Is It Okay For A Christian To Participate In Acupuncture/Acupressure? Acupuncture was developed in the context of Taoism during the 4th century B.C.. That is, the origin of acupuncture is Chinese Taoism. What is Taoism? Taoism is a philosophical system that was developed by Lao-Tzu and Chuang-Tzu that advocates a life of total simplicity, naturalness, and non-interference with the course of natural events in order to attain an existence in harmony with the Tao, or life-force. It is closely related to Hsuan Chaio, which is a popular Chinese religion that purports to be based on the doctrines of Lao-Tzu, but which is actually highly eclectic in nature and characterized by a pantheon of many gods, superstitions, and the practice of alchemy, magic, and divination.
Taoism as a Chinese philosophy/religion is governed by two principles. The first is the “yin,” which is negative, dark, and feminine, and the second is “yang,” which is positive, bright, and masculine. The interaction of these two forces is thought to be the guiding influence for the destinies of all creatures and things. Likewise, it is thought that one’s fate is under the power of the balance or imbalance of these two forces. Acupuncture is a mechanism practiced by adherents of Taoism that is used to bring the “yin and yang” of the body into harmony with Tao. Although the underlying philosophy and worldview behind acupuncture are decidedly unbiblical, it does not necessarily mean that the practice of acupuncture itself is against the teachings of the Bible. Many people have found acupuncture to provide relief from pain and other ailments in areas where other treatments have failed.
Is It Okay For A Christian To Participate In Acupuncture/Acupressure?
Throughout the ages, and across cultures, natural physical functions have been shrouded in myth and superstition, and it has been common for religions to assign special meaning to things that are functionally not spiritual, like eating. The ancient Chinese people who discovered acupuncture found relationships within the body, connections from one part to another, and found that if pressure or a needle was applied to a certain area of the body, it was possible to relieve pain or discomfort. The Bible makes us understand that God made the body to be interconnected. The fact that acupuncture works relieve pain, is evidence that someone discovered that interconnection. Taoism assigned spiritual meaning to the practice of acupuncture, but that does not mean a Christian has to do the same thing.
If a Christian’s conscience is not bothered (Romans 14:1-23), and they are not tempted to go astray in their Christian faith by following Biblically unacceptable Taoists practices and beliefs as a result of acupuncture, there is nothing in the Bible to suggest that it is inherently sinful or evil to use acupuncture as a medical tool. Today, the medical community is increasingly recognizing that, in some instances, there are verifiable medical benefits from acupuncture. Therefore, if the practice of acupuncture can be separated from the philosophy/worldview behind acupuncture, perhaps acupuncture is something that a Christian can consider. Again, though, extreme caution must be taken to avoid the spiritual aspects behind acupuncture. It is worth noting that most acupuncture practitioners genuinely believe in the Tao/yin-yang philosophy that is at the origin of acupuncture.
The Difference Between Acupuncture And Acupressure
There is a significant difference between acupuncture and acupressure. Acupuncture is the practice of placing needles at nerve points that connect to “meridians” in the body, in order to stimulate blood flow and nervous system function. With acupressure, instead of needles, pressure is placed upon nerve centers. For instance, there are pressure points said to be in the sole of the foot and the palm of the hand that corresponds to other areas of the body. Acupressure would seem to be very similar to deep-tissue massage therapy, where the muscles of the body are exposed to pressure to increase blood flow. Whatever, if acupressure is practiced to bring the body into the harmony of yin and yang, then the same problem arises as with acupuncture. Can the practice be implemented without the philosophy? The answer to this question should be our focus.
Facts About Acupuncture And Western Medicine
Our focus is on the separation of the born-again believer from any and all practices that would bring him or her the danger of bondage to counterfeit religions. Behold, ignorance of evil is a danger, and the more we inform ourselves as to the true origin of the Eastern philosophies and practices, the more we see that they are rooted in superstition, occultism, and false religions that are in direct opposition to God’s Word. Can a valuable medical procedure be invented by a non-Christian? Of course! Much of Western medicine has its origin in practices/individuals that were just as unchristian as the developers of acupuncture. Whether or not the origin is explicitly Christian is not the issue. The procedures that we subject ourselves to in search of healing/relief from pain is a matter of perspective, conviction, and discernment, not dogmatism.
