
And it is not only what enters through our eyes that concerns me. What we continually listen to also influences our thinking. The words we hear, the messages repeated through music, and the things we choose to fill our minds with all deserve examination.
Proverbs 4:20–23 (ASV) says:
"My son, attend to my words; Incline thine ear unto my sayings. Let them not depart from thine eyes; Keep them in the midst of thy heart. For they are life unto those that find them, And health to all their flesh. Keep thy heart with all diligence; For out of it are the issues of life."
Notice the connection between the ears, the eyes, and the heart. The father is instructing his son to pay attention to wisdom, to keep that instruction before him, and to guard his inner life carefully.
The passage is not teaching that every image we see or every sound we hear automatically produces a particular spiritual result. It is teaching us that what we attend to matters because our hearts influence the direction of our lives.
And if we understand that principle when it comes to receiving godly instruction, why would we ignore the importance of what we repeatedly expose ourselves to when it comes to entertainment?
When Darkness Becomes Familiar
I believe one of the greatest dangers we face is becoming so accustomed to darkness that we stop recognizing it.
Consider the entertainment available to children today. There are games built around killing, movies that make witchcraft appear desirable, and programs that portray demonic activity as exciting or amusing. The more frequently these things are presented as ordinary entertainment, the less unusual they begin to appear.
And that concerns me because discernment requires us to recognize the difference between good and evil.
Hebrews 5:14 (ASV) says:
"But solid food is for fullgrown men, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern good and evil."
The writer is addressing spiritual maturity and the need for believers to grow beyond an elementary understanding of the Word. Mature discernment develops through continued practice in applying truth.
But what happens when we spend more time allowing the world to shape our understanding of good and evil than we spend examining what Scripture actually teaches?
We may begin defending things simply because we have become comfortable with them.
And that is where Halloween becomes especially concerning to me. The celebration brings imagery associated with death, spirits, witchcraft, and fear into homes and communities, often in ways designed to make those things appealing to children.
Halloween's history includes connections to Samhain, an ancient Celtic seasonal observance associated with beliefs about spirits and the dead. Later Christian observances and customs from different cultures became intertwined with these traditions, eventually contributing to the celebration we recognize today. Not every modern Halloween custom comes directly from one ancient ritual, but the historical relationship between the celebration and these spiritual themes is well documented.
What troubles me is that even as the celebration has changed, darkness remains central to much of its imagery and entertainment.
And I believe Christians should be asking why we would want to participate in that.
What Scripture Says About Darkness
Ephesians 5:8–11 (ASV) says:
"For ye were once darkness, but are now light in the Lord: walk as children of light (for the fruit of the light is in all goodness and righteousness and truth), proving what is well-pleasing unto the Lord; and have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather even reprove them."
Paul is writing to believers who have been called out of their former way of life. Earlier in the chapter, he addresses conduct that should no longer characterize those who belong to Yeshua. He then reminds them that they were once darkness, but now they are light in the Lord.
I want us to notice how Paul connects identity with conduct.
He does not tell believers to change their behavior so that they can earn salvation. He reminds them of who they have become and instructs them to live accordingly.
And then he tells them to prove what is pleasing to the Lord.
That requires examination. We are not supposed to assume that something is acceptable because everyone around us participates in it. We are responsible for considering whether our choices agree with the life Yeshua has called us to live.
Paul also tells believers to have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather to expose them.
That is a serious instruction.
We are not being told to find ways to make darkness more acceptable. We are being instructed to recognize it, refuse participation in its works, and expose what is wrong.
And I believe that responsibility extends to the entertainment and celebrations we choose to embrace.
I cannot reconcile a call to walk as a child of light with the deliberate celebration of imagery that glorifies darkness.
The Spiritual Doors We Open
I want to address something that I believe Christians need to take seriously, because this is not merely a discussion about personal preferences or whether someone enjoys a particular holiday.
