Part 5 – Christianizing the Force
Read Part 1: Star Wars Awakens
Read Part 2: Merchandi$ing the Force
Read Part 3: Manipulating the Force
Read Part 4: Syncretizing the Force
To open their eyes,
and to turn them from darkness to light,
and from the power of Satan unto God,
that they may receive forgiveness of sins,
and inheritance among them which are sanctified
by faith that is in Me.
and to turn them from darkness to light,
and from the power of Satan unto God,
that they may receive forgiveness of sins,
and inheritance among them which are sanctified
by faith that is in Me.
(Acts 26:18)
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| Exhibit: The Martial Arts born from Indian/Chinese Yoga[110] |
More than a clear understanding of the Bible and the Christian way of life, instructors need to have God’s blessing to facilitate the development of youth in the martial arts and the Christian way of life, by meeting their unique needs.
~ Wendy Williamson, Black Belt Instructor,
Author of Martial Arts, the Christian Way[111]
~ Wendy Williamson, Black Belt Instructor,
Author of Martial Arts, the Christian Way[111]
By Gaylene Goodroad
YOGA: Mother of the MARTIAL ARTS
During the past few years, many strong voices within the Church have sprung up, sounding the alarm concerning the spiritual dangers of Yoga. They expressed concern as so-called “Christian” Yoga groups cropped up all over the country seducing unsuspecting believers away from the simplicity in Christ. Many of these discerning speakers and authors have not made the connection with the Martial Arts to its Eastern mother, Yoga.
This troubling oversight is what prompted me, in part, to write about these things, especially as I searched in vain to find thorough warnings on this subject. As evidenced in Part 4 of this article series, the syncretism of Christianity with the Martial Arts is proliferating at an alarming rate. Just as believers who practice Yoga will assert that they are divorcing the movements from its Eastern religion foundation, the same is being claimed by those who practice Martial Arts. What most avid practitioners of both systems do not realize, however, is that they are dabbling in Eastern religion even if they don't recognize it. This Eastern mystical way opposes Christianity—and it is a spirituality that will seduce them away from Christ and into the occult. (Read my testimony in Part 1.)
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| Luke’s ‘pose’ during his Jedi Force training on Dagobah [112] |
& the Martial Arts
So how are the two seemingly separate body disciplines alike? Let’s begin with the mother, Yoga. Candy Gunther Brown, author of The Healing Gods, has accurately struck to the core of Eastern Yoga:
Efforts to secularize or Christianize yoga often result in superficial relabeling rather than creation of fundamentally distinctive practices…. The earliest-known written references to yoga are in what people today identify as Hindu texts. [They] describe yoga primarily as meditative disciplines, the purpose of which is to withdraw one’s senses from the world to yoke with the divine, or Brahman….[113][bold added]
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| The Kundalini – The Ki Force illustrated via Yogic Meditation [114] |
In order for one to “withdraw his/her senses from the world” and “to yoke” with the Hindu god, the practitioner has to master certain meditative poses (postures, positions) and thus awaken the sleeping serpent at the base of the spine through meditation, unleashing the kundalini or Ki Force. As mentioned in Part 1, these meditative Hindu practices were the very teachings that the forefather of Yoga and the Martial Arts carried with him from India to China, and hence to the rest of the world (see map at top of this post):
These yogic disciplines were designed by Bodhidharma to facilitate Eastern meditation… and spiritual enlightenment:
…The renowned Indian Buddhist monk Daruma Taishi journeyed overland from India to China to instruct the Liang-dynasty monarch on the tenets of Buddhism… he explained to them that, although the aim of Buddhism is the salvation of the soul, the body and soul are inseparable and in their weakened physical state they could never perform the ascetic practices necessary for the attainment of true enlightenment.
To remedy the situation he began to teach them a system of physical and mental discipline embodied in the I-chin sutra… [Chinese book of divination] ~ Hidetaka Nishiyama, Grandmaster, Japan Karate Association Deshi (Student) of Gichin Funakoshi[115][bold, underlining added]
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| Bodhidharma: Forefather of Yoga & the Martial Arts[116] |
In agreement with this history, master Yoga instructor and author Paul Jerard has written several articles documenting the kinship of Yoga and the Martial Arts, many of them republished in online publications such as Yoga Magazine. In “The Foundation of Martial Arts – Yoga,” Jerard explains how the two faith systems are bound together in perpetuity:
At first glance, Martial Arts and Yoga seem like opposing forces and philosophies, but these two health maintenance systems have more in common than meets the eye. For a moment, consider the similarities between Tai Chi and Hatha Yoga. Within the warm up, you notice very similar movement, philosophy, and principles.
Why does "climb the mountain" stance look so much like Warrior I posture? Is it coincidence, luck, or a common link? Why does Kundalini have movements that resemble punching, kicking, and martial arts foot work? Are Kung Fu forms an extension of Vinyasa? Each has been referred to as meditation in motion.
The place of origin, for most Asian martial arts, is agreed to be the Shaolin Temple. Apparently, the monks at the Shaolin temple had become very proficient at meditation, but had not developed a health maintenance system to sufficiently train their bodies.
In the sixth century A.D., Bhoddidharma, [sic] a visiting Buddhist monk, from India, began to teach the monks at the Shaolin temple, a form of physical health maintenance, which is believed to be Yoga. It is also said that Boddidharma was a member of the Warrior caste. Therefore, he should also have had working knowledge of Kalarippayat; an indigenous Indian Martial art…. After all these years, it looks like Yoga and martial arts will be together again.[117][all emphasis added]
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| Martial Arts meditation[118] |
In the history of martial arts, Bodhidharma holds a special place. The third son of an Indian king in the 6th century, he left his homeland and journeyed by boat and then on foot, from South India to China. Eventually arriving near the famous Shaolin temple, it is said he sat in meditation facing a wall for nine years. Suitably impressed with his great spiritual power and discipline, the monks at the temple asked him to teach them his methods for gaining enlightenment. He began to teach them the Chan (later Zen) method of seated meditation. The monks at the time, so the legend goes, were learned academicians who spent most of their days translating and commenting upon the ancient texts. Although they had much book knowledge, they had little practical experience with this new form of meditative practice, often falling asleep during protracted sessions of seated meditation considered necessary for gaining enlightenment. To improve the monk’s physical and mental health, Bodhidharma devised and taught them a series of static and moving yoga-like exercises that are now usually called 18 Monks Boxing, the Sinew Change Classic and the Marrow Washing Classic. Although many variations exist, posturally, these ancient exercises show the influence of classical Hatha Yoga and even Kalaripayat (a complex fighting art from ancient India). [119][bold, underlining, color added]
According to Leporati, Bodhidharma's “series of static and moving yoga-like exercises” were eventually adapted into Martial Arts “fighting movements” while maintaining their yogic postures.
