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October 13, 2004
Is Yoga unChristian?
Just a year ago, my answer would've been absolutely. But the funny thing that happens when your worldview comes crashing down is that you start to question everything that you once so firmly believed in. I learnt, in the past few months, that one's "version" of Christianity or how one practices it is largely influenced by cultural and societal pressures/factors. I even start to question the validity of the word "true Christianity" because one's true Christianity is another's "backslidden" Christianity.
This post is not to discuss why Yoga is B.A.D. I've heard them all, people. Nor is it to discuss why yoga is good.
I want to think beyond the good/bad mentality that many of us Christians have where we're forced to choose sides. I want to get above that. One, because I'm tired of this line of reasoning. Two, because life is just not so simple!
One thing for sure about yoga: I am so aware of the Christian peer pressure that I don't go around announcing that I'm practising it. (Am I practising it? I'll leave the conclusion to you!) I know the flack I'm going to get or the funny looks I'll get, or that instant assumption that since I'm practising yoga, I am not a good Christian, just one of those "lukewarm, pew warmer, spit out of Jesus' mouth" type of Christian.
As I peruse the websites out there about their conclusions about Yoga, I can't help but feel offended that most of them conclude that it is bad because it is tainted with Eastern philosophy.
Here we go again, I thought. The "Eastern Philosophy = Bad" thinking. Perhaps my other Asian counterparts are not as sensitive as I am about this, but I find it offensive that my heritage, which is derived after thousands of years of civilisation is deemed automatically bad. "Eastern mysticism", "Eastern philosophy" ... as if insinuating that if it had been Western, it's a-okay.
I remember a friend telling me, admiringly I may add, how a cousin of hers has stopped classical Indian dancing because of the fact that it's a dance that is used to worship Indian gods. I wonder if she realised that plies, a ballet dance movement, is also a very common dance step in classical Indian dance. Um, does that mean we have to chuck ballet now?
And since some yoga and tai chi movements appear in dance or stretching exercises that do not have the yoga/tai chi label on them, how do we handle that? Is it the movement itself that is unChristian, then?
Yes, yoga and tai chi have "paganistic" roots. Of course they do. Back then, the Indians and the Chinese did not have the privileage of knowing Christ, and this was developed centuries before they've even heard of Him. How else could they relate to the world or the instinctive sense of God they have? But does that mean that there's nothing redeemeable about them? Nothing at all? That once you're a Christian, you've got to chuck the philosophy your grandma brought you up with because you're now a Christian?
[Boy, am I getting heated up. Apologies]
How about Christmas? Christmas has pagan roots, you know. Why not ban the celebration of Christmas altogether?
How about Easter? Yup, pagan roots as well.
Why are Asian practises so quickly condemned as unChristian (whatever that word means) when there are practises in pop Christianity itself that has similiar pagan roots?
And since Christmas and Easter has been "redeemed", can yoga and tai chi be similiarly redeemed, as some quarters believe? (Yoga stretches traditional Christian boundaries)
Still, I believe that if you think it's wrong, don't do it. If you think it's okay, do it, but don't stumble those who think it's wrong (which is why keeping mum about your practise could be a good idea).
October 13, 2004 in Christian culture | Permalink
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I'm listening to the Marty Minto show right now (M - F, 3PM - 6PM on 101.5 WORD-FM in Pittsburgh) and he's about to have a coronary because a day care center is teaching yoga to kids. He's yelling for people to repent and generally carrying on like a... [Read More]
Tracked on November 5, 2004 10:51 PM
Comments
Heh! I, too, have been thinking about our Eastern culture with regards to its degrees of "unChristianess" (for want of a better term :))
For alot of us in Asia, culture defines our identity and we would be very much lost without it. I know I would be. I still remember discussing with my wife whether the Chinese "tea ceremony" during our wedding would be construed as a form of living idol worship...not that our parents would mind (Obey me or piak! piak!):-D
A pastor friend of mine put it very succintly that Asians will need to develop their own theological lens through which we understand scripture in relation to our heritage. Very little theological work is currently being done in this area unfortunately.
So, Messy Christian? Wanna take up the challenge? :-D
Posted by: Donald | October 13, 2004 03:42 PM
Jesus is my center. Jesus is my center. ohm......
