Exodus 20:3-5: 3Thou shalt have no other gods before me. 4Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. 5Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me;
For many Christians in the West who don’t understand the philosophy behind it, yoga is simply a means of physical exercise to strengthen and improve muscle flexibility – one reason an estimated 15.8 million people practice yoga in the U.S. Even pre-schools have incorporated yoga into their student’s daily routines. Yet the question arises: is the philosophy behind yoga much more than physically improving oneself? According to R. Albert Mohler Jr., president of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky, it is. He has warned Christians that yoga is contradictory to Christianity. What, exactly, is Yoga? Where does it come from? Is it compatible with Biblical convictions? To determine the Biblical answers, we look to:
- Historical Context: Moses was the author of the Book of Exodus (Exodus 17:14; 24:4-7; 34:27) written between 1440 and 1400 B.C. The Mosaic Law as documented in Exodus was given in part to show mankind that they we are incapable of keeping it. Since we are unable to please God by law-keeping, Paul exhorts us to “put our faith in Christ Jesus that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by observing the law, because by observing the law no one will be justified” (Galatians 2:16). Within this law were ten primary commandments, the first relating to God Himself from which all other law is based. To misunderstand the first commandment is to miss the nature and character of God, miss His provision for sin, miss that provision’s personal nature and application…miss the opportunity for salvation…miss eternal life with God in heaven.
- Grammatical Usage: V. 3: “other” in Hebrew is “acher” meaning, “further as in addition to, following as in allegiance to and different as opposed to”; “gods” is, “’elohiym” referring to a, “ruler, an angel, divine one or judge”; “me” is “eynp” and literally means, “in my face or presence”; V. 4: “image” is “hnwmt” and means, “form, likeness, representation, semblance”; V. 5: “down” is “Shachah” and specifically means, “to prostrate before a superior to pay homage”; “serve” is “`abad” and means, “to labor or work”; “LORD” is “Y@hovah” meaning, “the existing One”; “visiting” or “Paqad” meaning, “to reckon or deposit”; “iniquity” or “`avon” meaning, “perversity, depravity and guilt”.
- Literal Application: You will not add, consider anything equal or consider me opposed by any other ruler, angel or divine being as I am ever present – seeing all, knowing all. You will not have any other reference of Me whether it be a form, likeness, representation or semblance including any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. You will not give yourself in homage or labor on its behalf for I am the only existing One and therefore the only One deserving of such; I will reckon to future generations the guilt of this perversity.
- Contextual Interpretation: The definition of idolatry, according to Webster, is “the worship of idols or excessive devotion to, or reverence for some person or thing.” An idol is anything that replaces the one, true God. The most prevalent form of idolatry in Bible times was the worship of images that were thought to embody the various pagan deities.
From the beginning, God’s covenant with Israel was based on exclusive worship of Him alone (Exodus 20:3; Deuteronomy 5:7). The Israelites were not even to mention the names of false gods (Exodus 23:13) because to do so would acknowledge their existence and give credence to their power and influence over the people. Israel was forbidden to intermarry with other cultures who embraced false gods, because God knew this would lead to compromise. The book of Hosea uses the imagery of adultery to describe Israel’s continual chasing after other gods, like an unfaithful wife chases after other men. The history of Israel is a sad chronicle of idol worship, punishment, restoration and forgiveness, followed by a return to idolatry. The books of 1 & 2 Samuel, 1 & 2 Kings, and 1 & 2 Chronicles reveal this destructive pattern. The Old Testament prophets endlessly prophesied dire consequences for Israel if they continued in their idolatry. Mostly, they were ignored until it was too late and God’s wrath against idol-worship was poured out on the nation. But ours is a merciful God, and He never failed to forgive and restore them when they repented and sought His forgiveness.
