Feng Shui and Christianity

[Prettyinpink00]

Hi everyone, i have a question, please tell me your thoughts on this. Do you think that the study and/or practice od Feng Shui is in any way against hrisianity? What are your thoughts on Feng Shuai and Christianity.

 

[Daughter]

Hi prettyinpink,,

Frng shui is defined by Encarta as the finding of auspicious sites with abundant qi, or dynamic energy (Microsoft® Encarta® Encyclopedia 2003. © 1993-2002 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.) or noun: rules in Chinese philosophy that govern spatial arrangement and orientation in relation to patterns of yin and yang and the flow of energy (qi) (source: Ask Jeeves.com)


My initial response to feng shui is that it promotes a superstitious mindset. This means we are not inclined to trust God but rely on this philosophy to bring "good fortune".

Moreover, it is incompatible with Christianity as it is associated with Chinese astrology. I found this quote from "Christian Answers for the New Age" website: http://cana.userworld.com/

"Feng shui operates entirely on the belief in balancing yin and yang and in the belief of chi. To seek harmony through a balance of yin and yang energies is at odds with trusting Christ and with the peace we have through Christ. To accept chi, one must discard the Christian God who is a personal God, not an impersonal force. There is no biblical evidence for a force permeating the universe. It is entirely inconsistent with Christianity to believe that harmony and balance result through the manipulation and channeling of a force based on the placement of objects, or through any other method. In fact, techniques to manipulate or channel such a force belong to the world of sorcery."

Also check out http://www.christiananswers.net/q-eden/astrology.html

 

[sbg4evr]

I totally agreed with what DAUGHTER posted.

The only thing that I believe that a Christian should take from Feng Shui is the principle of removing clutter. A cluttered environment is a reflection of a cluttered mind and spirit. A cluttered environment impairs your ability to make decisions effectively and efficiently. A cluttered environment slows you down. Think about it. Think about losing keys in a cluttered environment, hard to find aren't they?

I was interested in the principles of Feng Shui but became disenchanted when I realized it was based on astrology and horoscopes.

 

[Isis]

Feng Shui has nothing to do with religion or belief systems. "Ch'i" means energy. Energy is all around us. Feng Shui is about directing that energy in our environment in the most positive way. Many of us work in buildings architecturally designed using the science of Feng Shui. Most of us just know how energy is flowing around us.

For example, we all can feel the energy of a home when we enter it. It may feel uncomfortable, cold, a sense of warmth, cozy, inviting, etc. When we enter a home that feels and looks good, it's because the owner already knows about energy placement.

I believe those of us who can decorate (I'm not talking about professionals) and create a home environment that feels good already has this knowledge of Feng Shui, without even knowing it. Many of us are already in tune with the energy around us and know what feels right when we move that couch over there or move the bed by that wall, for example.

And we all know how great we feel after getting rid of all that stuff, that clutter . Clutter blocks the flow of energy, that 's why it doesn't feel good. Clearing the clutter literally makes it flow again, which enhances our lives tremendously. That's what it's all about, flowing that energy.

There are numerous books out there on this topic, most written by authors jumping on the bandwagon when Feng Shui info first came to the U.S. Some authors include their own stuff and belief systems along with Feng Shui. Energy isn't something to believe in, it's all around us whether we believe in it or not.

 

[DragonPearl]

Very good points, Isis. I would like to add that I think people get stuck on words. Yin, Yang, balancing yin and yang sounds like foreign words and concepts, but all they mean is that in this world, we have the feminine principle (yin) and the masculine principle (yang), and for balance in our lives, we like to have both.

Example: When people say that a child needs a mother and a father, they are acknowledging the need for a balance of yin of yang. The mother usually represents the yin principle, and the father represents the yang principle.

Example: Everyone understand that it is not healthy to work all the time (yang) without taking a break or vacation (yin).

Certain colors or line patterns are more yin, and others are more yang. Ideally, you want a balance. If you go into a house, and everything is pink, you might be overwhelmed, because intuitively, you sense that it is not balanced.

