Southern Baptist leader takes stance against yoga...

another chapter of the stupidity.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. ? A Southern Baptist leader who is calling for Christians to avoid yoga and its spiritual attachments is getting plenty of pushback from enthusiasts who defend the ancient practice.

Southern Baptist Seminary President Albert Mohler says the stretching and meditative discipline derived from Eastern religions is not a Christian pathway to God.

Mohler said he objects to "the idea that the body is a vehicle for reaching consciousness with the divine."

"That's just not Christianity," Mohler told The Associated Press.

Mohler said feedback has come through e-mail and comments on blogs and other websites since he wrote an essay to address questions about yoga he has heard for years.

"I'm really surprised by the depth of the commitment to yoga found on the part of many who identify as Christians," Mohler said.

Yoga fans say their numbers have been growing in the U.S. A 2008 study by the Yoga Journal put the number at 15.8 million, or nearly 7 percent of adults. About 6.7 percent of American adults are Southern Baptists, according to a 2007 survey by the Pew Research Center Forum on Religion & Public Life.

Mohler argued in his online essay last month that Christians who practice yoga "must either deny the reality of what yoga represents or fail to see the contradictions between their Christian commitments and their embrace of yoga."

He said his view is "not an eccentric Christian position."

Other Christian leaders have said practicing yoga is incompatible with the teachings of Jesus. Pat Robertson has called the chanting and other spiritual components that go along with yoga "really spooky." California megachurch pastor John MacArthur called yoga a "false religion." Muslim clerics have banned Muslims from practicing yoga in Egypt, Malaysia and Indonesia, citing similar concerns.

Yoga proponents say the wide-ranging discipline, which originated in India, offers physical and mental healing through stretching poses and concentration.

"Lots of people come to yoga because they are often in chronic pain. Others come because they think it's a nice workout," said Allison Terracio, who runs the Infinite Bliss studio in Louisville.

And some yoga studios have made the techniques more palatable for Christians by removing the chanting and associations to eastern religions, namely Hinduism and its multiple deities.

Stephanie Dillon, who has injected Christian themes into her studio in Louisville, said yoga brought her closer to her Christian faith, which had faded after college and service in the Army.

"What I found is that it opened my spirit, it renewed my spirituality," Dillon said. "That happened first and then I went back to church." Dillon attends Southeast Christian Church in Louisville and says many evangelical Christians from the church attend her yoga classes.

She said she prayed on the question of whether to mix yoga and Christianity before opening her studio, PM Yoga, where she discusses her relationship with Jesus during classes.

"My objection (to Mohler's view) personally is that I feel that yoga enhances a person's spirituality," Dillon said. "I don't like to look at religion from a law standpoint but a relationship standpoint, a relationship with Jesus Christ specifically."

Mohler wrote the essay after reading "The Subtle Body," where author Stefanie Syman traces the history of yoga in America. Syman noted the growing popularity of yoga in the U.S. by pointing out that first lady Michelle Obama has added it to the festivities at the annual White House Easter Egg Roll on the front lawn.

Mohler said many people have written him to say they're simply doing exercises and forgoing yoga's eastern mysticism and meditation.

"My response to that would be simple and straightforward: You're just not doing yoga," Mohler said.


Southern Baptist leader on yoga: Not Christianity - Yahoo! News

He's entitled to his belief.

LMAO He sure is, no matter how moronic that stance is.

How exactly is it moronic? Because it isn't consistent with your belief?

A stance against Yoga? Really? That doesn't come off as moronic to you? You all can keep saying its because its because I don't believe in god, but we both know this is dumb and just because its some pastor doesn't mean he gets a free pass and it shouldn't be called what it is - which is stupid. Its just stupid to take this public stance against a meditation method, me not pretending to be a christian doesn't have anything to do with it, its just dumb and laughable. Sort of like your belief that rock music isn't a sin or anything, same thing here, both equally as stupid and the same uptight idiots doing it, but of course you try to flip this around on me not believing in the whole thing.

