The following article was taken out of the Californian, a local Bakersfield newspaper. It is written by Laura Stepp on Wednesday, September 1, 2004.   There are two terms (pimp and ho) in this article with which you may not be acquainted.    The term pimp refers to a man who makes his living managing prostitutes.   Ho is the current term for a prostitute.   Here’s the article:

“Hey Mom! Hey Dad! We’ve found the perfect Halloween costumes for kids.” What Josh and Caitlin need are the rags that are selling briskly in California and New York: Child pimp suits and “ho” dresses. At $40 to $50, they begin at size 4, tailored in the ‘70’s style of blaxploitation movies like “Superfly.” Can’t you see little Josh in a pink velvet suit and matching wide-brimmed hat with faux-zebra trim? Or Caitlin in black feathers and stockings as she sets off to trick or treat for UNICEF?”  (The outfit actually looks like a 1920’s flapper dress, but don’t tell her that. It would spoil her pose. And right now, it’s sold out because of “overwhelming demand,” says one Web site).

You think we’re kidding. We’re not. Brandsonsale.com, an online marketing company that sells everything from poker chips to bandanas, is offering one ho and four pimp costumes for children this year for Halloween, along with its usual Spiderman, Oatmeal Bear, witches, devils, and vampires.

Next year, the company plans pimp attire for infants. The demand, says company spokesman Jonathon Weeks Jr., grows each year.  “We started with the pimp suit two years ago,” Weeks said from his Cerritos office. “It’s one of our biggest sellers. “We also sell pimp and ho outfits to whole families: Mom, Dad, kids, and the dog.” His customers span the racial and ethnic rainbow, he says. Most live in California, New York and Florida: “You know where the real pimps hang out.”

Teen-agers out of earshot of adults, call one another “pimp” and “ho” the way past generations used “dude” and “girlfriend.” One customer of Brandsonsale is Abigail Potter, of Greer, S.C.   Last Halloween, her sons Justin and Aaron spotted a school friend wearing a pimp costume. This year, the boys, 10 and 11 talked Potter into ordering two-- one pink, one purple—for a neighborhood Halloween party. “I know some people will make a big deal about it,” Potter says. “but come on, it’s Halloween. Let’s not take things too seriously.” 

The deterioration of Halloween

It is amazing that Halloween is now moving to adoration of pimps and whores.  But anything with an evil root always degenerates and get worse as time passes.   Halloween is one of our celebrated holidays with a definite evil root and origin.  In the 50’s Halloween was kind of harmless, but as each decade passes the holiday has worsened with poisoned candy, gang violence, and destruction of property.   Whereas kids were once allowed to roam their local neighborhoods with friends, now they must be escorted by caring adults for their own safety.  And when the kids get home the candy must be checked carefully. 

The costumes have traditionally been demonic for the most part.   Without realizing it parents put their children in costumes (witches, warlocks, monsters, skeletons, and ghosts) rooted in devil worship, misery, fear and death.   They say it is all in fun, but it is more than fun for Satan worshipers; it is a day in which they revel because of the honor bestowed on them by what is worn in their name.      And now Halloween is sinking to a new low by dressing up innocent children in pimp and ho (whore) costumes.   

The history of Halloween

If you are unclear about the root of evil in Halloween here is a short history.

The origin of Halloween is the Celtic festival of Samhain.   The Celtics lived in what is now Great Britain, Ireland, and northern France.   Their new year began on November 1^st, and the festival that began the previous evening honored Samhain, the Celtic lord of death.   It marked the beginning of winter, a time of coldness and death.   They built a bonfire and burned animals, crops, and even human sacrifices to honor their god of death.  

During the 1800’s large numbers of immigrants from this area of the world brought with them this evil practice.    In America it was renamed Halloween.    The practice of trick or treating (a Celtic custom) became the most noted custom of Halloween.   Many people in the United States do not know its history, but perceive it as a harmless, fun time for children to dress in costumes and collect candy.  

