Should Christians practice Yoga?

[Bateluer]

http://religion.blogs.cnn.com/2010/10/11/should-christians-practice-yoga/

Does practicing yoga compromise your Christian faith? That question is at the center of a debate made by the Southern Baptist Seminary president. Christians that practice yoga say two have little to do with each other.

Tanya Wood is a yoga instructor at the Yoga Spot in Tyler. She has been practicing yoga for eight years. "It makes you feel good, strong and flexible," said Wood. "It really does allow you to just wind down."

But, recent comments made by Southern Baptist Seminary President Albert Mohler has Wood wound up. "It's clear it's struck a nerve," said Mohler. "I hope at least it's a fruitful conversation."

In his online blog, Mohler said, "Christians who participate in yoga are embracing, or at minimum flirting with a spiritual practice that threatens to transform their own spiritual lives."

"I totally disagree," said Wood. "I'm a Christian. I was saved when I was five-years-old. I have never practiced anything that would compromise my beliefs."

Mohler said that people should see yoga represents and see that it conflicts with Christianity. "This is totally separate," said Wood. "It has nothing to do with religion. What we practice has nothing to do with religion."

Not a big Yoga person myself, but I've never really seen it as a religious thing. It always seemed to be about fitness and health, maybe very light spirituality. And certainly not tied to any specific faith. I guess since you could ponder any faith or religious issue while doing any exercise, Christians should not participate in any form of fitness? How are they going to battle Satan and the Anti-Christ's minions at Megido if they've spent their lives as couch potatoes? I don't think they'll be engaging the forces of evil on Xbox 360s.

 

[werepossum]

My wife's aunts have this same belief, as did her mother. Bizarro.

Of course, one of her aunts has expressed even more bizarre ideas about Christianity. They were driving around Easter and saw one of those Easter Tree thingies, where people take an outdoor Christmas Tree and decorate it with plastic Easter eggs (go figure.) Her aunt exploded: "Look at that, that just makes me so furious. They're desecrating the most sacred symbol in Christianity - the Christmas Tree!"

Ahh . . . m'kay.

 

[Craig234]

This is your basic 'oh my gosh it's different than our xenophobic narrow practice, so it's the devil' paranoia. Yoga can be practiced without any conflict with Christianity IMO.

 

[Kadarin]

Her aunt exploded: "Look at that, that just makes me so furious. They're desecrating the most sacred symbol in Christianity - the Christmas Tree!"

Ahh . . . m'kay.

This made me LOL!

Technically though, yoga is most definitely NOT Christianity. Of course, given that I would say that everyone should embrace yoga.

 

[sandorski]

The only Real Christian is a stiff Christian.

 

[Red Dawn]

Baptists, wtf do you expect?

 

[Bateluer]

They're desecrating the most sacred symbol in Christianity - the Christmas Tree!"

Ask her if its okay to poo on the cross then.

 

[soccerballtux]

My wife's aunts have this same belief, as did her mother. Bizarro.

Of course, one of her aunts has expressed even more bizarre ideas about Christianity. They were driving around Easter and saw one of those Easter Tree thingies, where people take an outdoor Christmas Tree and decorate it with plastic Easter eggs (go figure.) Her aunt exploded: "Look at that, that just makes me so furious. They're desecrating the most sacred symbol in Christianity - the Christmas Tree!"

Ahh . . . m'kay.

that's a really poorly made up story

 

[sao123]

There are many underlying spiritual aspects of Yoga, chiefly the goal of reaching Moksha - "the liberation of the soul". Yoga literally means to unite, and is the sum total of all activities — mental, verbal and physical — attempting to become one with the essense of god.

This is inconflict with the christian view that God is to be worshiped as a supreme being.

 

[CanOWorms]

There have been similar statements the last year or two from Muslim preachers in Indonesia and Malaysia.

 

[sandorski]

There are many underlying spiritual aspects of Yoga, chiefly the goal of reaching Moksha - "the liberation of the soul". Yoga literally means to unite, and is the sum total of all activities — mental, verbal and physical — attempting to become one with the essense of god.

