Should I allow my children to participate in Halloween traditions?

This "Jacko" lantern should terrify children everywhere!

Dear Scripturist,

Should I allow my children to participate in Halloween traditions? I know they are of pagan origin, but the kids don't understand that. They are just dressing up and getting candy. What does the Bible say about participating in these pagan rituals if we don't really worship demons or whatever while we do it? I don't want my kids to feel left out.

Answer:

3 John 1:11 "Dear friend, do not imitate what is evil but what is good."

1 Corinthians 10:20 "No, but the sacrifices of pagans are offered to demons, not to God, and I do not want you to be participants with demons."

Leviticus 18:3 "You must not do as they do in Egypt, where you used to live, and you must not do as they do in the land of Canaan, where I am bringing you. Do not follow their practices."

Leviticus 20:23 "You must not live according to the customs of the nations I am going to drive out before you. Because they did all these things, I abhorred them."

Deuteronomy 18:9-14 "When you enter the land the LORD your God is giving you, do not learn to imitate the detestable ways of the nations there. Let no one be found among you who sacrifices his son or daughter in the fire, who practices divination or sorcery, interprets omens, engages in witchcraft, or casts spells, or who is a medium or spiritist or who consults the dead. Anyone who does these things is detestable to the LORD, and because of these detestable practices the LORD your God will drive out those nations before you. You must be blameless before the LORD your God. The nations you will dispossess listen to those who practice sorcery or divination. But as for you, the LORD your God has not permitted you to do so."

Deuteronomy 12:31 "You must not worship the LORD your God in their way, because in worshiping their gods, they do all kinds of detestable things the LORD hates."

1 Thessalonians 5:21-22 "Test everything. Hold on to the good. Avoid every kind of evil."

Romans 12:9 "...Hate what is evil; cling to what is good."

1 Peter 2:11-12 "Dear friends, I urge you, as aliens and strangers in the world, to abstain from sinful desires, which war against your soul. Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us."

Matthew 5:16 "In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven."

1 Peter 4:3-5 "For you have spent enough time in the past doing what pagans choose to do— living in debauchery, lust, drunkenness, orgies, carousing and detestable idolatry. They think it strange that you do not plunge with them into the same flood of dissipation, and they heap abuse on you. But they will have to give account to him who is ready to judge the living and the dead."

Philippians 4:8 "Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable— if anything is excellent or praiseworthy— think about such things."