Is Yoga Not Christian? Southern Baptist Leader Says So

No. Yoga practiced with the meditations is not Christian. But there is a "Christian-type" yoga which helps those who want to meditate on the scriptures. It is called Praise Moves. I see nothing wrong with this at all.

I like to do the Yoga moves and just focus on breathing w/ no other meditations at all. In fact, the moves are pretty difficult for me, so just getting into the position and breathing is basically all I can handle.

That's right God has no religion. Best statement I have ever heard. Thank you.

Actually, the Christian God is very particular. That's why He struck down Uzzah just for touching the Ark of the Covenant to keep it from falling over. Of course, it would not have wobbled in the first place if they had been moving it in the way God required of them. God does care about your heart, but the way you live reveals what is in your heart. Following what He expects shows you love Him. At least, that is what the Bible teaches.

The problem with this Baptist preacher is that he is not reading his Bible either. It actually says that God loves everyone. What He hates is sin, not people. The signs this group carries are lies. They are actually sinning themselves because the greatest command is to "love one another" and they aren't doing that.

Excellently put rarity :) I enjoy Praise Moves yoga-type, but have never done regular yoga. Yoga moves do make me feel better though

Another reason why Southern Baptists are the butt of many jokes and not even at the of the religous food chain.

I have practiced yoga and meditation for a long time. There is nothing incompatible with regard to yoga and Christianity, but there is incompatibility between Christianity and this "minister's" position. He seems to confuse "tribalism" with Christianity, whereas Jesus was very much against this kind of religious idolatry (i.e., treating one's own religion as God). I would wonder what this "minister" actually knows about yoga. He apparently doesn't know much about Jesus.

It is true that yoga originated within the Hindu religion, and I have thought for quite a long time that the greatest Christian of the past century was a Hindu - Mohandas K. Gandhi.

I don't have a religion. And it is largely because of this kind of religious idolatry that I don't. I follow Jesus, Buddha and Gandhi, and my meditation is simply practicing "paying attention". I find yoga to be a great practice of awareness - kind of meditation in motion. But then again, isn't everything?

See, I KNEW there was a reason I don't exercise. Its against my religion.

lol. Well, I'm glad you figured it out :D

lol winona :)

i think the Southern Baptist leader's comments are ridiculous! Johnette Benkovic, who has her own show on EWTN (a Catholic network), had a show about New Age and yoga and such and she said that all yoga poses are in worship to a Hindu god/goddess. PUH-LEASE! they are trying to make something out of nothing! it's exercise and many studies show it is very beneficial! of course, there are certain kinds of yoga, such as Kundalini Yoga or types that focus on the chakras that might tend to "scare" certain people. if these types of yoga offend you or scares you into thinking that you are going against Christianity...DON'T PARTICIPATE!

I agree for the most part. I'd only say that Jesus constantly said, "Don't be afraid." So if you find that "yoga offends you or scares you," trying finding out about it before deciding whether or not to participate.

good call, Steve! nice comment.

Thanks, Doug.

oh right right.... i get it. so i shouldn't be eating the chinese food that i am because it might not be considered christian because the Chinese eat it and most Chinese are not Christian? ok, well that makes sense. I will just simply forget all the years i spent being told to be ethnically diverse and accepting of all people and religions. Because afterall that doesnt matter as long as i am accepting to the christian people. BULL FRIGGIN SHXX!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I do yoga for exercise, my PRIEST at my CHURCH does yoga for exercise. So are we both going to HELL because we did something outside of the realm of so called "christianity" (or catholicism to be politically correct). Who is that pastor to tell anyone to stop doing something because of what he thinks? Christian or not yoga is a healthy exercise. Catholics drink wine at church as part of communion, so maybe everyone else in the world should stop drinking wine because it is a catholic ritual? hmm? I am so tired of people trying to rule the world and control others actions based on religion. Its not about religion people, its about having faith, trying our best to not judge others and enjoy the little amount of time we have hear before God calls us home.

AMEN!

AMEN2!

What a crock. Most yoga is stretching and breathing. No scripture, no meditation attached. There's nothing in that that does not carry over to ANY religion that anyone chooses to practice.