In reality, idols are impotent blocks of stone or wood, and their power exists only in the minds of the worshipers. The idol of the god Dagon was twice knocked to the floor by God to show the Philistines just who was God and who wasn’t (1 Samuel 1:1-5). The “contest” between God and His prophet Elijah and the 450 prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel is a dramatic example of the power of the true God and the impotence of false gods (1 Kings 18:19-40). The testimony of Scripture is that God alone is worthy of worship. Idol worship robs God of the glory that is rightfully His, and that is something He will not tolerate (Isaiah 42:8).
Even today there are religions that bow before statues and icons, a practice forbidden by God’s Word. The significance God places upon it is reflected in the fact that the first of the Ten Commandments refers to idolatry.
Idolatry extends beyond the worship of idols and images and false gods. Our modern idols are many and varied. Even for those who do not bow physically before a statue, idolatry is a matter of the heart—pride, self-centeredness, greed, gluttony, a love for possessions, misplaced faith (in this case, the practice of yoga) and ultimately rebellion against God. Is it any wonder that God hates it?
- Scriptural Comparison: Yoga is an ancient practice derived from India, believed to be the path to spiritual growth and enlightenment. The word “yoga” means “union,” and the goal is to unite one’s transitory (temporary) self with the infinite Brahman, the Hindu concept of “God”. This god is not a literal being, but an impersonal spiritual substance that is one with nature and the cosmos. It falls under the Hindu sect which recognizes “pantheism,” the belief that everything is God and that reality consists only of the universe and nature. Because everything is God, the yoga philosophy makes no distinction between man and God.
While the Bible affirms that God is spirit (John 4:24), not flesh and blood (Matt. 16:17), His characteristics are those of a living, personal, individual Being. These include the following:
* He lives (John 5:26).
* He loves (John 3:16; Rom. 5:6-11).
* He speaks (Matt. 3:17)
* He works (John 5:17,20)
* He knows (Matt. 6:8,32)
* He wills (Matt. 7:21)
* He sees (Matt. 6:4,6,18)
God is not just an impersonal force, nor does He need a physical body in order to possess personal characteristics. God is spirit, not material or physical, and yet He possesses the characteristics of a personal individual.
This basic definition stands in contrast to the Hindu concept of God, clearly demonstrating that Hinduism is in opposition to biblical Christianity. In fact, every major assertion of Hinduism in relation to religious authority, essence and destiny of man including that of salvation stands in stark contrast to the orthodox Christian faith.
Hinduism has several missionary movements:
(1) Ramakrishna Mission
(2) Krishna Consciousness Society – The Hare Krishna movement
(3) Divine Light Mission
(4) Transcendental Meditation
As evidence of the success of these movements, consider:
(1) The Krishna Consciousness movement claims it is “gradually becoming the most popular movement in the entire world, especially amongst the younger generation.” It has built palaces in the United States and its devotees are often seen in airports and other public places.
(2) Many popular musical groups have songs that relate to Hindu themes including Moody Blues, The Who, John McLaughlin, John Lennon, and George Harrison of the Beatles.
(3) Transcendental Meditation has become extremely popular.
(4) Yoga has become a common exercise
(5) Games such as “Dungeons and Dragons” and similar computer games are filled with Hindu concepts.
(6) The New Age Movement also promotes Hindu philosophy.
Definition of Hinduism
Hinduism has two basic forms of definition:
Pantheism
Hindus believe that God is ultimately an impersonal, eternal force, essence, or power of existence, which has none of the attributes or characteristics of persons (such as knowing, thinking, loving, etc.). This force is called Brahman.
God (Brahman) is present everywhere in everything in nature, especially in all living things: every plant, every animal, and especially every man.
Brahman can be thought of as a sort of spirit force which has no personal qualities, but which pervades everything in the Universe. The attributes of personality are believed to exist only in physical, material things. But God, in pure form, is impersonal and has no personal characteristics.
This impersonal essence, pervading all things, is also found within us. Hence, the “spirit” within us is Divine. It is part of God. The real inner you is God. Your inner essence is the essence of Deity.
Our eternal souls are “part and parcels of God.” “The soul is a small God.”
