The devil is a wonderful evangelist! His agents are consumed by a desire to spread his snares among Christian peoples. The coarser forms of spiritualist religions were scorned by the people of the west; but the idea that ‘secret powers’ were known by these eastern ‘masters’ had a great drawing power. Satan just loves to reinforce these ideas with his parlor tricks.

In the earlier days of colonization of the east, when Protestantism was strong, the basic attitude was that all this stuff was of the devil, benighted and heathen and not at all attractive to an enlightened Christian.

After spiritualism had its rise in the west, gradually the ideas of the ‘mysterious east’ were found attractive.

In the 19^th century, mesmerism, mediumism, séances, and ghost hunting became the socially popular thing. The concepts of Hinduism, reincarnation, and secret powers were hungrily studied and sought after. As the Bible fell into disrepute more and more because of the rise of evolution and ‘higher criticism’, people were sitting ducks for the cunning eastern swamis, gurus and spiritual masters from the East. Satan prepared the way and then sent his missionaries into Europe, Britain and America in the late 19^th and early 20^th centuries. Demon angels gave to these people a hypnotic charm by which many were ‘snared, and taken’ into Satan’s ranks.

In the late 18^th century, many Yoga Gurus began to specially train men to come to America and promote the practices of Yoga, working wonders before the astonished westerners and forever implanting the idea that, ‘Yes indeed, there is secret knowledge and powers in the East that transcend anything the west has ever known. One example will be given:

One of India’s famous miracle working ‘holy men’, Paramahamsa Madavadaji, trained one of his best pupils, Shri Yogendra a 6 foot tall, handsome, light skinned, high caste Hindu, and sent him on a mission to New York city. When he arrived, he hit the west like a storm, putting on demonstrations of his ability to control the autonomic nervous system of his body almost completely. He could slow or speed his heart rate at will, and when dripping icy cold sheets were wrapped around him, he could quickly dry them by increasing his body heat. He had many tricks in his bag of Satanic goodies, and yet his behaviour and deportment were as virtuous and noble as anyone could ever ask for. His influence and that of other Hindu apostles to the west was very great.

The movie industry and radio plays, then in their infancy, were also quickly put to work to promote this idea of strange secret powers, held by certain eastern masters, that could be of great service to any who could learn them. Hundreds of radio plays, theatrical programs and the early movies put out the ‘gospel of the eastern wonder-workers’ about secret knowledge and powers that were very valuable to mankind and really prove Christianity wrong. Everything eastern was romantic and wonderful, from the ‘Sheik of Arabi’ to "The Shadow", with his strange, eastern powers.

The First World War did a little to slow this spiritualistic tide sweeping westward, but not much. Through the thirties, entertainment swarmed with these mysterious ideas, which implanted deep in our cultures the belief that eastern knowledge has secret power that is very useful and valuable. None of us are fully free of this notion except those deeply steeped in the light of God shining from Holy Writ!

The second WW and the conflict with Japan, brought into public attention the skills of JuJitsu and Judo. Quickly these arts became necessary branches of study for military training. But the interest was fitful through the late 40s and the prosperous, fun oriented 50s.

In the 80s and 90s, even the existing churches began promoting the concepts from the heathen practices of the East, as worthwhile knowledge, fully compatible with Christian values. Oh sad day! "How is the mighty fallen?" They fell because of ignorance, neglect of, and rejection of the pure Word of God! Workshops and classes in churches all over began to teach eastern ideas and practices as helpful to health and spiritual growth.

The YMCA and YWCA has become a fountain of instruction in heathenism through Yoga classes, mediation for relaxation classes, self help and positive thinking classes, Tai Chi for the older folks, and Martial Arts for the young. The philosophy minded folks reveled in classes on world religions, Hinduism and Buddhism. The basic tenant of all spiritualism, "Forbid not!" "Do not condemn!" "Have an open mind!" "Don’t judge other religions!" "It’s all really the same anyway!" has become the watchword for the river of heathenism deluging the West.

The ‘New Age’ movement became the watchword for ‘natural healing’ all mixed with subtle heathen and spiritualistic ideas. Eastern heathenism is now so intermixed into our western culture that it is now just taken as normal!

Have Advent believers kept away from the muddy edges of this torrent of heathenism?? Sad to say, many have not. Even among us today are church members, even pastors, who promote, practice and even teach the various Martial arts. Classes, even held in church buildings teach Tai Kwan Do, Kick Boxing, Karate, mediation techniques, and various ‘arts’ from Eastern heathenism. Often the plea is that it is a good way to get the outsiders into our churches and then we introduce principles of "Our Health Message" to them. Even our hospitals have been active in offering classes in Yoga, Touch for Healing, various types of hypnosis and the list goes on and on in infamy!

