Yoga poses dangers to genuine Christian faith says Seminary president

[Wyliefan]

It's always seemed to me that the more secure one is in their OWN religion, the less they are disturbed by what anyone else is doing....

Personally, I don't think there's anything un-Christian about the physical side of yoga minus the meditation and so forth, and that's how a lot of Christians practice it.

However, I think there's a flaw in Kasey's statement as a general principle (no offense, Kasey). A person in a teaching/leadership position in a denomination or religion -- and president of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary is considered such a position -- is hardly supposed to just sit around being "secure in their own religion." By definition, the position entails being concerned about the souls of others and offering guidance to one's fellow believers. One doesn't get appointed or hired as a religious leader just to contemplate one's own soul.

It's the same in the majority of religions, I believe. A priest, a rabbi, an imam . . . that sounds like I'm setting up a "walked into a bar" joke. But seriously, all these leaders are expected to teach their followers and be concerned about what they're doing.

To use an admittedly extreme example, one would think that the Catholic bishops who gave a pass to child-molesting priests were pretty secure in their faith, but the entire world would have been better off if they had been a little disturbed by what others were doing, and stood up and said, "This is NOT acceptable and it will not go on."

...raising the question why people are bothered by what this Seminary president is doing and saying...

Good point. Mohler said this to Christians. If you're not a Christian, why let it get to you?

[PDilemma]

On a side note, does anyone else find that yoga so does NOT live up to its reputation as gentle and effective exercise? I went to postnatal yoga class this week. Generally, the idea was to get into a muscle straining and painful position, then use one's breathing to learn to like said position. Give me the elliptical machine and circuit training any day.

I did yoga for about 20 weeks a couple of years ago with walking on the off days. I really saw no progress in muscle tone, etc...This year I tried ballet once a week and biking once or twice a week. I've seen major improvements in strength, flexibility and muscle tone that I never saw from yoga--and in half the time. Plus ballet class is fun and a bit social rather than silent. Working from home and doing school online--I need something fun not an hour of more silence. (And, for the record, I talked SiL into trying yoga with me two years ago, but now the story on her studio website is that it was "prescribed by her herbalist for stress"--so apparently, I am an herbalist. I'm still waiting to get paid for that "prescription").

[Jackie Sparrow]

It's always seemed to me that the more secure one is in their OWN skin, the less they are disturbed by what anyone else is doing....

[genegri]

^ I can agree with that sentiment when it comes to Yoga, but unfortunately I cannot agree when it comes to Christianity. Not in this country, at least. Until some Christians stop forcing their ideals down other people's throats, they are disturbing me and millions of people no matter how secure we are.

[BlueRidge]

^ I can agree with that sentiment when it comes to Yoga, but unfortunately I cannot agree when it comes to Christianity. Not in this country, at least. Until some Christians stop forcing their ideals down other people's throats, they are disturbing me and millions of people no matter how secure we are.

what country do you live in?

[allezfred]

One doesn't get appointed or hired as a religious leader just to contemplate one's own soul.

Maybe the world would be a better place if they did.

[pollyanna]

...raising the question why people are bothered by what this Seminary president is doing and saying...

Not bothered by it. Just amused.

[zaphyre14]

Seems to me that the whole "condemn any faith that isn't ours" is a pretty un-Christian attitude.

[Bonita]

I do yoga twice a week. It has improved my overall health, made my skating stronger and made me more able to handle stressful situations by using the breath (i.e., I was able to do a head MRI sober/not on lalaland pills).

I have done yoga in churches as well. The church didn't appear to burn down. In fact, the only church that I've been in that ever burnt down, to my knowledge, was the one I married my first husband in, LOL.

My main studio is very conscious of peoples' views. They always say something to the effect of "say Namaste if that's right for you," "OM if you want to," blah blah. Chakras are discussed, but more as a way of describing how different parts of the body react to poses vs. religious viewpoints.

[WindSpirit]

To use an admittedly extreme example, one would think that the Catholic bishops who gave a pass to child-molesting priests were pretty secure in their faith, but the entire world would have been better off if they had been a little disturbed by what others were doing, and stood up and said, "This is NOT acceptable and it will not go on."

Are you even serious? That's what you think would be an example of what Kasey said? Kasey meant being secure in your faith and not worrying about other religions and/or another path to God one might have. The last time I checked child molestation is not a religion, and Catholic priests are part of the Catholic religion, so the Catholic bishops better be disturbed when priests are committing a crime.

[Wyliefan]

But Mohler wasn't talking to members of other religions. He was talking to his fellow Christians.

I did say it was an extreme example. But if one is going to argue that religious leaders should never tell their followers what they should or shouldn't do, then one should realize that viewpoint might entail when taken all the way to its logical conclusion.

[skatingfan5]

On a side note, does anyone else find that yoga so does NOT live up to its reputation as gentle and effective exercise? I went to postnatal yoga class this week. Generally, the idea was to get into a muscle straining and painful position, then use one's breathing to learn to like said position. Give me the elliptical machine and circuit training any day.