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Originally Posted by R13

A stance against Yoga? Really? That doesn't come off as moronic to you? You all can keep saying its because its because I don't believe in god, but we both know this is dumb and just because its some pastor doesn't mean he gets a free pass and it shouldn't be called what it is - which is stupid. Its just stupid to take this public stance against a meditation method, me not pretending to be a christian doesn't have anything to do with it, its just dumb and laughable. Sort of like your belief that rock music isn't a sin or anything, same thing here, both equally as stupid and the same uptight idiots doing it, but of course you try to flip this around on me not believing in the whole thing.

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kind of like a stance against flags, a stance against prayer, a stance against the constitution, a stance against anyones beliefs but your own, a stance against open mindedness, a stance against gays in the military, a stance against allowing gays in the military, a stance against driving a ford, dodge, chevy, toyota, a stance against guns, a stance against open carry of guns, a stance against hunting, a stance against secular agnostics, a stance against christians, a stance against muslims, a stance against jews, a stance against................. you get the point? everyone has an opinion, if you dont like it who gives a fuck, why post 1000000000000000000000 links to shit you dont like just to do it? we all have opinions on shit, nobody is ever going to agree completely with anyone else, I learned A LONG time ago that bitching doesnt help.

and dont take this as an attack, let me clear that up, you are one of the very few people that passionately stand by what you believe in and thats a good quality, I just hope that later on down the road you figure a couple of things out and become a little more open minded yourself, its a hard thing to do bud, but i promise you that you ARE NOT always right, trust me, i was the same way.

Oh I'm sorry, I thought this was forum to post stuff, silly me. If you don't like what I post, don't fucking read it, how about that. I've told it to several of you all, don't read what I post. Yet you all will bitch and moan about it, if I was posting on the other side, wouldn't hear a word. You don't like what I post, you don't like my positions, don't read it or don't post on it. Where in this thread am I bitching? I called it stupid, its stupid, yet because he's a baptist...its just some poor guy taking a stance on something he just believes it. Sure that's fine, don't put it when some of the shit on your list which was a laughable analogy, but when you're effecting others with it and telling them they'll go to hell for a meditation practice that's been around longer than your dogma then I'll call it like it is. You don't get a free pass just because you put on a suit and talk to superstitious people every sunday.

i never took up for the dumbass first of all. do i like it, do i think its smart, do i practice yoga.... no no and yes. damn, i even gave you a compliment in that post.

Yeah, after you edited it and added it on. I read the original and that's what was being replied to. I don't care either way, I stand for what I do because I know its right and I believe what I do because I know its right - but mine aren't faith based either or because its been fed to me my whole life, they're from conclusions of facts, common sense, logic and being a good human being.

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Originally Posted by R13

I stand for what I do because I know its right and I believe what I do because I know its right

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The same could be said for the pastor who took the stance against yoga. You're no different than the people whom you complain that assume they are right.

About the rock music being a sin thing, I'm not going to call people stupid for believing it's sin. Do I find it annoying? Yes, because most of the people who are against it for reasons pertaining to Christianity usually have no way of backing it up. You may say that this pastor didn't back up his position and I agree. I saw nowhere in this article where he tried to justify himself. All I saw was you calling him stupid and doing what you normally do: call people stupid when they don't share your belief. I also didn't see you justifying your stance for yoga.

How can people simply not read any of your posts when most of what is on this specific forum and political forum is you screaming about how dumb Republicans and Conservative Christians are?

Let me tell you another thing, I agree with Rocky about how you are good about standing your ground. Kudos for that. He's also right about how you are quick to insult those who don't share your opinion. Don't expect to get very far with an attitude like that.

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Originally Posted by R13

Yeah, after you edited it and added it on. I read the original and that's what was being replied to. I don't care either way, I stand for what I do because I know its right and I believe what I do because I know its right - but mine aren't faith based either or because its been fed to me my whole life, they're from conclusions of facts, common sense, logic and being a good human being.

