Is it okay for a Christian woman to wear a bindi?
A bindi, or round, red mark between the eyebrows, is common in Indian culture and has strong ties to Hinduism.Spiritually, some believe the bindi (also spelled bindhi) represents a "third eye" or "spiritual eye" and gives the wearer special perspective or an ability to see things in the spiritual realm. Some Hindus use a bindi to focus their meditations on spiritual things. Some also believe that when a person's spiritual eye opens, the person is drawn to the god she is seeking and receives enlightenment.
The bindi is also associated with chakra, or psychic energy spots on the body. The bindi is placed over the sixth chakra and identifies the confluence of concentrated secret wisdom obtained through mantra medication.
Bindis are traditionally red, signifying power and strength. Some think bindis focus the mind, improve concentration, retain spiritual energy, and bring good luck. Culturally, bindis are seen as enhancing beauty. "A woman's beauty is multiplied one thousand times when she wears a bindi," goes one Indian proverb.
In South Asia, where bindis are common, wearing a bindi can mean different things. In some parts of India, a bindi signifies a woman is married, though in other parts of India, all females wear a bindi. Some cultures use the bindi to identify a specific caste or sect.
Sometimes, a western woman will apply a bindi as fashion, just as some wear a cross necklace even if they are not Christian. However, because a bindi always carries with it a relationship with the Hindu religion, a Christian woman should not wear one. Hinduism denies the One True God, and Christians should not associate themselves with such a practice.
Paul instructs us to avoid relationships with false gods and the practice of false religions. He writes, "Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what fellowship has light with darkness? What accord has Christ with Belial? Or what portion does a believer share with an unbeliever?" (2 Corinthians 6:14–15)
Even when a Christian woman does not believe in the significance or power of a bindi, if she wears one she is broadcasting to the world that she identifies with Hinduism.
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