Posted by: Peter Nguyen | October 13, 2004 04:05 PM
I certainly can understand your frustration about labelling practices/celebrations etc. Seems like Christians will not label things 'unchristian' when it suits them (e.g. Christmas and Easter). But I do think that some of this thinking stems from the fact that the initial people who brought Christianity to some Asian countries were not familiar with a lot of traditions and practices. So most times, their own cultures and uncertainties about the new cultures were to closely intertwined with the message of the Gospel. And this is what we have inherited. So maybe some theological work needs to be done in this area or maybe some us of us need to "go against the flow". I am sure some Christians will call me a heretic when they hear my theology and opinions. So yoga away MC! Your choices are ultimately between you and God anyway! :)
Posted by: Karen | October 13, 2004 04:22 PM
Peter - funny!
To Donald: this 'pastor friend' sounds familliar. or maybe we all talk like him! :) I notice that our theological education, our texts, theories and doctrines emerge from the West. I wonder if it's feasible to develop our way of looking at things? And me taking up the challenge? Don't even know where to begin! But am keen to try. ;)
Karen - Wow, you're asking me to yoga away? :) Not many in our community are like you, definitely.
Posted by: Messy Christian | October 13, 2004 05:37 PM
Is Yoga Un-Christian? To be honest, I am completely against the fact that yoga is un-christian. For one thing, the Bible never mentioned such a thing. For another, I feel that these laws were made up by people in general, and not by God. It's not a sin to do yoga, just like it's not a sin to learn about philosophy. A lot of Christians think that philosophy is un-christian too, because it sometimes challenges the existence of God. But the great thing about philosophy is that it does challenge the existence of God, by that we can actually see how real He is.
It all comes down to intention and the heart, in my point of view. Indian dancing used to worship the Indian Gods, but practising the dance does not mean that your heart is worshipping another God.
Oh, thanks for linking me, by the way.
Posted by: Charlene | October 13, 2004 06:22 PM
I choose to be simple. FOr the life of me, I can't remember the verse now, but theres a verse that goes 'Everything is permissable but not everything is beneficial.' I feel it really depends on someone and their security in Christ? I mean, hey, I can watch shows about vampire and not go around believing that vampires exist and I wanna suck your bladddd!! Nyahahaha....self righteousness..self righteousness...instead of banging these things, we should be learning how to control ourselves and not be mastered by anythinglor? Heck, being in bondage to ministry can kill u just as bad as yoga can if u ALLOW it to eh? =).
Posted by: SpikeyKelvin | October 13, 2004 07:27 PM
Umm, I just got done doing some studying and writing about this, and it ALL comes under Romans chapter fourteen. Yup, the entire fourteenth chapter of Romans deals with these "questionable" practices.
MC, if you do it as to the Lord, it's not sin. Romans chapter fourteen ends with seven words. They are; "whatever is not from faith is sin."
Paul says "whatever". I take that to mean whatever one could imagine, or do. I think those last seven words are a BLANKET statement for all believers, in all cultures, in all times. Of course, I have been labeled backslidden and a heretic because of my knowledge of freedom by some. When they look and compare, they find that I have way too much freedom, and thus, they think I can't possibly be a good, solid, OBEDIENT lamb.
Jesus broke all sorts of cultural taboos. In fact, he broke two just by talking with the Samaritan woman at the well, and then added to that the open and loud admission that He was the Messiah.
Imagine being around Him, and someone walks up to Him and says, "Teacher, you must not talk to Samaritans, and you must not talk to women, and you must not say such things, for they are taboo, of the devil, and if you say them, then you are of the devil, too." Oh wait, they did say that to Him, didn't they? What was His response?
Posted by: Tom Reindl | October 13, 2004 07:52 PM
I can't say I have any desire to do yoga. I'm not really into sportswear or humming. But it did amuse me when my grandmother informed me that the vicar of her local Church of England had decided to ban the yoga group from using the chuch hall because it was "un-Christian". A Church of England vicar telling a yoga group that they are damaging the church's vision of Christianity. I love that image.
Posted by: Tom Morris | October 13, 2004 08:01 PM
Actually, when the Puritans first arrived in the New World, Christmas celebrations (along with most everything else besides working or reading the Bible) was banned for that very reason - that the celebrations were rooted in paganism.
