IN FAITH
Reflections on All Hallow’s Eve
Not too long from now, a secular holiday, which sells a lot of candy, costumes, and produces a lot of merry-making (and some mischief) will be upon us. I am referring, of course, to Halloween.
With the popularity of the Harry Potter books and movies, Halloween has taken on a somewhat different face, since I was a boy. It’s true that when we were children in the 1950’s and the 1960’s many of us participated in annual “tricks or treats.” We dressed up in different costumes, some of wearing sheets (pretending to be ghosts), while others of us dressed as witches, and other ghoulish creatures—just for the fun of it. I recall that one year in Cub Scouts, I dressed as Green Arrow, who was a favorite comic book (DC Comics), character of mine. I didn’t carry real arrows, and quite honestly didn’t look very sinister.
There are those who are deadly serious about the inappropriateness of the Harry Potter novels and films for Christians, since the novels and movies are woven around magic, sorcerers, witches, warlocks, magic wands, spells and incantations (always in Latin—which is a language I know many of us practice every day).
While for most persons, the novels are another form of fantasy or even whimsy, there are those who really do see them as at least potentially sinister—because as those who practice biblical religion—they know that faith in the Living God and sorcery, magic, witchcraft, astrology, fortune telling, and a whole host of ancient practices which seem to be gaining ground again, simply do not mix. (Though I do believe Miss Cleo was taken off the air!) Those who claim to “converse with the dead” raise the hackles (and credulity) of many. But, there have always been those, who have tried to communicate with the dead. Most of us are immediately skeptical of those who make the claim to converse with the dead. Bible readers remember the story of the first King of Israel, and how the kingdom was torn away from him because of lack of faith in the Living God (Saul consulted the medium of Endor before he and his son, Jonathan, and the other Israelites fought with the Phillistines on Mount Gilboa—thus violating his own rule against such practices). Saul had the medium at Endor bring up the shade of the prophet Samuel. And, even though Saul sought the help of Samuel’s spirit, which was forbidden in Israel as a violation of faith in the Living God, Saul lost the battle anyway, dying alongside his sons.
There are other prohibitions against the kinds of practices, which are labeled “occult,” meaning magical, astrological, or even the use of alchemy (changing lead into gold—which would be a neat trick if any of us could pull it off!).
But, what of Harry Potter? There probably are individuals somewhere who are trying to learn the Latin incantations used in the books and movies. But, for me, as a Christian, and pastor, I realize that often evil comes in forms much more subtle than anything found in Harry Potter. Sometimes those who masquerade as good are not. And those who appear to be evil or at the very least “questionable” in reputation, may turn out to be as “good as gold.”
It seems to me, as Halloween approaches, that parents and others must be able to discern whether something in the “print” medium or on film really is about evil. I believe that C.S. Lewis said something to the effect that as long as a person thinks that “the Devil is a man with pointy ears, a pointy tail, a pitch fork and dressed in a red suit, then evil will not be taken seriously”.
But, what the Harry Potter books and films, and even The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien and C.S. Lewis’ own Chronicles of Narnia say to us is this: There is a struggle going on between good and evil. Even though “modern” people have no use for superstition, moderns do recognize that there are good and evil aspects of life, even good and evil “spirits” which really do make an impact. And they are far more sinister than anything in the Harry Potter books or films. Their influence on us is much subtler than we know. So, as Halloween (All Hallow’s Eve and All Saints’ Day) approach perhaps we should not live so much in terror of children dressed in Halloween costumes, but rather be in dread of those who are genuinely evil who are often found in all ranks of secular (and sometimes Christian) leadership.
Lord have mercy. Christ have mercy. Lord have mercy. Amen.
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