Ano ang color run? Ang color run ay isang paint race, na itinatag sa 2012 at naging tagumpay sa buong mundo. Bawat taon, the color run is organized in all the big cities around the world. What is the purpose of the color run? The purpose of the color run is to bring professional and amateur runners together and to promote a healthy lifestyle, fun, and happiness. If you want to participate in the color run, you have to buy a ticket. A part of the profit will be donated to charity organizations. When you look at these aspects of the color run, it all seems fine and harmless. But what isn’t harmless, is what actually happens during the color run. During the color run, color powders are thrown over the participants, who are clothed in white. Why are color powders used during the color run? What is the purpose and meaning of color powders? Ano ang nangyayari sa espirituwal na kaharian, when the participants are painted with color powders? Should Christians participate in the color run? Are color runs harmless or not? Kung hindi, why are color runs bad? What is the spiritual danger of the color run?
What has been the inspiration for the color run?
The founder of the color run was inspired among others by the Hindu religious Holi feast (also called Holi Pagwah, Ranwali Holi, atbp).
The Holi feast was originally only celebrated in India and Nepal. But nowadays this feast (festival) is celebrated in many countries around the world. Holi is also called the feast of colors, or the feast of sharing love. The color run is not the only event, which is inspired by the Holi feast. There are many other events, which are inspired by it as well.
Many events have copied and applied the use of color powders to their own events. Even churches use color powders during events to attract young people.
The Holi feast is a two-day festival and is a combination of a spring feast and a new years feast. The Holi feast celebrates the victory of good over evil.
The history of Holi
There are many versions of the Holi feast, but I will only briefly summarize the main version. Therefore it could be, that some details may be lacking, but the main purpose of this article is to look at the use and meaning of the color powders.
Holi derives from ‘Holika’, the name of the evil sister of the demonic king Hiranyakashipu. Hiranyakashipu honored the god Brahma. His son Prahlada didn’t agree with his father and stayed loyal to the god Vishnu, even when he was being punished and locked up by his father.
Prahlada’s aunt Holika, thought of a plan to get rid of her nephew. She suggested making a sacrifice to his god Vishnu, by climbing together on a pyre. Gayunpaman she wore a cloak, that would prevent her from being burned. But when the fire flared up, the god Vishnu transferred the cloak to Prahlada. Therefore Holika died and Prahlada survived. Prahlada’s father became furious. The god Vishnu came in the appearance of god Narashimha and killed king Hiranyakashipu.
On the day of full moon Holika Dahan is celebrated
On the day of full moon, the feast Holika Dahan is celebrated. During Holika Dahan, people make a bonfire to destroy evil. But before they make the bonfire, religious rituals and prayers will take place, so that the intern evil will be destroyed. At the bonfire, the people will sing and dance. The bonfire, on Holika Dahan, is a remembrance and symbolizes the victory of good over evil.
On the day after full moon Rangwali Holi is celebrated
The day after full moon, Rangwali Holi (Holi Pagwah, Holi feast, Pagwah festival, atbp.) is celebrated. Holi starts after the ashes of the Holika is being cooled down and after the Pandit of the national community has performed a morning service at the Holika. During this service, after prayer, the Pandit will speak blessings for happiness and welfare of the community in the new year. The attendees are arrayed with a tile, a first stip on the forehead, of the ashes of the Holika. This ash is considered holy and is a symbol of the god Shiva.
After this ceremony, the feast of the colors starts. During this feast of colors, the people chase each other and paint each other with color powders and (fragrance) waters in spray guns, which will ward of evil demons.
Other versions of the concept of using color powders and spray guns derive from the god Krishna. One version is that the god Krishna celebrated Holi with his friends, by using color powders and spray guns. The water would ensure that the powders would adhere better. Another version is based on the love story of god Krishna. Ganun pa man, the colors would ward off evil demons and keep the gods happy.
During Holi, there are groups, who are playing on the drums and other musical instruments. They are singing and dancing from one place to the other. The people are celebrating, pagsasayaw, pagkanta, Pag-inom ng alak (alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages) and eating, together with family, mga kaibigan, at mga kakilala, till late in the night.
The spiritual danger of the color run and the meaning of color powders
Colors are very important in the Hindu religion and each color powder has its own meaning. According to the Hindu religion, the colors are associated with their gods.
When you wear a certain color or paint yourself with a certain color powder, you worship the gods and you engage (tie) yourself with these gods.