And on the subject of energy, the lack of biblical evidence does not mean it does not exist. The Bible is not a scientific manual. Modern science has definitely proven the existence of all kinds of energy that were never mentioned in the Bible: Electrical energy, atomic energy, subatomic energy. There is an entire branch of science, quantum physics, devoted to the study of indivisible units of energy called quanta. Energy is all around us and inside of us.

 

[Sweet C]

I guess my better question is how balancing your life based on "energy" compatible with the concept of Jesus of being the source and strength of your life? Its nothing wrong with designing a space so that it is most efficient for an environment. No different than if you have a small child, you "childproof" areas of your home that would pose a hazard to a child. The problem I see with the underlying aspect of the study of feng shui is that you are designing an area to bring "good luck or fortune" to the individual in that environment (Check out- http://www.naturallyconnected.com.au/fengshui.htm).

Science in general is not based on any kind of fact, but a methodology of explaning phenomenon by developing broad models that are accepted as true (well until something better comes along). Trial and error is utilized to support models, modify them, or just dump them all together to replace them with something else. Science explains energy in many different forms. The bible explains it as the presence of the spirit world, and we know that all spirits are not of God, therefore, we must be careful about what spirits we allow ourselves to interact with.

 

[beverly]

I guess my better question is how balancing your life based on "energy" compatible with the concept of Jesus of being the source and strength of your life? Its nothing wrong with designing a space so that it is most efficient for an environment. No different than if you have a small child, you "childproof" areas of your home that would pose a hazard to a child. The problem I see with the underlying aspect of the study of feng shui is that you are designing an area to bring "good luck or fortune" to the individual in that environment (Check out- http://www.naturallyconnected.com.au/fengshui.htm).

Science in general is not based on any kind of fact, but a methodology of explaning phenomenon by developing broad models that are accepted as true (well until something better comes along). Trial and error is utilized to support models, modify them, or just dump them all together to replace them with something else. Science explains energy in many different forms. The bible explains it as the presence of the spirit world, and we know that all spirits are not of God, therefore, we must be careful about what spirits we allow ourselves to interact with.

I AGREE with what you said about Feng Shui!

Now as far as accupuncture I don't see anything wrong with that..

 

[DragonPearl]

Science explains energy in many different forms. The bible explains it as the presence of the spirit world, and we know that all spirits are not of God, therefore, we must be careful about what spirits we allow ourselves to interact with.

What do you mean when you say the bible explains energy as the presence of the spirit world? Do you have some verses on that?

based on your understanding of the Bible, what kind of spirit would electrical energy be?

 

[miracle]

Very good points, Isis. I would like to add that I think people get stuck on words. Yin, Yang, balancing yin and yang sounds like foreign words and concepts, but all they mean is that in this world, we have the feminine principle (yin) and the masculine principle (yang), and for balance in our lives, we like to have both.

Example: When people say that a child needs a mother and a father, they are acknowledging the need for a balance of yin of yang. The mother usually represents the yin principle, and the father represents the yang principle.

Example: Everyone understand that it is not healthy to work all the time (yang) without taking a break or vacation (yin).

Certain colors or line patterns are more yin, and others are more yang. Ideally, you want a balance. If you go into a house, and everything is pink, you might be overwhelmed, because intuitively, you sense that it is not balanced.

And on the subject of energy, the lack of biblical evidence does not mean it does not exist. The Bible is not a scientific manual. Modern science has definitely proven the existence of all kinds of energy that were never mentioned in the Bible: Electrical energy, atomic energy, subatomic energy. There is an entire branch of science, quantum physics, devoted to the study of indivisible units of energy called quanta. Energy is all around us and inside of us.

 

[Vintagecoilylocks]

The Bible explains the source of all things energy and other wise when it teaches that God created the heavens and the earth and all things visible and invisible. There is nothing wrong with studying and trying to learn to utilize the things given to us by the Creator. Astrology is not against bible teachings. Remember the wise men studied the stars to know when Jesus would be born. However as with many things given to us by the Creator man has started to put creation before the creator. People worship creation and not the Creator. People look to creation for strength and not to the creator. People pervert the things from God. The Lord warned in Isa 47:1:-13. He was telling Babylon basically all your knowledge and astrolegers and sorcerors and we can include scientist, pshycologists and all the rest of the them, that they could not save them from the rath of God. So for a Christian simply be wary of how something is being presented. Many do have the agenda to divert you from God to the physical world. Be prudent.
As far as nuclear power what would you call that energy that wiped Sodom and Gamorah of the face of this earth.