The monks did indeed eventually grasp Bodhidharma’s transmission of Chan Buddhism and, in time, adapted the postures he had taught them into fighting movements. Thus, this enigmatic and austere monk earned his place in history as not only the 28th Patriarch of Chan Buddhism, but also as the first Patriarch of Zen Buddhism in China and the father of Shaolin Temple Boxing…
[T]here is little doubt that the figure of Bodhidharma casts a long shadow in terms of his influence on both Buddhist thought and Shaolin Boxing. Still, less discussed is the monk’s importation and propagation of certain yogic principles and ideas that seem to have been influenced in their character by Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras, the foundational work of Raja Yoga….[120][bold, color added]
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| Teaching children to fight (Source) |
YOGA, MARTIAL ARTS & The FORCE
Leporati also highlights the sobering fact that Bodhidharma’s “uniquely yogic approach” and “contribution to Shaolin Temple Boxing” which came to be known as Kung Fu, also “raises levels of internal bodily energy (kundalini Shakti).” This is otherwise known as Serpent Power, or the Star Wars Force (Ki), as explained in Part 1. Leporati documented Kung Fu's relationship to Yoga:
The Sinew Change and 18 Monks Boxing sets attributed to Bodhidharma confer strength and flexibility on the body. The Marrow Washing set raises levels of internal bodily energy (kundalini shakti) and strengthens and elongates the spine, thereby tonifying the nervous system. Although methods of physical conditioning were also well-known in China prior to the appearance of Bodhidharma, it is in this uniquely yogic approach that Bodhidharma’s contribution to Shaolin Temple Boxing shows itself to be a profound step towards achieving what the old Tai Chi proverb encapsulates also as the goal of Tai Chi Chuan: “the health of a lumberjack, the pliability of a child and the peace of mind of a sage.”
Although Shaolin Boxing, Tai Chi and Hatha Yoga are distinct vehicles in and of themselves for achieving higher states of consciousness if practiced with the proper intention, they can also be, as Bodhidharma recognized, invaluable conditioning tools for formal seated meditation.
Shaolin Boxing then and Pantajali’s Yoga share a common ideational structure. Although kung fu as practiced at Shaolin Temple continued to evolve into the complex and the deadly science of fighting we understand it to be today, this art was and is still profoundly shaped by the ethical precepts codified in the yama-niyama of the Sutras and the on-going re-shaping of perception that is Chan Buddhism, thus giving even further credence to the old Chinese axiom that states: “Kung fu begins with the conquering of the opponent and ends with the conquering of the self.”[121][bold, red added]
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| Dave Hunt’s 2006 expose’ on ‘Christian’ Yoga |
The late Dave Hunt further connected Yoga to the Martial Arts in his power-packed little book, Yoga and the Body of Christ: What Position Should Christians Hold? Hunt specifically examines the spiritual connections:
The true yogis from India, however, refer to yoga as a means of arousing spiritual energy that they believe generates amazing psychic powers that could be very destructive… what is this “energy” to which Ken Harakuma [yoga instructor] (and others) are referring? Is this the ki, or chi, of martial arts, which has no physical explanation and clearly comes from the spirit world? Yet in spite of warnings backed with factual data about its dangers—and that it can even open the door into the occult—yoga continues to grow in popularity everywhere.[122][bold, red added]
Hunt highlights the occult power of kundalini (popularized as the Star Wars Force.) He then lays out the spiritual snares encountered by anyone attempting to awaken the Kundalini (i.e., Star Wars Force), whether professing Christian or not, warning:
...[Y]oga, though parts of it may be physically beneficial, was designed—through its physical positions, stretching, and breathing exercises—to yoke practitioners with the Divine allegedly within us all. One cannot adopt even the physical aspects of yoga without becoming spiritually ensnared. This is a fact rooted in history, which no amount of denial by Western yoga instructors can change. It is true that the yogis asanas (physical positions) can have a dramatic effect upon the body and may even lead to improved health. Likewise, the pranayama (regulation of breathing) may seem to do the same. The ultimate goal of all yoga, however, as [Carl] Jung clearly understood, remains the awakening, through the asana and pranayama, the Kundalini “divine power,” portrayed as a serpent coiled three and a half times when at rest at the base of the spine. Awakened, it moves up through the seven chakras along the spine and bursts into the “thousand-petalled lotus” in the cerebral cortex.
At the point, the yogi is flooded with the divine ecstasy of the alleged union of atman (the individual self) with Braham (the universal self), resulting in the self-realization of “that thou art.” This could involve tantra, with uncontrollable sexual urges, and other dangers. Thus the ancient texts warn the novice yogi coming into self-realization always to have his guru present for protection from potential disaster. Such is the clear caveat repeated by all of the ancient founders of authentic yoga. Tragically, this fact is either not known to, or is deliberately ignored by, most yoga instructors in the West today.[123][bold, underlining, red added]
We examined the Martial Arts manipulation and manifestation of this Ki Force (kundalini) in Part 3 of this series, and delved into its connection to the popular Star Wars Force in Part 1. Thus, having documented the solid historical connections and spiritual linkages between the two systems, we can conclude the same spiritual dangers lurking in Yoga also apply to the Martial Arts. These are sobering facts to consider while reading the following sections of this report.
Can a man take fire in his bosom,
and his clothes not be burned?
(Proverbs 6:27)
and his clothes not be burned?
(Proverbs 6:27)
Master Pastors
Yoga and Martial Arts continue together in popularity—even amongst Christians—with most practitioners not recognizing the mother and child relationship of these two systems. Christian Martial Arts evangelists do not consider that the very forms, techniques, and breathing regimens adopted from these Eastern occult traditions carry embedded within them a dark spirituality that can and does destroy those who practice them. These systems cannot be Christianized any more than Hinduism, Buddhism, or Taoism can be Christianized. Yet many practitioners attempt to do this. It is therefore not surprising that there are prominent Christian pastors teaching these Eastern disciplines—alongside the Bible—and many of them are Masters in the Martial Arts.