Every color powder used in the color run represents certain energy (life power). Therefore by using color powders, you can create your own atmosphere.
Why do participants of the color run have to wear white clothing?
I won’t go into details about the meaning of every color used in the color run, but I will look at the white color, which every participant of the color run needs to wear.
According to the Hindu religion, the color white represents purity, kapayapaan, kaalaman, and self-denial.
The color white is also used during cremation and mourning. Priests use it as a symbol for spiritual rebirth and that is exactly what happens during the color run. Given these facts, it is no surprise, why the participants of the color run have to wear white.
The participants of the color run are baptized in colors
The second requirement of the color run is that the participants have to be covered with colors at the end of the race. Therefore during the race, they will be baptized in colors. Now let’s have look at the word ‘binyag’:
The English word ‘baptism’ is translated from the Greek word ‘baptisma’ and is the process of immersion, submersion, and emergence. ‘Baptisma’ derives from ‘baptõ’, which means ‘to dip’.
When we look at the word ‘to baptize’ it is primarily a frequentative form of ‘baptō’, “to dip” and was used among the Greeks to signify the dyeing of a garment or the drawing of water by dipping a vessel into another, atbp.
Some of you might think, “that’s one crazy story! What a nonsense!” Maybe you have participated in the color run or Holi feast or another color powder event and you didn’t feel anything. You only ran, danced, enjoyed yourself and had a good time.
What happens during baptism in the spiritual realm?
Well….Let’s have a look at a Christian baptism or if you are a Christian, let’s look at your Binyag sa Tubig. Noong bininyagan ka, you didn’t feel a thing, except the water. You went into the water (immersed), under the water (submerged), and got out of the water (emerged).
Sa natural na kaharian (visible realm, the realm of the senses), you only saw and felt the water with your senses. Ngunit sa espirituwal na larangan, you didn’t feel what happened.
Noong bininyagan ka, you identified yourself with Jesus Christ’s burial and resurrection and connected yourself with Jesus.
You died to yourself; your flesh and buried your flesh in baptism. And as Christ was raised from the dead, your spirit was raised from the dead. That’s what happened in the spiritual realm.
Now in the natural realm, you didn’t feel that your flesh died. Nor did you actually die, because you got up and walked out of the water.
It is the same with the color run. Instead of being baptized in water and being connected to Jesus Christ, you are baptized in colors and be connected to evil powers.
You won’t feel a thing in the flesh. Ngunit sa espirituwal na larangan, you have bound yourself to these demonic powers (mga diyos).
During the 3.1 miles color run you will be baptized with a certain color powder at each station. At the finish of the color run, everyone will be baptized with all kinds of colors. After this baptism, there will be a great color feast.
Sa pamamagitan ng paraan, the color run will be slightly different this year, because the color run celebrates its 5th anniversary. It is called “The tropical world tour’, which means that during the color run there will be tropical island music. Ngunit hindi iyon lahat! While you are baptized with color powders, you will also be sprinkled with tropical fragrance waters, which are also used in pagan rituals to worship gods.
Should Christians participate in the color run?
Maging hindi ka pantay na yoked kasama ang mga hindi naniniwala: sapagkat anong pakikipagkapwa ang kabutihan sa di katuwiran? at anong komunyon ang may liwanag sa kadiliman? At ano ang pagkakasundo ni Cristo kay Belial? O kung anong bahagi siya na naniniwala sa isang hindi katulong? At anong kasunduan ang may templo ng Diyos na may mga idolo? Sapagka't kayo ay ang templo ng buhay na Diyos; Tulad ng sinabi ng Diyos, Tatahan ako sa kanila, at maglakad sa kanila; At ako ang magiging Diyos nila, At sila ang magiging aking bayan. Kaya't lumabas mula sa gitna nila, at maging hiwalay ka, sabi ng Panginoon, At huwag hawakan ang marumi na bagay; At tatanggapin kita, At magiging isang ama sa iyo, at kayo ay magiging Aking mga anak na lalaki at babae, sabi ng Panginoong Makapangyarihan sa lahat (2 Mga Taga Corinto 6:14)
Everyone has been given a free will, therefore everyone may choose for themselves. But what has the light in common with the darkness?
Sa kasamaang palad, many Christians are carnal and are not really born again. Therefore they keep living after the flesh, sa halip na mamuhay ayon sa Espiritu. They are darkened in their minds and don’t discern the spirits and don’t see any spiritual danger.
With reference to the color run, they don’t see the spiritual danger of the color run.
