Hailey Baldwin Responds to Being Called a 'Fake Christian' for Celebrating Halloween
Hailey Baldwin is defending her right to celebrate Halloween.
On Wednesday night, the model — who married Justin Bieber (again!) during their second wedding ceremony last month — reposted a message to her Instagram Story written by a fellow Hillsong Church member, New York City-based pastor Nathan Finochio, which justifies the choice to celebrate Halloween as a Christian despite criticism from some who see it as a pagan practice and un-Christian due to the popular glorification of things like witchcraft and the devil.
Finochio’s explanation was written in response to a question submitted on Instagram which asked him if Halloween was a “yes or no.”
“I’m a Christian. Do you have any idea what that means historically? It means I redefine everything in culture,” he wrote, as captured in screenshots by BuzzFeed News. “Pagan Feast of Winter Solstice? Oh that’s now JESUS BIRTHDAY. Pagan Feast of Spring Planting? Oh that’s now EASTER WEEKEND. Pagan Celtic Festival involving dressing up and warding off evil spirits? Oh now it’s All Saints Day and we celebrate the VICTORIOUS CHURCH THAT HAS OVERCOME THE BLOOD OF THE LAMB!!! CANDY PLEASE!!!”
“I’m not afraid of the world,” he continued. “I’m not afraid of any devil or demon or incantation. They are terrified of me. Halloween is now MY HOLIDAY and I am claiming all candy for the glory of God and the celebration of the Saints. What now? I’ll dress up however I like! My favorite characters, pop culture stuff, whatever. It’s my party and you’re invited. I’m alive today and a Saint tomorrow. Give me candy.”
When Baldwin, 22, reposted the message to her story, she tagged Finochio’s account and added the words, “YASSS.”
RELATED: Why Justin Bieber and Hailey Baldwin Aren’t Honeymooning After Second Wedding
Last week, Baldwin — who grew up as an evangelical Christian — was met with some backlash after asking her followers for Halloween costume ideas on an Instagram Q&A posted to her story.
Multiple outlets, including BuzzFeed News and Fox News, report that when one follower asked her, “Aren’t u a Christian?” Baldwin responded by simply writing, “Yes. I still dress up for Halloween.”
When another called her a “FAKE CHRISTIAN,” Baldwin responded by writing “our kids are gonna celebrate too” in reference to her and Bieber’s future children.
RELATED: Then Comes Baby? Everything Hailey & Justin Bieber Have Said About Wanting to Be Parents
Baldwin and Bieber, 25 — who first legally wed at an N.Y.C. courthouse in September 2018 — have previously been open about their desire to be parents someday.
“I love kids, and I can’t wait to have my own,” Baldwin said in her December 2018 Vogue Arabia cover story. “I would say that now, that’s a closer reality, but definitely not anytime soon.”
A July 2019 Disney theme park trip also got Bieber thinking about quality time with a future youngster — but didn’t hasten his plans to become a father. “Love dates with you, baby … One day I’ll be doing daddy-daughter dates … Not hinting at anything soon I’m not in a rush. I just wanna enjoy you by yourself for a while! #Disneyworld,” he captioned a pic of himself and Baldwin.