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| Kung Fu San Soo Diamond Bar website [124] |
For example, one pastor links to his Kung Fu website directly from his church's webpage:
Kung Fu San Soo Diamond Bar teaches the ancient art of self-defense, brought to America by Jimmy H. Woo in 1935. Pastor Raul Ries is one of Grand Master Woo’s first generation students and he has two assistant Masters that have trained for many years with him. The studio focuses on the main tenants of the art: confidence, morals, values and hand to hand combat. This ministry allows you the opportunity to grow and develop in Kung Fu; as well as, fellowship and receive Godly instruction.[125]
This Kung Fu “ministry” purports to help practitioners “grow and develop in Kung Fu” as well as “receive Godly instruction,” thus mixing the two. On a separate website, highlighting this pastor’s direct lineage to the Grandmaster of this particular Kung Fu system, a brief biography is given. Notice this explanation:
As a Christian Pastor and a Master in the art of Kung Fu San Soo, Raul has been asked many times about the conflict between the two. Because Lo Si Fu never taught the mysticism associated with Kung Fu, he does not see a conflict. Lo Si Fu did not rely on mystical powers, but confidence in one’s abilities. He would always say, “You can take my life, but not my confidence.” Lo Si Fu dedicated his life to teaching Kung Fu San Soo, in its’ purist form. In memory of his dedication and leadership, whose presence surpasses words, Raul has continued on, in this tradition.[126][bold added]
Sadly, the fact that this Pastor/Master “does not see the conflict between the two”—the Martial Arts and the “mystical powers” inherently connected to them—does not nullify the dark truths documented in this article series. Kung fu cannot be divorced from its Eastern mystical roots any more than Yoga or any other Martial Arts forms can be compartmentalized from the underlying Eastern spirituality.
On the same Master/Pastor's biography website, his brother—also a pastor—is also listed among many other notable Kung Fu Masters. But unlike the first, this other brother's martial arts activities appear to be conducted independently from his church. Take special note of what he says about protecting the purity of the Eastern discipline he’s mastered:
Jimmy [grandmaster Woo] greatly opposed the integrating or mixing of other arts, whether it be with the intent to better the art or to create a new one, he was committed to keeping the art pure as it had been handed down to him by his ancestors.[127][bold added]
Notice how fervently as this Kung Fu Master endeavored to keep his Martial Art free from foreign corruption. Oh, that Christian believers and pastors would be just as committed to keeping the faith, ‘once for all delivered to the saints’ (Jude 1:3) pure from these Eastern influences and syncretic efforts! Dave Hunt made this exact point in his book warning Christians about Yoga and the Martial Arts:
“Christian yoga”? How could that be? The falseness of such an idea should be clear from the fact that yoga originated long before Christ was born and He certainly never practiced, taught, or commended it. Neither the apostles nor the early church engaged in yoga. One cannot just adopt a religious practice and call it Christianity. This faith was “once [for all] delivered to the saints,” and believers everywhere and at all times are exhorted to “earnestly contend” for it (Jude 3). It is therefore dishonest to introduce some new element—particularly something like yoga, which comes from Hinduism—and call it “Christian”.... If the Word of God is no longer the Christian’s guide, what kind of “Christianity” could the practice of yoga be?... Those who teach and practice “Christian yoga” must have therefore departed from Scripture.[128][bold, red added]
Can it likewise be said that those who teach and practice ‘Christian’ Martial Arts have “departed from Scripture”? (See 1 Tim. 4:1.) Given the historical and spiritual correspondence between Yoga and the Martial Arts documented earlier in this article, this becomes a legitimate question.
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| Note the 666 logo |
Martial Arts
in the New Age
Historical Eastern Martial Arts mysticism, just like Yoga, is an essential component of the modern New Age Movement. Christian discernment expert Ray Yungen authored a excellent book titled A Time of Departing about the New Age spirituality that has infiltrated much of the church today, specifically devoting an entire chapter warning about the “Yoga of the West.”
Dave Hunt spent chapter 3 of his book Yoga and the Body of Christ connecting the Eastern philosophies of Yoga to New Age Spirituality, especially noting the influence of Marilyn Ferguson’s blueprint for launching the New Age Movement, her book The Aquarian Conspiracy.[129]
Pastor Larry DeBruyn warned about this same sort of syncretism[131] in his article “YOGA: Posture to Apostasy: Can yogic practices be integrated with the Christian faith?”:
Christianity cannot be integrated with yoga and remain Christian. To think otherwise mindlessly imperils the Christian truth and faith. As the managing editor of Hinduism Today, Sannyasin Arumugaswami, remarks:
"Hinduism is the soul of yoga ‘based as it is on Hindu Scripture and developed by Hindu sages. Yoga opens up new and more refined states of mind, and to understand them one needs to believe in and understand the Hindu way of looking at God.... A Christian trying to adapt these practices will likely disrupt their own Christian beliefs’."
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| Note the 3 logos of The Combat Team[130] |
Wedded to the Hindu system of philosophy and psychology, Yoga refers to “the mystical union with the universal spirit.” Yoga practices are meant to aid practitioners experience oneness with the cosmos.
…East is east, and west is west, and if Christianity is to remain Christian, “the twain,” meaning yoga and Christianity, should never be integrated. The soul that is engaged to Jesus Christ cannot commit spiritual harlotry by flirting with the yogic practices intended to introduce them to Hindu gods. As John the Apostle wrote: “Little children, guard yourselves from idols” (1 John 5:21).[132][bold added]
Christianity cannot be integrated with the Martial Arts—the offspring of Yoga—and remain Christian. The “twain” do not meet nor mix.[133] The underlying Eastern monistic belief system is totally at odds with Christ and His Word. (This “all is One” New Age connection to the Martial Arts was highlighted in Part 2.) Nevertheless, “Christian” Martial Arts ministries are proliferating at an alarming rate.
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| Another 666 logo, on top of a cross. (Source) See also: http://symboldictionary.net/?p=159 |
Despite the strong warnings from Scripture against mixing darkness with light, e.g., the integration of the Martial Arts into Christianity, a simple Google search will pull up hundreds of thousands of “Christian” Martial Arts websites. Several of these “ministries” were profiled in Part 4. Notice how many of them are mixing Martial Arts with evangelism:
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| Martial Arts is a component of The Daniel Plan[134] |
- Rick Warren’s Saddleback Church and satellites: A total body workout for any age or shape. Great cardio, strength and conditioning, muscle toning through martial arts/self defense drills. Build God's temple to live out His purpose![135][bold added]
- Mighty ministry: Ministry and martial arts go hand-in-hand at one northwest Oklahoma City church. At 5:30 a.m. each weekday, the Rev. Tom Lyda dons his martial arts uniform to teach a taekwondo class at New Covenant Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)…. Lyda, a taekwondo black belt, is one preacher who packs a powerful punch. “This is soul, body and mind — it’s the whole thing,” he said of his martial arts class.[136][bold added]
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| Pastor/Martial Arts sensei Lyda leading a Bible study[137] |
- Gospel-Centered Martial Arts: College Park Church has partnered with the Gospel Martial Arts Union [GMAU] to provide an academy for gospel-centered martial arts in our church. This academy offers level-specific training for kids (ages 5 and up) and adults in a context of discipleship. Gospel-centered martial arts provides [sic] skills that can help kids and adults prevent, defuse, and end physical and emotional attacks. But it also provides an arena to build relationships and be discipled as we use our minds and bodies together.[138][bold added] [Ed. Note: The GMAU is profiled in Part 4.]