There was an interesting book I read about a former Hindu priest who described his journey to Christ. He did make some very strong statements against yoga and reciting Ohm, specifically. This man came was heavily involved in seeing visions, yogic flying, etc. and probably COULD NOT go back into the practice without harming himself emotionally/mentally/etc. For such a person, it is probably best to leave it alone, just as for alcoholics it's probably best to abstain from going to pubs. Too much temptation!
There are hard-core practitioners in the US who are building these yoga centers where they practice yogic flying, etc. in an effort to bring some kind of balance to the earth, or something like that. They believe that practicing certain forms of yoga in specific geographical locations will bring about harmony(?) and affect the outcome of world events. THAT manner of thing I wouldn't touch with a thirty-five and half foot pole.
For the casual practicer who just wants the physical benefits? Harder to say. What makes stretching "Yoga"? If I practise a Yoga-like pose because my physical therapist tells me it's good for my knees, is that sin? I don't think so.
We should be mindful of new developments and trend in our lives and ask God to give us wisdom in these regards.
Personally I'm more concerned about the possible ramifications of nanotechnology, RFID, and stem cell research than I am yoga. But that's fodder for another discussion :)
Posted by: Feeble Knees | October 13, 2004 08:32 PM
You can use yoga to focus on God, to meditate on God! All this about it being un-Christian is rubbish in my opinion, as what has been said already, you make it how you feel. Yoga can be a good way to relax, reflect and meditate on God and talk to him through it. What away to do something to relax you and talk to God, meditate on him.
Posted by: Mwega | October 13, 2004 10:20 PM
Yoga and for that matter many martial arts are well into the grey area. I'm sure some of the principles they espouse are beneficial or harmless. On the other hand others are pretty idolatrous (worship of ancestors, instructors, spirits of the dojo, or yourself). Its a balancing act.
The problem a lot of western christians have is that eastern religious practice tends to be about the development of the inner spiritual power of the individual. This is completely incorrect for a christian. The true power of a christian flows from God through the Holy Spirit. It is God that empowers us and strengthens us, we do not empower ourselves spiritually.
Perhaps these meditation techniques can be altered to apply to Christ in the same way the philosophy and logic of the Greeks was applied to theology in the early church. I don't know because I don't practice them, but it seems plausible to me.
As for eastern vs. western, well to be fair the west has been influenced by christianity for a lot longer than the east. We don't tend to make the same sorts of mistakes at least, but that doesn't mean much.
Posted by: Jeff the Baptist | October 14, 2004 01:01 AM
Great writeup. I think as with any spiritual issue, discernment is called for. My personal decision has been that while yoga, tai chi, and the like do have some mystical and pagan beliefs intertwined with them, they also have undeniable health and physical benefits: strengthening muscles, increasing blood flow and circulation, limbering the body, etc. I am capable of taking on the "good" aspects and discarding the "bad" -- for example, I don't believe that there is any sort of "life force" or energy that can be channeled with tai chi, but I believe that the physical actions done during the practice of such are beneficial.
In any case, my wife and I have done both tai chi and yoga, and the physical and mental benefits we've found are significant. I would encourage Christians not to simply rule them out and to investigate all sides of the story.
Posted by: Peter | October 14, 2004 01:37 AM
I think sometimes that people forget to remember the origins of Christianity and Judaism: It all began where Israel, Jordan, and Iraq are now. So really, "true" Christianity began as an eastern religion (maybe near-eastern as opposed to far-eastern, but devoid of any "western" philosophies and thought processes, altogether).
Posted by: Dave | October 14, 2004 01:56 AM
We are just starting a yoga class at our church, and the teacher is ecstatic that she can teach a class that encompasses Christianity and yoga together. She says in her studio classes, she uses terms like "devine being", etc., because she doesn't want to offend anyone, but that she always means God when she says it. She is so excited to teach a class that actually points to God throughout the discipline.
As the the article you linked, this seems the height of materialistic hypocrisy to me:
"Laurette Willis of Tulsa, Okla., a yoga veteran of 22 years and a born-again Christian, said the feeling of euphoria she got from yoga left her vulnerable to "psychic influences" she believed to be demonic. "Yoga led me down a false rosy path," Willis said. " It opened the door to 20 years of involvement in the New Age movement."