When you are aware of it, you begin to notice everyday references to such concepts – consider, for example the “Force” in the Star Wars movies. It is also part of the New Age Movement.
Polytheism
This Divine Essence manifests or expresses itself in the physical world in the form of physical beings that have personality. As such, Deity is manifested in many gods of many forms.
There are three Supreme gods: (1) Brahma, the creator, (2) Vishnu, the preserver, and (3) Siva, the destroyer. These are generally recognized as equal. Certain sects, however, emphasize one or the other while recognizing all.
Avatars are incarnations of these gods who have come to earth as men. The best known are avatars of Vishnu: (1) Rama, and (2) Krishna in the Bhagavad-Gita.
There are also many lesser deities having various levels or realms of authority. Some rule over certain areas of the earth or certain aspects of nature, such as fire, sun, wealth, water, etc. These can be reincarnated to various higher or lower positions.
Dead ancestors and religious teachers are also worshiped. This worship often involves the use of many images. The worship of various deities and images is popular among the people.
Hinduism has no concept of Creation in the Biblical sense. To Hindus, God forms physical beings from things already existing or from Himself, but He did not create out of nothing.
Bible Concepts
In addition to the Bible asserting that God possesses the characteristics of a personal spirit Being, it also stipulates that man is not divine.
Spiritually, man is created or made in the image or likeness of God (Gen. 1:26f; 5:1; 9:6; James 3:9; 1 Cor. 11:7). But our inner being is not divine, not of the essence of God, and not to be worshiped. To believe we are divine is blasphemous:
Acts 10:25,26 – Peter refused to accept worship from Cornelius because Peter himself was “a man.” [Cf. Rev. 22:8,9; 19:10]
Acts 14:15 – When the people of Lystra tried to offer sacrifice to Paul and Barnabas as gods (v8-18), the inspired men said the people should cease such practices and worship the living God. They said they were men of like passions with those attempting to worship them.
1 Samuel 15:29 – God is not a man. It is not true that our inner essence is that of God. Therefore, it is not right to worship any man, neither ancestors nor religious teachers.
[See also Matt. 23:8-12; Ezek. 28:2,6-10; Gen. 3:5; Acts 12:22,23; Isa. 55:8,9; Heb. 2:7; John 10:33; Num. 23:19]
There is only one true God.
Three-in-One deity: the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. But unlike Hindu deities, these three are completely united in will, goals, purposes, etc. All have complete authority over all aspects of creation (in contrast to one over fire, one over wealth, etc.). Hence, they are completely united to form one God (John 17:20, 21).
Deuteronomy 4:35-39 – The Lord is God and there is none else besides Him.
Isaiah 43:10,11 – Before Me there was no God formed, nor shall there be after Me. I, even I, am the Lord, and besides Me there is no savior.
Exodus 20:3 – You shall have no other gods before Me.
[Isa. 44:6-8; 1 Cor. 8:4-6; Matt. 4:10; 2 Cor. 6:16-18]
Use of images in worship is forbidden.
Exodus 20:4, 5 – You shall not make any graven image nor bow down to such.
Acts 17:29 – Since we are God’s offspring, we should not think the Godhead is like gold or silver or stone graven by art or device of men.
[Isa. 42:8,9; 40:18-26; 44:9-20; 46:1-11; 48:3-6; 41:21-24; Psa. 115:1-9; 96:5; 97:7; Lev. 19:4; 26:1; Ex. 32:1-35; 23:24; 34:12-17; Hab. 2:18,19; Deut. 16:21-17:7; 27:5; Dan. 3; Rom. 1:23,25; 1 Thess. 1:9; 1 John 5:21; 1 Cor. 5:10,11; 6:9,10; 10:7,14; Rev. 21:8; 22:15; Acts 14:8-18.]
2 Corinthians 6:16-18: What agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; as God said, “I will make my dwelling among them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Therefore go out from their midst, and be separate from them, says the Lord, and touch no unclean thing; then I will welcome you, and I will be a father to you, and you shall be sons and daughters to me, says the Lord Almighty.
