Real Halloween Talk and a new Co-Host

WEBVTT

00:00:00.421 --> 00:00:01.586
Let's go, boys.

00:00:01.586 --> 00:00:16.769
Welcome to Renewed Mindsets, the podcast dedicated to helping you break free from the patterns of this world and transform your mind to align with the mind of God.

00:00:16.769 --> 00:00:18.152
I'm Rick.

00:00:18.152 --> 00:00:20.888
Join me on this transformative journey.

00:00:20.888 --> 00:00:25.452
Let's seek to embrace a mindset that's shaped by divine wisdom and truth.

00:00:25.452 --> 00:00:28.106
Let's renew our mindsets together.

00:00:28.106 --> 00:00:29.710
I'm so glad you're here.

00:00:31.381 --> 00:00:35.088
I grew up with a very normal American view of Halloween.

00:00:35.088 --> 00:00:44.514
It was a day where I dressed up like cartoon characters or cartoonish campy monsters just to have a few laughs and get some candy.

00:00:44.514 --> 00:00:48.061
There was really no weighty significance behind it.

00:00:48.061 --> 00:00:49.465
It was just good, clean fun.

00:00:49.465 --> 00:00:54.360
As I got older, things got a little more complicated.

00:00:54.360 --> 00:01:06.912
I started hearing the classic warnings against Halloween how it was Satan's holiday or that the practices were connected to demonic activity, even if less extreme than that.

00:01:06.912 --> 00:01:13.468
Many Christians argued that Halloween involved promoting dark elements and sent an anti-Christian message.

00:01:13.468 --> 00:01:20.013
Some Christians refused to participate in Halloween or they invented alternatives like trunk-or-treats.

00:01:20.013 --> 00:01:27.653
And then, as I got even older, I realized the deception that we all live under.

00:01:27.653 --> 00:01:29.826
We're going to talk about that today.

00:01:29.826 --> 00:01:33.250
Today, I'm joined by my good friend, lauren King.

00:01:33.250 --> 00:01:35.647
Welcome to Renewed Mindsets, lauren.

00:01:35.647 --> 00:01:36.209
How have you been?

00:01:37.501 --> 00:01:38.224
I've been great, rick.

00:01:38.224 --> 00:01:40.388
I'm looking forward to this conversation.

00:01:40.388 --> 00:01:43.040
I think it's a topic that a lot of people need to hear, especially as Halloween is rolling around.

00:01:43.040 --> 00:01:43.540
Yeah, absolutely Now.

00:01:43.540 --> 00:01:44.382
As you've heard today, we're diving deep.

00:01:44.402 --> 00:01:46.403
I think it's a topic that a lot of people need to hear, especially as Halloween is rolling around.

00:01:46.403 --> 00:01:46.802
Yeah, absolutely Now.

00:01:46.802 --> 00:01:50.825
As you've heard today, we're diving deep into the subject of Halloween Now.

00:01:50.825 --> 00:01:59.509
For a lot of people, it's just a night of costumes and candy and fun, but as believers, we need to ask ourselves is it really harmless?

00:02:00.649 --> 00:02:10.493
It's actually very harmful, rick, because, if you really think about it, we as Christian believers, it is contrary to everything we believe in to celebrate and participate in Halloween.

00:02:11.033 --> 00:02:13.335
Yeah, and we're going to explore all that.

00:02:13.335 --> 00:02:27.463
We're going to explore its pagan roots, its ties to witchcraft and the very real spiritual dangers that it poses, and we're also going to talk about how we, as Christians, are called to live holy lives.

00:02:27.463 --> 00:02:28.687
We're supposed to be set apart from the world.

00:02:28.687 --> 00:02:31.860
Lauren, this is such an important topic, don't you think?

00:02:32.824 --> 00:02:33.324
Absolutely.

00:02:33.324 --> 00:02:36.192
Halloween is more than just make-believe or a fun game.

00:02:36.192 --> 00:02:41.431
It's important for us to understand that the spiritual world is real, and so is the demonic.

