Sunday, October 25, 2015

The Falseness of Halloween and the Christian

In this blog I wanted to discuss a very important facet of a day soon to be coming up known as Halloween.  Recently I came across a comment made by Anton LaVey the founder of the Church of Satan.  LaVey made a very profound statement, which was “I’m glad that Christian parents let their children worship the Devil at least one night out of the year.”

In this blog I wanted to discuss this false occult based holiday for children as well as for many adults who partake in this costume filled day, known as Halloween.  We did find this comment to be a very interesting aspect from the perspective point of Anton LaVey. I do NOT condone LaVey nor promotion of his falseness which he stood for.  However this comment made by him is truly mind opening thus causing this blog to be made.

Many people both Christian and non-Christian in our secular society today believe Halloween is nothing more than a harmless festival of dressing up in fun costumes which allows our children to collect candy. But is this act of dressing up that simple and innocent? The origins of Halloween lie deeply rooted in the occult realm and Christians should stay away.

I am about to lay out to you the reader as to why if you profess to be a Christian, which means that you profess the Lord Jesus Christ in your heart and off of your lips, then you shouldn't partake in an occult and pagan holiday, especially Halloween.  Doing a simple google search you can find any amount of data pertaining to this pagan day.

Halloween’s origins date back to the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain (pronounced sow-in). The Celts, who lived 2,000 years ago in the area that is now Ireland, the United Kingdom and northern France, celebrated their new year on November 1.  This day marked the end of summer and the harvest and the beginning of the dark, cold winter, a time of year that was often associated with human death.

Celts believed that on the night before the New Year (November 1), the boundary between the worlds of the living and the dead became blurred. On the night of October 31 the Celts celebrated Samhain, when it was believed that the ghosts of the dead returned to earth.  Now as you know the Bible clearly denounces Ghosts, which are nothing more than Demons.  In addition to causing trouble and damaging crops, Celts thought that the presence of the otherworldly spirits made it easier for the Druids, or Celtic priests, to make predictions about the future. For a people entirely dependent on the volatile natural world, these prophecies were an important source of comfort and direction during the long, dark winter.

By 43 A.D., the Roman Empire had conquered the majority of Celtic territory. In the course of the four hundred years that they ruled the Celtic lands, two festivals of Roman origin were combined with the traditional Celtic celebration of Samhain. The first was Feralia, a day in late October when the Romans traditionally commemorated the passing of the dead. The second was a day to honor Pomona, the Roman goddess of fruit and trees. The symbol of Pomona is the apple and the incorporation of this celebration into Samhain probably explains the tradition of “bobbing” for apples that is practiced today on Halloween.  On May 13, 609 A.D., Pope Boniface IV dedicated the Pantheon in Rome in honor of all Christian martyrs, and the Catholic feast of All Martyrs Day was established in the Western church. Pope Gregory III (731–741) later expanded the festival to include all saints as well as all martyrs, and moved the observance from May 13 to November 1.

Here are several reasons as to why a Christian should not partake with any aspect such as Halloween or even cause for celebration of this date which I shall lay out for you to understand better.

A. The date of October 31st is known as "The Festival of the Dead."  Where the Celtic tribes and their priests and the Druids celebrated this day as a marker for the change from life to death.

B. Today Halloween is presented to those adherents of witchcraft who use the night for their rituals. Witches celebrate Halloween as the "Feast of Samhain," which is the first feast of the witchcraft year. Being a festival of the dead, Halloween is a time when the pagan witches attempt to communicate with the dead through various forms of divination.

C. Christians are not be involved with occultic practice or divination. God command against divination in Deuteronomy 18.

D. Some occultists believe Halloween is a time of ‘transition’ between life and death. Some occult practitioners attempt divination and believe you can learn the secrets of life and wisdom by Laying down on a grave and listening for any messages from the deceased.

E. Occultists have also taught that spirits and ghosts leave the grave during this night and would seek out warmth in their previous homes. Villagers, fearful of the possibility of being visited by the ghosts of past occupants, would dress up in costumes to scare these spirits away. They would also leave food and other treats at their door to appease theses spirits so they would not destroy their homes or crops but instead move on down the road. That is the real reason to this day why kids dress up in costumes today and go door-to-door seeking treats.