After becoming a Christian in 1987, she developed "PraiseMoves, Fitness for His Witness," a series of 20 stretches set to Scripture, in 2001. Willis has been so overwhelmed by requests to teach that she is in the process of certifying 20 new PraiseMoves teachers around the country and has produced a video set for release this August."
So, in other words, as long as you don't call it Yoga, and you re-package it and sell it to thousands of people as a "Christian" movement, then you can practice it. What a crock. I have read other articles by this woman, and she admits to using many yoga postures. If yoga is evil in and of itself, wouldn't you want to be as far away from it as possible? Whatever!
Posted by: Jema | October 14, 2004 03:12 AM
Get out your rulebook. Go to page 382. Look near the bottom of the page. See, there it is in black and white. Rule number 7703 - Thou shalt not do Yoga. It is unchristian.
What more proof do you need?
Posted by: Bruce | October 14, 2004 03:31 AM
Nice one, Bruce.
One of the youth pastors in my town practices and teaches Tae Kwon Do, especially to Christian students. He uses it to demonstrate Gospel messages, as a form of worship and witness--as well as physical fitness, naturally. I've seen him and his students demonstrate and their focus is completely on God.
Posted by: quasifictional | October 14, 2004 05:33 AM
Yoga is not inherently unChristian. I'm a Christian and I practive yoga from time to time. The physical aspects are theologically neutral. The meditative elements must be approached with caution. Done properly, they can be very similar to Western mysticism, such as that found in "The Cloud of Unknowing". Done improperly, and you could be led to pantheism and/or secular humanism.
Posted by: Funky Dung | October 14, 2004 06:29 AM
I struggle with the idea that you can "meditate" Christ out of your life. If that is possible, maybe he was never really there in the first place.
Posted by: Bruce | October 14, 2004 07:08 AM
Reading "The Cloud of Unknowing" would be a good idea for people who don't understand why meditation can be a dangerous this. It's a matter of discerning spirits and avoiding being misled and deceived. Plus, sometimes the focus of yogic meditation is blasphemous. For instance, the "Resting Meditation" instruction card in "The Yoga Deck" by Olivia H. Miller suggests that you say your soul's name, which she says is "I am that I am". Sound familar? It should. It's God's name. For us to use it would be blasphemy.
Posted by: Funky Dung | October 14, 2004 08:58 AM
Just like eating food offered to idols, I believe it depends on the situation. If it ever becomes a stumbling block to young christians or in any way does not bring any glory to our God, I strongly believe we should avoid it. But in the confine of our own privacy, I do not think it would be wrong. At the end of the day, our guiding principle should be to let everything we do, we do it for the glory of God.
Posted by: snoopy | October 14, 2004 09:24 AM
Writing as a Westerner, I feel that we have much to learn from our Eastern brothers and sisters. Yes, we do have a longer history of following Christ as a group, but that can also mean we have just solidified some of our habits that may be unbiblical as well. How many Western Christians really meditate as King David seemed to do day and night? We have the protestant work ethic, but maybe we need to learn from the East what it means to meditate on Christ.
So MC and others, help us! Write some good books on what it looks like for you to meditate on Christ, on the Word on God's glory. We need YOU!
Posted by: txtrain | October 14, 2004 12:15 PM
try this book : www.heavenlyman.com
Posted by: snoopy | October 14, 2004 02:41 PM
Write some good books on what it looks like for you to meditate on Christ, on the Word on God's glory.
Am trying now. hehe. ;)
Posted by: Messy Christian | October 14, 2004 04:11 PM
i've been reading the comments with interest. Can i jus say a few things:-
first, there are a lot of well-meaning christians and well-intentioned websites around who/which may not necesarrily hold the correct biblical view.
Secondly, i disagree wif u, MC. In some areas of life, it IS that simple and as a christian, u MUST take sides (obvious examples - murder, rape, pornography).
Thirdly, in other areas, we MUST rely on God's word as the final authority. the views of other christians can be helpful but not all the time.
