I have come across the word ‘Yoga’ for many years but it didn’t register or make any impression on me until 21st Feb. 2011 when I glance through an article, ‘Yoga for healthy living’ in a local daily written by Imtila Sangtam. She introduced herself as being born into Baptist background whose grandfather and grandmother were the first convert to Christianity from Kubza village on 25-01-1914 and whose father died while in service as a lay evangelist. She also quoted from Bible- Luke 2:14, ‘Glory to God in the highest’, to support her belief and acknowledges God as the one who brought her to this beautiful world.
.After reading the writer’s article, which she wrote in support of her work in promoting Yoga as a harmless exercise, I started questioning myself, If Yoga is harmless, what harm would there be for a Christian to practice Christian Astrology? Christian Goddess Worship? Christian Animist? Christian New Age? Christian Shamanism? Christian Reincarnation? Christian Tai Chi? Christian Wicca? Christian Witchcraft? Christian Hinduism? Christian Islam? or Christian Zen Buddhism? My intent in writing this article is not to attack anybody, religion or the writer whose purpose I believe is of good intention but to let every reader examine the other angle point of view.
Firstly, I want to cite the definition from Webster’s on “yoga.” It says it’s “a Hindu theistic philosophy teaching the suppression of all activity of body, mind, and will in order that the self may realize its distinction from them and attain liberation.”
It is a tough secret message but, on a spiritual front for a Christian, that does not sound at all Christ-centered faith to me. So why would Christians want to borrow an expression from an alien religion, from pantheism (god is everything, you’re god, everything is god), when we believe there’s only one true God (the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ). Why would we need to import that? If you want to exercise, exercise. But why borrow a term that has been an alien religion for centuries?
Let me just respond in the light of the Christian Scripture to what I’ve been studying and going through the articles on ‘YOGA’ since then, that doesn’t sound anything like Christianity. If we want a whole life, if we want our life to be what it should be, we don’t put ourselves in some weird physical position, empty our mind, center on ourselves and try to relieve our stress. We go to the word of God, to the gospel of Jesus Christ; we embrace in faith the sacrifice of Christ in his death and resurrection as our savior and redeemer. God comes, regenerates us, transforms our life, makes us a new creation, and we’re saved and we’re on our way to heaven, and we can live a life of peace and joy. That’s the promise of the gospel. There is no contribution made to that by any physical position or any kind of meditation.
The idea of Christianity is to fill our mind with biblical truth and focus on the God who is above us. That’s Christian worship. The idea of yoga is to fill your mind with nothing except to focus on yourself and try to find the god that is inside of you. From a Christian viewpoint, that’s a false religion. Exercise is a different issue. While discerning Christians would start at the mere thought of practicing a physical fitness through “Hindu Yoga” or “ Wicca” ritual, or have their palms read by a “Psychic,” or seek physical healing from a “Shaman,” professing Christians openly welcome the strange unbiblical practice into their homes and church recreational programs–mainly because the one promoting Yoga says it is merely a harmless exercise.
It is categorical to state that Christians, don’t believe in YOGA for healthy physical and spiritual living! Once Yoga establishes a foothold in a Christian life and church, it opens the door for other forms of the New Age Movement to enter. Regardless of how it is packaged, Yoga is self-worship (”Self-realization”). Self-worship is idolatry. Read what the Scripture warns- “Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry (1 Corinthians 10:14). Yoga postures are specifically designed to worship Hindu gods to which Bible admonishes- “Little children, guard yourselves from idols” (1 John 5:21). Yoga and its postures are Hindu form of religious practice in worship, their way of expressing whole hearted worship to their god/s, and are to be avoided by any true Christians. “Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ” (Colossians 2:8).
Those who promote Yoga have been influenced by Yoga instructors or by materials promoting Yoga, such as books and videos. But God’s holy word plainly warns: “For You have abandoned Your people, the house of Jacob, because they are filled with influences from the east, and they are soothsayers like the Philistines, and they strike bargains with the children of foreigners” (Isaiah 2:6).
