Is it wrong to celebrate Halloween?  By celebrating, I mean taking our children trick-or-treating or handing out candy, not worshipping the holiday.

Sincerely,
Sweet Tooth

Dear Sweet Tooth,

Good and faithful people debate this issue all the time, but, yes, you can celebrate Halloween without sinning.  Halloween does have its roots in pagan rituals.  All Hallow’s Eve is often associated with evil spirits, demon worship, voodoo, and witchcraft.  It is, however, also associated with happy scampering children whose most wicked intent is the desire to glut themselves on candy. New Year’s Eve could be viewed the same way.  New Year’s Eve is often associated with inappropriate male and female interaction and drunkenness.  It is also associated with fresh starts, reflective new beginnings, and an evening of friendship and brotherly kindness.  These holidays can be a good thing or a bad thing.  How you participate and your reasons for participating will make the difference.

1. God soundly condemns witchcraft and any magical arts (1 Sam 15:23, Acts 19:19).  Anyone participating in Halloween in an occult way is sinning.
2. Christians are supposed to focus on pure and holy things (Php 4:8).  Many of the costumes that are worn during Halloween are macabre, violent, or ghoulish.  Christians should think very carefully before placing too much emphasis upon dark things.
3. Christians should dress modestly (1 Tim 2:9).  Many costumes, especially those worn by adults, are immodest.  A holiday is not an excuse for dressing in an ungodly way.
4. Don’t participate if it will bother your conscience.  God tells us that we should always keep a pure conscience (1 Tim 1:5).  If you can’t do something in faith, it is sin (Rom 14:23).

After considering these principles – go get some candy corn!

Since the biblical border between Egypt and Israel is the Wadi el Arish, how come all the Bible maps place Kadesh Barnea 30 km inside the Promised Land? Did Israel spend forty years in the wilderness inside Canaan?

Sincerely,
Border Patrol

Dear Border Patrol,

We are guessing that what you are referring to is the ongoing debate over whether or not Israel wandered around in the Sinai Peninsula (between the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aqaba) for forty years or whether they wandered throughout Saudi Arabia (which is east of the Gulf of Aqaba).  Depending on someone’s opinion of where Israel wandered, they must adjust the location of Kadesh Barnea accordingly.  We here at AYP see good points on both sides of this argument, but ultimately, it is more of an archaeological issue than a Bible one.  We leave the discussion of the differences to people far more qualified to discuss this topic than us.

Does the Bible say anything about caffeine?

Sincerely,
Wired

Dear Wired,

Nope.  Much to the joy and relief of those of us in the Pacific Northwest, the Bible never says anything about caffeine, and it certainly never says it is a sin.  The Church of Christ of Latter-Day Saints, also known as the Mormon church, strictly forbids the use of caffeine… but the Bible never does.

The Bible tells us to take care of our bodies (1 Cor 6:19).  God also warns against gluttony (Pr 23:21).  There is much debate over the effects of caffeine upon the body, but no studies are conclusive enough that one could condemn all use of caffeine.  Caffeine, like all other consumables, should be used with moderation and balance… but it isn’t wrong.

If it is considered humane to “put down” a dog or a cat that is suffering, why isn’t it humane to “put down” a human that is suffering?

Sincerely,
PETA Progressive

Dear PETA Progressive,

Because people aren’t dogs.  Animals and humans may share some similarities between their physical bodies – but humans have eternal souls.  The key verse to understanding this topic is Eccl 3:21.  Human spirits are made in the image of God (Gen 1:26), unlike animals.  When people die, our souls go to God and await the judgment (Heb 9:27).  When animals die, they simply cease to exist.

The difference between humans and animals can only be appreciated through God’s Word.  Without the insight that the Bible gives us into the Creation, we would never know that there is a difference in value between a human and a cow.  Human life has inherent value because God says so.  Without God’s Word, we’d never know.

Is the Leviathan in the book of Job a dragon?

Sincerely,
Dragons Are Cool!

Dear Dragons Are Cool,

We don’t know exactly what animal the Leviathan was, but we do know that it doesn’t match the description of any currently living animal.  The Leviathan is described as being very large (Job 41:12), tough-skinned (Job 41:15-17), wild and undomesticated (Job 41:1-5), and potentially sea-dwelling (Job 41:31-32).

Some think that the Leviathan may be the answer to all the many dragon stories that are found across countless cultures.  In Job 41:18-21, God describes the Leviathan as flashing light when it sneezes, smoking from its nostrils, starting fires with its breath, and shooting flames from its mouth.  Such descriptions do indeed sound quite a lot like the description of a dragon.  It may very well be that the Leviathan is one of the dragons illustrated in countless ancient drawings.