Fourthly - we must be careful when we want to label sumthing as "sin". It's not sin jus merely because it's "eastern". its not sin jus merely because it has got pagan roots. its not sin jus merely because it resembles yoga. sin, as the bible tells us in Romans 3v23, is simply falling short of God's standards, missing the mark. keep that in mind.
Fifthly, when we want to talk about how "un-christian" (i personally dun like phrase) yoga is, we must first determine the context of wat "yoga" means. are u talking about a certain sitting position? are u talking about stretching exercises?
in my experience, i know a lot of christians discourage others from yoga for 2 main reasons.
the first, and more simpler one is because in yoga, we are asked to empty our minds. that is dangerous as we are "opening" up ourselves. the bible is clear that we must always fill our minds wif things that please God (look at the list given in Phil 4v8).
the second reason is (let me put a caveat - this is hearsay) the original objectives of yoga. it's not meant as a simple physical exercise. it's spiritual - sumone mentioned in a comment earlier about the hindu priest - i believe he/she is talking about the book "death of a guru". as such, a christian should not get involved in spiritual practices of another religion.
why?
(a) how do you know where to stop?
(b) the issue of your testimony:-
(i)u may stumble a younger christian.
(ii)u may give a wrong picture of christians (as believers of Christ, we must have no other gods)
(iii) as a child of God, is it proper for you to be involve in acts which are directly related to spiritual practices of other religion?
i have been informed by my frens who used to do martial arts that it is similar. of course, initially, its mainly on the physical aspect. but once u progress much, much further, it is actually a spiritual matter. the bible never said (obviously!!!!) that we cant do yoga or martial arts or other modern grey areas. but it does tell us wat to do in every kind of situation. let's pray for wisdom in discerning God's will in every area of our lives.
May i suggest - read more about yoga first. then look into the scriptures to see if it is in conflict with it. Even if it is not, think about your testimony as we are responsible to others around us. easier said than done, i know. but no one said christians are perfect. we however believe that we are forgiven on the basis of wat Christ did for us on the cross.
Posted by: the_procrastinator | October 15, 2004 12:19 AM
Hey Procrastinator (interesting name),
Just a few points of us I'd like to debate:
Secondly, i disagree wif u, MC. In some areas of life, it IS that simple and as a christian, u MUST take sides (obvious examples - murder, rape, pornography).
Oh dear, must we? Does that mean I have to support Bush or Kerry? hehe. Just kididng.
Yes, there are some issues that we have to take a stand on and that it's absolutely wrong. It's hard to be 'neutral' about murder, is it? Anyway, the issue of murder, rape etc is not what I mean - these are implicitly called sins in the bible. I mean the greyer issues.
When they are grey taking sides is easier said than done. It is this attitude that I'm against, especially when it comes to theological debates. Like you're either a Calvinist or not, liberal or conservative. I've often thought that both sides have a valuable point to make; isn't it possible to see eye to eye? What if you support BOTH camps?
But if we have to take sides then it's very difficult for people like me to function as a Christian (if Christianity demands only either/ors) because I respect the points both sides make. That was the major difficulty I had with Christianity when I first 'joined'. As a person who welcomed points from both side, to be suddenly asked to take sides ... it created a lot of conflict and guilt in me.
u may stumble a younger christian.
If I do it purposely in front of the person, yes. However, if it's something I do in private, between me and God, then I personally think it's a-ok. This is just my personal opinion, but IMHO Christians who are cruel to each other in words and deed stumble me more than a couple of stretching poses.
because in yoga, we are asked to empty our minds. that is dangerous as we are "opening" up ourselves. the bible is clear that we must always fill our minds wif things that please God (look at the list given in Phil 4v8).
That's to say that all forms of yoga asks you to empty your minds. Okay, here we go - I have taken a few yoga classes. Actually, it's not yoga, but more like yoga, pilates and tai chi combined into one. I didn't know which poses were yoga, and the instructor did not tell me to go "ohm" or clear my mind. The only thing that we did that was near medititation was to lie down on our backs to rest. I used this time to stare at the ceiling cos I don't know how to relax!
the second reason is (let me put a caveat - this is hearsay) the original objectives of yoga. it's not meant as a simple physical exercise. it's spiritual
PSst! Just a reminder. Christmas' original 'intention' was to celebrate Saturn, and the rebirth of the sun God. Also, apparently the christmas tree is the symbol of a fertility God (this all paraphrased, look up http://www.origin-of-christmas.com/)
If you truly want to be a stickler to the rules you just outlined, you have to stop celebrating Christmas too because its roots are spiritual and pagan.
