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Haunted houses, ghosts, goblins, and all things eerie provide excitement and thrills without posing any actual danger to us. We can enjoy them because we know we are not in real jeopardy. Twenty-first-century Americans appear to have an unquenchable thirst for the mysterious, and most view haunted houses and ghost stories as part of the Halloween festivities. However, some may question whether the sinister elements of Halloween render haunted houses inappropriate for Christians.
The decision of whether a Christian should visit a haunted house may hinge on the definition of “haunted.” Most venues labeled as “haunted houses” are simply structures filled with props and scenes designed to scare participants. Visitors pay an admission fee, expecting to be frightened, while understanding that the house is not actually haunted. When the lights come on, the illusions and costumes that seemed menacing in the dark are revealed. The “blood” is actually red paint, and the flying dagger is a plastic toy attached to a string. As long as the event does not involve scantily clad performers, blasphemous language, or the glorification of satanic practices, a Christian can opt to attend such a haunted house with a clear conscience. However, as stated in Romans 14:22–23, a believer who feels troubled in conscience about such places should abstain. The Bible teaches that if we cannot engage in something with a clear conscience, it is considered sinful for us.
There is another category of haunted house that may not be suitable for Christians to visit. Locations dedicated to evil forces or those rumored to be scenes of supernatural events linked to demonic influence should be avoided by all individuals. Satan and demons are real entities with power, and they should not be taken lightly. The Bible explicitly prohibits God’s people from involvement in any form of witchcraft (Exodus 22:18; Leviticus 19:31), necromancy “And the soul that turns after those who have familiar spirits, and after wizards, to go astray after them, I will even set my face against that soul, and will cut him off from among his people.”, (Leviticus 20:6), fortune-telling (Deuteronomy 18:10-11), or idolatry (Galatians 5:19-20). Christians should not seek out genuinely “haunted” houses, participate in ghost hunting, or engage in other activities that demonstrate a sinful fascination with the occult.
There are only two sources of supernatural power in the world: God and Satan. Satan only has the power that God allows him to have, but he wields it in destructive ways that are far beyond human ability to combat. If we find ourselves drawn to the idea of the supernatural, we should ask ourselves, “Whose power is behind this?” If we are considering visiting a haunted house because it claims to have eerie, unexplained phenomena, we would be wise to consider whether Jesus would be attracted to such a place. How would Jesus view that kind of haunted house? We see no record in the New Testament of Jesus finding demonic activity entertaining. And as Christians, our goal is to be like Jesus (1 Corinthians 11:1; Romans 8:29).
A Christian is a Christian all the time. We are not merely Christians when engaging in explicitly Christian activities. Those purchased by the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ are temples of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19-20). We take God with us wherever we go. So, when choosing entertainment, we must do so with the fear of the Lord.
Lord as our guide (Psalm 111:10; Proverbs 1:7; Proverbs 14:27; Proverbs 15:33). When deciding whether or not to go to a haunted house, a Christian must first ask, “Would this please and honor the Lord?” If the haunted house in question is merely a funhouse enjoyed with good friends, then attending may please the Lord. But if the haunted house is an indirect celebration of Satan’s power, it would definitely not please the Lord. Whether we eat or drink or whatever we do, we must do it all to the glory of God “Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.” (1 Corinthians 10:31).
We can address the haunted house question the same way we address questions about movies, dances, relationships, or speech: “Would I do this if Jesus were hanging out with me? Will this honor the Lord and support my reputation as His follower?” If we spend time with the Lord, we will instantly have the answer because we know God’s heart. A Christian should go to a haunted house if he or she will not need to leave Jesus at home.
