Author Wants to Enlighten Christians About Yoga's Demonic Influence
by Natalie Harris
June 15, 2006
(AgapePress) - - Christian author Dave Hunt, co-founder of the Oregon-based ministry, The Berean Call, has written a new book called Yoga and the Body of Christ. In it, he contends that yoga is a spiritually dangerous practice designed to expose people to demonic influences. While conducting research for the book, Hunt says he studied the roots of yoga and interviewed many people who have practiced it. As a result of his investigation, he says he has concluded that the techniques employed in yoga are not designed primarily to promote health but to put participants in a mental state similar to that of hypnosis.
And it is not those critical or skeptical of yoga who are confirming these conclusions, the author points out. "These are the yogis, now. These are the people who developed it," he insists. "These are the people who practiced it, and they warned [that] you must always have your guru present when you get into this state of consciousness, because you could be taken over by some evil entity."
The group of ancient Hindu spiritual practices collectively known as yoga originated in India and remains central to a number of Eastern religions, including Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism. Many practitioners view its techniques as a means of seeking higher states of consciousness, being and "enlightenment," while others see yoga primarily as a technique for improving fitness and flexibility or reducing stress.
The elements of yoga are sometimes adapted to meet the needs of non-religious practitioners and those of other faiths, including Christians. But Hunt insists there is no way to modify this inherently spiritual practice to make it acceptable for Christians.
"If you want to benefit yourself physically," the author says, "then do exercises that were designed for that. Do not get into things that were designed for self-realization and to 'realize that you are God.'" He also urges Christians, "If you want to do some exercises, please don't call it yoga, because as soon as you do, you've put a certain connotation on it."
Modified or not, Hunt says, yoga is a Hindu-based spiritual practice that he believes exposes those who participate in it to demonic influences. As such, he says, no form of the practice can rightly be termed "Christian yoga," as there is simply no such thing.
The North American studio alliance estimates that as many as 30 million people are practicing yoga in the United States alone.
Natalie Harris is a summer intern/reporter for American Family Radio News, which can be heard online.