Posted by: Messy Christian | October 15, 2004 05:21 PM
This has turned into a very interesting debate. Here are some thoughts I have about western practices that are grey, that people involve themselves in, and rarely give a second thought to it. I wonder what our eastern friends think about these things.
1. When I was younger, I was a pitcher in baseball. There is also another Christian pitcher, a very famous one, named Oral Hersheiser, whose faith was as big a story as the fact that for one season, he was nearly perfect on the mound. Baseball is a game of making your opponent look silly, either as a hitter, or as a pitcher. I was taught to use every advantage I had. So, there were many times I would, early in the game, throw a pitch at someone's chest, which, when a batter is crouched in his stance, looks as though it is coming straight at his head. This is a ball traveling ninety miles an hour at someone's body. Right, or wrong? If you don't do it, as a pitcher, the hitters will continue to crowd the plate, leaving you very little room to pitch around them. No pitcher can be successful if he isn't willing to throw a brushback pitch every so often. As a Christian, what should I do?
2. Many westerners watch this game of baseball, and you need to know that the game is all about making your opponent look bad, destroying his confidence, and defeating him. Not a very "loving" game at all, is it? So, how many westerners watch it without giving this FACT a second thought?
3. As I drive around in my car, I am continuously struck by how rude people are when they drive. Everyone seems to have to go first, and in this respect, Christians are no better than heathens. I've seen it, I've actually experienced a brother cutting me off, and greeting me with a hug in church when he saw me, right after nearly casuing me to run off the road. Tell me, how many who read this blog can honestly say they have never been selfish when driving their car?
4. Men, footbal is barely controlled violence, plain and simple. We watch it, and don't give a second thought to how absolutley physically violent the sport really is. Is it because we don't say "ohm" when we watch it, that we think EVERYTHING is okay with it? I played the game when I young. Believe me, women, you can't play football well if you aren't willing to knock the snot out of your opponent every time you see him near you.
5. The entire cosmetics industry is based upon the principal of self worship. Want to look good? Then buy our products. We'll make you look like a goddess. And men, what is the Rogaine all about, really?
6. There's a great one in America. It's called Memorial Day, where we honor our veterans. This is one of those days where Americans have parades, go to the beaches, and generally make a wonderful time of merriment. No problem with this day for most Americans, even though it is a day that we claim is a national Holiday. Break the word holiday apart, and see what it says.
There are so many things in the western culture that could be seen as problem areas. We who read this blog, as westerners, should apologize and beg forgiveness to our eastern brothers and sisters for our insensitivity, and our large hypocrisy. The next time we get in our cars to go buy cosmetics just before we get to the baseball game on Memorial day, let's think about God, do it in faith, and stop bashing everything we just don't understand, but are too proud and high to admit.
If one has read this blog long enough, one knows Messy Christian isn't doing the yoga thing to worship the devil. Paul was convinced that nothing in itself was evil. What have we to say about that?
Posted by: Tom Reindl | October 15, 2004 07:29 PM
Good points, Tom! :) Some of what you highlighted we're guilty of it as well, unfortunately. I'll be the first to admit that I'm a aggressive driver (in Kuala Lumpur you have to be one!) and say things that my Mum would not want to hear in the car as well!
About the Western prejudice against Eastern beliefs ... it goes both ways as well. Ah, how many times have Malaysians heard of "bad Western values"? What we poetically call "budaya kuning" (yellow culture. Don't ask me why).