I believe there are spiritual consequences to what we willingly bring into our homes.
The Lord has revealed to me that bringing darkness into our homes through imagery opens doors to demonic spirits. That is a conviction I hold firmly, and I am not going to tell people that images associated with demonic activity, witchcraft, or other forms of darkness are harmless simply because they are being used as decorations.
I believe the spiritual realm is real, and I believe the enemy looks for opportunities to gain influence in people's lives.
Ephesians 4:26–27 (ASV) says:
"Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath: neither give place to the devil."
Paul is specifically addressing anger in this passage, warning believers not to allow it to develop into sin and provide an opportunity for the enemy. In the surrounding verses, he also addresses other behaviors that must change as believers put away their former manner of life.
The instruction not to give place to the devil should cause us to take seriously the ways our conduct can create opportunities for spiritual opposition.
Scripture does not explain a particular mechanism by which every decorative image might affect a household. My conviction about imagery comes from what the Lord has revealed to me, and I believe it agrees with the broader biblical warnings against embracing darkness and giving place to the enemy.
But I want you to consider something.
We pray over our homes. We ask Yahweh to protect our families and deliver us from evil. We teach that demonic spirits are real and that the enemy seeks to destroy. Yet how often do we examine whether the things we are willingly bringing into those same homes agree with what we are praying?
Why would we intentionally surround ourselves with images representing the very darkness we are asking Elohim to protect us from?
And why would we teach our children to find those things entertaining?
I believe we have become far too careless about what we allow into our spiritual environment, and Halloween is one of the clearest examples of that carelessness.
What Happened When I Spoke About Halloween
About this time last year, I posted something on Facebook concerning Halloween. I believe it was just a statement rather than a full article, and it did not receive many comments. But one of the people who responded was a cousin of mine.
Now, this is someone I love very much. Although we have not always talked frequently, I have always felt that we were fairly close. She has helped me through different times in my life, and I have never forgotten that. So when the conversation began taking the direction it did, it genuinely hurt me.
I am not going to share every detail of what happened because that is not the purpose of this article. But during the discussion, she became very upset about what I was saying concerning Halloween, and she brought up the fact that her father was pagan. What struck me was the way she spoke about that connection, almost as though it was something I should regard positively rather than something that raised serious spiritual concerns.
The conversation became heated, and from my perspective, her responses became increasingly judgmental. She even went as far as telling me that, as a woman, I should not be teaching.
Now, that is an entirely different biblical discussion, and I intend to address it in another article because I believe that subject deserves to be examined carefully through Scripture.
But what began as a discussion about Halloween eventually became so unpleasant that I made the decision to block her.
That was not something I wanted to do. I love my cousin, and I still pray that she will come to understand the truth I was trying to communicate. The disagreement did not change my love for her, but it did remind me that sometimes the people closest to us are the very ones who struggle the most when our convictions challenge something they believe.
The situation went even further when she contacted my mother to ask whether I was okay.
My mother's response was essentially that I was better than I had ever been because I had found Jesus.
And I remember thinking about how strange it was that speaking against Halloween had somehow caused someone to question whether something was wrong with me.
But isn't that interesting?
We live in a world where decorating our homes with images of death and darkness has become normal, yet someone questioning those practices through Scripture can be treated as though they are the one with the problem.
I want to be clear about something. I was hurt by the way my cousin responded because I love her. But that hurt did not change my conviction, and it did not make me regret speaking about something I believe Christians need to examine.
I do not write these articles because I want people to be offended. But I am also not going to withhold what I believe is truth simply because someone may become offended by it.
If something I write challenges a belief you have held for years, I would much rather you open your Bible and investigate that concern than become angry with me for raising it.
And if that examination brings conviction, praise the Lord. That is exactly what I pray will happen.
Not because I want to prove that I am right, but because I want people to recognize the truth of Elohim's Word and respond to it.