What should be a Christian’s attitude toward idolatry as practiced in Hinduism? We should have no agreement with it, but separate ourselves from it and do not touch it (or practice it to any degree).
Specifically, Hatha yoga is the aspect of yoga which focuses on the physical body through special postures, breathing exercises, and concentration or meditation. It is a means to prepare the body for spiritual exercises, with fewer obstacles, in order to achieve enlightenment. The practice of yoga is based on the belief that man and God are one. It is little more than self-worship disguised as a high level of spirituality.
I don’t want to overwhelm, but here is a quote from a comparative religion text book which confirms the proper definition and implication of the exercise (I have italicized the specific portions pertinent to yoga as well as provided a link to the original work):
The oldest and simplest form is Pantheism, which asserts that God is, and unfolds himself in, everything there is. In other words all that there is is God. God is not a Creator from outside, but the sum total of all the reality of which we are a part. That being the case, the ‘way of salvation’ for man is to become one, or feel one, with nature. He must avoid artificiality, ignore man-made rules of right and wrong, and be as true to nature as he can…The way of salvation is to realize the dream nature of all we think we know and get through to perceiving God or the Absolute, which is identical with one’s deepest self. This way is called the way of knowledge, and Yoga meditation is prescribed to attain this realization and unity.
Religion: Origins and Ideas. Robert Brow. http://www.brow.on.ca/Books/Religion/Religion9.html
The physical postures and breathing exercises in yoga are inseparably bound up with these philosophical and religious ideas. But why is this important? According to the pantheistic philosophy of yoga, each one of us is also part of this all-encompassing divine reality known as “God” or Brahman. As Brad Scott, a former practitioner of yoga has written:
“..all creation to the Yoga-Vedantin is comprised of the substance of Brahman. Hence, yogis are pantheists… Brahman created the universe out of Itself, as a spider spins out a web” (“Exercise or Religious Practice? Yoga: What the Teacher Never Taught You in That Hatha Yoga Class.” The Watchman Expositor: Vol. 18, No. 2, 2001, p. 7).
And since “God,” or Brahman, is ultimately something non-physical, what we imagine to be our physical bodies are (according to yoga) merely just a crude layer of mind. The physical postures and breathing exercises of yoga are actually intended to help move the mind in the direction of altered states of consciousness. The ultimate goal of yoga is “union” with “God” or occult enlightenment. Please allow me to support these statements with some authoritative quotations:
On the Watchman Expositor website there is a brief overview of yoga at http://www.watchman.org/na/yoga.htm. The author of this piece quotes from Swami Vishnudevananda, well known authority of Yoga, in his book, The Complete Illustrated Book of Yoga, as follows:
“… the aim of all yoga practice is to achieve truth wherein the individual soul identifies itself with the supreme soul of God.”
He also quotes from Swami Sivananda Radha, in a book on Hatha Yoga, as follows:
When most people in the West think of yoga, they think of yoga as a form of exercise. Too often… there are yoga teachers who teach asanas without an understanding of their real nature and purpose. Asanas are a devotional practice which like all spiritual practices, bring us to an understanding of the truth…. Beyond this there also lies a mystical or spiritual meaning. Each asana creates a certain meditative state of mind, (p.xv).
And again, from the same source:
Hatha Yoga plays an important part in the development of the human being… the body working in harmony with the mind, to bring the seeker into closer contact with the Higher Self, (Ibid, p.xvii).
Indeed, it is for this reason that the Yogi authority Gopi Krishna writes:
“All the systems of yoga…are designed to bring about those psychosomatic changes in the body which are essential for the metamorphosis of consciousness” (Quoted in John Ankerberg and John Weldon, Encyclopedia of New Age Beliefs)
If indeed a non-academic class or a school are not specifically pushing the exercise for its spirituality, the question becomes is it possible for a Christian to isolate the physical aspects of yoga as simply a method of exercise in self-control, without incorporating the spirituality or philosophy behind it? Yoga originated with a blatantly anti-Christian philosophy, and that philosophy has not changed:
1) It teaches one to focus on oneself instead of on the one true God;
2) It encourages its participants to seek the answers to life’s difficult questions within their own conscience instead of in the Word of God.
