Through the Looking Glass:  Halloween, A Christian, American Holiday?

Sheila Musaji

Posted Nov 1, 2005      •Permalink      • Printer-Friendly Version
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Through the Looking Glass:  Halloween, A Christian, American Holiday?

by Sheila Musaji


Ray Hanania has published an odd objection to the fact that there are some American Muslims who do not participate in celebrations of Halloween in an article entitled American Muslims Sending Mixed Messages on Bigotry.

According to this article:

Apparently, while American Muslims are among the first to complain when they are victims of discrimination, many have no qualms about discriminating against non-Muslims.

Because that is exactly what the American Muslims are doing when they criticize Halloween and urge their children not to participate. It is anti-American and anti-Christian discrimination that is far too common in the Muslim World and often ignored, for the sake of better international relations.

But that doesnӒt mean Americans should tolerate this kind of disrespect from some of the more extremist elements of the Muslim American community.

He further finds that Muslim criticism of Halloween is ԓshameful.

Mr. Hanania needs to provide this wisdom to the Association of Christian Teachers who provide pamphlets explaining why Halloween should not be celebrated.  He might also educate Christian Answers.net, or the Jeremiah Project, or the Christian Resource Center, Bella online, and a whole resource page of Christian perspectives on Halloween.  All of these (and thousands more) are opposed to celebrating Halloween based on Christian principles, and provide scriptural documentation for their position. 

To give just one quote from a well known Christian minister:

“I think we ought to close Halloween down. Do you want your children to dress up as witches? The Druids used to dress up like this when they were doing human sacrifice…[The children] are acting out Satanic rituals and participating in it, and don’t even realize it.”Ԗ  Pat Robertson, “The 700 Club,” 1982-OCT-29.

Odd that Pat Robertson and Muslims would both be found equally guilty of “anti-Christian and anti-American” prejudice according to Mr. Hanania’s view.


There are religious objections to Halloween from some Muslims, and also from Protestant Christians, and Orthodox Jews.  Those objections are not anti-American or anti-Christian.

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