- Jesus-Centered Karate: A church is using a Karate Club rather than a Bible Club to teach Christians to imitate the life of Jesus and walk in His footsteps. Values best exemplified by Jesus Christ such as respect, self-control, responsibility, community service, self-confidence, perseverance, and love is now being translated into Karate kicks and blocks at Judah’s Lions, a ministry of the Michigan-based Hidden Springs Church..... “What better item or focus to have a karate club centered around than the Lord [who] embodies the same traits the martial arts focuses on?” The church-based club offers students self-defense techniques combined with Christian teachings.[139][bold added]
- Martial Arts to teach biblical principles: When Jim Scott teaches strikes, punches, roundhouse kicks and other taekwondo moves, he’s got more in mind than the stereotypes people get from martial arts movies. Scott said he’s thinking fitness, character development and yes, self-defense. He said he’s also thinking biblical principles and the opportunity to share Jesus Christ with others. Victory Taekwondo is more than a taekwondo school. It’s a ministry of Shady Grove Baptist Church, where Scott has served as pastor since 2012. “It’s an outreach ministry we started in January that teaches biblical principles through practical application,” Scott said. “… It’s a way to share the Gospel and God’s word through a fitness program....”[140][bold added]
- Martial Arts Chaplaincy: [Fran Pultro is] the lead chaplain-pastor of the Christian Black Belt Association (CBBA), a national organization of Christian martial artists. His first lessons were at the Chuck Norris studios in California before Norris became a famous actor and author of bestselling books, The Secret of Inner Strength, and The Secret Power Within: Zen Solutions to Real Problems… Many Christians, according to Pultro, do not believe the martial arts is compatible with Christianity, but the support of being with other Christian martial artists helped develop the martial arts chaplaincy within CBBA. He said many of the chaplains in the CBBA had been military chaplains, and the program is modeled after military training…. Pultro is also the editor of Wisdom for the Warrior: the Bible for Martial Arts.[141][bold and red added] [Ed. Note: Chuck Norris is profiled in Part 1 & Part 3; the WWB Bible is cited in Part 4]
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| Fran Pultro (red) Pastor/Chaplain Martial Arts [142] |
- The Karate Church: Some ministers preach in robes, some in fine three-piece suits. Pastor Rod Brayfindley prefers karate clothes…. For Brayfindley, karate was a good way to provide such residents with a nonthreatening introduction to the church and its teachings.… Yet the dichotomy of basing a church that preaches peace on a sport often perceived as violent isn’t lost on Brayfindley…. Mark McGee, who heads Grace Martial Arts Fellowship in Tampa, Fla., said the Eastern religious nature of some martial arts practices also poses some conflicts. “I came to see how well they work together as I studied the martial nature of Israel in the Old Testament and saw that God had purposed for them to fight, win and conquer countries and civilizations,” McGee said.... Most of all, the karate program brings Brayfindley and the congregation a sense of credibility and connection in the community. “If they come here for the karate and happen to discover the church, that’s fantastic,” Brayfindley said. “If they never do begin attending the church, that’s OK, too."[143][bold, red added]
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| ‘Christian’ Combat Team gives karate demonstration in church[144] |
Can Christians Be Martial Warriors?
From these and other excerpted testimonies, the reader will notice the unbalanced approach of relying solely upon the support from the Old Testament in order to justify the combat nature of the Martial Arts within Christianity. But even with wrested support from God’s Word, the Eastern religious nature of some Martial Arts practices also poses conflicts for “Christian” martial artists. Many strongly defend what they do. They make peace with the stark contradictions by further skewing the Scriptures towards the Old Testament. Pastor Mark McGee in the example above confesses, “I came to see how well they [Eastern concepts mixed with fighting techniques] work together as I studied the martial nature of Israel in the Old Testament and saw that God had purposed for them to fight, win and conquer countries and civilizations.”
Readers will recall from Part 4 that Psalm 144:1 is a favorite theme verse for many Christian Martial Arts ministries: “Blessed be the LORD my strength, which teacheth my hands to war, and my fingers to fight.” In this Psalm King David, the man of war, is simply blessing the LORD for giving him strength in battle during a very difficult time. This verse does not sanction the Eastern Martial Arts—nor the core mystical beliefs rooted in them. This Old Testament verse (and many others like it) is being taken out of its proper context and misapplied to Martial Arts—in Christ’s name!
In the Church age believers are called to view the Old Testament through the lens of the New, not the other way around. There is no biblical support in the New Testament for a “Christian” Martial Arts. It’s simply not found. Troubling implications arise when one considers that the Dominionists use this same unbalanced approach in attempting to support their aberrant theologies via the Old Testament in isolation from the New.[135] Both groups employ warrior language and spiritual imagery—including practicing spiritual formation/disciplines to attain (by the flesh) higher levels of perfection. But the Martial Arts practitioners take it a step further by teaching forms of actual physical warfare. Both groups not only find themselves at odds with God and His Word, but are actively engaged in leading many people astray.
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| Exhibit: The Warrior Bride of Dominionism depicted [146] |
“For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.”
(2 Cor. 10:3-5)
Carnal or fleshy weapons would include fists, feet, and other body parts used to inflict harm on others. (See the detailed list in Part 4.) It is especially egregious to discover professing believers attempting to use such fleshy arms (and the Ki Force)—in conjunction with evangelizing the lost with the Gospel of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!
Matthew Henry eloquently explains this New Testament passage quoted above (2 Corinthians 10:1-6). Take special note of “the appointed means” (which “appears feeble to some”) that God has ordained to defend against “the reproach of men” and to conduct godly “spiritual warfare”:
2 Cor. 10:1-6 While others thought meanly, and spake scornfully of the apostle, he had low thoughts, and spake humbly of himself. We should be aware of our own infirmities, and think humbly of ourselves, even when men reproach us. The work of the ministry is a spiritual warfare with spiritual enemies, and for spiritual purposes. Outward force is not the method of the Gospel, but strong persuasions, by the power of truth and the meekness of wisdom. Conscience is accountable to God only; and people must be persuaded to God and their duty, not driven by force. Thus the weapons of our warfare are very powerful; the evidence of truth is convincing. What opposition is made against the gospel, by the powers of sin and Satan in the hearts of men! But observe the conquest the word of God gains. The appointed means, however feeble they appear to some, will be mighty through God. And the preaching of the cross, by men of faith and prayer, has always been fatal to idolatry, impiety, and wickedness.[147][bold and red added]
Indeed, “outward force”, i.e., Martial Arts, “is not the method of the Gospel.” But the Word of God tells us what is “mighty through God”: “the preaching of the cross, by men of faith and prayer.” This God-given means has “always been fatal to idolatry, impiety, and wickedness.” This is God’s true plan. We dare not fight against it. But those pragmatic souls, who attempt to improve upon what the Lord God has written, actually become agents of darkness, not of light.