It is rather unfortunate that Christians who dismiss Chinese medicine (Eastern medicine) as anti-Christian because of its Taoist roots often fail to equally subject Western medicine to the same scrutiny. Truthfully speaking, many aspects of Western civilization (including Western medicine) were fundamentally shaped by pagan thinkers. Eastern medicine is regarded by many as an ideal complement to Western medicine, as the conditions that Western medicine does not treat effectively are often those that Eastern medicine is particularly suited to. Although the Roman Catholic Church has not made an official pronouncement regarding acupuncture, we know of Pope Francis who received acupuncture treatment from a Taoist monk and found relief from chronic health problems.
More facts
Acupuncture is talked of by many as a way of awakening, strengthening, and focusing the body’s God-given capacity to heal itself, and therefore does not constitute magic or sorcery. The concept of yin and yang is based on the observation of the ancient Chinese people that, in every aspect of Creation, opposite forces are complementary, interconnected, interdependent, and constantly giving rise to one another. Those who have embraced this philosophical view think of yin and yang as value-neutral ways of describing natural phenomena. Yin is not evil and yang is not good any more than female is evil and male is good or summer is good and winter is evil.
John Piper, in his book, Think: The Life of the Mind and the Love of God, says this: “The task of all Christian scholarship — not just biblical studies — is to study reality as a manifestation of God’s glory, to speak and write about it with accuracy, and to savour the beauty of God in it, and to make it serve the good of man.”
Advantages And Disadvantages Of Acupuncture
Acupuncture has been practiced in China for thousands of years as part of Traditional Chinese Medicine. It is based on the belief that illness can occur when the flow of life force energy known as Qi, which runs through the body in meridians or channels, becomes stagnant. During the acupuncture treatment, very fine sterile needles are carefully inserted into specific acupuncture points located in different areas of the body to restore the flow of Qi and in turn restore health. Scientifically, acupuncture treatment is proven to stimulate nerves under the skin and muscular tissues. Acupuncture has been known to treat a range of health conditions. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), there exist over 40 health conditions and symptoms that are treated effectively by acupuncture, including headache, rheumatoid arthritis, TMJ, nausea, menstrual pain, and lower back pain.
The procedure of acupuncture is often claimed to be totally, or at least reasonably, safe. Nevertheless, the repeated and/or inappropriate use of an acupuncture needle carries the risk of infections. Amongst others, AIDS and hepatitis have been transmitted. Acupuncture needles may also traumatize tissues and organs. In addition, needles may break and fragments dislodged into distant organs. Finally, a serious and more general concern related to the safety of acupuncture is the competence of the therapist, whether or not medically qualified. It is worth noting that the “philosophy” of acupuncture is not in line with orthodox diagnostic skills; therefore acupuncturists can be dangerously unconcerned with diagnostic categories. However, the risks of acupuncture can be lowered by enforcing educational and clinical standards.
Is It Okay For A Christian To Participate In Acupuncture/Acupressure?
Matthew 9:12 – But when he heard it, he said, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick.
Romans 14:22 – “So whatever you believe about these things keep between yourself and God. Blessed is the one who does not condemn himself by what he approves.”
Jeremiah 8:22 – “Is there no balm in Gilead? Is there no physician there? Why then has the health of the daughter of my people not been restored?“
Proverbs 17:22 – “A joyful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.“
Ezekiel 47:12 – “And on the banks, on both sides of the river, there will grow all kinds of trees for food. Their leaves will not wither, nor their fruit fail, but they will bear fresh fruit every month, because the water for them flows from the sanctuary. Their fruit will be for food, and their leaves for healing.”
1 Timothy 5:23 – “(No longer drink only water, but use a little wine for the sake of your stomach and your frequent ailments.)“
Group 1 – Is It Okay For A Christian To Participate In Acupuncture/Acupressure
James 5:15 – “And the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven.”
Psalm 103:3 – “Who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases,”
Job 5:18 – “For he wounds, but he binds up; he shatters, but his hands heal.”
Jeremiah 46:11 – “Go up to Gilead, and take balm, O virgin daughter of Egypt! In vain you have used many medicines; there is no healing for you.“
Isaiah 1:6 – “From the sole of the foot even to the head, there is no soundness in it, but bruises and sores and raw wounds; they are not pressed out or bound up or softened with oil.”
Luke 10:34 – “He went to him and bound up his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he set him on his own animal and brought him to an inn and took care of him.”