1. Kung Fu – The great grandfather of all ‘martial arts’, was developed in China by both the Taoists and Buddhist monks. It was supposed to help these spiritually minded monks to be able to live in peace and protect themselves from marauders and military aggressors. It was also developed as a way for the Chinese Buddhists priests and monks to retain some physical fitness, as their religion taught that the highest aim was to just sit around cross-legged and do nothing, think nothing, and accomplish nothing. Of course this would cause a person to become very physically unfit. He would look just like the bloated, roly-poly idols they worshipped. Soon the ‘Arts’ became an end in themselves and the famous school at Shao-Lin Temple became a Martial Arts center. Kobo Diashi, a great Japanese explorer, went into China and from there brought back a form of Buddhism and he is credited with importing the Chinese Martial Arts into Japan. The methods spread into all oriental countries and eventually they each had their own systems of Martial arts.

2. Judo & Jujitsu – This Japanese art became well known as the allies confronted the Japanese in WW2. It consists largely of grappling techniques that allow a person to deflect and throw an attacker. It also has a sophisticated system of striking certain vulnerable points on an attacker’s body.

3. Akido – This is a lesser known Japanese art that teaches no aggressive attack methods at all, but only methods of deflecting or immobilizing an attacker.

4. Karate — This is an art largely based on striking and kicking certain vulnerable points. People are fascinated by Karate experts’ ability to break boards or bricks with a blow of the hand or foot. It was made very popular in the West by the 3 movies of ‘Karate Kid’ produced by Hollywood in the 80s. (It is interesting that in each of these ‘Karate’ movies, the hero’s secret method by which he finally won his battles, were actually Kung Fu and not Karate at all.)

5. Tai Kwan Do, Kick Boxing — these are arts largely focused on using the feet to strike the vulnerable points of an enemy. They practice to be able to reach very high with a kick, using the feet to even strike the head of an opponent.

6. Ninjitsu – A lot of exciting Japanese produced movies and cartoons have popularized the concept of the Ninja as a sort of Japanese superman. The art was developed in Japan during a time when there were warring chiefs and much aggression in the nation. The actual martial arts are basically the same as the others, but techniques for camouflage, hiding, moving silently and so on are emphasized. The use of almost anything as a weapon and herbal poisons were also methods prized by the Ninja.

7. Zen Buddhism — This is not martial art per se, but its philosophy is found in most of them. Basically it is pantheistic and teaches that there is really no true knowledge, everything is just vague and the highest aim for man is to do nothing and sit around, meditate and ask unanswerable questions. ("But avoid foolish questions. . . for they are unprofitable and vain." Titus 3:9) All spiritualism has an ability to give the person who studies it the certainty that there is great wisdom to be had, if he just searches a little deeper, but he finds that the ‘great wisdom’ just recedes before him. It is like trying to go to the end of a rainbow. The devil’s so-called ‘wisdom’ is just convoluted foolishness.

8. Tai Chi — This ancient art comes out of Chinese Taoism and no doubt has roots in ancient sun worship. Part of the duties of a worshipper of the sun was to go out at dawn and do certain ritual movements and/or cleansings. Tai Chi consists in a long series of movements that have to be memorized and are performed in a sort of slow motion dance. It was a form of Martial art and the ancient Tai Chi masters were fearsome warriors, but now it is thought of as a good form of exercise for all people, especially the elderly. At dawn, in parks in China, (and now all over North America) you will see hundreds of people doing the Tai Chi ritual. The movements claim to promote physical health, but its concepts are totally pagan and spiritualistic. It is really a type of transcendental meditation in motion. It is done in the early morning as it is believed that more ‘chi’ (free-floating vital energy) is available at that time. The whole set will take about an hour to do and every one of those movements have to be memorized and performed just so. It can take years to learn the whole thing. Christians have better things to do with their time!!

9. Chi Kung — There are other forms of exercises that are done in the belief that they allow the person to tap into sources of vital power from nature. Tai Chi is a form of Chi Kung, but there are many other forms. They all consist in ritual movements practiced daily in a series to increase ones ‘chi’ or vital energy. The whole concept is from heathen pantheism, and ancient ideas of magic and sorcery. The spiritualist ideas being taught under the name of ‘touch for healing’, are related to these false concepts.) People believe that ‘chi’, the vital power of nature, can be passed from one person to another, gathered from nature and so on. Chi Kung masters can ‘throw their chi’ and strike a person on the other side of the room with either helpful or harmful effects. Any person familiar with Bible truth knows that this is just another one of Satan’s parlor tricks. What strikes the other person for woe or weal is done by Satan’s angels, not the person and not a secret power of nature!