The Responsibility of a Watchman
There is a passage in Ezekiel that has always carried great weight for me because of how I understand my responsibility as a watchman.
In Ezekiel 33:1–9, Yahweh gives Ezekiel an illustration of a watchman appointed to warn a city when danger approaches. If the watchman sees the danger and sounds the trumpet, those who hear the warning become responsible for how they respond. But if the watchman sees the danger and refuses to warn the people, he is held accountable for failing to sound the alarm.
In its original context, Yahweh is commissioning Ezekiel to warn Israel concerning judgment and the need to turn from wickedness. I do not claim that every modern warning carries the same prophetic authority as Ezekiel's commission.
But the passage helps explain why I take the responsibility of warning others so seriously.
I cannot make anyone receive what I teach. I cannot force someone to examine Scripture, and I cannot make someone surrender a practice they have chosen to defend.
What I can do is speak faithfully about what I believe the Word teaches and encourage people to examine it for themselves.
And I understand that doing so may bring opposition.
John 15:18–19 (ASV) says:
"If the world hateth you, ye know that it hath hated me before it hated you. If ye were of the world, the world would love its own: but because ye are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you."
Yeshua was preparing His disciples for the opposition they would face because they belonged to Him.
I do not believe every disagreement means someone is persecuting us for righteousness. Sometimes people disagree because we have misunderstood something or communicated it poorly, and we should always be willing to examine that possibility.
But I also know that fear of rejection cannot become the reason we refuse to speak about something Scripture calls us to examine.
The goal is not to offend people. The goal is to speak truth faithfully, even when that truth is uncomfortable.
And sometimes the people who hear it will become angry.
I cannot control that response.
Don't Believe Me. Examine the Scriptures.
I want to leave you with something that I believe is important, especially if you have disagreed with what I have written.
Please do not accept something simply because Shannon Perry said it.
Open your Bible.
Read the passages in their proper context. Examine what comes before and after them. Compare Scripture with Scripture, and ask Yahweh to give you wisdom and understanding as you study.
Romans 3:4 (ASV) says:
"God forbid: yea, let God be found true, but every man a liar; as it is written, That thou mightest be justified in thy words, And mightest prevail when thou comest into judgment."
Paul is addressing the faithfulness and truthfulness of Elohim, even when human beings prove unfaithful. His point is that the truth of Elohim is not determined by the opinions or failures of men.
That includes me.
I am still learning. I am still studying. And if Scripture reveals that I have misunderstood something, I want to be willing to receive that correction.
That is why I appreciate what we read about the Bereans in Acts 17:11 (ASV):
"Now these were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, examining the scriptures daily, whether these things were so."
The Bereans did not simply accept everything they heard without examination. They received the message with a willingness to learn, but they also searched the Scriptures to determine whether what they were being taught was true.
That is the kind of response I pray these articles will encourage.
I do not need everyone to agree with me. I do want everyone who reads these words to be willing to examine what Scripture teaches, even when doing so challenges something they have always believed.
And as you examine these things, I pray that Ruach HaKodesh brings conviction wherever correction is needed. I pray that He exposes anything we have allowed into our lives that does not belong there, removes the excuses we have used to defend it, and gives us the willingness to respond in obedience.
Because I believe we need to become far more serious about what we allow through our eyes and ears, what we bring into our homes, and what we teach our children to accept.
Halloween is not simply a harmless celebration to me. I believe it is one example of how comfortable we have become entertaining darkness, and I believe the spiritual consequences deserve far more attention than we have been willing to give them.
So before you dismiss this warning because it challenges something you enjoy, I encourage you to search the Scriptures.
And if you discover that something you have welcomed into your life does not agree with the Word of Elohim, what will you do with that understanding?
Choosing Elohim is a choice. Serving Him is a lifestyle.
God's Princess Warriors Ministries — The Watchman's Journal
Next in the series: Christmas — Are We Celebrating Yeshua or Ourselves?
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