Many professing Christians who practice Yoga maintain they do not worship the Hindu gods or revere the animals and insects found within the Yoga postures. However, like it or not, every professing Christian who practices Yoga is mingling with Hinduism, has learned the Yoga postures from Yoga sources, and is serving the idols produced by Hinduism. Of this God informs and warns: “But they mingled with the nations and learned their practices, and served their idols, which became a snare to them” (Psalm 106:35-36).
During a “Yoga” class, one need not literally bow down and worship the Hindu gods but one need to understand that while performing the Yoga postures, because learning the practice of Yoga is, in-and-of-itself, serving the idols of Hinduism. And serving idols, whether directly or indirectly, will become a snare to the believer. For those Christians who practice Yoga or any other form of alien worship apart from the Bible have learned the ways of pagans and are fellowshipping with pagan idols. Of this the Scripture commands:
“And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them” (Ephesians 5:11). What Christian in their right mind would want to even chance the worship of a pagan god? Christians those who promote any alien way of worship, postures, dances, prayers, rituals, songs or expressions apart from Biblical teachings are causing weak Christians to stumble and second-guess God’s holy word. For those who do these things Jesus was crystal clear on the fate of those who cause the innocent to stumble: “It is inevitable that stumbling blocks come, but woe to him through whom they come! It would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck and he were thrown into the sea, than that he would cause one of these little ones to stumble” (Luke 17:1-2).
While “Yoga” instructors may maintain that practicing Yoga and its postures are nothing more than simple exercises to bring people “closer to god,” it should come to no surprise by the following teaching and statement: B.K.S. Iyengar (who is billed as one of the world’s leading Yoga teachers), states, "If you do yoga postures correctly (no cheating allowed), the practice can bring you closer to god." As Christians, we know that Jesus Christ is God Himself in human form, second Person of the Trinity, and our Lord and Savior. But who is B.K.S. Iyengar’s god? It certainly isn’t the God of the Bible (see 2 Corinthians 11:3-4 and Galatians 1:6-9). Christianity was founded by and is about Jesus Christ. But what about Yoga? The answer is found deep within the roots of Hinduism:
“I am that god (Siva) who sets everything in motion and who, absorbed in Yoga and enjoying the highest bliss, is always dancing. He who knows that knows Yoga. Kurma Purana (2:4:33)” (”The Religious Science of Sanatana Dharma/Hinduism”).
Thousands of years ago, Isaiah warned: “For You have abandoned Your people, the house of Jacob, because they are filled with influences from the east, and they are soothsayers like the Philistines, and they strike bargains with the children of foreigners” (Isaiah 2:6). Finally, Christians should never assume something is Christian just because it claims to be good, helpful or even healthy. “Prove all things,” the Apostle Paul writes. “Test the spirits,” writes the Apostle John. “See to it that no one misleads you,” Jesus said. If something claims to be Christian, put it to the Biblical test.
While there are some here in Nagaland who maintains that Yoga is harmless and can be intermingled with Christianity, Yoga–in any shape, form, or fashion–is alien to the Christian faith, foreign to Scripture. It must be rejected. The few scripture quoted above is enough to let us know the danger of being indulge or associate alien practice in our worship, social life, family and individual lives. It clearly demonstrate how deceptive pagan influences are, and how easy it is for a professing Christian to be conditioned, desensitized, deceived, and blinded into thinking that an occult, an alien practice such as Yoga can be Christianized. Indeed, we are witnessing fine-tuned deception at its very best these days. Time and time again, God warns the believer to avoid practices that originate in the occult and paganism. Yet, many professing Christians continue to avoid God’s warnings by relying on their feelings and emotions, side-tracking the issues, and twisting Scripture to suit their own needs. Sadly, they are playing into the hands of the one who overshadows, possesses, and darkens the doors of the New Age Movement; the one who the Apostle Paul warns us about in 2 Corinthians chapter 11.
If you do not vouch out now you would be saying like, “I totally avoid poisonous snakes, but it’s okay if my friend fools around with them because he has done it for years.” Experienced or not; mature or not, many people are bitten by poisonous snakes every year. Therefore, the best way to avoid being bitten by poisonous snakes is to stay completely away from them. What we, as Christians, should say is, “Yoga is an integral part of Hindu worship. Yoga is DANGEROUS to the SPIRITUAL welfare of the believer. Stay completely away from such - period!” “Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; who substitute darkness for light and light for darkness; who substitute bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter! Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes and clever in their own sight!” (Isaiah 5:20-21).