10. Yoga & Meditation Techniques — Yoga exercises were first developed by an ancient Hindu who wanted to help Hindus to prepare for death and the entry into the spirit world. Truly it shows the sinuous windings of the serpent that these days in the west, Yoga is thought to be the best way of promoting life and better health. Although the stretches and exercises can help to limber the body, it is impossible to get into Yoga without opening the door to all kinds of heathen philosophy and satanic teachings!

There are some concepts in Yoga that APPEAR to parallel God’s health reform message; Vegetarianism, simple, natural living, cleanliness, and exercise. However these are all interwoven with spiritualistic thought. In other words, what right it does teach is all for wrong reasons. Their vegetarianism for example, is because of the belief that we can be reincarnated into the form of an animal. (Do you want to eat old Uncle Harry for lunch?)

There are many types of Yoga, the name simple means a path whereby to ascend to higher spiritual levels. Hatha Yoga is the exercise path, then there is one form that uses ascetism and bodily austerities (this is where the Papacy got its monk and nun ideas). Kundalini Yoga is a form that seeks to develop the hidden ‘serpent’ energies and so obtain great powers. Mantra Yoga chants certain sounds or phrases over and over again. Tantra Yoga seeks to gain mystical powers through ritualistic sexual indulgence. Satan may have strewn many sweet flowers over the cesspool of Yoga, but its ill savour still rises as an abomination in the sight of God! It is a ‘path’ all right—not to better health, but to Satanic control and possession. Yoga’s meditation ideas of sitting around cross-legged and trying to empty the mind, is just like hanging out an invitation to demons to move in and take over. Advent believers should realize that God cannot add His blessing to any of these eastern modalities, no matter how much they may claim to promote good health—there can be no lasting good health benefits when one is separated from God!

The Fact is that ALL of these eastern practices have their roots in Pagan Heathenism and the lies of Satan! Every one of them are forms of religion. People who deny this, and say you can practice them without picking up the religious side are telling you that one can roll in pitch and not be blackened. Spiritualism is all through every one of these modalities and Satan leads every person that gets involved in them, for whatever motive, into winding and devious paths.

Why are our people being fooled by these things??? Why has a formerly Protestant Christian nation been led to accept these things as virtuous and normal?? It is the same answer in each case: it is an increasing ignorance of, neglect of, and rebellion against the clear Word of God, that leaves people so vulnerable to deception!

Now I ask you, is there anything that is truly good and worth having that has not been given to us by God in the Bible & SOP?? ("He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? Romans 8:32) Why do we suppose that God’s children have to paw through the dumpsters of heathen religions—religions that God destroyed whole nations for the practices of—religions that He calls abominable—in the hope that there may be some scrap of worthwhile information that we should latch onto and carry back with us into Adventism?

There is often some scraps of nourishing food to be found in a garbage dumpster, but is it sensible to paw through filth to find them when we are invited to sit down and feast freely at the table of the heavenly King? The Lord in Jeremiah 2 talks about people leaving the ‘fountain of living waters’ to hew out cisterns that can hold no water!

There are several false beliefs that lead to this:

This concept reflects the false idea that Mrs. White herself was the ‘source’ of the testimonies that came from her pen. The Holy Spirit was the true source of these writings, and do we foolishly suppose that there are any ‘secret sources of enlightenment’ in the heathen world that God is ignorant of? If there were such things, would not God have been quick to enlighten His people?

The devil knows more about the health of the human body than any person on earth, we can be sure of that. And if he sees fit at times to use some genuine truth to promote his traps, is it to be wondered at? It is usually good food that is placed to bait a snare or trap. Also error is a parasite, it has to be mixed with some truth or no one would be fooled by it!

It is not hard for Satan to allow a few of his special agents to live ‘good’ lives when it fits in with his plans to deceive. Also, those who have gone below the surface with some of these ‘holy’ people have found that this goodness is only a very shallow veneer. You see, it is easy for man to put forth from the mouth, great wisdom and lofty sentiments; but without the enabling power of Jesus, it is impossible for man to actually live a godly life. This is true for all, whether heathen or Christian.

There is a world of difference in teaching that Sunlight, Pure water, Fresh Air, and Nutritious food are good for our health, than to teach that these things are parts of a universal god and by partaking of them we absorb universal energies and merge into god.

