This series deals with acupuncture and provides a guide for careful Christian engagement with this eastern healing practice. Here are quick links to each part in the series:

• Part 1: Scientist, Artist, or Priest?
• Part 2: Who Is Your Priest?
• Part 3: The Power of Moxibustion
• Part 4: Key Facts on Acupuncture
• Part 5: Will Acupuncture Jeopardize My Christian Faith?

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Continued from: Part 7

Evaluating With Wisdom (Receive, Redeem, Reject, and Relate)

Now with a foundational understanding of the basics of Eastern healing practices and some elements of alternative healing, we can begin to carefully evaluate the various practices in alternative medicine. This vast subject requires a basic blueprint that would assist the Christian in knowing what to receive, redeem, reject, and relate in the faith experience. This is essential because every successive generation that is not given proper education about these Eastern practices endangers Christendom.

There is evidence that Christians accept and reject practices which they do not understand. I have personally seen devastating outcomes when Christians accepted and allowed healing practices that are clearly anti-theistic (anti-God) and were seriously injured as a result. Conversely, I have seen Christians reject valuable healing resources that are biblically safe. By basing their opinion on hearsay rather than researching and investigating for themselves, they give a valuable practice the reputation of being satanic. Guessing is not a safe option here; knowledge and understanding is crucial.

Springs Without Water

Christian, you must know how serious this is. The church as a whole is threatened by the dangerous encroachment of Eastern philosophy, which we are warned not to embrace. In 2 Peter 2:17-19 we are warned not to be given to false teaching:"Those false teachers are like springs without water and clouds blown by a storm. A place in the blackest darkness has been kept for them. They brag with words that mean nothing. By their evil desires they lead people into the trap of sin--people who are just beginning to escape from others who live in error. They promise them freedom, but they themselves are not free. They are slaves of things that will be destroyed. For people are slaves of anything that controls them." (New Century Version)

I believe that the "4 R" evaluation method above will be very valuable to assess whether or not certain practices are acceptable. It is very simple to use, and I will provide the basic blueprint of this method in the following posts. At the very least the Christian will be able after this evaluation to deduce what aspects of a particular practice does or does not violate Christian faith, theology, and doctrine, and see more clearly the reasons why acceptance or rejection is necessary.

To be continued.

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Continued from: Part 6

The Christian's Healing

"The true Christian life, true spirituality, is not merely a negative not-doing of any small list of things. Even if the list began as a very excellent list of things to beware of in that particular historic setting, we still must emphasize that the Christian life, or true spirituality, is more than refraining from a certain external list of taboos in a mechanical way."
—Francis Schaeffer (True Spirituality)

Every Christian needs some form of healing spiritually, emotionally and physically. The overwhelming number of healing resources available for the Christian is exhausting. There are many authors with many views, some claiming to be Christian. The lists and requirements go on ad infinitum. As Christians we need to know that our spirituality can be seriously altered if we allow false teachings and dark practices to become the staples of our total healing and well-being. Any healing practices must first be carefully researched and verified as to whether they are in line with the Christian worldview and are theologically sound. 

True spirituality involves knowing the ultimate effects that a healing practice may have upon total well-being, not just developing a list of practices to stay away from. It understands the eternal threat some practices pose if embraced and integrated in experience.

Francis Schaeffer says it well: 

"The Bible makes the possibility of healing very clear, and our experience confirms this teaching. We have seen times in which God reached down into history and completely healed, either physically or psychologically, at a certain point of time. But we must point out that both Scripture and experience show that while sometimes God does this, sometimes He does not. This is not always a matter of faith, or of the lack of faith. God is personal, and He has his own purposes: God is not a mechanical dispensing machine. Just because a person is not healed physically, we must not assume that this necessarily implies a lack of faith. . . . (True Spirituality)

The Magic of it All

The Scripture is clear on all types of occult art and practice. The use of crystals, jewels, dust of precious metals, tarot cards, ritualistic use of plants, animal parts, and other elements, metaphysical and transcendental meditation, and any sacrificial ritual is clearly anti-theistic in nature. The worship of nature is not the same as worship of the Creator of nature. God can and does use the beauty of nature, the healing principles of plants, and the healing retreats of deep reflection, contemplation, and prayer to achieve his healing work. God is not the inventor of magic, nor does he need it to accomplish his complete work of healing in his highest creation of humankind. C. S. Lewis warns that beyond the obvious practical benefits of modern scientific advance, there may emerge a kind of religious energy very much like the old occult arts: 

There is something which unites magic and applied science while separating both from the "wisdom" of earlier ages. For the wise men of old, the cardinal problem had been how to conform the soul to reality, and the solution had been knowledge, self-discipline, and virtue. For magic and applied science alike the problem is how to subdue reality to the wishes of men. (The Abolition of Man)

To be continued.