Have you ever wondered how trick or treating ever came about with the Celts?  Part of this Celtic ritual was a belief that dead souls would return to their original homes.   The people were terrified of these evil spirits and they would place sweet goodies on their doorstep to appease them.   Their belief was if the evil spirits liked your treat they would leave you alone, but if they didn’t they would “trick you by casting evils spells on you.”  A little like the spells that were cast in the Harry Potter film last year.      Our trick or treating evolved from this tradition.

Halloween was not party time for the Celtic people.   They feared the evil spirits roaming the earth on October 31^st, so they stayed home.   If someone were forced to leave the house, he would disguise himself as a demon to fool the evil spirits.

Other Halloween traditions, such as the fear of a black cat, are also not without a root of evil.     The Celtics believed that humans were punished for their evil deeds by changing them into black cats.   Therefore it was quite proper to sacrifice a black cat in a ritualistic bonfire on October 31^st. 

Even something that seems as innocent as a Jack-o-lantern had a dark beginning.   This tradition comes from a legend about a man named Jack who was turned away from heaven because of his wickedness.   He was also turned away from hell because he had played tricks on the devil.    Therefore he was sentenced to spend the rest of his days roaming the earth as a demonic spirit, haunting anyone who crossed his path.   The legend says he carved a face in a turnip and put a candle in it to guide him at night to his next victim.   We have now substituted a pumpkin for a Jack-o-lantern at Halloween.  (Reference: Andrew Wommack)

Most holidays celebrated in America are rooted in something good or significant.   Christmas is the birth of a Savior.   Lincoln’s birthday is the celebration of a great President who liberated the slaves in our country.    Memorial Day honors those who made America free through their sacrifice on the battlefield.   But not Halloween; it is a celebration of evil, and we should never take any action of evil lightly, no matter how innocent it seems (Ephesians 6: 10-17;Deuteronomy 18:9-13).   

Teachable Moment

What should Christians do with the Halloween holiday?   There are three plausible biblical alternatives.

 1.   In evidence of your stand against evil of any kind, you are certainly within the bounds of Scripture to reject this holiday completely and condemn any participation in it.     If you take this approach then your kids should not dress up in any costume and should forgo trick or treating.     An evening dedicated to praying for the lost might be a better use of your evening.

 “Therefore, come out from their midst and be separate,” says the Lord. And do not

touch what is unclean.”  2 Corinthians. 6: 17 

2.   A second alternative is to make a ministry out of the evening by witnessing to those in your neighborhood.     A woman wrote me last year that she made a ministry out of Halloween.  She took her kids to each of her neighbor’s homes in order to pass out Halloween related Gospel tracks.  Her kids did participate in the trick or treating but with a different purpose in mind.   She dressed her children in costumes that were completely void of anything evil.  She felt it was a very successful evening for her family.   If you want to do this then make up your own tracks, this would be a meaningful family project.   If you do not have the time then check for Halloween related tracks at your nearest Christian book store.

“For though I am free from all men, I have made myself a slave to all, so that I

may win more. To the Jews I became as a Jew, so that I might win Jews; to those who are

under the Law, as under the Law though not being myself under the Law, so that I might

win those who are under the Law;  to those who are without law, as without law, though

not being without the law of God but under the law of Christ, so that I might win those

who are without law. To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak; I have

become all things to all men, so that I may by all means save some.”  I Corinthians 9:18-22

3.   A third alternative is to downplay Halloween and make an effort to substitute Halloween with another celebration.    For instance, designating October 31^st as a harvest festival, rather than a Halloween celebration could be a first step.   And instead of dressing up like figures of evil and death, dress up like men and women of great character or faith.   Perhaps over time Halloween can be undone just as the world is trying to undo Christmas and Easter, where Santa Clause supersedes the birth of Christ, and the Easter bunny supplants the resurrection of Christ.

 “Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves; so be shrewd as serpents and innocent as doves Matthew 10:16 

   Word of God

Ephesians 6:10-17   10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. 11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm. 14 Stand firm therefore, having girded your loins with truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; 16 in addition to all, taking up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.