Exorcists warn of the dangers of Halloween
What lies behind the cobwebs, pumpkins, skeleton costumes
and macabre, blood-soaked wounds. A video setting out ten commandments on Halloween, presented as an ‘educational and pastoral’ tool aimed at warning against the spiritual and cultural risks of such a celebration, has been released by the International Association of Exorcists (IAE). It explains that Halloween has ceased to be a celebration of the vigil of All Saints’ Day and has instead become a mass phenomenon with neo-pagan and satanic overtones, designed to introduce new generations to practices contrary to the Christian faith. Here are the main points, published on the InfoCatólica website:
Modern consumerist drift
The reinterpretation of this festival in the United States has led to the loss of its spiritual meaning, transforming it into a commercial celebration centred on magic, horror and death.
Links to witchcraft and Satanism
Halloween has close links to the practices of witchcraft and Satanism. Wiccans celebrate the night of 31 October as the start of the witchcraft year, and Satanist groups regard it as their main festival.
Offerings to the devil
During this period, worshippers of evil perform rituals and make symbolic offerings by appropriating the entertainment and energy of those taking part in Halloween, thereby strengthening the devil’s power and even going so far as to resort to human sacrifice.
Spiritual danger
Taking part in Halloween, even for fun, involves communion with an evil spiritual force that increases vulnerability to the devil’s influence and its destructive consequences.
Exposure of children and young people
The run-up to the festival encourages children and young people to come into contact with cults or occult groups. Some children’s websites dedicated to horror feature direct links to content related to Satanism and black magic.
Symbolism of horror and darkness
Halloween is steeped in symbols linked to the world of the dead and the demonic. Around this time of year, there are acts of blasphemy, sacrilege and various crimes associated with the worship of evil.
Risk to children
Allowing children to take part in Halloween amounts to exposing them to rituals of horror, witchcraft and demonic influences likely to cause fears, nightmares and spiritual distress.
A Call to Light and Faith
The Decalogue concludes with an exhortation not to fall into the trap of Halloween and to experience the joy of holiness, by choosing life, light and God’s love in the face of darkness and deception.
An Invitation to Reflection
The video’s final message is a call to rediscover the spiritual meaning of this time of year, turning away from what it considers a celebration of darkness and horror, and directing one’s life towards the hope and light offered by the Christian faith.
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This article was first published on Tesor de la Fe.
Read the full article here on Info Catolica.