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you are wrong, that wasnt the part i edited on. that was part of the original, i actually gave you a bigger compliment but figured you would bitch about that in some way too. I dont understand your Christian argument with me, i have never claimed to be a good christian and i hate that term in general. I dont know many people that truly are christians, its a word thats tossed around like a whore at a frat party. Just because somebody has christian beliefs doesnt make them a CHRISTIAN. Christian=christ like, not baptist, methodist etc etc......

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Originally Posted by Rocky

you are wrong, that wasnt the part i edited on. that was part of the original, i actually gave you a bigger compliment but figured you would bitch about that in some way too. I dont understand your Christian argument with me, i have never claimed to be a good christian and i hate that term in general. I dont know many people that truly are christians, its a word thats tossed around like a whore at a frat party. Just because somebody has christian beliefs doesnt make them a CHRISTIAN. Christian=christ like, not baptist, methodist etc etc......

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Dude I read what it said, the second part wasn't even on there. It stopped at the first paragraph, the second part was added on. I read it when it was originally posted, bookmarked it to reply and finally got to it and was replying to it. Really not arguing about that, don't care, just tired of the complaining on every board about the posts, posters, mods etc.

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Originally Posted by collegetrumpet2010

The same could be said for the pastor who took the stance against yoga. You're no different than the people whom you complain that assume they are right.

About the rock music being a sin thing, I'm not going to call people stupid for believing it's sin. Do I find it annoying? Yes, because most of the people who are against it for reasons pertaining to Christianity usually have no way of backing it up. You may say that this pastor didn't back up his position and I agree. I saw nowhere in this article where he tried to justify himself. All I saw was you calling him stupid and doing what you normally do: call people stupid when they don't share your belief. I also didn't see you justifying your stance for yoga.

How can people simply not read any of your posts when most of what is on this specific forum and political forum is you screaming about how dumb Republicans and Conservative Christians are?

Let me tell you another thing, I agree with Rocky about how you are good about standing your ground. Kudos for that. He's also right about how you are quick to insult those who don't share your opinion. Don't expect to get very far with an attitude like that.

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I'm not "assuming", I know for a fact it's impossible for anyone to know or not if there is a god, that's right. A meditation practice being some kind of sin is wrong, even assuming I believe in all the ridiculous stuff in there, that's not one of them.

Sort of like this guy not backing it up, huh? If someone blatently claims something that isn't true at all, it's stupid to do so. Just like with the whole young earthers thing, that's not true and they know it, if someone wants to continue to claim other wise...don't expect not to think they're stupid and it shouldn't be excused because it's wrapped up in a religion. Again I've never said he was stupid because I didn't believe it, you all resort to that when you don't have an argument, it's just stupid and should be called like it is. I find it so funny that a lot of the same group that complains about PC, gets all up in arms when someone in their religion is called out for their antics.

Is a stance for yoga needed? Well one, there's nothing wrong with it and never has been, unless you or he can prove otherwise that's the initial standing. And two, show me anywhere in the bible that says anything about it?

Just not do it or post things for your own side. I'm not here to give equal time to each side, I defend my side and post what I want to, not my responsibility to give the other sides view. You can put me on ignore, you can not read it, not even open the thread...let's not sit here and pretend anyone is forcing you to do that or even asking you to. I stay in my threads most of the time and even said along time ago when there was more bitching that I would limit myself to only my own threads in the religion forum, but what happens? Still no posts/threads by you or anyone else, but come in mine and bitch about it being the only threads to post in. You have the ability to post your own threads, do it instead of complaining about mine. You have the ability to ignore mine, do it, instead of reading it and then complaining about what I say in them.

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Originally Posted by R13

just tired of the complaining on every board about the posts, posters, mods etc.

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what are you talking about? i havent even said anything except that this place has gone downhill. or do you just mean everyone on the board in general?

FWIW you really are one of my favorite posters on here in a LONG LONG time, at least you know how to argue.

I agree with Rocky, R13 may get on my nerves at times as I am sure I do his but you gotta give him credit, he doesn't back down! Probably one of my favorite posters too.