.After reading the writer’s article, which she wrote in support of her work in promoting Yoga as a harmless exercise, I started questioning myself, If Yoga is harmless, what harm would there be for a Christian to practice Christian Astrology? Christian Goddess Worship? Christian Animist? Christian New Age? Christian Shamanism? Christian Reincarnation? Christian Tai Chi? Christian Wicca? Christian Witchcraft? Christian Hinduism? Christian Islam? or Christian Zen Buddhism? My intent in writing this article is not to attack anybody, religion or the writer whose purpose I believe is of good intention but to let every reader examine the other angle point of view.
Firstly, I want to cite the definition from Webster’s on “yoga.” It says it’s “a Hindu theistic philosophy teaching the suppression of all activity of body, mind, and will in order that the self may realize its distinction from them and attain liberation.”
It is a tough secret message but, on a spiritual front for a Christian, that does not sound at all Christ-centered faith to me. So why would Christians want to borrow an expression from an alien religion, from pantheism (god is everything, you’re god, everything is god), when we believe there’s only one true God (the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ). Why would we need to import that? If you want to exercise, exercise. But why borrow a term that has been an alien religion for centuries?
Let me just respond in the light of the Christian Scripture to what I’ve been studying and going through the articles on ‘YOGA’ since then, that doesn’t sound anything like Christianity. If we want a whole life, if we want our life to be what it should be, we don’t put ourselves in some weird physical position, empty our mind, center on ourselves and try to relieve our stress. We go to the word of God, to the gospel of Jesus Christ; we embrace in faith the sacrifice of Christ in his death and resurrection as our savior and redeemer. God comes, regenerates us, transforms our life, makes us a new creation, and we’re saved and we’re on our way to heaven, and we can live a life of peace and joy. That’s the promise of the gospel. There is no contribution made to that by any physical position or any kind of meditation.
The idea of Christianity is to fill our mind with biblical truth and focus on the God who is above us. That’s Christian worship. The idea of yoga is to fill your mind with nothing except to focus on yourself and try to find the god that is inside of you. From a Christian viewpoint, that’s a false religion. Exercise is a different issue. While discerning Christians would start at the mere thought of practicing a physical fitness through “Hindu Yoga” or “ Wicca” ritual, or have their palms read by a “Psychic,” or seek physical healing from a “Shaman,” professing Christians openly welcome the strange unbiblical practice into their homes and church recreational programs–mainly because the one promoting Yoga says it is merely a harmless exercise.
It is categorical to state that Christians, don’t believe in YOGA for healthy physical and spiritual living! Once Yoga establishes a foothold in a Christian life and church, it opens the door for other forms of the New Age Movement to enter. Regardless of how it is packaged, Yoga is self-worship (”Self-realization”). Self-worship is idolatry. Read what the Scripture warns- “Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry (1 Corinthians 10:14). Yoga postures are specifically designed to worship Hindu gods to which Bible admonishes- “Little children, guard yourselves from idols” (1 John 5:21). Yoga and its postures are Hindu form of religious practice in worship, their way of expressing whole hearted worship to their god/s, and are to be avoided by any true Christians. “Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ” (Colossians 2:8).
Those who promote Yoga have been influenced by Yoga instructors or by materials promoting Yoga, such as books and videos. But God’s holy word plainly warns: “For You have abandoned Your people, the house of Jacob, because they are filled with influences from the east, and they are soothsayers like the Philistines, and they strike bargains with the children of foreigners” (Isaiah 2:6).
Many professing Christians who practice Yoga maintain they do not worship the Hindu gods or revere the animals and insects found within the Yoga postures. However, like it or not, every professing Christian who practices Yoga is mingling with Hinduism, has learned the Yoga postures from Yoga sources, and is serving the idols produced by Hinduism. Of this God informs and warns: “But they mingled with the nations and learned their practices, and served their idols, which became a snare to them” (Psalm 106:35-36).