 

[Sweet C]

What do you mean when you say the bible explains energy as the presence of the spirit world? Do you have some verses on that?

based on your understanding of the Bible, what kind of spirit would electrical energy be?

Ok, God is a spirit (John 4:24). We know as Christians that God created the heavens and the earth (Gen 1:1). God created man (Gen 1:27, 2:7). God gave man work to do (Gen 2:5, 2:15, 3:17-3:19). Man is a spirit too (Ps 32:2, Zech 12:1)

Now, looking purely at Western science, energy is the ability to do work. Quite simply, God did work (Ge 1) and gave man the ability to do work. So since both have the ability to do work, and both would be energy in this case. Now from Western science standpoint, this could contradict Western science since Newton's 1st law of thermodynamics states that energy can neither be created nor destroyed.

Now looking purely at Eastern science, energy is not defined this way. The model of yin and yang explain the perpetual change of all things. One cannot exist without the other. We cannot experience light without dark, stillness without movement, happiness without sadness. Each acts upon the other to initiate movement. This contradicts scripture, b/c in the beginning was God (Ge 1:1) and God is light (John 8:12), and darkness doesn't come on the scene until Ge 1:2. Also in Rev 21:25, there says there will be no night there in the city of God. When Eastern science refers to energy as cosmic forces in energy, I have to ask what exactly cosmic forces are you referring to? We know that the bible states the Satan is the prince of the power of the air (Eph 2:2), and that we are wrestling againist powers and principalities (Eph 6:12), so could you possibly design your house to keep the devil out by Feng Shui?

My point is that you can't purely use modern science as a truth, b/c it can and will diverge from bible based concepts. We as Christians believe the Bible is true, so what ever we do has to line up with the Word. I believe that overall concept of Feng Shui as stated above contradicts scripture.

 

[Honeyhips]

SweetC thank you for your input in this thread and the accupunctre thread.

 

[DragonPearl]

Now, looking purely at Western science, energy is the ability to do work. Quite simply, God did work (Ge 1) and gave man the ability to do work. So since both have the ability to do work, and both would be energy in this case. Now from Western science standpoint, this could contradict Western science since Newton's 1st law of thermodynamics states that energy can neither be created nor destroyed.

While God gives the ability to do work, where does man get energetic material to do work? We are not creating our own energy. If you don't eat any food, in a few days, you are not going to be able to do any work. If you don't drink any fluid, in a few days, you're not going to be able to do any work. If you don't breath any air, in less than 10 minutes, you won't be able to do any work at all. We don't create our own energy, we just convert it.

Now looking purely at Eastern science, energy is not defined this way. The model of yin and yang explain the perpetual change of all things. One cannot exist without the other. We cannot experience light without dark, stillness without movement, happiness without sadness. Each acts upon the other to initiate movement. This contradicts scripture, b/c in the beginning was God (Ge 1:1) and God is light (John 8:12), and darkness doesn't come on the scene until Ge 1:2. Also in Rev 21:25, there says there will be no night there in the city of God. .

I am not quite sure how this contradicts scripture. You mentioned the beginning of all things, and that darkness came later on the scene. Yin and Yang concept is not concerned with the beginning of the universe. It is concerned with what is. Now that darkness is there, we do have light and dark, night and day, perpetual change. As for as Rev 21:25, there will be no night there in the city of God, it's not here yet, and no one knows when it's going to happen. How can something that is not yet upon us contradict the validity of what is now?

When Eastern science refers to energy as cosmic forces in energy, I have to ask what exactly cosmic forces are you referring to? We know that the bible states the Satan is the prince of the power of the air (Eph 2:2), and that we are wrestling againist powers and principalities (Eph 6:12), so could you possibly design your house to keep the devil out by Feng Shui?.

"Satan is the prince of the power of the air." To be honest with you, I don't understand what that means. Every living thing on land breath air and would not be alive without it. I'd hate to think I am depending on Satan for being alive... I personally believe that not everything in the bible is meant for us to take at face value, or else, we'd still be stoning adulterous women.