00:02:41.431 --> 00:02:47.984
What seems like harmless fun can actually open the door to things that are spiritually dangerous and will mess you up.

00:02:49.867 --> 00:02:50.848
Segment 1.

00:02:50.848 --> 00:02:54.034
The Pagan Origins of Halloween.

00:02:56.520 --> 00:02:58.605
Let's start with the origins of Halloween.

00:02:58.605 --> 00:03:08.365
Now, this holiday goes back over 2,000 years to the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain, or, as I just recently found out, it's pronounced Samhain.

00:03:08.365 --> 00:03:10.912
Lauren, can you tell us a little bit about that?

00:03:12.341 --> 00:03:12.561
Sure.

00:03:12.561 --> 00:03:25.193
The Celts celebrated Samhain at the end of the harvest season, believing that on October 31st the barrier between the living and the spirit world was thin, allowing spirits to cross over into our own world.

00:03:25.193 --> 00:03:34.246
They would light bonfires and wear costumes, much like how the world does Halloween now, to protect themselves from these quote-unquote spirits.

00:03:34.246 --> 00:03:39.343
But here's the key point Samhain wasn't just a cultural event.

00:03:39.343 --> 00:03:42.572
It was rooted in paganism and the worship of false gods.

00:03:42.841 --> 00:03:54.289
Exactly, and when Christianity began to spread, the church tried to replace these pagan festivals with Christian holidays, and a lot of the pagan elements persisted, though.

00:03:54.289 --> 00:04:01.146
That's why Halloween still carries with it these themes of darkness and death and the supernatural.

00:04:02.021 --> 00:04:02.866
And that's the thing, rick.

00:04:02.866 --> 00:04:04.460
These aren't just fun traditions.

00:04:04.460 --> 00:04:08.826
They have real spiritual significance, and dangerous significance at that.

00:04:08.826 --> 00:04:15.106
The Bible warns us to have nothing to do with pagan practices at all, yet Halloween is filled with them.

00:04:15.106 --> 00:04:19.165
We need to be aware of where these traditions come from and what they represent.

00:04:21.141 --> 00:04:25.910
Segment two Halloween's connection to witchcraft and the Occult.

00:04:27.583 --> 00:04:32.273
So another critical aspect is Halloween's strong connection to witchcraft and the occult.

00:04:32.273 --> 00:04:39.422
I know a lot of people laugh these days when you talk about witchcraft because they think it's just in the movies or on TV.

00:04:39.422 --> 00:04:54.036
Witchcraft is real and many of the symbols and activities that are popular on Halloween, like witches and spells and ghosts, and even things like fortune-telling or Ouija boards, are rooted in real occult practices.

00:04:54.036 --> 00:04:55.745
What do you think about that?

00:04:57.622 --> 00:04:59.649
It's definitely something we can't take lightly.

00:04:59.649 --> 00:05:04.463
The Bible makes it clear that we are to avoid anything related to witchcraft or sorcery.

00:05:04.463 --> 00:05:06.605
The Bible makes it clear that we are to avoid anything related to witchcraft or sorcery.

00:05:06.605 --> 00:05:14.471
Deuteronomy 18, 10 through 12 says Let no one be found among you who practices divination or sorcery, interprets omens, engages in witchcraft.

00:05:14.471 --> 00:05:21.117
These things are an abomination to the Lord, but during Halloween they're treated like a joke and that is very dangerous.

00:05:21.237 --> 00:05:21.557
Right.

00:05:21.557 --> 00:05:26.331
We need to understand that witchcraft and the demonic are very real.

00:05:26.331 --> 00:05:28.065
This isn't just make-believe.

00:05:28.065 --> 00:05:33.072
When people play with these things, they're opening themselves up to real spiritual forces.

00:05:33.072 --> 00:05:37.850
At my church we call it open doors and it's incredibly dangerous.

00:05:38.194 --> 00:05:41.187
Yeah, exactly, and Ephesians 6.12 tells us.

00:05:41.187 --> 00:05:51.387
For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

00:05:51.387 --> 00:05:57.153
This is a real spiritual battle, and Halloween promotes things that align with darkness, not with God.