This is inconflict with the christian view that God is to be worshiped as a supreme being.

lol, first Stiffy in Thread.

 

[werepossum]

This made me LOL!

Technically though, yoga is most definitely NOT Christianity. Of course, given that I would say that everyone should embrace yoga.

Yeah, me too. It's like, "I thought I knew where you were going here, but then you swerved off and totally left me behind."

The explanation given by her aunts and mother was that yoga requires that you first empty your mind, and if you do that then Satan will surely rush in to fill it. I'm pretty sure though the real reason was they weren't allowed to take the class while smoking - literally while smoking. In the literal act of smoking. But I could be wrong, might be something they saw on TV. But in fifty years this thread is only the second time I've encountered this "yoga leads to Satan" thing.

There are many underlying spiritual aspects of Yoga, chiefly the goal of reaching Moksha - "the liberation of the soul". Yoga literally means to unite, and is the sum total of all activities — mental, verbal and physical — attempting to become one with the essense of god.

This is inconflict with the christian view that God is to be worshiped as a supreme being.

Color me crazy but I don't think they are trying to achieve Moksha at the Senior Center. Attempting to become one with the essence of G-d actually sounds pretty appealing though.

 

[sandorski]

Yeah, me too. It's like, "I thought I knew where you were going here, but then you swerved off and totally left me behind."

The explanation given by her aunts and mother was that yoga requires that you first empty your mind, and if you do that then Satan will surely rush in to fill it. I'm pretty sure though the real reason was they weren't allowed to take the class while smoking - literally while smoking. In the literal act of smoking. But I could be wrong, might be something they saw on TV. But in fifty years this thread is only the second time I've encountered this "yoga leads to Satan" thing.


Color me crazy but I don't think they are trying to achieve Moksha at the Senior Center. Attempting to become one with the essence of G-d actually sounds pretty appealing though.

Ya, I have heard the whole Empty Mind/Satan thing before. From a part of Evangelicalism which has pretty much turned every single thing into a Spiritual Black/White paradigm. You name it, Jesus or Satan is responsible and/or you'll be influenced by one of them through that thing. Most "young" Christians amongst Born Agains go through that phase, some get stuck in it permanently.

 

[WildHorse]

``

 

[werepossum]

Definitely YES.

Yoga is about focusing one’s whole being, bodily energies, mental attention, and deepest devotion toward utter complete total absorption in God.

I’m confident Christ approves.

Patanjali gave 8 fantastically superhumanly difficult steps, of which the hatha (physical) exercises the article linked in the OP is talking about are just one.

1. Yama (moral conduct): noninjury to others, truthfulness, nonstealing, continence, and noncovetousness.
2. Niyama (religious observances): purity of body and mind, contentment in all circumstances, self-discipline, self-study (contemplation), and devotion to God and guru.
3. Asana: right posture.
4. Pranayama: control of prana, the subtle life currents in the body.
5. Pratyahara: interiorization through withdrawal of the senses from external objects.
6. Dharana: focused concentration; holding the mind to one thought or object.
7. Dhyana: meditation, absorption in the vast perception of God in one of His infinite aspects — Bliss, Peace, Cosmic Light, Cosmic Sound, Love, Wisdom, etc. — all-pervading throughout the whole universe.
8. Samadhi: superconscious experience of the oneness of the individualized soul with Cosmic Spirit.

However, since yoga means "union" of the individual consciousness or soul with the Universal Consciousness or Spirit, it means no intermediation by a priesthood is necessary, so the orthodox can’t and won’t abide that.

Now see, there's the whole problem with yoga from the Christian standpoint - it's full of funny foreign names! (And yes, Moonie, I am fully aware I have the same tendencies and suspicions.)

 

[Binarycow]

Definitely YES.

Yoga is about focusing one’s whole being, bodily energies, mental attention, and deepest devotion toward utter complete total absorption in God.

I’m confident Christ approves.

