Pat Robertson says Halloween is the day when ‘millions of children…celebrate Satan’

From The Washington Post

But the Rev. Pat Robertson — the conservative televangelist, outside-the-box thinker and man who once blamed the 2010 Haitian earthquake on a “pact to the devil” — sees Oct. 31st, uh, differently.

“That’s the day when millions of children and adults will be dressing up as devils, witches, and goblins … to celebrate Satan,” Robertson said on his program “The 700 Club” on Thursday. “They don’t realize what they’re doing.”

[Jeb Bush targets Hillary Clinton’s Benghazi emails during interview with Pat Robertson]

However outside the mainstream his views on Halloween may appear, Robertson is far from alone among Christians, according to a recent survey from LifeWay Research.

The survey revealed that 3 in 5 Americans believe Halloween is ‘all in good fun,’ but 21 percent refuse to celebrate the holiday and another 14 percent avoid the pagan elements, LifeWay reported.

What say you ATS? Recently I brought up these facts in a thread and was roundly shouted down by some that felt I was "attacking Christians."

Mr. Robertson, a beloved figure for millions of Christians, didn't quibble at all in his statement above.

Is this perspective that Halloween is Satanic only a fringe belief, or do many share this unique opinion?

Further, are there other elements at work here? Specific thoughts are a Dominionist cabal that seeks to slowly demonize a popular American holiday, media interests, and so forth?

Is there a conspiracy here? Or just a few bitter old spoilsports trying to spoil another holiday?

I heard recently from a "Christian" on ATS that if there is a war on Christmas there should be a war on Halloween...

And they had a few stars too.


It was in the Fox war on Christmas thread.
So obviously some people here agreed.

a reply to: Gryphon66

The survey revealed that 3 in 5 Americans believe Halloween is ‘all in good fun,’ but 21 percent refuse to celebrate the holiday and another 14 percent avoid the pagan elements, LifeWay reported.

35% is right around the low end percentage of evangelical Christians in the U.S. So it's no surprise they don't like Halloween, and its pagan(Satanic) roots. As to Pat Robertson. He's as delusional as he ever was, and I don't expect that to change. But he's certainly not alone in his thinking about Halloween. There are millions who agree with him.

Anyone who thinks Holidays (Holy Days) are anything other than make believe needs to grow up. Unless they're a kid of course and even then they should know the truth and not believe in such superstitious BS.

Halloween = Celebration of the changing seasons. It's Fall. Which is the point where things in nature die off before winter. Hence all the symbols of death and stuff. Good times. Dress up. Party. Wear Costumes. Get Candy. What's to complain about???

All Hallows Eve is what you make of it.

As are all holidays. It means what you think it means.

I can't remember, as a child, ever even remotely considering Satan while out trick or treating... Nope, not once. Stopping friends to discuss where the best loot, I mean candy, was to be got? Oh, yeah... Did that.

Satan? Really?

Mr. Robertson needs to crawl back into his hole, and shut his other one. MHO, of course. Yours may differ.

a reply to: mOjOm

Oh, back in the day, All Hallows Eve was a big, big, really big deal.

Wasn't just about harvest...

I thought All Hollows Eve was the day you dressed up to scare away the evil spirits in preparation for the next day, All Saints Day. Nothing wrong with scaring away evil spirits, is there?

Meh, some people just want to get upset about something. These are the same folks that won't let their kids read Harry Potter.

Is it the fact he has an opinion that you have a problem with?

Or is it that he had the audacity to express his opinion you have difficulty accepting?

We are all allowed our opinion, even Robertson last I checked.

a reply to: seagull

I love Halloween. Ranks right up there with Christmas baby!! Get dressed up and have fun. Carve a Jack-o-Lantern. Eat stuff. Get drunk and have fun. Bunch of chicks dress slutty. People all dressed looking strange.

What's not to like????

If anything I'd say Pat Robertson is Satan.

a reply to: kaylaluv

It was all of that, and more.

I'm going to try and find a paper I wrote in college about Hallowe'en. It's actually rather interesting how it developed over the centuries.

I thought Halloween was about women degrading themselves with slutty costumes and getting drunk?

If I were Pat Robertson (and thank God I'm not), I would be preaching more about the culture of promiscuity surrounding Halloween.

Because it seems to me that's all it is anymore. Like most "special days"--buy stuff, get s#faced and screw.

'Merica.

a reply to: mOjOm

If anything I'd say Pat Robertson is Satan.

No, he's nothing even resembling. Don't know the man, but by all accounts he's a decent guy...if somewhat narrow in his beliefs. One can be wrong, and still be a pretty good guy most other times.

I loved Hallowe'en when I was a boy...still do, though not to the same degree.

Now? I appreciate it for what it once represented to so many people, in various guises, all over the world. It's really rather amazing when looked at in depth.

a reply to: semperfortis

Indeed he is allowed his opinion.

It's just his view of it is so narrow. Not to mention wrong.

Some people like to make a big deal out of nothing at all. I was raised Catholic and not once did my parents ever feel it was about celebrating satan. It was about costumes, having fun and getting yummy treats.

originally posted by: NthOther
I thought Halloween was about women degrading themselves with slutty costumes and getting drunk?

If I were Pat Robertson (and thank God I'm not), I would be preaching more about the culture of promiscuity surrounding Halloween.

Because it seems to me that's all it is anymore. Like most "special days"--buy stuff, get s#faced and screw.

'Merica.

You say all that like it's a bad thing??? What are you Amish??? Turned Puritan or something???

What's degrading about women dressing up slutty in costumes??? Little harsh of a judgement don't ya think??? Are you the fashion police too???

Is it a crime now to have fun??? Maybe get some action???

Damn, people lighten up a little. It's called life. Try living it a little. Have an adventure. Remove the giant sticks from your butts, loosen up a bit and you might actually have fun. Don't worry, you can go back to shaming yourselves in a day or two and making life suck again. It's ok to have fun now and then.

a reply to: seagull

Well an opinion, by it's very nature, can neither be right or wrong; it is simply his belief.

Other than Avatars on ATS, I also do not engage in Halloween celebrations of any kind.

Not sure that makes me available for the subject of a thread, but if so; that would be cool..

a reply to: NthOther

How misogynistic of you to decide for a woman what degrades her and what doesn't.

a reply to: seagull

I disagree. He's not a decent guy at all in my opinion. I'm entitled to my opinion as well correct???

Have you read up on some of the things he's said and done over the years???

He teaches others to hate others he doesn't agree with and fills their heads full of lies while sitting on his false throne claiming to speak for God.

He's an old lying codger and a zealot who preys on people when they are weak and makes them promises he can't keep.

But that's just how I see it.

originally posted by: semperfortis

Other than Avatars on ATS, I also do not engage in Halloween celebrations of any kind.

Just curious, do you believe Halloween celebrates Satan?

originally posted by: CharlieSpeirs
I heard recently from a "Christian" on ATS that if there is a war on Christmas there should be a war on Halloween...

And they had a few stars too.


It was in the Fox war on Christmas thread.
So obviously some people here agreed.

That debate/argument was about in public schools.

Separation of Church and State.