Blasphemy of the Holy Spirit is to deny God, and to also accredit lesser gods (or demons) to the good works/miracles that actually come from God. This, is idolatry, as defined by the Catholic Church, and is the one unforgivable sin, as stated in the Catechism:
"Idolatry not only refers to false pagan worship. It remains a constant temptation to faith. Idolatry consists in divinizing what is not God. Man commits idolatry whenever he honors and reveres a creature in place of God, whether this be gods or demons (for example, satanism), power, pleasure, race, ancestors, the state, money, etc. Jesus says, 'You cannot serve God and mammon.' Many martyrs died for not adoring 'the Beast' refusing even to simulate such worship. Idolatry rejects the unique Lordship of God; it is therefore incompatible with communion with God."
We see two famous stories of idolatry in the Gospels, where Jesus warns us of blasphemy of the Holy Spirit, Matthew 12.32, and the second most common warning in Mark 3.22.
And yet, people do not recognize that idolatry is at the heart of this unforgivable sins.
Now, I do not have the answers (yet!) I have fallen victim to idolatry in my yoga practices, and I know not if I can be forgiven. Does the one unforgivable sin mean that it is only unpardonable if we die before repenting? What about the Church teaching that once we stand before God, in our purest form (the soul), we will choose Christ? What then?
What I do know, is that most every one has fallen victim to the idolatry that is the curse inherited from Adam's Fall. Only few will find and take the the narrow gate; the rest will succumb to idolatry, and typically not even realize it.
The greatest and most overt example of idolatry is within the growing popularity of yoga. In 2008, tens of millions of people practice(d) yoga in the United States alone, with over a million Canadians practicing in 2003. (Ibid). Imagine what that statistics are in 2011!
This, of course is hard to accept, even for the Catholic. It is important when taking the narrow path that is requested of us, that we still follow Jesus' commandments, and also to remember what it truly means to love our enemies. Jesus was not exclusive; though he came only for the lost sheep of Israel, anyone of faith was healed.
It is a fine line between apostleship and radicalism, condemning and warning. But more importantly, there is the maturation of the gift of discernment that is bestowed upon us at baptism. We must pray for the grace so that God may strengthen our ability to know good from evil, and to know who that lost are, and who we are not meant to minister as Christ's disciples.
The real problem in (kundalini) yoga right now, is the failure to recognize that everything is God's will: even when it is us who are preforming the miracles, and making us seem God-like. And even though the Japji states that everything is in God's will, the yogi believes that the power is his, because he is God. This is the most common iniquity committed by man since the beginning (Original Sin), and the reason why we suffer still. Blasphemy of the Holy Spirit must be the centre of the Christian's focus when practicing yoga (even the yogis).
The consequences of idolatry have been made known to us for thousands of years, and even the complacent and ignorant are not absolved of their offences. If we want to break the generational curse of Adam, we must recognize the Christ, our True God; there is no other way.
The greatest and most overt example of idolatry is within the growing popularity of yoga. In 2008, tens of millions of people practice(d) yoga in the United States alone, with over a million Canadians practicing in 2003. (Ibid). Imagine what that statistics are in 2011!
This, of course is hard to accept, even for the Catholic. It is important when taking the narrow path that is requested of us, that we still follow Jesus' commandments, and also to remember what it truly means to love our enemies. Jesus was not exclusive; though he came only for the lost sheep of Israel, anyone of faith was healed.
It is a fine line between apostleship and radicalism, condemning and warning. But more importantly, there is the maturation of the gift of discernment that is bestowed upon us at baptism. We must pray for the grace so that God may strengthen our ability to know good from evil, and to know who that lost are, and who we are not meant to minister as Christ's disciples.
The real problem in (kundalini) yoga right now, is the failure to recognize that everything is God's will: even when it is us who are preforming the miracles, and making us seem God-like. And even though the Japji states that everything is in God's will, the yogi believes that the power is his, because he is God. This is the most common iniquity committed by man since the beginning (Original Sin), and the reason why we suffer still. Blasphemy of the Holy Spirit must be the centre of the Christian's focus when practicing yoga (even the yogis).
The consequences of idolatry have been made known to us for thousands of years, and even the complacent and ignorant are not absolved of their offences. If we want to break the generational curse of Adam, we must recognize the Christ, our True God; there is no other way.
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