F. Occultists also would try to scare away the spirits by carving a scary face into a pumpkin. This visage would hopefully move the spirit on to another home or village and spare that home from destruction. Sometimes the villagers would light a candle and place it within the pumpkin and use it as a lantern (hence the name, Jack-o-Lantern). Hence, the origin of carving pumpkins at Halloween.

G. In some witchcraft covens, the closing ritual includes eating an apple or engaging in fertility rites. In the Bible (Genesis 3), eating a piece of fruit brought sin and death into the world. In witchcraft, eating an apple is symbolic of bringing life. The practice of bobbing for apples blends together two pagan traditions: divination and the fertility ritual. Many Christians do NOT know this aspect.

H. The schools especially here in the U.S are removing any religious significance from Christmas (often called winter break) and Easter (spring break). Do you find it ironic that most public schools still celebrate Halloween even though it stems from occultic origins?

I. Participating in Halloween sanctions a holiday which promotes witches, devils, conjuring of spirits/divination, haunted houses and many other occultic practices. Just because people say ‘oh it's innocent fun’ so is this just innocence but is promoting Witchcraft?  If Lord Jesus Christ stood next to you would you proudly profess let's go do these acts together?

So hopefully now you have a better understanding as to why Christians should not partake or have anything to do Halloween because it’s far more than ‘innocent fun’ just gathering candy and wearing costumes.

Rev. Bradley Luoma, Exorcist

Are Shadow People Attacks Really Increasing?

The reason I chose this topic was because so many of these attacks are being reported. I was actually recently presented two cases with this phenomenon. Are the TV so called "reality shows" putting sub conscience thoughts into our heads? That could be a big possibility for a lot of these accounts. First of all y'all really need to stay OUT of cemeteries!! Please dear Lord stop it. Lol. I get weekly emails from people spooked after sneaking into one using gadgets like voice recorders or even Ouija boards. For the love of God stay out. I bet it's most likely illegal to be there to begin with so you need to respect the rules. Unless it's a funeral or visiting a loved one during the day just stay out. NO GOOD can come from creeping around these places at night people. I made this mistake as a late teen and I paid the piper big time! Going in them to hunt ghosts puts you at so much risk. Shadow demons are highly known to lurk in them. Without proper protection anything can and will come forward. This is happening way too much. It's fine if you disagree or accuse me of creating false fear. I'm going by experience. I'm not purposely trying to create trouble or fear. I promise my heart is in the right place here. These shadow things lurk in them to terrorize you. I think these demons realize more people are visiting these places seeking a supernatural experience. I really do. Attachment is what's going to happen. Please do not risk this. It's really a bloody nightmare to rid you of attachments! And the lack of help to rid people of attachments just makes it worse. Halloween is no exception. Usually police monitor the more popular places on this holiday but any other time it's pretty easy to gain illegal access.

Those who are experiencing and studying this phenomenon say that these entities almost always used to be seen out of the corner of the eye and very briefly. But more and more, people are beginning to see them straight on and for longer periods of time. Some experiencers testify that they have even seen eyes, usually red, on these shadow beings. One theory is the dark countenance and malevolent feelings that are often reported in association with these creatures has led some researchers to speculate that they may be demonic in nature. If they are demons, we have to wonder what their purpose or intent is in letting themselves be seen in this manner. Is it merely to frighten?

It is also believed that these shadow people are some sort of other-dimensional beings whose dimension of origin is overlapping with ours, which is said to explain their ethereal appearance and fleeting nature.

Another theory is the imagination. The explanation we get from skeptics and science who are usually people who have never experienced the shadow people phenomenon is that it is nothing more than the active human imagination. It's our minds playing tricks on us... our eyes seeing things in a fraction of a second that aren't really there and are simply just illusions... real shadows caused by passing auto headlights, or some similar explanation. I certainly do believe, these explanations probably can account for many experiences. The human eye and mind are easily fooled. But can they account for all cases?

The following posts and comments to them I found on beforeitsnews.com:

"The night the shadow attacked:
Imagine cowering helpless in your bed, paralyzed with fear, fully awake, helplessly watching something dark and silent creeping inexorably towards you. That's what Williams claims she encountered. Some have dismissed her nocturnal attack as nothing but sleep paralysis and lucid dreaming, but she insists the bizarre attack left her bruised, scratched and emotionally shaken. She swears she didn't imagine the sinister thing fondling her, tearing back the bed covers, and roughly groping her. Even as it happened she knew she was being sexually molested and while the experience terrorized her then, it completely sickens her now."