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Part of the Eastern Healing series.
Continued from Part 5.

All of the following theories are pagan in nature and none of the philosophical views are Christian whatsoever. The goal here is that by understanding the foundational philosophies of these theories that are anti-God, Christians can discern where these philosophies have crept in to some healing practices. We can then carefully weed out the bad elements in order not to allow other gods in under the guise of Christian faith.

Christian Science

Mary Baker Eddy is the founder of Christian Science and its healing system. Metaphysical healing and psychosomatic healing are strong systems in Christian Science. It acknowledges that the power of healing comes from a Supreme Being, but it denies that the power of healing belongs to the only true God in and through his Son Jesus Christ.

The basic views of Christian Science deny the existence of the Trinity and the redemptive work of Christ:

• God is divine Love, Father-Mother, supreme. 
• The true nature of each individual as a child of God is spiritual. 
• Healing comes from God's infinite goodness, realized in prayer.

The basis of her theory is best framed in her own words: "I submitted my metaphysical system of treating disease to the broadest practical tests. Since then this system has gradually gained ground, and has proved itself, whenever scientifically employed, to be the most effective curative agent in medical practice."

Scientology

Scientology views man as a sole spiritual being and denies that God created this spirit being. It is centrally humanistic, based upon human intellect and evolutionary thought. In fact, this theory affirms that man deteriorates to the degree that he denies his spiritual nature and ceases to live with moral values, such as trust, honesty, integrity, and other sometimes intangible characteristics.

Though this all sounds good, humankind is left without the source that gives hope to live life with moral values, trust, honesty, and integrity. It is impossible to please God without the acceptance of Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior of all healing.

Scientology strongly draws upon the metaphysical healing theory and has specific names for different types of healing. They are known as "assists," and there are several different types, including contact, touch, nerve, and location process assists.

"An assist, then, can be described as a Scientology process which is done to alleviate a present time discomfort. A process is an exact series of directions or sequence of actions taken to accomplish a desired result. There are many processes contained in the materials of Scientology, but assists make up a class of processes in themselves." (Scientology Handbook)

Again, we see the denial of the Supreme God, the Trinity, and the redemptive work of Jesus Christ. I love the words of John Piper that sum up all that is contrary to our infinite personal God: "If all the universe and everything in it exist by the design of an infinite, personal God to make his manifold glory known and loved, then to treat any subject without reference to God's glory is not scholarship, but insurrection." (The Pleasures of God)

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Continued from Part 4.

All of the following theories are pagan in nature and none of the philosophical views are Christian whatsoever. The goal here is that by understanding the foundational philosophies of these theories that are anti-God, Christians can discern where these philosophies have crept in to some healing practices. We can then carefully weed out the bad elements in order not to allow other gods in under the guise of Christian faith.

Evolution:

The theory of evolution can contain both theistic (Intelligent Design) and atheistic elements (Darwinism). In general it is the view that the cosmos has developed from crude, homogenous material to its present state. Darwinist evolution is anti-theistic. Charles Hodge states,

"God has revealed his existence and his government of the world so clearly and so authoritatively, that any philosophical or scientific speculations inconsistent with those truths are like cobwebs in the track of a tornado. They offer no sensible resistance. The mere naturalist, the man devoted so exclusively to the study of nature as to believe in nothing but natural causes, is not able to understand the strength with which moral and religious convictions take hold of the minds of men. These convictions, however, are the strongest, the most ennobling, and the most dangerous for any class of men to disregard or ignore." (Systematic Theology)

This evolutionary worldview is integrated in many alternative forms of healing.

Materialism:

This is basically a system of psychological criteria that denies the reality of the soul as a psychical being. This theory states that the facts of experience are all to be explained by reference to the reality, activities, and laws of physical and material substance. This is definitely seen in mind control and elements of psychology.

Polytheism:

The belief that there are thousands of gods. This is part of the fundamental doctrine of Animism, Hinduism, Wicca, and the New Age philosophy.

Pantheism:

Pantheism is the first logical consequence of animism: All the world is divine. A mountain is god, a rock, an animal; anything that is part of nature is god. There is no creator; it is all god.

Positivism:

The theory of positivism basically assumes that humankind's knowledge is restricted to phenomena, and humans can know of these only in part.

