Reformation Day Instead of Halloween

Martin Luther nailed his 95 Thesis onto the Wittenberg Chapel door October 31, 1517 protesting the sales of indulgences and other abuses of the Roman Catholic Church, which sparked the Protestant Reformation, enabling millions of people to obtain salvation by faith in Jesus Christ.

Halloween was not observed in Europe at that time, and only in the 20th century has it spread into the popular European culture.

Halloween was unheard of in Protestant United States when the founding fathers established our nation. Not until the Irish potato famine of the post Civil War 19th century did Halloween come into our country.

Halloween is the Feast of Samhain (Sow-ain) observed by the Celtic Druids, of which the Irish are descendents. The Roman Catholic church in the 5th century "christianized" the druids by allowing them to observe their customs, but renamed the feast with "christian" sounding titles. Therefore November 1 became All Saints Day, and the evening before became the Holy Evening, or Hallowed E'en.

Protestant churches across the United States recognize the abomination of Halloween, therefore sanitize it by calling it "Fall Festival" which is no better than the practice of the Catholic church.

Fall Festival, is generic and may as well be Gaia worship, that is earth worship, who the "goddess Gaia" is euphemistically called Mother Nature.

The Lutherans still recognize the date and call it Reformation Sunday.

All Protestant churches should recognize the courage of Martin Luther for standing up to the Catholic Church and substitute a celebration of the Reformation for the insipid Fall Festival.

In fact, 2017 will mark the 500th anniversary of the Reformation, and we all should publicize this.

Lastly, we should not be ashamed of the gospel by excusing this horrid custom of Halloween. Children can be taught the difference and should celebrate a more edifying and godly event.