"But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also." Matthew 5:39 I would have a very hard time to explain these words of our Savior in His Sermon on the Mount if I believed that self-defense was desirable and needful for a Christian. Besides, I would far rather have the protection of holy angels than the best I could ever learn to do to defend myself! If we opt to defend ourselves, God leaves us on our own to do just that.

PRIDE just seems to bloom in the heart of anyone who gets mixed up in Eastern philosophies whether Martial Arts or Yoga or Chi Kung. It can even be a PRIDE of ones naturalness and humility. Pride is one of the main characteristics of spiritualism. (Ye shall be as gods!) All these systems of eastern philosophies have this in common, they all cultivate pride. Because as you progress in Buddhism, Zen, Taoism, martial arts, Yoga or such things you become more proud and self centered. They teach humility, but it is an external type of ‘wearing of sackcloth’ put on to disguise the pride within.

Leading people into contempt for the Word of God is one of Satan’s specialties. Many of us would rather suffer physical abuse than be scoffed at and laughed at. The few that have ever escaped from the snares of spiritualistic concepts have a hearty respect for those ‘old fogies’ that warn against these subtle errors.

A Century ago in Battle Creek, spiritualistic ideas were brought in contact with the youth through magic shows etc. Ellen White wrote: "Oh, I would rather, had it been a son of mine, to have him lying in his coffin…" (than to have come into such influence) "Oh, that he had never brought himself in connection with the powers of darkness. It is directly in connection with the powers of the devil, with principalities and powers, and it is the wicked one that is at work—Satan behind the scenes—and yet we do not perceive his power." 2 SAT 63

It would be better for our straying youth to never enter the church than to bring the snares of the devil into its holy precincts to lure back the worldly minded and in so doing snare the faithful! The spiritualistic subtleties of Hinduism and Buddhism are almost impossible to break free from.

Yes, just as it was important to promote Ba’al worship in ancient Israel.

How can we call people out of darkness, by inviting them into darkness?? This whole idea borders on blasphemy. "What communion hath light with darkness? And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols?... 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 Corinthians 6:14-17

God’s people have often stumbled into the idea that because they are ‘special’ to God, they can go anywhere and do anything and somehow God will protect them from Satan’s snares. This is presumption of the worse kind. If any power is going to ‘bless’ this person, it is the devil—as he then becomes a powerful agent for bringing evil into the churches. God does not and will not use satanic methods and God does not play favorites!

This is a sad error that many ‘sincere’ Christians use to excuse their pursuit of that which is unwise and unholy. The truth is that once we set one foot on the devil’s ground, he muzzles us, and even when glaring opportunities occur giving an opening to speak up, the Christian finds himself silenced in some strange way. BUT when he is among Christians, he is a fountain of witness as to the virtues of the Satanic arts he is mixed up with. One person of this writer’s acquaintance found themselves party to a discussion about the truth or fallacy of reincarnation—and was unable to even say a word in defense of truth! The satanic powers had shut his mouth.

(The same argument is used to promote military training among us) It is not proper godly respect, it is animal respect: I respect you because you can kick my head off, if I study hard and learn to kick your head off, then you better respect me!

It gives much lip-service to good values, but the fruits are not there. The ‘spiritual emphasis’ is pure spiritualistic heathenism.

All eastern philosophy is extremely self-oriented and inward focused. It is the dead opposite of real Christianity!

Actually, many forms of Martial Arts are very harmful to the body and often result in serious injury, just as do many sports. Healthful exercise is found in walking, hiking, gardening etc. and in doing useful and helpful work.

If you study reality, you will find that Martial Arts are used for aggression as much or more than for pure self defense. You know the old story, ‘He started the fight when he hit me back!’

Being a born again Christian and having the fruits of the Holy Spirit in one’s life is the only way to really help people.

Many a timid child has become a bully himself through such ‘helpful’ training. Learning to trust in Jesus is the best help for a frightened child.

Well, who cares which is blacker, the pot or the kettle? Martial arts ARE competitive sports and that is a fact. They also foster pride, aggression, self centeredness and many other traits that a Christian would want no part of.

"Take heed to thyself that thou be not snared by following them . . . that thou enquire not after their gods, saying, How did these nations serve their gods? even so will I do likewise…every abomination to the LORD, which he hateth, have they done unto their gods; . . .What thing soever I command you, observe to do it: thou shalt not add thereto, nor diminish from it.  Deuteronomy 12:30-32

God knows the tendency of man to want to embroider God’s commands with his own ideas. He warns us not to take away from His Word and also NOT to ADD anything of our own to it either.