They don’t see the influences of the Hindu religion and what actually happens in the spiritual realm when they are dipped (nabinyagan) in color powders.
They don’t see the spiritual truth that they are connected to demonic powers. They don’t see any danger of the color run at all, but they consider the color run as an innocent charity running event, with lots of fun, kaligayahan, pagkakaisa, atbp.
But when you participate, you will never be the same. You will show up in white clothes and go home dyed in all kinds of colors. Your white clothes coated with color powders symbolize in the natural (nakikita) kaharian, what has been taken place in the spiritual (unseen) kaharian.
The colors represent the gods, the energies (life powers), where you have attached yourself with. These demonic powers, which are behind these gods, will manifest themselves in your life. Maybe not immediately, ngunit sa huli, sila ay. The manifestations will always be the same and start with depressions, pag-aalburoto, kawalan ng pasensya, (hindi mapigilan) galit na galit, pagkabalisa, mga takot, Insomnia, mga bangungot, atbp.
Christians should not become partakers of pagan rituals
Bilang isangborn again Christian, you should not be partaker of pagan rituals nor copy them. That the world is inspired by pagan religions and copies pagan rituals is up to the world. But the church should not follow the world, copy the world and walk like the world. The church should abstain from these pagan practices, instead of becoming a partaker of pagan practices.
You have been separated from the world through Jesus Christ and are no longer joined to the world (Basahin mo rin: ‘Madali ba ang pamatok ni Jesus at magaan ang Kanyang pasanin?‘).
Ibig sabihin nito, that you don’t belong to the world anymore, because you have been transferred from the kingdom of darkness (ang mundo) sa Kaharian ng Diyos. If you are transferred in the spiritual realm, your actions should follow up your spiritual transfer and your restored position in Christ.
Ngunit ang pangunahing problema ay, that the church wants to stay carnal and is not willing to say goodbye to the flesh.
The church wants to live like the world. Kaya nga, the church copies the world and Christianizes the things of this world to make it alright and approved.
But as written in previous posts, by Christianizing the things of this world and by putting the word ‘Christian’ in front of something, doesn’t make it allright and acceptable to God (Basahin mo rin: ‘Ang sarsa ng Kristiyano‘)
Being baptized (dipped) in colors has nothing to do with the gospel of Jesus Christ and the Kingdom of God. The only color that a Christian is connected with is the blood of Jesus Christ, which cleanses from all sins and iniquities.
The walk of the carnal man
Kapag tayo go back to the Old Covenant and look at the people of God (who were carnal people and walked after the flesh), we read the same thing over and over again. The people of God compromised with Gentile nations and adopted their pagan religions, mga ritwal, and gods. By their acts, the people of God became unfaithful to the Almighty God. Sa kabila ng katotohanan, that God warned them many times, they went their own way and made their own rules. They didn’t keep Kanyang utos to have no other gods before Him:
Thou shalt have no other gods before me (Exodo 20:3).
And in all things that I have said unto you be circumspect: and make no mention of the name of other gods, neither let it be heard out of thy mouth (Exodo 23:13)
Thou shalt not bow down to their gods, ni paglingkuran sila, nor do after their works: but thou shalt utterly overthrow them, and quite break down their images (Exodo 23:24)
Thou shalt make no covenant with them, nor with their gods (Exodo 23:32-33)
Ingatan ninyo ang inyong mga sarili, that your heart be not deceived, and you turn aside, and serve other gods, at sambahin sila (Deuteronomio 11:16)
The majority of the people of God were stubborn and went their own way until they got themselves into deep trouble and saw no way out. In those times of trouble, they called upon the Lord God. At Diyos, in His great love and mercy, sent His Word and redeemed them time and time again.
Pagkatapos ay umiyak sila sa Panginoon sa kanilang problema, and He saveth them out of their distresses. He sent his word, at pinagaling sila, at inihatid ang mga ito mula sa kanilang mga pagkawasak (Mga Awit 107:19-20).
Ang pagkilala sa mga espiritu
As long as the body of Christ remains carnal and keeps walking after the flesh, which means being led by the senses, mga kaisipan, mga damdamin, mga emosyon, opinions etc., the church shall not discern what is good and what is evil. I am not talking about natural things; i.e. if you may steal or not steal because that should be clear. Even an unbeliever knows that stealing is not good and that you will be punished if you steal. You don’t need the Holy Spirit for that. Ngunit kapag lumakad ka ayon sa Espiritu, you will discern the spirits and the spiritual realm, and see what actually takes place behind the natural realm(visible realm).