00:05:57.661 --> 00:05:59.668
That is such an important point.

00:05:59.668 --> 00:06:01.685
The demonic is real.

00:06:01.685 --> 00:06:15.548
The enemy would love for us to think that it's just fun, that it's just made up, that it's just a game, but the truth is this is real dark spiritual forces and as believers, we need to be on guard.

00:06:17.079 --> 00:06:20.089
Segment 3, Darkness vs Light.

00:06:21.343 --> 00:06:23.370
Now this brings us to another key issue.

00:06:23.370 --> 00:06:28.211
Halloween glorifies darkness and fear and death.

00:06:28.211 --> 00:06:33.432
Those are all things that stand in direct opposition to the values of our faith.

00:06:33.432 --> 00:06:36.928
Now, how does this contrast with what God calls us to?

00:06:37.540 --> 00:06:39.528
Well, actually it's the complete opposite, rick.

00:06:39.528 --> 00:06:42.348
As followers of Christ, we're called to walk in the light.

00:06:42.348 --> 00:06:45.829
In John 8, 12, jesus says I am the light of the world.

00:06:45.829 --> 00:06:49.831
Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.

00:06:49.831 --> 00:06:52.728
Yet during Halloween, everything is about darkness.

00:06:52.728 --> 00:07:02.483
Homes are decorated with skeletons, tombstones and images of death, people are playing with Ouija boards, welcoming in spirits left and right, fear is celebrated.

00:07:02.483 --> 00:07:04.730
But God is the God of life, not death.

00:07:04.730 --> 00:07:06.742
He is the God of light, not darkness.

00:07:07.363 --> 00:07:15.665
Exactly, and Ephesians 5.11 says, have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them.

00:07:15.665 --> 00:07:23.411
Halloween is filled with those deeds of darkness and we need to be careful about what we allow into our homes and our lives.

00:07:24.355 --> 00:07:31.723
Yes, absolutely, and think about the message we're sending, especially to our kids, when we celebrate something that glorifies fear, death and the occult.

00:07:31.723 --> 00:07:38.744
We should be reflecting the light and life of Christ, not celebrating the things that God has called us not to celebrate.

00:07:39.225 --> 00:07:39.505
Right.

00:07:40.666 --> 00:07:45.654
Segment four the Reality of the Demonic and the Call to Holiness.

00:07:46.863 --> 00:07:48.048
So what's the bottom line?

00:07:48.048 --> 00:07:59.134
For Christians, the demonic is real, and Halloween, with its roots in paganism and witchcraft, glorifies the very things that God calls us to avoid.

00:07:59.134 --> 00:08:01.788
We're not just talking about harmless fun.

00:08:01.788 --> 00:08:11.122
We're talking about real spiritual things, a real battle, lauren, how should?

00:08:11.163 --> 00:08:11.944
we respond to this as believers.

00:08:11.944 --> 00:08:13.470
Well, we need to take this seriously, rick.

00:08:13.470 --> 00:08:18.903
The Bible is very clear that we are to live holy lives.

00:08:18.903 --> 00:08:22.632
In 1 Peter 1.16, it says be holy because I am holy.

00:08:22.632 --> 00:08:24.947
That's not a suggestion.

00:08:24.947 --> 00:08:27.499
That's not a you should do this, not a you should do this.

00:08:27.499 --> 00:08:29.206
It is a commandment from God.

00:08:29.206 --> 00:08:31.605
He expects nothing less.

00:08:31.605 --> 00:08:33.090
He expects holiness.

00:08:33.090 --> 00:08:36.889
Holiness means being set apart, different from the world.

00:08:36.889 --> 00:08:41.389
That means we need to avoid anything that glorifies darkness, fear or the demonic.

00:08:42.211 --> 00:08:48.682
Exactly fear or the demonic.

00:08:48.682 --> 00:08:59.352
Exactly Romans 12.2 tells us and all of my faithful listeners know what Romans 12.2 means to me, because that is what this whole podcast is about Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.