Posted by: Messy Christian | October 15, 2004 08:48 PM
hey,
i agree that in grey areas, taking sides is easier said than done. i also agree wif yr attitude that we have to respect everyone's point of view - God himself gave everyone a free will. who r we to take that away?
having said that, we must also realise that one can disagree wif another and still respect their views.
at the end of the day, there has to be love - whether we agree or disagree, or dun know wat 2 agree or not. i personally feel its wrong to put down sumone jus MERELY cuz he/she is doing yoga/martial arts, celebrating christmas or doing sumthing that in our fallible opinion is wrong. what's even worse is when generalisations are used - "eastern philosophy is wrong", "western cultures are pathetic".
as for yoga, pls dun misunderstand me - in my comment, i said clearly:-
"...i know a lot of christians discourage others from yoga for 2 main reasons..."
i did not say tt they are right or wrong. at the end of the day, we shld consider how God views it and how it will effect our testimony.
as for christmas, wat happenned was that they took that pagan holiday and declared that instead of pagan worship, it will be celebrated to commemorate the birth of Jesus. i seriously doubt that ppl who see me celebrate christmas by remembering the birth of Jesus will think "o no, he's worshipping saturn!!!". but then again, i may be wrong. feel free to disagree.
p/s: i celebrated every christmas day since birth - i was born on the 25th of december 1971 ;-)
Posted by: the_procrastinator | October 16, 2004 04:55 AM
"Don't pick on people, jump on their failures, criticize their faults--unless, of course, you want the same treatment. That critical spirit has a way of boomeranging. It's easy to see a smudge on your neighbor's face and be oblivious to the ugly sneer on your own. Do you have the nerve to say, 'Let me wash your face for you,' when your own face is distorted by contempt? It's this whole traveling road-show mentality all over again, playing a holier-than-thou part instead of just living your part. Wipe that ugly sneer off your own face, and you might be fit to offer a washcloth to your neighbor.
Jesus
Give people time to let the Spirit of God work in them. If they have revelation of Christ, then He is at work in their lives, transforming them into the "body part" that He wants them to be. Travel the path you are on, and give others room to travel the path they are on. Don't try to force others onto your path. Your path is narrow. There's only room for you two (you and Jesus). And other's paths are equally as narrow, there's only room for two. Don't try to force others onto your path where there is no extra room. Wave to them and smile as your paths cross, but then let them travel on their way. It is not right for us to try to hijack them onto our paths, which were made exclusively for us.
Bruce
Posted by: Bruce | October 16, 2004 05:52 AM
AMEN!! Bruce
Posted by: Tom Reindl | October 16, 2004 06:25 AM
Can I comment without taking time to read all the other comments? I apologize if it seems rude, or if I repeat something.
The question "is Yoga unchristian" seems to be begging an argument. Not all people practice Yoga to the same degree, and not all systems called Yoga are the same. If you want to be general about it, you can say that there are certain philosophies taught in yoga that are unchristian, and if you are being general, such things, being a part of yoga, soil the whole. But, if I understand your rant above, you are really setting yourself up to defend, not all of Yoga, but the practice of some aspects of it.
I study a form of Chinese Kung-fu called Ching-I Chuan, one of the three soft arts, the other two being Tai Chi and BaGua. I was taught by a teacher who had learned the style before converting to Christianity. He stopped practicing for a time, about secven years, while he sorted out which aspects of the style he could teach, and which ones he couldn't. He recognized that there were portions of Ching-I Chuan that violated Christian doctrine.
There is a very real danger in Eastern martial arts and disciplines, especially the soft ones, of encounters with philosophy antithetical to Christianity. Does this mean the baby should be tossed out with the bath water? No, but it does mean, a Christian should use caution when studying them. Yoga, Pilates, and many forms of Kung-fu teach forms of meditation and spiritualism that fall in direct confrontation with Christian doctrine. Some aspects of the spiritualism reach beyond philosphy and can become occultic.
Its true, there is often a knee jerk reaction to things people don't understand, and to buzzwords that we've been taught to avoid, like children are taught to "never play in the street" or "don't touch the stove". Such reactions are not always bad for the Christian exhibiting them. Sometimes it is a reflection of a sincere immaturity (i.e that christian may not have had time to grow past the need for such simple dictums). If you are the more mature Christian, then it is your responsibility to be cautious with your younger brethren, considering their fragile faith more important than your interest in a hobby.
But, when you do get involved in disciplines that are traditionally seeped in Eastern philosophy, do be careful to understand fully what you are practicing, and how it relates to your faith. Satan is well versed in slipping lies into such things.
Just some thoughts...
Posted by: Jason Wall | October 20, 2004 06:36 AM