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| Martial Arts Ministries with postures.[148] |
“Warriors” of Light and Truth... or of Darkness?
Charisma Magazine recently published an insightful, yet troubling, article entitled “Warriors of Light,” highlighting the considerable attempts currently made by professing believers to Christianize the Eastern Martial Arts in an apparent bid to be more seeker sensitive. But are Christians to be “warriors” in the physical sense in order to reach the lost with the message of Christ? Or is this Martial Arts gospel in reality a false gospel? The author adopts a pick-and-choose approach to seeking truth:
Though some Christians denounce all forms of martial arts because of ties to Eastern religion, others use karate, tae kwon do, tai chi and jujitsu to reach seekers with the message of Christ.[149][bold added]
The message of Christ is lost in a sea of mixed religious signals as the founder of the Kung Fu style cited in this article unsuccessfully attempts to divorce his authentic Eastern religious art from its roots in order to re-frame it within the secular American mindset of “health and fitness.” Astute readers will notice the similarities to the arguments used to justify Yoga as merely “health and fitness”:
Grandmaster Pui Chan, founder of the Wah Lum Kung Fu Temple, insists his Chinese martial arts school is not a religious institution--it just appears that way. The green-roofed, redbrick building set amid bamboo trees on a 1.2-acre site in Orlando, Florida, could be mistaken for a Buddhist temple. Two lion statues guard its entrance, and statues of Buddha and other gods perch over a main room inside. Before classes start, students bow at an incense bowl and an altar adorned with photographs of dead Chinese kung fu pioneers. "The temple is not about religion," Chan maintains. "I'm Buddhist, and my wife goes to Catholic Mass weekly, but we don't teach religion here. It's about health and fitness."
Chan, 65, is a well-known figure in the martial arts. He immigrated to the United States in 1968 and brought with him a personal expertise in Wah Lum, a kung fu discipline that originated in China almost 400 years ago. He opened his school--the first of its kind in America--in 1980. Today he has more than 30 similar schools worldwide.[150][bold, red added]
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| Grandmaster Pui Chan website [151] |
The doublespeak of the “Christian” martial artist below, schooled at conservative Dallas Theological Seminary, who has examined Chan’s “Kung Fu temple,” muddies the waters even further:
His Orlando temple is an anomaly, according to Keith Yates, a Christian martial artist whose graduate thesis at Dallas Theological Seminary examined the spiritual aspects of martial arts. Yates points out that the majority of martial arts schools are secular. "Are the martial arts intrinsically spiritual? The way most Americans practice it, no. It is simply another form of exercise or sport," says Yates, 52, who holds the highest attainable 10th degree black belt in tae kwon do. "On the other hand, the Asian founders of the martial arts certainly did think there was a spiritual aspect to their art and practice."[152] [bold added]
So according to these so-called experts, is it right or wrong for a Christian to practice the Martial Arts—or attempt to Christianize them? The subtle answer seems to be that it doesn’t matter one way or another. Despite the utter confusion regarding this important issue, the Charisma article appears to give positive weight to the Martial Arts by pragmatically documenting the burgeoning popularity of the Martial Arts within the American culture—as well as the swelling approval within the Christian community—regardless of any Scriptural prohibitions in doing so. Notice that it is benignly referred to a “sport”:
Warriors for Truth - Whether spiritual or secular, martial arts have mushroomed in popularity in American culture since the early 1970s when they rose to prominence with the TV show Kung Fu. More than 5 million Americans and as many as 1 billion people worldwide practice karate, kung fu, jujitsu or other self-defense styles, according to Frank Silverman, executive director of the Martial Arts Industry Association. Nationwide, he says, there are more than 30,000 martial arts schools....
Coinciding with its rising popularity among the general public, the sport has been embraced by many churches and Christians who have launched ministries that they say reach an untapped segment of society. "There are many people who will come to a karate demonstration who will never come to a church service," says David Clinard, 40, president of 600-member Fellowship of Christian Martial Artists (FCMA), an organization in Charlotte, North Carolina, that emphasizes evangelism and discipleship training.[153][bold added]
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| Exhibit: ‘Warriors of Truth’ disturbing imagery[154] |
But perhaps these budding Martial Arts adepts, “untapped segments of society,” are attending these spectacular karate demonstrations in droves for the entertainment value alone, rather than to know Christ and Him crucified. In light of these troubling trends within Christianity, take note of the various Christians such as “Warriors of Truth” in this Charisma article who have embraced the Martial Arts, they say, in order to evangelize the lost. (Other ‘martial arts evangelists’ were cited in Part 4.) As I read these testimonies, I wondered whether the folks smitten by these organized Martial Arts events were merely captivated by the karate demonstrations they witnessed rather than by the Gospel of Christ, or if even it was clearly presented. The Charisma article listed several examples of Martial Arts evangelism:
Jesse Vaughn, 45, an FCMA member and a Christian who has been involved in martial arts for 33 years, says he has organized evangelistic martial arts outreaches at which people have responded to an altar call to receive Christ. "People are really captivated by martial arts," says Vaughn, who has started a martial artists group called Warriors of Light. "But they don't always see a live display of martial arts. They'll watch you, and if you don't talk too long, they'll listen to you."
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| Another disturbing logo (Source) |
Jeff Naayers, 41,... who started Wah Lum Kung Fu and Tai Chi of U.S.A. in Columbus, Ohio, which has about 250 students, says the opportunity to use the [martial] arts as a gospel tool is unique. In the last three years more than 70 students at his school have received Jesus or rededicated their lives to Christ. "It's the only thing that is in every culture. Every society in the world practices some form of martial arts," says Naayers, who attends a charismatic church in Columbus. "Because of that it gives us a commonality and a vehicle to share the gospel."
James Sang Lee, a black belt in kung fu and tae kwon do who has a self-defense workout video series, says he has been able to lead many people to Jesus through his martial arts skills. "It has served well as an icebreaker," says Lee, a 31-year-old Chinese American...." It has also helped break the language barrier because martial arts is visual and needs no English to share as an activity to connect with people," he told Charisma. [155][bold added]
The question must be asked how Lee “has been able to lead many people to Jesus” without communicating the Gospel using language, which, according to Lee is a barrier. The images that lost men and women see in a “visual” art form, like the Martial Arts, cannot save them from their sin, the devil, nor the world. Only the Holy Spirit, working through the spoken or written Word of God, can perform that eternal work, “quick, and powerful, sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” (Heb. 4:12)
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| Example: (Source) |
The Charisma article continues by illustrating how other devoted “Christian” martial artists have feverishly endeavored to “reclaim this ‘taboo’ art.” The question then arises: reclaim the Martial Arts from whom? New Agers? Buddhists? Satan? This admission belies an obvious consciousness of guilt. Why attempt to reclaim or sanctify Eastern practices that have long been deemed ‘taboo’ or forbidden by the Lord?