Metaphysical Healing:

The term "metaphysics" refers to what Aristotle claimed to be "a science which investigates being as being and the attributes which belong to this in virtue of its own nature." He distinguished this "science" from all the "so-called special sciences," for none of them dealt "generally with being as being." Although the etymology and traditional use of the term "ontology" makes it a synonym of "metaphysics," its meaning has become narrowed in contemporary philosophy. This constriction began with Immanuel Kant's theoretical separation of reality from the appearance of reality and the limitation of human knowledge to the latter. 

Within the realm of healing the theory applies mainly to the mind as being the central place of healing. It places less emphasis upon the healing of the spirit. Christian healing emphasizes healing of the spirit, soul, and physical body in harmony with God's design. 

The metaphysical system of healing claims to restore harmony and health to mind and body to those who accept and recognize the supremacy of divine Mind. This metaphysical Mind-healing system is based on the spiritual power of the divine Science of Mind and affirmative prayers bringing health and harmony in every situation.

To be continued

Continued from Part 3.

Anti-Theistic Theories

In order to properly discern particulars in Eastern and alternative healing practices that may be misleading and deceptive, one must realize that there are many forms of anti-theism in the matrix of these practices and teachings. Once elements of these false theories can be properly identified and discarded, there may be some valuable usable parts that are in perfect harmony with biblical healing. God gives us discernment and wisdom when we ask for it, and now is a good time to ask for it.

All of the following theories are pagan in nature and none of the philosophical views are Christian whatsoever. The goal here is that by understanding the foundational philosophies of these theories that are anti-God, Christians can discern where these philosophies have crept in to some healing practices. We can then carefully weed out the bad elements in order not to allow other gods in under the guise of Christian faith. There are many anti-theistic theories, but I will only briefly discuss those that are relevant to our topic.

What Is Theism?

Before we discuss anti-theistic theories, we must know what theism is all about. Christianity is theistic, meaning that we believe in one God existing in the Holy Trinity of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Lewis Sperry Chafer defines it well:

"Theism means a belief in God and in its naturalistic form is a rational philosophy regarding God which is restricted to the one divine Essence. Biblical theism believes that Essence, according to revelation, subsists in three Persons. As a rationalistic philosophy, naturalistic theism is sustained by the traditional arguments already considered, and may be distinguished from certain antitheistic theories." (Systematic Theology)

Atheism: An open and positive denial of the existence of God. Chafer writes, "To the atheist the material universe is only an accident and all its marvels of coordination and development are fortuitous. He knows no cause for anything, even his own existence. He has no hope for himself in time or eternity. When he denies the existence of God it is by an assumption of knowledge which transcends the limitations which his negative creed allows." (Systematic Theology)

Agnosticism: Not knowing whether God exists. "The term agnostic comes from the Greek gnosis, meaning "knowledge," accompanied by the a prefix. Therefore, an agnostic means one who lacks knowledge of God. Hence, an agnostic is one who says we cannot know that God even exists. The term, first coined by Thomas Huxley, covers varying degrees of skepticism. Agnostics are followers of pragmatism; their belief in something has to be scientifically verifiable, and because God is not scientifically verifiable, they leave Him out of their discussion." (Paul Enns, Moody Handbook of Theology)

Animism: The theory that everything has a soul, including physical objects of nature and the heavens. For the Animist, God is not a person, just as for the Hindu, god is the Energy, the Force, the Power, the Universal Mind, the Absolute, the Unknown, the Divine Being: not a "he" but an "it." It is not somebody but something. This "god" is powerful, able to get wonderful things for you if you use magic and worship this Force or Energy. 

To be continued.

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Continued from Part 2.

Eastern Beliefs vs. Christianity

Comparing and contrasting Eastern beliefs with Christianity is an excellent way to see the differences and dangers they present by downplaying the foundational theological elements of the Christian faith. The following is an edited excerpt from Dr. Walter Martin’s classic work Kingdom of the Cults. Italics are used to denote additions that I have made for clarification with regards to healing practice differences. I have included the beliefs, practices, and anti-theistic theories that seem to have strong influence on alternative healing in general. It is important for Christians to study this carefully.  

Christian Faith

• There is one Triune God: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.
• Humankind is made in the image and likeness of God.
• God’s Word, the Bible, is the infallible Word.
• Salvation is found in no one but Jesus Christ.
• Humankind is inherently sinful and in need of redemption, which comes only through Jesus Christ and his Atonement.
• Through the divine will of God and the deity of Jesus Christ, who came to earth in human flesh, his death and resurrection is the meritorious atoning work of God.
• Freedom from sin is only possible through salvation in Jesus Christ and no other.
• True healing is from God (the Great Physician) alone through the work of Jesus Christ and the promise of the Holy Spirit.
• Eternal life is the Christian’s reward, where there is banishment of all suffering, sadness, and grief. Life in the everlasting peace and love of God is the Christian’s hope.

