J John is urging people to take a hard look at Halloween and its increasingly dark emphasis.

The annual spook fest is a multimillion pound industry and is particularly popular with children, who enjoy dressing up and going trick or treating.

The evangelist and author warns, however, that many Christians and non-Christians alike are “uneasy” with Halloween and its focus on the dark side of the supernatural.

While dressing up as witches may seem like harmless fun to some, J John says that the world of evil still has “enormous potential for harm” and children should not be encouraged to take part in an event which celebrates the “very darkest side of the supernatural”.

“Although these [dark] powers are ultimately defeated they still have enormous potential for harm,” he said.

“So for Christians, even if children dressing up as witches and wizards is not a serious attempt to get involved in the supernatural, it is not something to be encouraged.

“The precautionary principle of ‘when in doubt, don’t’ applies here.”

J John goes on to question why the celebration of the “macabre” and “malicious”, and the link between an unattractive apperance and evil.

“Why dress up in a way that portrays death and decay? Even the most resolute atheist must surely be troubled at the growing trend for ever more gruesome masks and costumes.

“And why should ugly, scarred or burnt people be associated with evil?

“In an age where the media only parade beautiful bodies we need to say loudly and clearly that there is absolutely no relationship between having a deformed and distorted body and being evil.

“Being ugly and being wicked are two very separate things.”

Tricks, meanwhile, simply enforce the principle of ‘Give me what I want – or else’, he said.

“In every area there are arguments against Halloween. To some extent it is immaterial whether or not we believe in the existence or not of spiritual powers.

“Halloween stands condemned on other grounds: it is a dark celebration that focuses on evil, horror and wrong.

“A key point is that in the modern Halloween there is no element of good triumphing over the darkness.

“No, there is too much bad news and no good news about Halloween.”