Go here for opposite views

Yes to Yoga
http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/article_print.html?id=34603

The Truth About Yoga
http://www.christianitytoday.com/tcw/article_print.html?id=44628

like the former controversies on “speaking in tongues” etc, is the question of Yoga going to move into the category of “Adiaphora” (matters of indifference – where it’s not central to the identity of being a Christian)?

There will be times where we might stick out like a sore thumb amongst “Bible belt” kinds of community in the same way we would look strange to a “everything goes” club.

I hear your emphasis on thinking and working through the issues with personal maturity, but in the light of much over-individualism these days where in reaction to institutional religion (especially when it’s abusive and rigid), and then suddenly the individual becomes the new institution, I wonder whether we are in fact missing the point.

I think you’d agree that the personal dimensions and communal emphasis is not an either/or proposition but a both/and. And healthy faith would include both. Coming back to what Bob Teoh originally was highlighting, what we agree on is I believe to avoid legislating morality or in this case lifestyle practices with or without religious origins.

Thanks for the correction, Sivin.

Discernment also can be a gift from God. Some people are aware immediately if a place or thing or person is/has something ‘unclean’ about it/them.

Discernment also can arise from consistent communion with God in prayer or meditation. Prayer is really important, and not just petitions. Just allowing God to wash over you, that’s important. A prayer of pure praise, or gratitude, those are important too.

I mean, if i were to go to the Bible belt in the USA and say what i just wrote here, how would testing this discernment fare with the Christian community there?

Discernment isn’t entirely objective, neither is it entirely subjective.

How do we put smileys on?

But I think you have raised a very important point on Salvation by grace alone through Jesus Christ. The challenge of Christians as well as other religious people is what they can or cannot integrate with their faith.

Alwyn, BTW, it’s Dr. Richard A Jensen, and I agree with him we need to reset the priorities of what are more pressing battles we should fight with a strong dose of self examination. My take of Dr. Ng’s comments is he did not sufficiently highlight what you have in relation to the discussion and therefore from the perspective of a non-Christians or Hindu specifically and even a friendly to yoga practice Christian, comes across one sided. And the logical conclusion if applied to ourselves as Christians we need to throw out quite a lot of “Christian” practices today, e.g. festivals like Christmas, or some meditative practices (which might come across as mystical)to those who are unexposed to them.

This is why I believe strongly that Christians should not sit pretty and not read the Bible. My goodness, why did Jesus die on the cross? Why was he resurrected? Do Christians honestly believe that God loves us so much that he died for us to save us, but if we do some yoga, he’ll stop loving us? We do a warrior one pose and our salvation is lost? Do a downward dog, and we’re headed downward to hell? Pff!

What’s the point of Jesus’ death and resurrection?

I’m not saying that yoga is for all. I mean, i hate jogging, i’d prefer to swim or cycle (plus jogging is bad for your spine).

Also, sometimes God doesn’t want someone to do something, for whatever reasons he has. And he’ll let that person know. And if you disobey and continue doing it, that person will also know. How? The Holy Spirit.

I think Christians should:

(1) Read the Bible from cover to cover, including different versions, if possible. Even better, read the original text (i haven’t done that though). Maybe even go to Israel. See how the Christians there live and worship, what kind of reverence is held there. If there’s one place in the world which is holy, I believe it must be where Jesus once walked.

(2) Use their brains while reading the Bible. I think the brain, one of God’s greatest gifts to Christians, is sometimes under utilized. This also means attending to questions which pop up in the brain while listening to preachers’ sermons.

(3) Allow God to speak to them as well along their journey. Ask for discernment and if there is fear, pray for courage.

(4) Live life. God didn’t give us life here if he wanted us to live in fear. Fear is a yoke from the devil. Fear of this and that, fear of people different from us, fear of doing yoga, fear of having statues of Jesus and Mary in the church, fear of worshiping God through meditation, fear of speaking up, fear of playing a game, fear of single people, propagated to create paranoia in the church, the devil is laughing itself silly.

I recall Dr. Richard Jenson saying that the church has got a lot more important enemies than Harry Potter, and I’d like to add that practising yoga is another ant-hill which can easily be built into a mountain.

Sure there are Hinduistic elements, but isn’t the Christmas tree ‘pagan’ too? Sure we can be spiritually influenced in a negative way via yoga, but this goes for nearly all the movies we’ve watched and will watch (and more than half of the Christian books on the market). Sure the mind risks being ‘disassociated from its normal function’ but in today’s world, c’mon, who’s to say what’ absolutely/categorically ‘normal’ and ‘non-normal’? (Spending more than 5 minutes on Facebook is thoroughly abnormal, IMO!)

Maybe the ‘weak’/strong factor of Romans 14 need to come into view here. If yoga is going to stumble you (or your community), then cool it and take up jogging. If yoga *helps* you gain control of your psychological and physical states (and the class is a great friend-maker), then do it in secret but make sure your life is characterized more and fully by love for God and neighbour. don’t let Yoga define your faith-practice (and don’t let other define you with it).

Kinda like eating serious red meat: if you’re unsure, skip it. and if you do gulp it down, don’t forget the greens. lots of them.

“Dr Ng urges Christians, who are practising yoga or who are thinking of taking it up, to seriously consider their motive for doing so. If it is merely for physical exercises, there are other alternatives; if it is for meditation, we need to seriously consider the basis of yoga meditation as it is traditionally practised.

“Why would I hitch my Christian faith to a process which might render myself vulnerable to influence from deceptive spiritual forces?” he asks.”

What would be your response?

The problem is that (1) leaders think people can’t think for themselves and (2) some people don’t bother to think for themselves and let their leaders do it for them.

God is amazing, he’s so creative and imaginative. On the basis of this, we might as well not read any book but the Bible, participate in any performances, write or draw or make anything creative.

Yoga is fine. I do yoga once or twice a week. God still loves me. If a Christian feels that they’d be ‘unsaved’ by practising yoga, maybe they should read the Bible from cover to cover, then read it again.