00:08:59.352 --> 00:09:01.942
This isn't about being legalistic.

00:09:01.942 --> 00:09:08.475
It's not about ruining your childhood memories because of all the fun you had at Halloween.

00:09:08.475 --> 00:09:12.475
It's about living lives that reflect God's character.

00:09:12.475 --> 00:09:14.402
Yes, absolutely yeah.

00:09:14.402 --> 00:09:21.315
If we're serious about holiness, we need to evaluate everything we participate in, including Halloween.

00:09:21.315 --> 00:09:24.748
It's not off limits just because we liked it as kids.

00:09:25.850 --> 00:09:26.292
Exactly.

00:09:26.292 --> 00:09:31.424
And whatever God says for us to avoid, we have to.

00:09:31.424 --> 00:09:32.707
It is not.

00:09:32.707 --> 00:09:36.220
Oh well, let me compromise here and there with this.

00:09:36.220 --> 00:09:39.980
No, read your Bible and live it out.

00:09:39.980 --> 00:09:44.620
Holiness is not just about what we do on Sundays or in church.

00:09:44.620 --> 00:09:46.778
It's about every part of our lives.

00:09:46.778 --> 00:09:55.922
We are called to live in the light and reflect Christ in everything we do, and that means making choices that honor him, even when the world around us celebrates something different.

00:09:56.490 --> 00:10:02.839
So, as Halloween approaches, I encourage you to take a step back and really think about what this holiday represents.

00:10:02.839 --> 00:10:05.798
It's not costumes and candy.

00:10:05.798 --> 00:10:13.717
It's a celebration with roots in paganism and witchcraft, and the occult and the demonic is very real.

00:10:13.717 --> 00:10:16.577
It's not something to play with.

00:10:17.530 --> 00:10:18.595
That's absolutely right.

00:10:18.595 --> 00:10:21.855
We are called to live holy lives, set apart from the world.

00:10:21.855 --> 00:10:27.941
Let's not be conformed to the patterns of this world, but instead let's walk in the light of Christ and reflect his truth.

00:10:28.884 --> 00:10:29.947
Amen to that, lauren.

00:10:29.947 --> 00:10:46.914
Thanks for joining us on today's episode of Renewed Mindsets and, if you're listening, if this conversation has challenged you, share it with a friend and let's continue to pursue holiness together.

00:10:46.914 --> 00:10:47.836
Lauren, I enjoyed you being here today.

00:10:47.836 --> 00:10:49.681
I'm looking forward to you coming back soon.

00:10:49.681 --> 00:10:52.052
You got any idea of what you might want to talk about next.

00:10:52.993 --> 00:11:00.846
Well, Rick, thank you for the opportunity and I definitely look forward to talking about our next upcoming pagan holiday, Christmas.

00:11:01.890 --> 00:11:04.217
Oh, we're going to step on some toes.

00:11:04.740 --> 00:11:05.280
Yes, we are.

00:11:05.551 --> 00:11:06.976
Well, until next time.

00:11:06.976 --> 00:11:09.549
I'm Rick and I'm Lauren.

00:11:09.549 --> 00:11:14.498
Stay in the word, stay in the light and keep renewing your mindset.

00:11:14.498 --> 00:11:29.515
Hey, you don't know how much I appreciate you listening to this podcast, and if you're listening and you're regular, do you know that I have a second podcast?

00:11:29.515 --> 00:11:31.918
It's called Wisdom for the Day.

00:11:31.918 --> 00:11:36.683
You can find it at wisdomforthedayorg or right here.

00:11:36.683 --> 00:11:46.711
Wherever you're listening to this podcast, just do a search for Wisdom for the Day.

00:11:46.711 --> 00:11:47.894
It's basically a daily podcast from the book of Proverbs.

00:11:47.894 --> 00:11:52.282
I read about two verses a day and do a deep dive on those two verses.

00:11:52.282 --> 00:12:01.604
Now, when you say deep dive on two verses, it's only going to be about five or six minutes, so you don't have to devote your whole life to another podcast.