Yoga is a form of control often incorporated by people who want to be in self-control (or teaching children to stay calm or be calm – a form of self-control). Unfortunately, it also leaves one open to deception from God’s enemy, who searches for victims that he can turn away from God (1 Peter 5:8) as God is not needed with respect to control, calmness, etc. Psalm 16:2 reminds us:
“I said to the Lord, ‘You are my Lord; apart from you I have no good thing.’”
Christians attain self-control, indeed self-worth and esteem by having a right relationship with God – the God of the Bible. So, I would have to conclude the answer is no, that kind of a separation can not be made. The point of yoga is to empty oneself, the point of Christian meditation is to fill oneself (as we note below).
Whatever we do should be done for God’s glory (1 Corinthians 10:31), and we would be wise to heed the words of the apostle Paul when it comes to purposed thinking and contemplation:
Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. 5Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; 6do not be anxious about anything,(J) but in everything by prayer and supplicationwith thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7Andthe peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. 8Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. 9What you have learned andreceived and heard and seenin me—practice these things, andthe God of peace will be with you. – (Philippians 4:4-9, ESV).
Failing to heed this instruction exposes adults to ungodly influence. Asking a child to practice anything else is to introduce a contradictory idea. Ideas have consequences…they express themselves in actions and reactions which is why God has much to say about what we contemplate or meditate upon.
This naturally brings us to the Biblical view of meditation. Psalm 19:14 states, “May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.” What, then, is Christian meditation, and how should Christians meditate?
Unfortunately, the word “meditation” can carry the connotation of something mystical. For some, meditation is clearing the mind while sitting in an unusual position. Yet, a “cleared mind” is nothing more than a vacuum which must be filled. This type of meditation fosters communion with the spirit world around us. The Bible specifically states:
For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.” – Ephesians 6:12
Concepts such as those advocated within yoga most definitely do not characterize Christian meditation. To the contrary, yoga opens the mind to the very real forces of evil – those forces intent upon the destruction of the very soul. The very essence of yoga – union of self with the infinite to achieve spiritual growth and enlightenment, “self” being part of the infinite or god – couldn’t be more contrary to Christian instruction.
In contrast, Christian meditation is not about the emptying of oneself, but is to be solely based upon filling oneself with the Word of God and what it reveals about Him (not about us):
1) David found this to be so, and he describes the man who is “blessed” as one whose “delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night” (Psalm 1:2);
2) True Christian meditation is an active thought process whereby we give ourselves to the study of the Word, praying over it and asking God to give us understanding by the Spirit, who has promised to lead us “into all truth” (John 16:13);
3) He speaks to us in a still small voice which is why we are admonished to be still and know that He is God (Psalm 46:10);
4) Then we put this truth into practice, committing ourselves to the Scriptures as the rule for life and practice as we go about our daily activities. This causes spiritual growth and maturing in the things of God as we are taught by the Holy Spirit.
In this sense, Christian meditation has nothing to do with practices that have Eastern mysticism as their foundation. Such practices include lectio divina, transcendental meditation, yoga, and forms of what is called “contemplative” prayer.
Clearly we are to avoid even the appearance of evil (1 Thessalonians 5:22) which would include participation in what is clearly an anti-Christian exercise. In addition, parents have a specific charge to raise your little one in the nurture and admonition of the Lord (Eph. 6:4) which includes protection from such divisive practices. Conclusion: For all of the reasons offered above, I cannot in good conscience recommend that a Christian practice yoga—even if they suggest limiting themselves only to the physical postures and breathing exercises. In the case of yoga, where it becomes quite difficult (if not impossible) to separate the non-Christian religious and philosophical ideas from the physical postures and breathing exercises, my own advice would be to recommend a different exercise program, one that would help relieve pain or stress without potentially compromising your spiritual health as a Christian.