Patanjali gave 8 fantastically superhumanly difficult steps, of which the hatha (physical) exercises the article linked in the OP is talking about are just one.

1. Yama (moral conduct): noninjury to others, truthfulness, nonstealing, continence, and noncovetousness.
2. Niyama (religious observances): purity of body and mind, contentment in all circumstances, self-discipline, self-study (contemplation), and devotion to God and guru.
3. Asana: right posture.
4. Pranayama: control of prana, the subtle life currents in the body.
5. Pratyahara: interiorization through withdrawal of the senses from external objects.
6. Dharana: focused concentration; holding the mind to one thought or object.
7. Dhyana: meditation, absorption in the vast perception of God in one of His infinite aspects — Bliss, Peace, Cosmic Light, Cosmic Sound, Love, Wisdom, etc. — all-pervading throughout the whole universe.
8. Samadhi: superconscious experience of the oneness of the individualized soul with Cosmic Spirit.

However, since yoga means "union" of the individual consciousness or soul with the Universal Consciousness or Spirit, it means no intermediation by a priesthood is necessary, so the orthodox can’t and won’t abide that.

Chris is a dead dude so who cares, its his misguided stupid-bigoted followers that you should worry about.

 

[Kadarin]

Definitely YES.

Yoga is about focusing one’s whole being, bodily energies, mental attention, and deepest devotion toward utter complete total absorption in God.

I’m confident Christ approves.

Patanjali gave 8 fantastically superhumanly difficult steps, of which the hatha (physical) exercises the article linked in the OP is talking about are just one.

1. Yama (moral conduct): noninjury to others, truthfulness, nonstealing, continence, and noncovetousness.
2. Niyama (religious observances): purity of body and mind, contentment in all circumstances, self-discipline, self-study (contemplation), and devotion to God and guru.
3. Asana: right posture.
4. Pranayama: control of prana, the subtle life currents in the body.
5. Pratyahara: interiorization through withdrawal of the senses from external objects.
6. Dharana: focused concentration; holding the mind to one thought or object.
7. Dhyana: meditation, absorption in the vast perception of God in one of His infinite aspects — Bliss, Peace, Cosmic Light, Cosmic Sound, Love, Wisdom, etc. — all-pervading throughout the whole universe.
8. Samadhi: superconscious experience of the oneness of the individualized soul with Cosmic Spirit.

However, since yoga means "union" of the individual consciousness or soul with the Universal Consciousness or Spirit, it means no intermediation by a priesthood is necessary, so the orthodox can’t and won’t abide that.

My guess is that Jesus would have told you that no intermediation by a priesthood is necessary (i.e. the path to God is through him), but The Church would certainly tell you that it is. Go figure.

 

[senseamp]

Christians should at least try Bikram so they know what hell will be like.

 

[Kirby]

meh, they have yoga classes at YMCAs.

 

[onlyCOpunk]

I believe the movie Dogma best puts the argument of religion and spirituality in light.

 

[Siddhartha]

If I were I a Christian, I doubt I would allow those Christians or anyone else define my religion for me.

 

[Baasha]

westerners, or rather, those who are not Indian, don't practice "Yoga". They simply and poorly do Asana (physical aspect of Yoga).

And, no non-Hindus were allowed to do Yoga before so they shouldn't be allowed to now either. Unfortunately, we have self-proclaimed "teachers" (LMAO) who think they know what Yoga is trying to "teach" others. :biggrin:

 

[jackschmittusa]

Most Americans are only familiar with the dumbed down version designed for people like most Americans. A way to justify a block of time to escape that pesky "thinking" thing. It's also an effective way to feel comfortable in boredom.

Though not a Christian, I really don't see this version being much of a challenge to anyone's spiritual purity.

 

[Ancalagon44]

A friend of mine asked on facebook whether to do yoga or pilates - one of her friends told her that yoga had you in prayer positions for hindu gods. Okay then....

Stupid people are stupid. The fact that American yoga isnt even true yoga (as Baasha says) makes it even more funny.

 

[WildHorse]

~~