 

[DragonPearl]

People worship creation and not the Creator. People look to creation for strength and not to the creator.

That is true.

 

[DragonPearl]

An essential part of healing is being comfortable with whatever healing modality you choose. For some people, it is going to be going to regular Western hospital, for others, it is going to be having someone lay hands on them, for others it's going to be going to an herbalist, for others it is going to be dancing or praying to whatever they consider the supreme being, etc. There are so many different healing methods.

The bottom line is that people should choose whatever they are comfortable with. It's really not personal and it's not my job to change anyone's mind about anything.

Peace.

 

[Sweet C]

While God gives the ability to do work, where does man get energetic material to do work? We are not creating our own energy. If you don't eat any food, in a few days, you are not going to be able to do any work. If you don't drink any fluid, in a few days, you're not going to be able to do any work. If you don't breath any air, in less than 10 minutes, you won't be able to do any work at all. We don't create our own energy, we just convert it.

Energy is simply the ability to do work. If I did nothing, then my energy is considered as potential energy, b/c I have the potential to do work. No energetic material, just simply the ability to do work is energy. That's it. I stated depending on how you approach it, it could contradict or validate scripture. Neither is either better than the other, it just can be easily argued either way.

Yin and Yang concept is not concerned with the beginning of the universe. It is concerned with what is. Now that darkness is there, we do have light and dark, night and day, perpetual change. As for as Rev 21:25, there will be no night there in the city of God, it's not here yet, and no one knows when it's going to happen. How can something that is not yet upon us contradict the validity of what is now?.

Do u believe that God's Word is true? If you beleive that God's Word is true, regardless of whether it has happened yet or not, it shall come to pass. Yin and yang simply stated the concept of perpetual change. It didn't necessarily specify the conditions for which this perpetual change occurs. And one must ask the question, if there is perpetual change, then does God change? Well according to Malachi 3:6, he does not.

"Satan is the prince of the power of the air." To be honest with you, I don't understand what that means. Every living thing on land breath air and would not be alive without it. I'd hate to think I am depending on Satan for being alive... I personally believe that not everything in the bible is meant for us to take at face value, or else, we'd still be stoning adulterous women.

You are correct. Everything in the bible is not directly literally. What I believe this means is not that Satan is literally in control of your air supply, but what kind of news do you hear most often? What reasonates on tv, internet, radio, etc.? Why does anytime you get a word for God, doubt and fear tries to come into play?

I'm just saying that based on what I have read about feng shui, I wouldn't recommend it for a Christian.

 

[DragonPearl]

Do u believe that God's Word is true? If you beleive that God's Word is true, regardless of whether it has happened yet or not, it shall come to pass. Yin and yang simply stated the concept of perpetual change. It didn't necessarily specify the conditions for which this perpetual change occurs. And one must ask the question, if there is perpetual change, then does God change? Well according to Malachi 3:6, he does not.

Yin and yang does not concern itself with the beginning of times and the end of times. Yin and yang does not concern itself with the nature of God. Yin and yang concerns itself with the physical universe and its laws and how it affects man. God stands above the physical universe and is not affected by its laws.

If you consider yourself a fundamentalist Christian, of course Feng Shui may not resonate with you. I don't have a problem or issue with that. What I find ironic is that fundamentalist Christians do not usually apply the same scrutiny to medical procedures and treatments derived from a modern scientific mindset that does not concern itself with biblical tenets. But again, that's not my problem.

 

[Sweet C]

Yin and yang does not concern itself with the beginning of times and the end of times. Yin and yang does not concern itself with the nature of God. Yin and yang concerns itself with the physical universe and its laws and how it affects man. God stands above the physical universe and is not affected by its laws.

If you consider yourself a fundamentalist Christian, of course Feng Shui may not resonate with you. I don't have a problem or issue with that. What I find ironic is that fundamentalist Christians do not usually apply the same scrutiny to routine medical procedures and treatments. But again, that's not my problem.

Perpetual by definition is continuing forever and since yin and yang deals with the concept of perpetual change, then I would assume that yin and yang concept deals with forever (including God who is reigns forever). I guess we will just have to agree to disagree.