Isaiah 38:21 – Now Isaiah had said, “Let them take a cake of figs and apply it to the boil, that he may recover.”
Revelation 22:2 – “Through the middle of the street of the city; also, on either side of the river, the tree of life with its twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit each month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.”
Group 2 – Is It Okay For A Christian To Participate In Acupuncture/Acupressure
James 5:14 – “Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord.”
Romans 12:2 – “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.”
Psalm 147:3 – “He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.“
Jeremiah 30:13 – “There is none to uphold your cause, no medicine for your wound, no healing for you.”
Jeremiah 33:6 – “Behold, I will bring to it health and healing, and I will heal them and reveal to them abundance of prosperity and security.”
2 Kings 20:7 – And Isaiah said, “Bring a cake of figs. And let them take and lay it on the boil, that he may recover.”
Exodus 15:26 – Saying, “If you will diligently listen to the voice of the Lord your God, and do that which is right in his eyes, and give ear to his commandments and keep all his statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you that I put on the Egyptians, for I am the Lord, your healer.”
Group 3 – Is It Okay For A Christian To Participate In Acupuncture/Acupressure
Isaiah 53:5 – “But he was wounded for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his stripes we are healed.”
1 Corinthians 6:19-20 – “Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.”
Genesis 50:2 – “And Joseph commanded his servants the physicians to embalm his father. So the physicians embalmed Israel.“
Colossians 4:14 – “Luke the beloved physician greets you, as does Demas.”
2 Kings 20:5-8 – “Turn back, and say to Hezekiah the leader of my people, Thus says the Lord, the God of David your father: I have heard your prayer; I have seen your tears. Behold, I will heal you. On the third day you shall go up to the house of the Lord, and I will add fifteen years to your life. I will deliver you and this city out of the hand of the king of Assyria, and I will defend this city for my own sake and for my servant David’s sake.” And Isaiah said, “Bring a cake of figs. And let them take and lay it on the boil, that he may recover.” And Hezekiah said to Isaiah, “What shall be the sign that the Lord will heal me, and that I shall go up to the house of the Lord on the third day?”
Group 4 – Is It Okay For A Christian To Participate In Acupuncture/Acupressure
Proverbs 15:13 – “A glad heart makes a cheerful face, but by sorrow of heart the spirit is crushed.”
3 John 1:2 – “Beloved, I pray that all may go well with you and that you may be in good health, as it goes well with your soul.”
2 Chronicles 16:12 – “In the thirty-ninth year of his reign Asa was diseased in his feet, and his disease became severe. Yet even in his disease he did not seek the Lord, but sought help from physicians.“
Jeremiah 30:17 – “For I will restore health to you, and your wounds I will heal, declares the Lord, because they have called you an outcast: ‘It is Zion, for whom no one cares!’“
Jeremiah 51:8 – “Suddenly Babylon has fallen and been broken; wail for her! Take balm for her pain; perhaps she may be healed.“
Ecclesiastes 3:3 – “A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;“
Jeremiah 17:14 – “Heal me, O Lord, and I shall be healed; save me, and I shall be saved, for you are my praise.”
Group 5 – Is It Okay For A Christian To Participate In Acupuncture/Acupressure
Proverbs 31:6 – “Give strong drink to the one who is perishing, and wine to those in bitter distress;“
Proverbs 16:24 – “Gracious words are like a honeycomb, sweetness to the soul and health to the body.”
Psalm 30:2 – “O Lord my God, I cried to you for help, and you have healed me.“
1 Timothy 4:8 – “For while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come.”
Proverbs 14:13 – “Even in laughter the heart may ache, and the end of joy may be grief.“
Mark 5:24-29 – “And he went with him. And a great crowd followed him and thronged about him. And there was a woman who had had a discharge of blood for twelve years, and who had suffered much under many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was no better but rather grew worse. She had heard the reports about Jesus and came up behind him in the crowd and touched his garment. For she said, “If I touch even his garments, I will be made well.” …“
Group 6 – Is It Okay For A Christian To Participate In Acupuncture/Acupressure
Luke 6:21 – “Blessed are you who are hungry now, for you shall be satisfied. “Blessed are you who weep now, for you shall laugh.
Revelation 18:23 – “And the light of a lamp will shine in you no more, and the voice of bridegroom and bride will be heard in you no more, for your merchants were the great ones of the earth, and all nations were deceived by your sorcery.“
James 5:13 – “Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing praise.”