00:12:01.604 --> 00:12:10.336
As much as I appreciate you listening to this one, I really want you to listen to the next one and I don't want to take up all your time.

00:12:10.336 --> 00:12:12.294
So give me five minutes.

00:12:12.294 --> 00:12:14.658
You can listen to that while you're shaving.

00:12:14.658 --> 00:12:19.620
You can listen to it when you first get in the car and waiting for it to warm up or cool off.

00:12:19.620 --> 00:12:24.092
I guess now, since it's going to be summer, I'd appreciate it.

00:12:24.092 --> 00:12:27.160
If you like it, let somebody else know about it too.

00:12:27.160 --> 00:12:30.350
That's wisdomforthedayorg.

00:12:30.350 --> 00:12:31.951
I love you.

00:12:32.871 --> 00:12:39.916
See, ya, let's dive in a little deeper in the demonic.

00:12:39.916 --> 00:12:50.662
So a man named Ip man, a well-known Chinese martial artist, once said we all have inner battles to fight against, things like fear, hatred and anger.

00:12:50.662 --> 00:12:59.245
If we don't overcome them, even a long life can feel wasted, but if we do, even a short life can feel like a big win.

00:12:59.245 --> 00:13:09.994
In the Bible, james 4, 7 backs this up Submit to God, resist the devil, and he'll run away from you.

00:13:09.994 --> 00:13:14.982
A demon is seen as a supernatural, evil being that can influence people and lead them away from goodness.

00:13:14.982 --> 00:13:21.897
Satan was likely one of the first to be called a demon after he was thrown out of heaven for going against God.

00:13:21.897 --> 00:13:28.618
Demons are linked with things like greed and corruption, and they often hurt others without any remorse.

00:13:28.618 --> 00:13:32.331
Revelation 12, 7-9 tells us about this.

00:13:32.331 --> 00:13:33.934
There was a war in heaven.

00:13:33.934 --> 00:13:36.541
Michael and his angels fought the dragon.

00:13:36.541 --> 00:13:43.719
The dragon called the devil, and Satan fought back but was defeated and thrown to earth along with his followers.

00:13:43.719 --> 00:13:51.280
Now, when people allow demons to control them, instead of resisting, they often become selfish and uncaring.

00:13:51.280 --> 00:13:58.222
They lose any sense of goodness, they only live for themselves and they give nothing of value to others around them.

00:13:58.222 --> 00:14:02.279
They end up taken from others throughout their lives without giving back.

00:14:02.279 --> 00:14:06.561
So Matthew 8, 28-34 tells this story.

00:14:07.551 --> 00:14:14.298
When Jesus arrived on the other side of the lake in the region of the Gadarenes, two men who were possessed by demons met him.

00:14:14.298 --> 00:14:19.030
They came out of the tombs and were so violent that no one could go through that area.

00:14:19.030 --> 00:14:23.947
They began screaming at him why are you interfering with us, son of God?

00:14:23.947 --> 00:14:27.379
Have you come here to torture us before God's appointed time?

00:14:27.379 --> 00:14:31.350
There happened to be a large herd of pigs feeding in the distance.

00:14:31.350 --> 00:14:34.633
So the demons begged If you cast us out, send us into that herd of pigs.

00:14:34.633 --> 00:14:36.394
If you cast us out, send us into that herd of pigs.

00:14:36.394 --> 00:14:38.515
Well, all right, go.

00:14:38.515 --> 00:14:40.017
Jesus commanded them.

00:14:40.017 --> 00:14:48.602
So the demons came out of the men and entered the pigs, and the whole herd plunged down the steep hillside into the lake and drowned in the water.

00:14:48.602 --> 00:14:54.147
The herdsmen fled to the nearby town, telling everyone what happened to the demon-possessed men.

00:14:54.147 --> 00:15:00.932
Then the entire town came out to meet Jesus, but they begged him to go away and leave them alone.

00:15:02.315 --> 00:15:08.445
It's unfortunate, but demons are still around today in different forms.

00:15:08.445 --> 00:15:11.437
They show up in our friends and our family.

