This is a great example of what we, as parents, must face from time-to-time. What seems like a good activity at first, might turn out to be problematic after taking a deeper, more careful look at it.
When I included ‘yoga’ in the list of activities in the ABCs journal (ABCs of What Children Need from their Parents – ABCs You Can Learn Throughout Your Lives), I intended only the stretches for gentle exercise toward physical health and not in any way referring to the spiritual side of it. I just attended the TruthXChange 2014 East Coast Symposium a week ago, and there learned that the two cannot be separated as yoga is the evangelistic arm of spiritual paganism. The name ‘yoga’ means to be yoked with the universe and not distinct from it. The poses are forms of worship, whether or not intended by those practicing them. Conversion is actually discouraged because that emphasizes that there is a distinction between religions! Preferred is for the line to be blurred between Christianity and paganism, between Creator and creation so that soon we come to believe that all is one. Instead of thanking God for His creation, we can simply thank creation and leave God out of it. The transcendent, personal, Triune God is exchanged for an impersonal, unidentifiable divinity within the individual. As one does the yoga positions, the body, even unwittingly, becomes a temple to house pagan gods. Throughout God’s Word, He lovingly warns us not to practice the religious activities of the pagans around us lest we exchange the truth of God for a lie (Romans 1). Since the father of lies, Satan, cannot wage war against the infinite, eternal, all-powerful God, he masquerades as an angel of light to deceive mankind who were made in God’s image. Surely, we can steer clear of these practices under the name ‘yoga’ and beware for ourselves and for our children. Every one of us who learned of Him as an adult remembers the time when we did not. As a former pagan, I pray for opportunities for Christians to share truth in a gentle and compelling way with those who are seeking the true God but have not yet found Him.
The Christian parent is peculiarly called to make distinctions and decisions engaged in the sanctification process and continual learning of what to be wary of, and in this area, to be aware and seek alternative stretching and physical exercises, being careful to thank God for our bodies, that we can move and live to His glory alone.
References:
TruthXChange (https://truthxchange.com/)
The “Gospel” According to Yoga Pamela Frost | Reformation Conference 2014
The “Om School” Movement Mary Eady | Reformation Conference 2014
Comments