Hinduism

• There is no single Hindu idea of God.
• All souls are eternal and accountable for their own actions.
• Karma is the debt of one’s bad actions for which one must atone.
• Hinduism denies the Trinity, the deity of Christ, the Atonement, sin, and salvation by grace through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ.
• Hinduism replaces resurrection with reincarnation, and replaces both grace and faith with human works.
• Healing depends upon Karma.
• Ultimate healing is evident in reincarnation

New Age Movement

• Man is inherently divine
• All is one and all is God. God is an impersonal conscious and power.
• Jesus was an enlightened teacher.
• Salvation is accomplished by good works and reincarnation.
• There is no absolute truth. All beliefs are valid.
• Spiritism, Theosophy, Christian Science, Unity, Baha’ism, and Rosicrucianism are spearheads of New Age teachings and the healing philosophy also found in practices of alternative medicine.
• Healing is possible through self-empowerment.
• Practices that heal are good and true regardless of their origin.

Buddhism

• Buddhism shows a heavy influence of Brahmanism, gods, and goddesses in Buddha’s history and teachings.
• At the center of this teaching lies the concept of cosmic consciousness, a nonpersonal essence also called a Void.
• Many “buddhas” were followed, but there is one Buddha that enlightened ones follow. Discoveries of the Middle Path, the Four Noble Truths, and Eightfold Path is consistent with traditional Chinese belief, which is evident in the practice of traditional Chinese medicine.
• The Pali text is considered the most reliable teachings of Buddha. Other sects of Buddhism often add to this text.
• Man suffers because his desires are fixated on the illusion of self, which confines him to non-permanence within the laws of Karma and reincarnation.
• Self-salvation is achieved by following the Middle Path, the Four Noble Truths, and the Eightfold Path. The ultimate goal is to reach the state of Nirvana, where self becomes extinguished in the Void.
• Buddha heals if Buddha wills.
• Ultimate healing occurs in the state of Nirvana.

Theosophy

• Theosophy teaches a pantheistic, impersonal Supreme Being.
• Theosophy is Gnostic in origin.
• Jesus Christ is not unique: Jesus is a reincarnated being separate from “christ.” All men become christs.
• Mahatmas or Masters communicate esoteric truths through reincarnated emissaries, of whom Madame Blavatsky and Annie Besant are among the few.
• Draws its authoritative teachings from Hindu, Buddhistic, and early Gnostic sources. The Bible is used minimally to proof-text preconceived Theosophical notions.
• Embraces Eastern healing cultural practices and transcendental teachings in mind healing.
• Embraces Metaphysical healing.
• Healing is based upon a pragmatic view that whatever works must be good.

Spiritism

• The fatherhood of God and the brotherhood of man.
• Continuous existence and a path of endless progression.
• Communion of spirits and ministry of angels.
• Personal responsibility.
• Compensation and retribution in the hereafter for good and evil done on Earth.
• Healing comes by self-empowerment and positive healing affirmations.
• Healing is the ultimate good of God. Sickness is the result of evil and all that suffer with sickness are the result of evil. Good people are not sick.

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(continued from Part 1)

The Gray Zone

There is a “gray zone” between cultural practices that deny the deity of God and those that explicitly affirm it. This gray zone must be made clear, because the health and vitality of the church depends upon it. Cultural healing and spiritualism have a strong connection with each other. Eastern healing practices weave together culture and spiritualism by putting emphasis on the self and self-empowerment, making it appealing to be very human. What human does not desire to be healed, to be empowered, and to be a better person? All of these are reasonable pursuits—similar to the reasonable arguments presented to the first humans, Adam and Eve, in the Garden of Eden (Genesis 3). We can see the end result of such thinking.

The most important question is this: does this human desire rule and become higher than the Highest Authority and Ruler of all? If so, it is pagan, anti-God, and human-centered. Conforming to the image of the reasonable is a great temptation. Conforming to the image of God in Christ through the power of the Holy Spirit is humble admission that our true empowerment comes from God alone. As Christians we need to embrace this truth with our whole being.