00:15:11.437 --> 00:15:17.078
They show up in dishonest businesses offering great deals that turn out to be scams.

00:15:17.078 --> 00:15:24.138
They show up unexpectedly and more people today fall victim to these scams and frauds.

00:15:24.138 --> 00:15:32.359
Matthew 12, 43 through 45 warns us when an evil spirit leaves a person, it searches for a new place.

00:15:32.359 --> 00:15:40.562
Finding none, it goes back to the person it left, often bringing more spirits, making that person's condition even worse than before.

00:15:41.730 --> 00:15:50.240
Now these deceivers are masters of trickery and usually after money or some immoral gain.

00:15:50.240 --> 00:15:54.380
Now they can be hard to spot, since they act friendly and trustworthy.

00:15:54.380 --> 00:16:02.618
They might make you feel special, like they care deeply about your happiness, but once they get what they want, the harm starts.

00:16:02.618 --> 00:16:10.940
Many lives have been damaged by these cons, leaving people so hurt that they sometimes even think about suicide.

00:16:10.940 --> 00:16:14.373
They feel ashamed and drained of self-respect.

00:16:15.855 --> 00:16:22.875
When a family has a member controlled by greed or selfishness, it can feel like there's a demonic presence tearing things apart.

00:16:22.875 --> 00:16:25.402
Now this person often causes tension.

00:16:25.402 --> 00:16:29.360
It breaks the family's happiness and the unity in that family.

00:16:29.360 --> 00:16:34.793
What's left is an empty, unhappy shell of what the family used to be.

00:16:34.793 --> 00:16:43.094
Demons are described as evil spirits or devils that can take control of people or torment them.

00:16:43.094 --> 00:16:47.243
Now those who feel lonely can be easy targets for scammers.

00:16:48.409 --> 00:16:50.916
Online dating and personal ads can be risky.

00:16:50.916 --> 00:16:56.096
Someone may act loving and sincere at first, even promising marriage.

00:16:56.096 --> 00:17:03.864
Soon they might start telling stories about needing money, maybe for a relative surgery or other urgent needs.

00:17:03.864 --> 00:17:11.141
They might even quote the Bible asking for help in Jesus' name, as like they're imitating the good deeds of healing.

00:17:11.141 --> 00:17:21.115
Matthew 12, 22 talks about Jesus healing a man troubled by a demon, showing real care that these deceivers try to copy for their own benefit.

00:17:21.115 --> 00:17:25.992
Now, when someone says they care deeply about you, it feels good and it boosts confidence.

00:17:25.992 --> 00:17:28.178
It makes us feel valued.

00:17:28.178 --> 00:17:30.803
But that happiness can be short-lived.

00:17:31.650 --> 00:17:37.273
Now these deceivers know that honest people are more likely to trust them, and they take advantage of that.

00:17:37.273 --> 00:17:40.923
They're skilled at gaining the trust of vulnerable people.

00:17:40.923 --> 00:17:47.163
The best way to protect ourselves is to stay vigilant and trust in God's guidance.

00:17:47.163 --> 00:17:58.678
Now we may not be able to help, or maybe not be able to avoid all traps, but but having faith and staying alert can help us overcome many of life's challenges.

00:17:58.678 --> 00:18:12.897
Ephesians chapter 6, 11 and 12 reminds us to put on the full armor of God to stand against the devil's tricks, as we're not just fighting people, but also the dark spiritual forces at work around us.

00:18:18.425 --> 00:18:22.717
And now Deep Thoughts by Michael Myers.

00:18:22.717 --> 00:18:30.896
They always ask when I'm chasing them with a knife, why are you killing me?

00:18:30.896 --> 00:18:39.138
But it makes me sad that they never ask, michael, what's killing you?

00:18:39.138 --> 00:18:58.817
So, to sum all this up, many Christians like me are uneasy about Halloween because they feel people might unknowingly take part in rituals that align with dark, even satanic, practices.

00:18:58.817 --> 00:19:12.318
They also notice how our culture often embraces disturbing demonic images during this time, and as Christians, we're called not to glorify things like demons or Satan, or torture or death or gore.