“As I opened my eyes to see what the hell it was, there stood on my left side of the bed a black cloaked hooded figure."

"The ghastly thing leaned over her, pinned her to the bed and grabbed her neck when she attempted to scream. When she tried to push it away it savagely pinned her to the bed and then began groping her and hurting her."

"Other witnesses encountering Shadow People also describe physical attacks leaving them with scratches, bruises, even burns. Attacks by Shadow People on human victims can range from being stalked and chased to being attacked with weapons. On rare occasions Shadow People stalking a victim have been witnessed by friends and family."

"There are different types of Shadow People. The core, dominant experience is the nighttime bedroom visitor: a tall silhouette of a man, often dressed in a coat or cape, and a brimmed hat. The figure is blacker than black and 3D, obstructing light and blocking the view of objects. There are no facial features or eyes (sometimes red eyes are reported), but the experiencer knows he is being observed with great intensity. The figures do not communicate, but often radiate a malevolent, trickster, or evil intent."

I found the following story at a shadow people website home.comcast.net

"I'm not sure what kind of problem I am having, be it astral projection or shadow people, but it has me scared now. "It" has been happening for years and has now become violent.

Two months ago I was dragged through my house by my shoulders by somethig I couldn't see. I could however see things in my home clearly. I was scared and forced myself to wake up. When I did wake up I was in the fetal position in the middle of the bed.

Two nights ago it got worse. I was being held down by a dark figure while I was sexually violated. I was punching and kicking and trying to get away. It spoke that it will kill me. I was to scared to move but I managed to force myself to wake up. Same thing, I was in the fetal position and hadn't moved at all. I have a large bruise on my thigh along with scratches. What is going on with me?"

One very important verse God reminds us of familiar spirits that go about mimicking our loved ones who have passed in order to trick us.

"Do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world. By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you heard was coming and now is in the world already." 1 John 4:1-3

Satan, his demons, and all of their supernatural powers have already been defeated by Jesus when He died on the cross for all of us. Christ defeated death! Amen? Below are verses I provided that helps support the fact that we do have the power through Christ to handle these demons from Hell.

“And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues” Mark 16:17

"No weapon formed against you shall prosper, and every tongue which rises against you in judgment you shall condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and their righteousness is from me,” Isaiah 54:17

"For truly, I say to you, if you have faith like a grain of mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will"

As you can see from the above comments I gathered from different people this issue with Shadow Demons or beings..seems to be a very serious issue for some people. I hope I have provided you some recourse you can apply if you ever happen to find yourself under attack. But why has this phenomena increased so much? I fear all these movies being released and the "reality" ghost hunting shows are causing people to go out and seek supernatural experiences and they are inadvertently bringing home attachments. Then others I feel others are having what they see on TV and movies seep into the sub conscience with them not realizing it. Becoming obsessed with this topic or the paranormal itself can cause this I believe. Way too many live this life. It's all they watch and talk about. For me dealing with only the most disturbing cases I have many outlets to balance me out. I could get pretty depressed if I allowed this calling to take over too much. It took me many years to be able to stomach what I have to deal with and research upon getting a case I'm asked to help with. I go to my outlets daily. Reading my bible and keeping up with my favorite music band. It's important not to allow obsession to take place. It's healthy to have other interests and outlets. I pray a lot. I'm always talking to Jesus. It's important to continue to pray for protection when you are dealing with such evil much less seeking it out for curiosity.

This phenomena of Shadow People has been going on for many years. I've seen them on countless investigations darting behind trees and peeking around walls, trees, tombstones etc..It's very creepy and down right unnerving when you see this with your human eyes and know that you know that you know. A lot of people experience them with Sleep Paralysis. Which as I discussed last week is another serious phenomenon people are suffering from. Many are experience ASP Awake Sleep Paralysis during these shadow attacks. I take comfort in calling upon the name Jesus Christ. If you can't audibly say it, just think it. For many the entity flees rather quickly. That in itself speaks volumes in my humble opinion. Be well and God bless.

Written By Jennifer Lori Auld