Tulad ng nasusulat bago, if you are an unbeliever or a carnal unregenerate believer, you will find the things, na nakasulat sa itaas, over exaggerated at isang malaking kalokohan. Hindi mo makikita ang panganib ng color run at pagsali sa color run.
Ngunit sa mga mananampalataya, na lumalakad ayon sa Espiritu, ito ay walang kabuluhan, ngunit katotohanan. Makikilala nila ang mga gawa ng diyablo; ang mga gawa ng kadiliman.
Alam nila kung ano ang nangyayari sa espirituwal na kaharian at samakatuwid ay hindi sila makikibahagi sa mga gawa ng kadiliman ngunit umiiwas dito.
Hindi nila iaalay ang kanilang buhay sa mga paganong diyos (mga demonyo) at makibahagi sa mga paganong ritwal, ngunit kanilang ilalantad at sasawayin sila, tulad ng ginawa ni Jesus.
Ang pagpapatunay kung ano ang katanggap -tanggap sa Panginoon. At walang pakikisama sa mga hindi nabuong mga gawa ng kadiliman, ngunit sa halip ay reprove ang mga ito (Mga Taga Efeso 5:10)
Ang mga bagay ng mundong ito ay magdadala sa iyo sa pagkaalipin
At dahil anak kayo, Ipinadala ng Diyos ang Espiritu ng kanyang Anak sa inyong mga puso, umiiyak na, Abba, Ama. Kaya't hindi ka na lingkod, Ngunit isang anak na lalaki; At kung isang anak na lalaki, Pagkatapos isang tagapagmana ng Diyos sa pamamagitan ni Cristo. Gayunpaman, pagkatapos, noong hindi ninyo nakilala ang Diyos, kayo ay naglingkod sa kanila na sa kalikasan ay hindi mga diyos. Pero ngayon, pagkatapos na makilala ninyo ang Diyos, o sa halip ay kilala ng Diyos, paanong kayo'y muling bumaling sa mahihina at pulubi na mga elemento, na kung saan muli ninyong ninanais na maalipin (Mga Taga Galacia 4:6-9)
Kung kilala mo talaga si Hesukristo, kung gayon bakit ka lalayo sa Kanya; ang Salita at maging kasangkot sa mga bagay ng mundo, na magdadala sa iyo sa pagkaalipin? Ang Bibliya ay napakalinaw at nagbabala sa iyo, para hindi na bumalik sa nilakad mo, bago ka ipinanganak muli noong ikaw ay makalaman at lumakad kasunod ng laman sa kadiliman. Ngunit tinuturuan ka ng Bibliya na lumakad ayon sa Espiritu, sa liwanag.
Kay Cristo, ikaw ay nakadamit ng puting damit na lino
Marami ang dapat dalisayin, at ginawang puti, at sinubukan; ngunit ang masama ay gagawa ng masama: at walang makakaunawa sa masama; ngunit ang marurunong ay makakaunawa (Daniel 12:10)
Nawa'y laging maputi ang iyong mga kasuotan; at huwag magkulang sa iyong ulo ng pamahid (Panaghoy 9:8)
Ikaw ay tinubos ng dugo ni Jesucristo. Ang Kanyang dugo ay ginawa kang banal at matuwid. Simula ng naging kayo Isang Bagong Paglikha, Dinamitan ka niya ng puting lino, na kumakatawan sa katuwiran. But the devil shall try anything to defile your white garment.
The devil shall try to tempt and seduce you in the flesh and shall ensure that you will remain carnal and keep walking after the flesh, so that your garment becomes defiled by the works of the flesh.
“He that overcomes, the same shall be clothed in white raiment”
Mayroon kang ilang mga pangalan maging sa Sardis na hindi nadungisan ang kanilang mga kasuotan; at sila ay lalakad na kasama ko na nakaputi: sapagkat sila ay karapatdapat. He that overcomes, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, at bago ang kanyang mga anghel (Paghahayag 3:4-5)
And one of the elders answered, sinasabi sa akin, What are these which are arrayed in white robes? and whence came they? And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb (Paghahayag 7:13-14)
Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him:for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready. And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white:for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints (Paghahayag 19:7-8)
Kaya nga, take heed that you stay faithful to Jesus Christ and that your white garments remain white and not be defiled by all kinds of colors.
“Maging asin ng lupa”
Pinagmulan: Wikipedia, Vines dictionary, color run.com