Psalm 126:2 – Then our mouth was filled with laughter, and our tongue with shouts of joy; then they said among the nations, “The Lord has done great things for them.”
Psalm 41:3 – “The Lord sustains him on his sickbed; in his illness you restore him to full health.“
Revelation 3:18 – “I counsel you to buy from me gold refined by fire, so that you may be rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself and the shame of your nakedness may not be seen, and salve to anoint your eyes, so that you may see.“
Group 7 – Is It Okay For A Christian To Participate In Acupuncture/Acupressure
Luke 1:37 – “For nothing will be impossible with God.”
Revelation 1:1 – “The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show to his servants the things that must soon take place. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John,”
Psalm 23:1-6 – “A Psalm of David. The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. …“
Luke 8:48 – And he said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace.”
Hosea 6:1 – “Come, let us return to the Lord; for he has torn us, that he may heal us; he has struck us down, and he will bind us up.”
Revelation 21:8 – “But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.”
Mark 5:34 – And he said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace, and be healed of your disease.”
Psalm 103:2-3 – “Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits, who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases,“
Group 8 – Is It Okay For A Christian To Participate In Acupuncture/Acupressure
Matthew 10:8 – “Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, cast out demons. You received without paying; give without pay.“
Psalm 104:14 – “You cause the grass to grow for the livestock and plants for man to cultivate, that he may bring forth food from the earth“
Job 8:21 – “He will yet fill your mouth with laughter, and your lips with shouting.“
Job 13:4 – “As for you, you whitewash with lies; worthless physicians are you all.“
Genesis 21:6 – And Sarah said, “God has made laughter for me; everyone who hears will laugh over me.”
Esther 5:1-14 – “On the third day Esther put on her royal robes and stood in the inner court of the king’s palace, in front of the king’s quarters, while the king was sitting on his royal throne inside the throne room opposite the entrance to the palace. And when the king saw Queen Esther standing in the court, she won favor in his sight, and he held out to Esther the golden scepter that was in his hand. Then Esther approached and touched the tip of the scepter. And the king said to her, “What is it, Queen Esther? What is your request? It shall be given you, even to the half of my kingdom.” And Esther said, “If it please the king, let the king and Haman come today to a feast that I have prepared for the king.” …“
Group 9 – Is It Okay For A Christian To Participate In Acupuncture/Acupressure
John 3:16 – “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.“
Proverbs 15:15 – “All the days of the afflicted are evil, but the cheerful of heart has a continual feast.“
Psalm 51:7 – “Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.”
Revelation 9:21 – “Nor did they repent of their murders or their sorceries or their sexual immorality or their thefts.”
Acts 5:29 – But Peter and the apostles answered, “We must obey God rather than men.
Genesis 1:29-31 – “And God said, “Behold, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is on the face of all the earth, and every tree with seed in its fruit. You shall have them for food. And to every beast of the earth and to every bird of the heavens and to everything that creeps on the earth, everything that has the breath of life, I have given every green plant for food.” And it was so. And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good. …“
Group 10 – Is It Okay For A Christian To Participate In Acupuncture/Acupressure
1 Peter 5:8 – “Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.“
Deuteronomy 32:39 – “‘See now that I, even I, am he, and there is no god beside me; I kill and I make alive; I wound and I heal; and there is none that can deliver out of my hand.“
Deuteronomy 7:15 – “And the Lord will take away from you all sickness, and none of the evil diseases of Egypt, which you knew, will he inflict on you, but he will lay them on all who hate you.”
Proverbs 4:22 – “For they are life to those who find them, and healing to all their flesh.“
Revelation 22:15 – “Outside are the dogs and sorcerers and the sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices falsehood.“
James 5:14-15 – “Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven.”
Group 11 – Is It Okay For A Christian To Participate In Acupuncture/Acupressure
1 Peter 2:24 – “He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed.“
Mark 2:17 – And when Jesus heard it, he said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.”
James 1:5 – “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.”
Psalm 16:11 – “You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.“
Luke 10:9 – “Heal the sick in it and say to them, ‘The kingdom of God has come near to you.’“
Revelation 1:1-20 – “The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show to his servants the things that must soon take place. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John, who bore witness to the word of God and to the testimony of Jesus Christ, even to all that he saw. Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear, and who keep what is written in it, for the time is near. John to the seven churches that are in Asia: Grace to you and peace from him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven spirits who are before his throne, …“
Group 12 – Is It Okay For A Christian To Participate In Acupuncture/Acupressure
Matthew 9:24 – He said, “Go away, for the girl is not dead but sleeping.” And they laughed at him.