This is exactly how my yoga classes have been. We literally took deep breaths and focused on breathing and the poses. We also hugged ourselves at the end. Horrible, I know!

You are going to the fiery underworld for that kind of practice!

I like doing Namaste yoga, but haven't been able to since I got pregnant. For that I'm off to order up a prenatal yoga DVD. Oh, the HORROR! Well, at least I'll feel good and be relaxed before I burn for practicing yoga. *wink*

I, for one, can't wait for it to arrive in the mail. :D Maybe even my son can join me. Ohhhhh DOUBLE sinners! (I'm having too much fun with this one. Can you tell? This was actually a story I was going to write, lol)

Oh, and my husband, who isn't into yoga, but supports my liking it thought this was the silliest thing he had heard. That it's un-Christian to practice it.

"Most yoga is stretching and breathing. No scripture, no meditation attached."

That's pretty much true of western yoga - and it's legit in itself. My own experience was that the postures eventually led me into the spirituality of yoga - the sutras of Patanjali. I loved the fact that the first principle of yoga is non-violence (ahimsa), and that it reaches from how you treat your body in the postures (compared to the "no pain, no gain" attitude of western athletics) to how you treat others. There is simply nothing "anti-Christian" about it. I suspect that yoga practitioners will embrace Jesus all the more because of their practice.

Btw, when my granddaughter was young, she would mimic my postures as I practised. She loved to crawl on and under me while I was in "downward dog". It was a great "bonding" experience!!!

I agree, Steve. We can even go so far as to add embrace Jesus (or whoever you worship) even more. It's a spiritual thing, but not linked to any ONE spirituality.

Like most things, everyone takes a new experience away when doing yoga, but it's one we are all better for.

I plan to do the prenatal dvd with my almost 8 year old. This morning he tried yoga (he was curious) and he reports that he really likes it. He seems calmer and more focused today for school, too. I'm wondering if there's not a connection. I think the prenatal one will be easier for him (and something I can do where as the one today I'm pretty sure I can't do anymore) and as you said, it can serve as a great bonding moment.

yoga is amazing theres not religious about it, its a way of relaxation and calming the mind to bring you to a better state of mind. Ive been doing yoga ever since I was 10 its helped control my asthma as well as keep me focused in school. If it is not christian then eating foods from other countries like chinese food, and Indian food, is not Christian either. Hes basically suggesting that all Christians should stop any practices which are not of their own, I bet I would find things he does on a daily basis to be non-Christian.

Everybody loves to tell everybody else that they're sinners. Lotsa finger-waggin'!

You know thats right... the first thing people usually forget is "judge not lest ye shall be judged." It's not anybody's place to point their finger and tell you that you are sinner. That's between you and God. I grew up as a Southern Baptist, and for a long time I just did not go to church because all I was getting out of it was rules, law and condemnation. You can't do this, you can't do that, you can't can't can't can't... I started going to a nondenominational church a few years ago and came to the realization that what I was learning at my old church was a bunchof rules, not how to have a relationship with Christ. This yoga thing is just another "rule." another limitation. Yoga doesn't affect my relationship with God. It helps with my concentration and focus and physical fitness. How does that go against my faith? And you know what, 1/3 of Americans are overweight. Seems to me like we should be doing whatever we can to remedy that, not putting limitations on what we can and cannot do to lose weight and feel good about ourselves.

Yoga is demonic. Far too many "Christians" allow these types of influences in their life.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=orCv5qMC7QA

I am a strong, committed evangelical Christian and I have been practicing yoga daily for about a year. I started when I was diagnosed with early onset of hip arthritis. This has helped me tremendously and I do not practice eastern meditation. Like others, I really focus on breathing and going deeper into poses to get the most out of them. If I do any meditation or praying, it is to my Lord Jesus Christ. All good things are created by God; it is man that warps them or makes them bad. Yoga has proven health benefits. Let's not quibble and have dissention among us as christians.

Sorry about your arthitis.

So if you were unknowingly offering up worship to a demon, would you want to be told?