00:19:13.265 --> 00:19:19.038
Halloween's emphasis on fear and horror clearly goes against biblical values.

00:19:19.038 --> 00:19:23.957
Plus, the holiday's history is tied to some dark, dark traditions.

00:19:23.957 --> 00:19:31.118
Stories of tampered with candy and tales of real witches have also made people cautious about Halloween.

00:19:31.118 --> 00:19:36.096
Now, when I was younger, halloween was more intense.

00:19:36.096 --> 00:19:47.228
Teenagers used it as an excuse to act wild, doing things like seances or playing games that dabbled in things they didn't fully understand, like Ouija boards.

00:19:47.228 --> 00:19:50.497
The aim was genuinely to scare people.

00:19:50.497 --> 00:19:59.699
Now, while a lot of that still happens, with all the haunted houses and stuff that are out there, halloween itself has become so much more mainstream.

00:20:00.805 --> 00:20:01.287
Today.

00:20:01.287 --> 00:20:10.655
Everything's made to look cute or family-friendly, scares are watered down and the devil is reduced to playful costumes with horns and tails.

00:20:10.655 --> 00:20:18.516
Now many parents dress their kids like little devils without giving it a second thought, because they see it as all as pretend.

00:20:18.516 --> 00:20:32.458
Now I don't support Halloween because Halloween has shifted from being an openly anti-Christian holiday to one that shrugs off the supernatural altogether.

00:20:32.458 --> 00:20:40.117
What's spiritual or satanic has gone underground and it's been replaced by a focus on the here and now.

00:20:40.117 --> 00:20:52.201
I oppose Halloween because it numbs kids to the real presence of Satan, to the real presence of demons and evil and hell.

00:20:52.201 --> 00:21:00.479
Generations of kids, and now adults, are comfortable with cute versions of things that are actually evil.

00:21:00.479 --> 00:21:16.038
The supernatural has been dismissed as make-believe alongside fairies and cartoon characters, and that leaves our culture detached and unaware of the real spiritual battles that are all around us.

00:21:16.038 --> 00:21:20.987
The real spiritual battles that are all around us.

00:21:20.987 --> 00:21:27.558
And this growing disbelief in the supernatural plays right into the plan to keep people focused only on this world and ignoring eternal truths.

00:21:29.306 --> 00:21:31.349
Well, that's all for this week's show.

00:21:31.349 --> 00:21:34.998
You know, the name of this show speaks my hope for you.

00:21:34.998 --> 00:21:38.855
It's taken from the words of Romans, chapter 12, verse 2.

00:21:38.855 --> 00:21:53.236
Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind that, by testing, you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

00:21:53.236 --> 00:22:00.637
If you enjoyed what you heard, do me a favor, please, and tell someone you know about it.

00:22:00.637 --> 00:22:02.931
Send them a link and a text.

00:22:02.931 --> 00:22:08.016
You know you may even need to download it to their phone and show them what a podcast is.

00:22:08.016 --> 00:22:12.035
If it was valuable to you, it will be to them.

00:22:14.845 --> 00:22:20.317
Visit renewedmindsetscom to hear past episodes, read the blog and check out the new merch.

00:22:20.317 --> 00:22:28.317
And, as always, while you're there, send me a voicemail by clicking the button at the bottom right corner of the main page.

00:22:28.317 --> 00:22:31.032
Tell me what you think about this show.

00:22:31.032 --> 00:22:36.537
I just might play it on a future episode, until next week.

00:22:36.537 --> 00:22:54.041
I'm Rick, I love you, see ya.

00:22:54.041 --> 00:23:00.201
The intro and outro music for the renewed mindsets podcastsets podcast is Are you Ready?

00:23:00.201 --> 00:23:03.733
By Floodgate From the album Are you Ready?

00:23:03.733 --> 00:23:08.435
Copyright 2002, offbeat Ministries Incorporated.

00:23:08.435 --> 00:23:15.625
Floodgate can be found on Apple Music and iTunes Music used with permission.