2 Chronicles 7:14 – “If my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.“
Psalm 107:19-20 – “Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress. He sent out his word and healed them, and delivered them from their destruction.”
Jeremiah 3:22 – “Return, O faithless sons; I will heal your faithlessness.” “Behold, we come to you, for you are the Lord our God.”
Genesis 9:3 – “Every moving thing that lives shall be food for you. And as I gave you the green plants, I give you everything.”
Genesis 1:29 – And God said, “Behold, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is on the face of all the earth, and every tree with seed in its fruit. You shall have them for food.”
Proverbs 3:8 – “It will be healing to your flesh and refreshment to your bones.”
Group 13 – Is It Okay For A Christian To Participate In Acupuncture/Acupressure
Psalm 2:4 – “He who sits in the heavens laughs; the Lord holds them in derision.“
2 Chronicles 16:12-13 – “In the thirty-ninth year of his reign Asa was diseased in his feet, and his disease became severe. Yet even in his disease he did not seek the Lord, but sought help from physicians. And Asa slept with his fathers, dying in the forty-first year of his reign.”
Ecclesiastes 7:6 – “For as the crackling of thorns under a pot, so is the laughter of the fools; this also is vanity.“
1 Corinthians 10:31 – “So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.”
John 3:16-17 – “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.”
Song of Solomon 4:14 – “Nard and saffron, calamus and cinnamon, with all trees of frankincense, myrrh and aloes, with all choice spices—“
Group 14 – Is It Okay For A Christian To Participate In Acupuncture/Acupressure
Psalm 59:8 – “But you, O Lord, laugh at them; you hold all the nations in derision.”
Psalm 107:20 – “He sent out his word and healed them, and delivered them from their destruction.”
Exodus 30:23 – “Take the finest spices: of liquid myrrh 500 shekels, and of sweet-smelling cinnamon half as much, that is, 250, and 250 of aromatic cane,“
Isaiah 19:22 – “And the Lord will strike Egypt, striking and healing, and they will return to the Lord, and he will listen to their pleas for mercy and heal them.”
Mark 5:26 – “And who had suffered much under many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was no better but rather grew worse.”
Luke 4:23 – And he said to them, “Doubtless you will quote to me this proverb, ‘Physician, heal yourself.’ What we have heard you did at Capernaum, do here in your hometown as well.”
Genesis 20:17 – “Then Abraham prayed to God, and God healed Abimelech, and also healed his wife and female slaves so that they bore children.”
Group 15 – Is It Okay For A Christian To Participate In Acupuncture/Acupressure
2 Kings 2:20-22 – He said, “Bring me a new bowl, and put salt in it.” So they brought it to him. Then he went to the spring of water and threw salt in it and said, “Thus says the Lord, I have healed this water; from now on neither death nor miscarriage shall come from it.” So the water has been healed to this day, according to the word that Elisha spoke.
Matthew 8:1-34 – “When he came down from the mountain, great crowds followed him. And behold, a leper came to him and knelt before him, saying, “Lord, if you will, you can make me clean.” And Jesus stretched out his hand and touched him, saying, “I will; be clean.” And immediately his leprosy was cleansed. And Jesus said to him, “See that you say nothing to anyone, but go, show yourself to the priest and offer the gift that Moses commanded, for a proof to them.” When he entered Capernaum, a centurion came forward to him, appealing to him, ...”
Leviticus 14:48 – “But if the priest comes and looks, and if the disease has not spread in the house after the house was plastered, then the priest shall pronounce the house clean, for the disease is healed.”
Ezekiel 34:4 – “The weak you have not strengthened, the sick you have not healed, the injured you have not bound up, the strayed you have not brought back, the lost you have not sought, and with force and harshness you have ruled them.”
Also Read
- What Does The Bible Say About Sickness?
- What Does The Bible Say About Strength?
- Bible Verses About Health
- Bible Verses About God
- Healing Scriptures For Cancer
- Bible Verses About Strength And Healing
- Bible Verses About The Word Of God
- What Does The Bible Say About Ability?
- What Does The Bible Say About Jesus Christ?