"Therefore thou hast forsaken thy people the house of Jacob, because they be replenished from the east, and are soothsayers like the Philistines, and they please themselves in the children of strangers." Isaiah 2:6

Those who mix with these things alienate themselves from God, drive away the Holy Spirit, and put themselves where, ‘though they make many prayers, God will not hear them!’ This writer knows of those who found this to be all too true in their own experience. As soon as any eastern religious practices are brought into the life, though one may pray ever so earnestly, the heavens are as brass above them. The only prayer God waits to hear from such people—is the prayer of repentance and surrender.

"But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear." Isaiah 59:2

"And when ye spread forth your hands, I will hide mine eyes from you: yea, when ye make many prayers, I will not hear:. . ." Isaiah 1:15

All these things are branches of spiritualism—heathen devil worship! True Christianity has nothing in common with these practices. (Always realize that Roman Catholicism has no problem with heathenism, they can blend in with any pagan teachings, because they are really from the same pagan roots.)

It is interesting that even these spiritualist eastern teachers will tell you that you will be very unlikely to ever be able to commune with their god. You may try for a whole lifetime and maybe receive some vague enlightenment at the end. Their god is just a vague impersonal, implacable force, not a personal loving heavenly Father. But what is God’s promise to us? "And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart." Jeremiah 29:13 "I have not spoken in secret, in a dark place of the earth: I said not unto the seed of Jacob, Seek ye me in vain: I the LORD speak righteousness, I declare things that are right." Isaiah 45:19

We were told that the true ‘health reform’ message as give to us in the SOP is the ‘right arm of our 3rd angel’s message’; well, Satan has a right arm to his messages too! He knows that people today are desperate for better health and vitality, thanks to all the sin he has been promoting in this world, this world is a vast Lazar house. Few people have ‘perfect health’! So by combining subtle spiritualist error with some of the truth of natural health teachings, he has got millions flocking into what is essentially Hinduism and Buddism, Zen, Taoism and Shintoism under other names. Satan plays games with people’s feelings and emotions and they think they have stumbled upon some valuable health knowledge when it is just bait put out to lure them to destruction.

These ‘Arts’ are subtle deceptions and start out with what seems to be a truly natural and good, healthy physical development. Emphasis on exercise, physical culture, and self discipline, practicing to gradually build up the body, strength and skill seem totally to make sense; and as Satan begins to bring in spiritual blindness, the concepts appear to be really amplifications of true health reform. But bit by bit, subtle spiritist ideas come in. The concepts of pantheism, reincarnation, reaching out to spirit powers in nature and beyond.

Every Eastern art has a sort of continuum, starting with the natural, going on into the subtle gray areas and ending up in concepts of pure spiritualism. The lines dividing the true and natural from the spiritualistic and finally clear demonism are very vague and shadowy. For example, teachers of Yoga exercises, Kung fu and Tai Chi etc. will always naturally encourage their new students to practice, practice, practice, which is the natural way to develop any skill. But they will also later inform their students that the higher masters do not practice at all, but just meditate day after day, and it is through meditation only that the more powerful abilities are developed.

What does this tell you? Does it make sense from a natural and physical point of view that those who don’t practice have higher abilities than those who do? Where are these ‘so-called abilities’ really coming from?? There is only one answer; they come from demonic sources. As people progress in Martial arts, Zen, or Yoga, they come more and more under the complete control of satanic agencies, until demon powers can use them to demonstrate their deceptive miracle working wonders. "For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles…" Revelation 16:14 Showing "… great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect." Matthew 24:24

"And ye shall be holy unto me: for I the LORD am holy, and have severed you from other people, that ye should be mine." Leviticus 20:26

"Now these things were our examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted." 1 Corinthians 10:6

"They … were mingled among the heathen, and learned their works. And they served their idols: which were a snare unto them." Psalm 106:34-36

"Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come. Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall." 1 Corinthians 10:11

"He who overcomes must watch; for, with worldly entanglements, error, and superstition, Satan strives to win Christ's followers from Him. It is not enough that we avoid glaring dangers and perilous, inconsistent moves. We are to keep close to the side of Christ, walking in the path of self-denial and sacrifice. We are in an enemy's country. He who was cast out of heaven has come down with great power. With every conceivable artifice and device he is seeking to take souls captive. Unless we are constantly on guard we shall fall an easy prey to his unnumbered deceptions." Amazing Grace 332

"Do not enter into self-defense, but pass along doing your duty with perseverance." Upward Look 139