Reclaiming a 'Taboo' Art - Burton Richardson, 41, a contributing editor for Inside Kung Fu magazine for more than 12 years and a martial arts instructor in Hawaii, told Charisma that "it is fascinating to see the absolute explosion of Christian-based martial arts."...
[H]e cites a full-time pastor in Florida--Christian Harfouche... as an example.... "This is a trend that has come to the forefront very recently as more and more Christians look for martial arts training but are wary of looking into a school because of the fear that they will become indoctrinated into a mystical approach that contradicts their faith."
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| Exhibit: Grandmaster/Pastor Christian Harfouche [156] |
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| Exhibit: Black Belts for Christ logo[158] |
Pastor Harfouche, and other Christian martial artists profiled in this Charisma article, once again rely solely upon biblical support from the Old Testament to “reclaim this once “taboo” art form. Heavily dismissing its Eastern occult roots, he instead searches for and finds “biblical roots” where there are none. As mentioned previously, there is no biblical support in the New Testament for these so-called Christian Martial Arts “ministries”. It’s a terribly deceptive mixture because it leads people away from the simplicity of the Gospel of Christ and into the throes of darkness. For example:
...Harfouche says the disciplines have biblical roots.... "I discovered that the Assyrian and Persian armies from the Old Testament were called military arts, which is where the word martial comes from," he notes. "Also in the Bible, King David's mighty men were utilizing martial techniques on the battlefield. The nation of Israel had its own military arts, but they were serving Jehovah."
According to the Gospel Martial Arts Union, one of several Bible-based martial arts organizations in the country, a careful reading of Judges 6-7 "shows the foundational principles of martial arts techniques in Gideon's most notable battle"….[159][bold added]
This pastor has even resorted to turning poor Gideon into a martial artist! Fully aware of the Eastern roots of the Martial Arts, the Christian martial artists profiled in the Charisma article opt for a more compromising solution to this undeniable problem. They point to the popular trending of its more secular aspects as justification for supporting it and ignore the spiritual harm. Note the following admissions:
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| The Combat Team drawing a crowd (Source) |
Secular vs. Spiritual - What about concerns by Christians that the disciplines are associated with Eastern spirituality? Leaders of martial arts ministries maintain that the majority of martial arts schools do not offer any sort of spiritual program. "The trend is going more secular," Vaughn told Charisma….
Vaughn and Naayers--who are sifus, or master kung fu instructors--are longtime students of Chan's, who in addition to founding the country's first Wah Lum temple brought the Shaolin Buddhist Monk tour to America in 1991 for the first time. Both men are keenly aware of the religious undertones of the kung fu system, which draws from philosophies taught by three major Asian religions: Buddhism, Taoism and Confucianism….
Downplaying the spirituality of his style, Chan claims bowing and incense burning are mere gestures of offering respect to his deceased martial arts instructors. Chan now primarily teaches tai chi, which is rooted in Taoism, a Chinese mystical philosophy. Chan's temple, which numbers more than 300 students, displays yin and yang signs--the black-and-white, round Taoist symbol that represents cosmic principles from a Chinese dualistic philosophy….[160][bold, red added]
Signaling to readers that this approach might not be fully effective, these “Warriors of Truth” claim additional protection by having invoked “the blood of Jesus” while visiting the Shaolin Temple—the birthplace of Yogic Kung Fu. Unfortunately for them, and others who follow after them, this sort of Christian incantation does not inoculate anyone in blatant disobedience to the Lord and His Word:
Naayers--who has formed Warriors of Truth... says they have "prayed and pleaded the blood of Jesus," while visiting the Shaolin Temple, located near Zhengzhou, China.[161][bold added]
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| Yeshua-Do Founder – Sensei/Rev. Vitold Jordan, 7th Dan Black Belt[162] |
It is chilling to contemplate that the “something down the road that is going to happen in the Wah Lum [Kung Fu] system,” may be judgment and not blessing. Among the Christian Martial Arts Organizations positively cited in the Charisma article, those emboldened below, have been cited in Part 1, Part 3, and Part 4 of this article series:
- Christian Black Belt Association
- Christian Martial Arts Association
- Chuck Norris
- Fellowship of Christian Martial Artists
- Gospel Martial Arts Union (GMAU)
- International Christian Karate Association
- Warriors of Truth Ministries
‘Christian’ Teachers of ‘The Way’
& the Star Wars Ki Force
To further underscore the extremes martial artists have gone to sanctify these unbiblical Eastern religious practices as “Christian”, many have produced training manuals and teaching guides to supplant the Bible on this important matter. (Other so-called Christian martial arts courses and teaching materials were examined in Part 4 of this series.) Additional “Christian” resources are profiled in my updated e-booklet, My Life in “the Way”, which includes the following two examples:
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| Exhibit: “Christian” Kundalini, i.e., The Force |
The back cover of Michael Chen’s book, Christianity & Martial Arts Power, reads in part:
“…Chen deftly illustrates the correlation between Christian tenets and traditional martial arts chi kung concepts. Throughout the book, he uses numerous appropriate and instructional passages from the Holy Bible and connects them to essential martial arts concepts such as chi, or life energy….”[bold added]
While Mr. Chen, and authors like him, presents much biblical truth, serious problems arise in his pursuit to marry this truth to the ungodly Eastern mysticism. One glaring example is found on page 14 of Mr. Chen’s book:
“…For the Christian, chi is the power of God active within the individual….”[bold added]
In citing equality between the impersonal ‘chi’ (ki) force of the Far East and the Holy Spirit of God—the third person of the triune godhead—Mr. Chen has committed blasphemy (See Jn. 16:7-14; Rom. 15:13, 19; 1 Cor. 2:4; 1 Thess. 1:5). Putting a “Christian” imprimatur upon such error in no way sanctifies the Martial Arts, but further highlights the unholy mixture of two incompatible belief systems. Practitioners beware![163]
For an example of how this is justified, see this excerpt from Wendy Williamson's Martial Arts, the Christian Way:
“Martial arts, the Christian way, is an excellent tool for educating young people about the Lord Jesus Christ. It brings them to accept Christ as their personal savior; teaches them how to love the Lord God with their bodies, minds, and souls (Matthew 22:37, Mark 12:30, Luke 10:27); draws them near to the Holy Spirit, who instills the Fruit of the Spirit in their beings (Galatians 5:22-23); shows them how to put on and wear the Armor of God (Ephesians 6:10-18); and encourages them to fulfill the great commission of God (Matthew 28:16-20).
