Christ in the Lotus Position

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I don't know where to begin with this one so I think I'll begin right here. According to a variety of sources, yoga is incompatible with Christian teachings. It made The News in Austin, so I had to Google it. And yep, it's all over the Internet so it must be real. Truthfully while I may seem dutifully shocked, I'm really not.

There isn't much out there that hard-line Christians say doesn't violate the teachings of Jesus Christ. I guess we can just add yoga to an illustrious list that includes alcohol consumption, smoking, premarital sex, sex with the same sex, masturbation, birth control, dancing, playing The Beatles backwards, cursing, praying to false idols, cutting one's hair (females only, apparently), wearing pants (females only, apparently), and working on the Sabbath.

Ok, so why is Yoga evil? Let's peruse the Internet and see just what the fuss is about...
  • 'Every yoga teacher is a Buddhist or Hindu missionary even though he or she wears a cross'. Seriously? I know a couple yoga teachers and they are both pretty Christian.
  • 'Pat Robertson has called the chanting and other spiritual components that go along with yoga 'really spooky.''
  • 'California mega church pastor John MacArthur called yoga a 'false religion.'' Supposedly because of the chanting and Hindu overtones.
  • Southern Baptist Seminary President Albert Mohler said 'yoga's stretching and meditative discipline is not a Christian pathway to God. Mohler said people should deny what yoga represents and see that it conflicts with Christianity'.
I understand that the roots of yoga lie within the Hindu religion. According to one website, 'yoga is from the Sanskrit word Yug, meaning "union" (with the Divine, your higher "SELF"). Yoga is a path for transcending the ordinary mind (who you think you are) in order to merge with your "higher SELF" or "God SELF." Yoga means "to yoke" -- to yoke with Brahman (i.e., the "Infinite," the "Universal Spirit," the impersonal force that the Hindus call "God") via the realization of an altered state of consciousness, thereby theoretically releasing oneself from the bondage of endless reincarnation' (www.rapidnet.com). And this is spooky to Christianity? Connecting with one's higher self? Connecting with God? Christians advocate prayer and meditation. Isn't that kinda sorta like yoga? Just with stretching, something our bodies need anyway?

Amazingly, Hindus have managed to merge exercising the spirit, mind, and body into one - they call it 'Yoga'. Christians call it 'spooky'. What are they so afraid of? A little chanting? Or that Christians might figure out all the bullshit on the way to finding their 'higher self'? Granted I'm a beginner when it comes to Jesus, but I don't see the issue. Would Jesus do Yoga? I'm going to go with a decisive 'Maybe'. It just seems like something that would suit his personality. I mean, you won't catch me doing it, but that has more to do with my fear of ineptitude and dislike of non-speed related exercise than it does my fear of irreverence (God knows I'm not shy about irreverence). And even if Jesus didn't want to do it, I think he'd be cool with others doing it. Let me just go back to the bigger-fish-to-fry argument. Shouldn't we, as Christians (yes, I included myself in that statement), be more concerned about promoting peace, love, and an understanding of our Oneness than worrying about a little chanting and stretching? Forgive my blasphemy, but I think Jesus would agree.

This is exactly why I ran screaming from Christianity long ago. Now, through study and my own personal experience with God, I'm becoming a big fan of Jesus. And, incidentally, more an more pissed off at Christianity. These so-called Christians have bastardized the teachings of Jesus for centuries to suit their purposes and establish a strangle-hold of control on masses of believers. Jesus advocated a love for all, not the divisive bullshit that has dominated Christian thinking since the second century. We can't do yoga because it's too Hindu? Jesus allowed himself to be crucified for THIS?? Way to go, Christianity. Way to go. I can't believe I call myself a Christian. You make it tough. TOUGH. Of all the things out there that are really heinous, you pick yoga. Yoga? Really?

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