During a “Yoga” class, one need not literally bow down and worship the Hindu gods but one need to understand that while performing the Yoga postures, because learning the practice of Yoga is, in-and-of-itself, serving the idols of Hinduism. And serving idols, whether directly or indirectly, will become a snare to the believer. For those Christians who practice Yoga or any other form of alien worship apart from the Bible have learned the ways of pagans and are fellowshipping with pagan idols. Of this the Scripture commands:
“And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them” (Ephesians 5:11). What Christian in their right mind would want to even chance the worship of a pagan god? Christians those who promote any alien way of worship, postures, dances, prayers, rituals, songs or expressions apart from Biblical teachings are causing weak Christians to stumble and second-guess God’s holy word. For those who do these things Jesus was crystal clear on the fate of those who cause the innocent to stumble: “It is inevitable that stumbling blocks come, but woe to him through whom they come! It would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck and he were thrown into the sea, than that he would cause one of these little ones to stumble” (Luke 17:1-2).
While “Yoga” instructors may maintain that practicing Yoga and its postures are nothing more than simple exercises to bring people “closer to god,” it should come to no surprise by the following teaching and statement: B.K.S. Iyengar (who is billed as one of the world’s leading Yoga teachers), states, "If you do yoga postures correctly (no cheating allowed), the practice can bring you closer to god." As Christians, we know that Jesus Christ is God Himself in human form, second Person of the Trinity, and our Lord and Savior. But who is B.K.S. Iyengar’s god? It certainly isn’t the God of the Bible (see 2 Corinthians 11:3-4 and Galatians 1:6-9). Christianity was founded by and is about Jesus Christ. But what about Yoga? The answer is found deep within the roots of Hinduism:
“I am that god (Siva) who sets everything in motion and who, absorbed in Yoga and enjoying the highest bliss, is always dancing. He who knows that knows Yoga. Kurma Purana (2:4:33)” (”The Religious Science of Sanatana Dharma/Hinduism”).
Thousands of years ago, Isaiah warned: “For You have abandoned Your people, the house of Jacob, because they are filled with influences from the east, and they are soothsayers like the Philistines, and they strike bargains with the children of foreigners” (Isaiah 2:6). Finally, Christians should never assume something is Christian just because it claims to be good, helpful or even healthy. “Prove all things,” the Apostle Paul writes. “Test the spirits,” writes the Apostle John. “See to it that no one misleads you,” Jesus said. If something claims to be Christian, put it to the Biblical test.
While there are some here in Nagaland who maintains that Yoga is harmless and can be intermingled with Christianity, Yoga–in any shape, form, or fashion–is alien to the Christian faith, foreign to Scripture. It must be rejected. The few scripture quoted above is enough to let us know the danger of being indulge or associate alien practice in our worship, social life, family and individual lives. It clearly demonstrate how deceptive pagan influences are, and how easy it is for a professing Christian to be conditioned, desensitized, deceived, and blinded into thinking that an occult, an alien practice such as Yoga can be Christianized. Indeed, we are witnessing fine-tuned deception at its very best these days. Time and time again, God warns the believer to avoid practices that originate in the occult and paganism. Yet, many professing Christians continue to avoid God’s warnings by relying on their feelings and emotions, side-tracking the issues, and twisting Scripture to suit their own needs. Sadly, they are playing into the hands of the one who overshadows, possesses, and darkens the doors of the New Age Movement; the one who the Apostle Paul warns us about in 2 Corinthians chapter 11.
If you do not vouch out now you would be saying like, “I totally avoid poisonous snakes, but it’s okay if my friend fools around with them because he has done it for years.” Experienced or not; mature or not, many people are bitten by poisonous snakes every year. Therefore, the best way to avoid being bitten by poisonous snakes is to stay completely away from them. What we, as Christians, should say is, “Yoga is an integral part of Hindu worship. Yoga is DANGEROUS to the SPIRITUAL welfare of the believer. Stay completely away from such - period!” “Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; who substitute darkness for light and light for darkness; who substitute bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter! Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes and clever in their own sight!” (Isaiah 5:20-21).
To my dear Naga Christians, may I sincerely appeal to you for Jesus’ sake, don’t allow the false teachers of our day to woo and cuddle you into a practice that God despises. Guard your hearts. Stand strong in Jesus Christ and for the truth of His word (Acts 20:27-31; Jude 3).