It accomplishes all of this through the presentation of Biblical doctrine and a methodology that works for modern-day youth.” [bold added][164]
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| The Bible PLUS Martial Arts = Error |
Unfortunately, many of the biblical texts cited in Ms. Williamson’s book are grossly misapplied and often conflict with sound doctrine. Referencing 1 Timothy 4:7-8, the author makes the statement: “…In keeping with this teaching, Christian martial artists spend their time and energy physically training for spiritual fitness…”[bold added] Is this what the apostle Paul is teaching from this passage? Read the verse:
“...exercise thyself rather unto godliness. For bodily exercise profiteth little: but godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come.” (1 Tim. 4:7b-8)[164]
This biblical passage actually negates what Ms. Williamson is teaching her readers. Physical disciplines can in no way perfect the spiritual fitness of a person; that job belongs to the indwelling Spirit of God (See: Gal. 3:3; Rom. 8:5-8). Teaching that Martial Arts methods, techniques, and philosophies can in any way sanctify a believer is heretical and deceptive. God calls His believers to be separated from this mixture of truth and error—and those who propagate it (See: 2 Cor. 6:14-18; Rom. 16:17; Deut. 4:2; Prov. 30:5-6).
Wendy Williamson has since published a ‘Christian’ Martial Arts curriculum designed to impart her own recipe of the Bible plus the Martial Arts. In the photo below, note the ‘karate fist salute’ imposed over the Cross, a symbol of Christ’s death for helpless sinners.[165][bold added]
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| Note the “Christian” Warrior Salute overshadowing the Cross |
THE TRUTH:
Nearly twenty years ago, in his landmark book, Occult Invasion, Dave Hunt warned about the flood of darkness invading the Church of Christ. Even then, he alerted us to the dangers of the Star Wars Force and the true source of its birth:
The Star Wars film series started a trend 20 years ago. George Lucas promoted witchcraft by introducing the Force with a dark and a light side (black and white magic). The Jedi knights were the followers of the “old religion,” another name for Wicca, or witchcraft. The laser sword was not a weapon but a divination device which only those initiated into its powers could use. Luke Skywalker couldn’t make it work until he learned to go into an altered state and “let the Force take over.” Obi Wan Kenobi became Luke’ spirit guide, communicating with him from the other side. Darth Vader, who seemed the embodiment of evil, turns out to have U Thant’s inner perfection and joins Obi Wan on the other side of death, thus revealing the oneness of all. Yoda is a yogi who teaches Luke the power of positive thinking. For millions of young children the occult Force took the place of God.[166][bold added]
But quite astonishingly in this hour, the “millions of young children” who used “the occult Force” in “the place of God” are now multitudes of professing believers and even Christian pastors! This is a sobering indictment upon our generation. I admonish those, who practice the dark things examined in this article series, with the words of the apostle Paul, “And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed. The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light.” (Rom. 13:11-12)
“He that loveth his brother abideth in the light,
and there is none occasion of stumbling in him.”
(1 John 2:10)
and there is none occasion of stumbling in him.”
(1 John 2:10)
“This is the message we have heard from Him and announce to you,
that God is Light,
and in Him there is no darkness at all.
If we say that we have fellowship with Him
and yet walk in the darkness,
we lie and do not practice the truth;
but if we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light,
we have fellowship with one another,
and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin.”
(1 John 1:5-7)
that God is Light,
and in Him there is no darkness at all.
If we say that we have fellowship with Him
and yet walk in the darkness,
we lie and do not practice the truth;
but if we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light,
we have fellowship with one another,
and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin.”
(1 John 1:5-7)
“Therefore come out from among them,
and be you separate, says the Lord,
and touch not the unclean thing;
and I will receive you.” (2 Cor. 6:17)
and be you separate, says the Lord,
and touch not the unclean thing;
and I will receive you.” (2 Cor. 6:17)
Endnotes:
110. This map was adapted by the author based on martial arts training. See Gaylene Goodroad, My Life in ‘the Way’: From the Broad Way of the East to the Narrow Way in Christ, 2009 e-booklet, (revised and expanded 2014), pg. 7.
111. Wendy Williamson, Martial Arts and the Christian Way, Agapy Publishing, Kalamazoo, MI, 2002, pg. 54. Bold and color added.
112. Exhibit taken from: https://veganninja.wordpress.com/tag/touring/.
113. Candy Gunther Brown, The Healing Gods: Complementary and Alternative Medicine in Christian America, Oxford University Press, New York, 2013, pg. 46.
114. Exhibit taken from: http://www.christianresearchservice.com/yoga/.
115. Gaylene Goodroad, My Life in ‘the Way’: From the Broad Way of the East to the Narrow Way in Christ, 2009 e-booklet, (revised and expanded 2014), pg. 7. See: Hidetaka Nishiyama & Richard Brown, Karate, The Art of “Empty Hand” Fighting, Charles E. Tuttle Company, Rutland, Vermont, Tokyo, 1959, 1960, pg. 35. See also: http://www.hidetakanishiyama.com/.
116. Exhibit taken from: http://www.bodhidharma.co.in/monks.html.
117. Paul Jerard, “The Foundation of Martial Arts – Yoga”; see: http://ezinearticles.com/?The-Foundation-of-Martial-Arts---Yoga&id=112543 and http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Paul_Jerard. See also: http://www.kicksmartialartsupply.com/files/My%20Library/article18.pdf and http://www.yoga-teacher-training.org/index.html.
118. Exhibit taken from: http://goldenleopard.info/2010/03/28/how-to-become-a-martial-arts-instructor/.
119. John Leporati, “The Scholar Warrior-Bodhidharma and Patanjali: The Father of Zen and The Father of Yoga,” Martial Arts View.com; see: http://www.martialartsview.com/index-24.html.
120. Ibid. Leporati, Martial Arts View.com.
121. Ibid. Leporati, Martial Arts View.com.
122. Dave Hunt, Yoga and the Body of Christ: What Position Should Christians Hold, The Berean Call, Bend, OR, 2006, pg. 44.
123. Ibid, Hunt, Yoga and the Body of Christ, pp. 38-39.
124. See: http://www.calvarygs.org/ministries/kung-fu-san-soo/.
125. Ibid. Pastor Ries’ church website; see: http://www.calvarygs.org/ministries/kung-fu-san-soo/.
126. See: http://www.kungfusansoo.com/KungFuSanSoo/Instructors.html.
127. See: http://www.kungfusansoo.com/KungFuSanSoo/Instructors.html. See also a YouTube video displaying photos of Master Xavier Ries’ Traditional Kung Fu San Soo Seminar 6/27/2015 (Published on Jul 3, 2015): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tXiLzafgzpQ.
