El Dia de los Muertos
Los Dias de los Muertos….A harmless celebration to remember and honor the dead or forbidden worship of pagan deities and evil spirits? At least one school in Bend is planning to celebrate a three-day holiday with roots in the ancient Aztec Indian civilization.
El Dia de los Muertos or Los Dias de los Muertos as it is
sometimes referred to means the day of the dead or the days of the dead. Days of
the dead are October 31st, November 1st and November 2nd. While it is a Hispanic
celebration and holiday it is more often observed in Mexico than other Latin
American Countries.
El Dia de los Muertos has roots in the Aztec Indian
civilization that predated the Spanish conquest of Mexico. Spanish priests
unsuccessfully attempted to transform the celebration from a profane celebration
to Christian celebration and moved the date from early summer to All Saints Eve.
But the celebration continues with many pagan elements.
Many who observe the event believe that the souls of the dead
are permitted to leave their graves and return home for a 24 hour visit.
Families build altars of food: tasty breads, fruit, candy and drink, along with
other items such as soap and personal items. Toys may be added for young
children who have died. Pillows and blankets may be left out so that the
deceased my rest after their journey. The altars are strewn with beautiful
flowers. Some families give each other sugar skeletons. In some towns people
dress up as ghouls, ghosts, mummies and skeletons and parade through the town
with an open coffin. Candles for the dead are also an important part of the
celebration.
Is it wrong to remember our dead loved ones? Of course not! But it is wrong to
venerate or worship those who have died. The third Commandment found in Exodus
20 is explicit: “You shall not make, bow down or worship idols.”
It is wrong to believe that on these days the spirits of
departed loved ones may be contacted by the living. God forbids even an attempt
at contact with the dead. In Deuteronomy 18 God says: “There shall not be any
found among you….who calls up the dead.” Persons who engage in these practices
are not communicating with deceased ancestors but in reality with wicked evil
spirits who are impersonating deceased love ones.
It is erroneous to believe that the dead return from the grave to enjoy food and
drink and fellowship with the living. This is simply not true. In the parable of
the rich man and Lazarus found in Luke 16 Jesus made it clear that upon death a
person is unable to freely travel from their place of abode be it heaven or hell
and visit friends and relatives on the earth.
Here is the account as Jesus told it: "There was a rich man
who was dressed in purple and fine linen and lived in luxury every day. At his
gate was laid a beggar named Lazarus, covered with sores and longing to eat what
fell from the rich man's table. Even the dogs came and licked his sores. The
time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham's side. The
rich man also died and was buried. In hell, where he was in torment, he looked
up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side. So he called to him,
'Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger
in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire.' But Abraham
replied, 'Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things,
while Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in
agony. And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, so
that those who want to go from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over
from there to us. He answered, 'Then I beg you, father, send Lazarus to my
father's house, for I have five brothers. Let him warn them, so that they will
not also come to this place of torment.' Abraham replied, 'They have Moses and
the Prophets; let them listen to them.' 'No, father Abraham,' he said, 'but if
someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.' He said to him, 'If they
do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if
someone rises from the dead.' " Luke 16:19-31
At best, El dia de los Muertos is a fraud perpetrated upon families who long for
their loved ones and at worst it is a worship of evil spirits impersonating
deceased loved ones.