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So What’s the Big Deal? Can’t We Just Re-label and Enjoy the Benefits?
The main thing for a Christian to consider is that many religions have ritualistic practices or works specifically created for followers to worship or reach their gods. Terminologies from these worldviews and concepts based in misguided “half truths” are ways the devil can undermine a Christian’s foundation in Jesus Christ. Participating in these forms of idolatrous practices—whether for physical exercise, self defense or in order to become a better equestrian—brings Christians back to the reality of being guilty by association. You may not really “believe” the “weird parts” of that particular religion but are participating in the fun, physical stimulating activities it offers. Again this runs contrary to Ephesians 5:11’s command to have no fellowship with the works of darkness.
And yet, many professing Christians are still comfortable with participating in such activities as yoga, yogilates and martial arts that find their origins in Hindu and Asian religions. Is it really possible to use the good parts of these movements and throw out the trash?
Well, even the Hindus don’t think yoga is compatible with Christianity. Hindu yoga practitioner, Rajiv Malhotra writes that “Christian Yoga” is an “oxymoron” and that professed Christians’ efforts to neutralize yoga into a Christian framework are “unhelpful to both yoga and Christianity.”25 His article reveals that “Yoga is a do-it-yourself path that eliminates the need for intermediaries such as a priesthood or other institutional authority.” In other words, in yoga there’s no room for Jesus Christ as a personal Lord and Savior.
Similiarly to yoga, most martial art forms—where many popular teaching techniques for riding can be harmonized—are undergirded with pagan Eastern religion philosophies. I became aware of the correlation of what is taught in martial arts and in many popular fundamental riding principles by reading a horse book. “In order to coordinate all your aids in a smooth and harmonious fashion, you must have a strong central focus. This focusing or centering is referred to as the ki by aikido masters. The ki is the life energy, which has the potential to give body movements a controlled power…Open your mind to the development of this energy body. Does such terminology have the flavor of an Eastern philosophy? Most definitely.” 26 If you scratch the surface of many popular horsemen and women in therapeutic riding, natural horsemanship, dressage, etc., you can find similar teachings with those perportrated in karate, taekwondo, judo, etc. Upon researching the term “ki” (can be referred to as “chi”), I discovered that this concept is indeed apart of an idolatrous practice called Qigong, considered an Eastern art with deep roots in Shamanism, Buddhism, Taoism and other offshoots of Asian religions. 27 A former martial art practitioner reveals that “training in the fighting martial arts cannot be separated from the religion(s) in which they were founded.” 28
While it may be possible for some horse clinicians and instructors to offer correct information within a false concept, we must remember that a partial truth is foundationally a lie. Ascribing to instruction based in unchristian philosophies is enough to allow compromise and doctrinal doubt to invade our Christian walk. As Christians we must guard against placing our minds at the disposal of others. “What fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness?”…What agreement hath the temple of God with idols? For ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you” (2 Cor. 6:14, 16-17).
Does this mean we throw out horses or being kind in our treatment of them? Are we to quit trying to improve our training techniques? Of course, not! What this means, is that we as Christians must not seek the wrong sources of education. Philosophies and practices that don’t line up with scripture must be discarded.
“Horsey—Tell Me Your Troubles…”
Animal Communicators or Interspecies Telepathic Communicators (as some call themselves) are another product of paganism that we face today.
" Being able to converse or talk to animals is considered a gifted profession. These "communicators" are positive that animals are spiritual beings like humans. Each communicator has different "psychic" communicative abilities which include: talking to dead animals, discerning whether the animal is ready to die and also discovering the animal’s "family history." Advertisements say these "animal counselors" can simply "talk" to the animal over the telephone." 29
Many “Animal Communicators” advertise themselves as Reiki Masters. Again we find that Reiki stems from Eastern religion—this time the Japanese variety. Boldly put, Reiki is a form of witchcraft. The ability to use Reiki is not taught but is a power transferred to students from the Reiki Master “enabling” Reiki practitioners to “tap into an unlimited supply of "life force energy" to improve one's health and enhance the quality of life.” 30
The Bible is very clear on condemning all occultism, all idolatry, and any doctrine that contradicts the very establishment of our Righteous God.
”There shall not be found among you any one that maketh his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, or that useth divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch. Or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer. For all that do these things are an abomination unto the LORD: and because of these abominations the LORD thy God doth drive them out from before thee. Thou shalt be perfect with the LORD thy God” (Deuteronomy 18:10-13).
The Power of Horses Heals?
An increasing emphasis is being placed on horses having the power to heal people and the ability to “connect you with your soul; because that's what horses can do when you are willing to embrace what they so naturally and beautifully reveal to you. These magnificent beings, through their presence and grace, can raise our consciousness, peel back the layers to uncover our true selves, and show us how to shine with brilliance. ” 31 For some equestrians, it just seems natural for them to glorify the horse as being capable of supernatural abilities. Yet, God never intended for horses to hold such a place of honor in our lives. “An horse is a vain thing for safety: neither shall he deliver any by his great strength… I am the LORD: that is my name: and my glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to graven images” (Psalm 33:17; Isaiah 42:8).