128. Dave Hunt, Yoga and the Body of Christ: What Position Should Christians Hold, The Berean Call, Bend, OR, 2006, pg. 23.
129. Ibid. Dave Hunt, pp. 43-60.
130. Exhibit taken from Combat Team website: http://www.combatteam.com/.
131. For additional resources exposing the practice of yoga, see: "YOGA & CHRISTIAN YOGA-All the things they failed to warn you about! Resources on the Philosophy, Teachings and Dangers of Yoga,” compiled by Chris Lawson (Updated July 20, 2015); see: http://www.spiritual-research-network.com/yoga.html. See also: Terri Mulberry, "So, What’s the Problem With Yoga?,” Discernment Newsletter, May/June 2013, Vol. 24, No. 3; see: http://www.discernment-ministries.com/Newsletters/NL2013MayJun.pdf.
132. Pastor Larry DeBruyn, “YOGA: Posture to Apostasy: Can yogic practices be integrated with the Christian faith?,” Herescope, August 15, 2011; see: http://herescope.blogspot.com/2011/08/yoga-posture-to-apostasy.html.
133. Note: Gunther Brown (pp. 57-58) adds Pilates to this same dark family of Eastern practices that cannot be Christianized: “Joseph Pilates (1883-1967), the movement’s founder, adapted philosophies and form from yoga, Zen Buddhist meditation, classical dance, and martial arts.... Pilates is sometimes called ‘yoga in motion’…. Rael Isacowitz, one of the most influential modern Pilates instructors… compares the Pilates view of mindfulness, centering, and energy with that of ‘ki in aikido, chi in tai chi, tan tien in chi gong, and chakra in yoga.’ [bold added]
134. See: http://saddleback.com/connect/ministry/karate/lake-forest.
135. See: http://saddleback.com/connect/ministry/adult-martial-arts/irvine-south. For further information on Warren’s The Daniel Plan, see: The "WOO" Factor: Rick Warren's Healthcare Reform Model, Herescope, March 24, 2011; see: http://herescope.blogspot.com/2011/03/woo-factor.html. To read more of the fascinating historical documentation from The Aquarian Conspiracy detailing the New Age involvements in the actual transition of the American healthcare establishment and its government policy, see Part 5 of this series of articles by Berit Kjos and Sarah Leslie: http://www.crossroad.to/articles2/011/discernment/aquarian.htm. This series underscores concerns about Rick Warren's Daniel Plan for healthcare reform: Part 1: Rick Warren’s New Age Health Gurus Part 2: Reiki "Power" Part 3: The “WOO” Factor Part 4: Changing Science, Changing Mind 3-Legged "Health" Care: The Agenda of Rick Warren's "Daniel Plan"
136. Carla Hinton, “Mighty ministry: Oklahoma City preacher combines Bible study, martial arts,” NewsOk.com, Jan. 3, 2015; see: http://newsok.com/article/5381151.
137. Ibid. Hinton, “Mighty ministry…”
138. See: http://www.yourchurch.com/event/751437-2016-04-21-martial-arts-ministry/.
139. Jennifer Riley, “Church Uses Jesus-Centered Karate to Teach Christian Values”, Christian Post, July 8 2007; see: http://www.christianpost.com/news/church-uses-jesus-centered-karate-to-teach-christian-values-28319/.
140. Michael W. Pannell, “Pastor using martial arts to teach biblical principles”, Sun News; see: http://www.macon.com/news/local/community/houston-peach/the-sun-news/article30174387.html.
141. Marian Betancourt, “Fran Pultro on Martial Arts Chaplaincy: Restoring the Spiritual to an Ancient Art”, PlainViews, Nov. 19, 2014; see: http://www.allaboutmartialarts.com/fran-pultro-on-martial-arts-chaplaincy/. Note: Master/Pastor Raul Ries, et al, also contributed to Wisdom for the Warrior Bible; see: See: http://wisdomforthewarrior.com/ described in Part 4 of this article series: http://herescope.blogspot.com/2016/04/syncretizing-force.html.
142. Ibid. Pultro’s photo is an exhibit from Marian Betancourt article.
143. Paul Wahl, “The Karate Church, Ministry Today Magazine, Oct. 31, 2008; see: http://ministrytodaymag.com/outreach/innovation/18120-the-karate-church.
144. Exhibit taken from Combat Team website: http://www.combatteam.com/news/thinking-outside-the-box-go-into-all-the-world-and-preach-the-gospel/.
145. Sarah Leslie, “WHAT IS DOMINIONISM?” Apprising Ministries, Jan. 1, 2011; see: http://apprising.org/2011/01/26/what-is-dominionism/.
146. This exhibit is explained and fully documented in this post: http://herescope.blogspot.com/2014/04/the-battled-bride.html.
147. Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary, 2 Corinthians 10:1-6, BibleHub.com; see: http://biblehub.com/2_corinthians/10-4.htm.
148. See: http://www.maministries.net/.
149. Eric Tiansay, “Warriors of Light”, Charisma Magazine; see: http://www.charismamag.com/life/108-j15/0911-magazine-articles.
150. Ibid. Eric Tiansay, “Warriors of Light”.
151. Exhibit taken from: http://www.wahlum.com/history.html.
152. Ibid. Eric Tiansay, “Warriors of Light”.
153. Ibid. Eric Tiansay, “Warriors of Light”.
154. Exhibit taken from: http://www.warriorsoftruth.org/home.html.
155. Ibid. Eric Tiansay, “Warriors of Light”.
156. Photo exhibit taken from: http://www.shoritetaijutsu.com/dr_christian_harfouche.htm. Note: Mike Oppenheimer has written a lengthy critique of Dr. Harfouche’s Miracle Faith Center, aligning him with false teachers such as Benny Hinn, Rod Parsley, and Kenneth Copeland; see; http://www.letusreason.org/Poptea5.htm.
157. Ibid. Eric Tiansay, “Warriors of Light”.
158. Exhibit taken from: http://www.bbfckids.com/.
159. Ibid. Eric Tiansay, “Warriors of Light”.
160. Ibid. Eric Tiansay, “Warriors of Light”.
161. Ibid. Eric Tiansay, “Warriors of Light”.
162. Exhibit taken from Yeshua-Do website: http://www.yeshuado.com/gallery.php.
163. Ibid. Goodroad, My Life in ‘the Way’, pg. 40.
164. Ibid. Goodroad, My Life in ‘the Way’, pg. 41.
165. Ibid. Goodroad, My Life in ‘the Way’, pg. 42. For original footnotes see online book My Life in “the Way”
166. Dave Hunt, Occult Invasion, Harvest House, Eugene, OR, 1998, pg. 329.