You should NOT be straining and holding positions that are painful! When I took yoga classes, we were told to go to positions that were a little bit further than we could easily attain (i.e. feeling a bit of stretch and pull, but definitely not to the point of pain). Breathing helped with mild discomfort, but we weren't supposed to continue the position if we actually experienced pain. With each session I was able to go further towards the complete position; it was a gradual process, but by the end of several months my flexibility had greatly increased and I was able to hold positions for a much longer time.

I do yoga twice a week. It has improved my overall health, made my skating stronger and made me more able to handle stressful situations by using the breath (i.e., I was able to do a head MRI sober/not on lalaland pills).

That was the greatest benefit from yoga for me -- the mental/emotional improvement in being able to handle stressful situations without "stressing out." I felt more balanced overall.

My main studio is very conscious of peoples' views. They always say something to the effect of "say Namaste if that's right for you," "OM if you want to," blah blah. Chakras are discussed, but more as a way of describing how different parts of the body react to poses vs. religious viewpoints.

That has been my experience as well. I'm sure there are yoga zealots out there (as PD's SIL seems to be), just like with every religion. I'm glad that I haven't encountered any so far.

[skatingfan5]

But if one is going to argue that religious leaders should never tell their followers what they should or shouldn't do, then one should realize that viewpoint might entail when taken all the way to its logical conclusion.

They'd all become UU's and decide for themselves what to believe about whether yoga (or dancing or a glass of wine) was "dangerous" or not?

[PDilemma]

I'm sure there are yoga zealots out there (as PD's SIL seems to be), just like with every religion. I'm glad that I haven't encountered any so far.

And I'm sure her type is what spurred this declaration. That was my point. And, of course, she is a zealot for anything she takes up. And none of them last for more than a year, so she's probably almost done with yoga. Then there will be the nightmare of the fact that she turned her business upside down in order to teach yoga.

[BlueRidge]

... I'm sure there are yoga zealots out there (as PD's SIL seems to be), just like with every religion. I'm glad that I haven't encountered any so far.

sorry, this confused me, is yoga a religion or not?

[luna_skater]

On a side note, does anyone else find that yoga so does NOT live up to its reputation as gentle and effective exercise? I went to postnatal yoga class this week. Generally, the idea was to get into a muscle straining and painful position, then use one's breathing to learn to like said position. Give me the elliptical machine and circuit training any day.

You should NOT be straining and holding positions that are painful! When I took yoga classes, we were told to go to positions that were a little bit further than we could easily attain (i.e. feeling a bit of stretch and pull, but definitely not to the point of pain). Breathing helped with mild discomfort, but we weren't supposed to continue the position if we actually experienced pain.

Yep, that's how my teachers always approached it, too. They always said we should push to the point of discomfort, but not pain. Breathe through the discomfort, etc.

It also depends a lot on what kind of yoga you're doing. I used to mainly practice Ashtanga, which is a bit more athletic than some other styles. Yin was slow but intense, to get into deep muscle tissue, and yin/yang was a combination of both...starting with deep, slow poses, moving into some Ashtanga-based flow combos, and ending with shivasana.

I did yoga regularly for about a year, and while I didn't see a lot of visible change in my muscle tone, I definitely felt stronger, and have never been so flexible in my entire life. I also really enjoyed the mental cleansing aspect of it.

[skatingfan5]

sorry, this confused me, is yoga a religion or not?

It can be a spiritual practice -- for some, it is. This thread has not really discussed all the various types of yoga that exist -- within Hinduism there are several major branches and its meditative practices can be found in Buddhism and Jainism. As for being a "religion" in and of itself, I don't believe you would call it such (which is why I didn't say "as with every other religion"). Others may have a much better explanation for you.

[WindSpirit]

But Mohler wasn't talking to members of other religions. He was talking to his fellow Christians.

No one disputed that. I don't why he'd be talking to members of other religions. He's afraid yoga could threaten Christianity.

I did say it was an extreme example. But if one is going to argue that religious leaders should never tell their followers what they should or shouldn't do, then one should realize that viewpoint might entail when taken all the way to its logical conclusion.

"If one is going to argue that religious leaders should never tell their followers what they should or shouldn't do..." I don't know what you're talking about, but certainly not about what Kasey said:

It's always seemed to me that the more secure one is in their OWN religion, the less they are disturbed by what anyone else is doing....

Which only proves my point. Nothing of what you said had much to do with what Kasey said, let alone was a logical conclusion of it.

[Wyliefan]

My point is that Mohler is not worrying about other religions, as you put it above. He's concerned about members of his own religion possibly being lured to another religion. Which, for a religious leader, is a perfectly valid concern, even if in this particular case he might be overreacting. If a Christian leader believes Christ's words that "No one comes to the Father except through me," then he's going to want to make sure that his fellow Christians stay committed to Christ, for their own sake.

Now of course we could argue all day long over whether Christ's words are true. But that's not the point at issue here.

[snoopy]

My point is that Mohler is not worrying about other religions, as you put it above. He's concerned about members of his own religion possibly being lured to another religion. Which, for a religious leader, is a perfectly valid concern, even if in this particular case he might be overreacting. If a Christian leader believes Christ's words that "No one comes to the Father except through me," then he's going to want to make sure that his fellow Christians stay committed to Christ, for their own sake.

Now of course we could argue all day long over whether Christ's words are true. But that's not the point at issue here.

Well we could also argue all day about what Jesus meant by that statement.