Our Being Is Involved

Oswald Chambers said it well:

“Sin is a fundamental relationship; it is not wrong doing, it is wrong being, deliberate and emphatic independence of God. The Christian religion bases everything on the positive, radical nature of sin. Other religions deal with sins; the Bible alone deals with sin.” (My Utmost for His Highest)

Any healing practice that encourages deliberate and emphatic independence from God is anti-theistic and should be considered a forbidden practice. Our physical, emotional, and spiritual practices that are inconsistent with God’s will and purpose can lead to serious harm and even sin. Our being needs to be transformed as stated in Romans 12:1-2. If a healing practice does not nurture the central theme of conforming to Christ through Christ-centered faith, it is anti-God and will offer only temporary relief from sickness and pain.

New Age Healing

What comprises New Age medicine and Eastern healing practices? There are several systems that are wrapped up in New Age healing. I will outline the main points and parallel them with the Christian faith. As we begin, it is important to remember that the popular aphorism, “All religions and religious practices are fundamentally the same” is false. There are vast and fundamental differences between Christianity and Hinduism, Buddhism, and New Age practices. It does matter what you believe and allow as a practice.

Understanding the foundational teachings of these Eastern practices is necessary for comprehending the healing teachings. A significant portion of alternative medicine includes Eastern cultural teachings as part of its healing modality matrix. Sorting out the Eastern pagan and pantheistic practices is necessary to keep the “priesthood of believers” out of harm’s way.

(Continued here: Part 3.)

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Alternative healing practices have gained an amazing following in the Seattle area. The reason for this may simply be the presence of my alma mater, Bastyr University, a leading institution in naturopathic, alternative, integrative, and Eastern medicine. I graduated from this school with a Doctorate in Naturopathic & Integrative Medicine. I received an excellent education at Bastyr University, and I am equipped to share with God’s people about the benefits and dangers of this powerful system of healing.

Alternative Medicine + Christianity?

I’ve often been asked how I integrate my Christian faith into my practice. One thing is for sure: if you do not have a specific calling from God to work in this ministry, you will be in for one bumpy ride. I have seen Christians enter into the program at Bastyr and either withdraw from the program before completion or severely alter their own faith. There is strong pressure to conform at Bastyr and within these Eastern healing practices.

When I was graduating from Bastyr, each one of the graduating doctors was handed a “shaman staff” in a ceremonial celebration. I was told of this plan ahead of time, and I appealed to my chief medical officer and the academic chair of the program. I explained that accepting this staff was denying the God I serve and discrediting his divine power to heal. I was informed that there were no other options, so I informed them that I would not attend the graduation ceremony because I could not accept the shaman staff as my declaration for all healing. It is no easy task to carefully sift through the vast topic of healing.

The Challenge

I thought to myself, how is it possible to boil down centuries of cultural practices and sort out the positive and negative aspects of these cultural healing systems and their effects on the Christian’s faith, theology, and worldview? Eastern healing and alternative medicine has mushroomed into a multi-billion-dollar industry over the last two decades. People from all over the world embrace many of its practices, theories, philosophies, and even cultures in some fashion. Many religions share similar foundations with Eastern teachings, but Christianity is distinct in that we call on the one true God, Creator of all, the Great Physician, for healing.

Biblical or Cultural Standards?

Culture-based healing is not the same Bible-based healing. Our world is a melting pot of “culturalisms” that shape thinking across the globe on how humans should believe and live. There are centuries of enlightenment and dark practices that have been passed down through the generations. Not all cultural influences are bad; however, as Christian believers we do not have carte blanche to take part in a cultural practice that is pagan in origin and denies the deity of Christ and the divinity of the Triune God, maker of the heavens, earth, and all that exists. We need the guiding light of the Bible, God’s infallible Word, to lead us away from the deceptive and wrong teachings of culture.

(Continued here: Part 2.)

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In 1967 sociologist Peter Berger, published The Sacred Canopy. He argued that a culture is held together by a number of shared religious notions that form an unquestioned (often unconscious) "sacred" covering that includes common ideas of goodness, beauty and justice. For centuries Western Civilization has lived under the canopy of Christendom. But that canopy now lies in rags on the cultural floor. A new covering floats over our heads.

International travel has helped me see this. I just returned from a trip to Colombia, France and Holland. In Holland we discussed "The New Europe," which is no longer Christian. My lecture, "Neo-Paganism: Step-child of Secular Humanism," suggested that the new Europe will be either Moslem or Pagan. There I met a South African theologian who noticed how much the "native" regime in the "New South Africa" fosters ancestor worship. In France, the students agreed that Cartesian French secular humanism was breathing its last.