Many wonderful improvements to people’s health have come through riding and handling horses. Horses are indeed marvelous animals, capable of being sensitive and responsive to human emotions, such as, anger, fear, tension, affection, happiness, etc. However, horses are not humans. There are limitations to how horses respond. Horses can sense our emotions, as they sense a fly on their back or a rattlesnake in the brush, yet they do not offer us a solution to our problems. The God of all comfort wants us to come to Him for our solutions—not to one of His inventions!!! “Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God. For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ” (2 Cor. 1: 3-5).
Instead of being “mystically” powerful in and of themselves, horses reflect their Maker’s power (Hast thou given the horse strength? hast thou clothed his neck with thunder? Job 39: 19). The Lord gave us the horse as a gift 32 to subdue, to care for,33 to be enriched by,34 and to train. 35 It was God that created the horse so suitable to man’s benefit to every detail. Even a horse’s movement and length of stride simulates the average human’s ambulation making these equids such suitable therapy modules for special needs riders! God foresaw the need for horses in our generation of surging human disabilities. At the very beginning, our Lord even equipped horses to serve mankind with their unique three dimensional movements to help strengthen humans’ muscular tone, respiration, mental organizational processing, and all the other wonderful benefits horse riders enjoy. While handling horses and riding them can improve people’s mental and physical conditions, yet, only Jesus Christ is the Great Physician.36 It was Christ the Creator Who invented this fabulous therapy tool! 37
“Some trust in chariots, and some in horses: but we will remember the name of the LORD our God” (Psalm 20:7).
Good Christians—Hold Fast!
In our Christian homes, it is likely we do not have literal “golden calves” to show obeisance to. Yet, we have a responsibility to purge ourselves from any philosophies denying the Sovereignty of God that might be in the books, movies, TV shows, magazines, newspapers and more that we enjoy. Any teaching contradicting what God reveals in the Holy Scriptures—that teaching is not the truth.38 As 2 Corinthians 10:5 teaches us, we are to bring every thought to the obedience of Christ. This takes some renewing of the mind and discernment as so many idolatrous ideologies can subtly creep into our mindsets before we are aware. 39
An excellent rule of thumb to guard from being “tainted” by mistruths is to be grounded—saturated—in the truth of scripture.40Let the Lord’s literal revelation of scripture, not man’s opinion of scripture, guide your actions.As Christians, we do not need to be fluent in paganism. We just need to be thoroughly equipped in the knowledge of the Lord through His scriptures and the indwelling of the Holy Ghost. “But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts; be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear” (1 Peter 3:15).
The quest for knowledge, peace and satisfaction for a Christian must always be coupled with discernment and a foundation on scriptural direction. We are told in the scriptures to be sober and vigilant41, to resist to devil42, to stand fast43, to hold on to the truth44, to take every thought captive,45 to put on and use the armor and weapons that the Lord provides.46 In other words, as Christians we are soldiers in a rigorous spiritual war—in all facets of life.47
As true Christians, we must be vigorously awake spiritually, actively cultivating righteousness and constantly renewed in the mindset of Jesus Christ. All this is necessary if we are to remain disillusioned and unspotted from the world. We must stay focused on our leader, Jesus Christ to escape the whiles of the devil, who seeks trap us in deceit and doubt concerning the truth of the Bible.
There is an authentic path to Christianity for all people. The path is found in Jesus Christ Who tells us He is “the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh to the Father but by me” (John 14:6).
“Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it” (Matthew 7:13-14).
“Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life” (John 8:12).
Acknowledgement: Special thanks to Dr. James J. S. Johnson for reviewing this article!
References
1. The horse industry is larger than the movie, railroad, furniture and fixture industries.
4. McFarland, Alex, et. al. Rose Book of Bible Charts 2, Bristol Works, Inc.,
6.Acts 17:24
10. 2 Timothy 3:16
15.Isaiah 9:6
16. James 1:5
17. Matthew 16:24-25
20.Psalm 1:1-3
25. Malhotra, Rajiv, “A Hindu View of ‘Christian Yoga’”, http://www.huffingtonpost.com/rajiv-malhotra/hindu-view-of-christian-yoga_b_778501.html ,
27. Gillies, Alister, “The History of Ki in Asian Martial Arts, http://alister-gillies.suite101.com/the-history-of-ki-in-asian-martial-arts-a202076,
28. “Christian Martial Arts: The Bible on Fighting Arts”, http://heavenlymanna.net/christianArticle.php?article_id=112 ,
29. Holt, Rebekah, “Animal Souls, Slaughter and the Bible” ,
30. What is Reiki, www.reiki.org,
31. Reach Out To Horses, http://www.reachouttohorses.com/books.html ,
32.James 1:17
33.Genesis 1:28
35.James 3:3
39.Romans 12:2
41.1 Peter 5:8
42.James 4:7
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