A 'christian' Right group makes HUGE u-turn on Separation of Church and State

[ck4829]

But only because they realize that OTHER religious groups have the same religious freedoms that they have.

“According to OneNewsNow, the news service produced by the American Family Association, some on the Right are suddenly concerned about Establishment Clause violations regarding the nefarious religious indoctrination that has begun infiltrating public schools via yoga:

An ex-yoga teacher turned Christian evangelist says he is disturbed by the growing popularity of yoga programs in schools. He feels adding Hindu-influenced yoga regimens to public school curriculums is not only dangerous but also violates the Constitution’s Establishment Clause.

More than 100 public and private schools across the U.S. are reportedly teaching yoga to young people using a secular curriculum developed by a California woman named Tara Guber. The program she developed for school kids uses terms like "bunny breathing" for yogic panting and "time-in" for meditation. But innocuous as the program may sound, one former yoga instructor says Guber’s curriculum and others like it are a bad idea.

Mike Shreve was a teacher of yoga and meditation at four universities before he was "saved" out of Eastern religions and went on to found a Christian ministry called The True Light Project. He sees some definite dangers in introducing such programs to young people in U.S. schools.

"First of all I believe it is a violation of the commitment this nation has made to the separation of church and state,” Shreve says. “And secondly,” he notes, “I'm surprised that so many schools have started using this in their curriculum -- apparently without it being challenged by those who understand the religious roots of yoga."”

http://www.rightwingwatch.org/2007/02/when_does_the_r.html

[Goblinmonger]

1. Asswipe

And they'll probably go to the ACLU for help. And if there is a case, the ACLU will help them. And the right wing will continue to bash the ACLU. Shit I hate the religous right. Fucking hypocrites.

[Selatius]

2. Are you sure you want to say that?

How do we know they aren't guilty of cognitive dissonance? That is, how do we know they only favor blurring the line between Church and State as long as they are the ones doing the blurring?

[Old and In the Way]

3. When they start teaching the Bhagavad Gita then I'll be concerned.

Just like I'd be concerned if they were teaching the Bible or Koran. That's the domain of private religious networks, not the public school system. Teaching yoga would be no different that teaching pottery or dance, IMHO. What's wrong with these people?

[RaleighNCDUer]

4. Hey, i know a LOT of people to whom physical conditioning

is a religion. They go to the Temple of Gold's Gym three times a week, have a Bowflex altar in their homes...

Breathing and stretching can be the top of a slippery slope.

[Extend a Hand]

6. but but but...

my bowflex alter isn't working...I walk by it everyday on the way to the computer and I have still haven't lost an ounce :(

[Maat]

15. I hear you there!

I walk by that alter also on the way to my computer, and, so far, the One has not guided me into losing an ounce!

;-)

[no_hypocrisy]

5. Establishment Clause argument won't work b/c of precedence

allowing groups, religious or sectarian, the right to meet on school premises after classes via the Equal Access Law. If one club is refused the right to organize and meet, then ALL clubs (even the chess club) are banned.

[jesus_of_suburbia]

7. Good article.. I hate all major religious groups:

I hate Christians, I hate Muslims, and I hate Jews.


Sue me.. they all suck and they all hate me (as a gay black man).





Actually, I know that there are individuals in those groups who are great, but as
a whole I hate them.. just as they hate me. They hated me first.


I look forward to the day when Muslims, Christians, and Jews judge people on an individual basis.

[54anickel]

8. Look, there's a Christian Alternative - Praise Moves

http://www.praisemoves.com/

Sheesh, I stumbled across that one when doing the google on "Yoga Christian".

I couldn't believe the number of hits claiming the "dangers" of Yoga to Christians. :eyes: :shakesheadindisbelief:

[damntexdem]

9. Uh, public schools can have classes on the Bible ...

so long as they're taught from a secular approach, just as they can have classes in comparative religion. Yoga isn't itself a religion, only a technique used by a religion. I suppose that these nutcases would claim that meditation (which isn't even used as a term in the yoga curriculum in question) is itself a religious practice. But then, they'd probably argue that teaching comparative religion or the Bible as literature is a violation of separation: in fact, anything but teaching their own line they would see as prohibited.

Maybe instead of escaping yoga, this guy needs more of it. But maybe if he won't meditate, he should medicate. ;-)

[TlalocW]

10. A friend of mine got into yoga

When he had a lot of stress in his life, and he was shopping around for a good class, and I went with him a couple of times. The first one was at a local Jazzercise where the instructor turned down the lights, lit candles, played a zitar CD, and blathered on about BS like chakras, etc. I actually fell asleep and woke with a snort embarrassing my friend.

The second one was at a new-age church. My eyes were probably rolling the entire drive over there, and but it turned out to be an actual work-out - no music, no talk of chakras, but actually stretching your body. The instructor was even impressed with me, which pissed off my friend (competitive yoga?).

What was even funnier was that the new age church was part of an old strip mall that had closed and now housed three new clients. The new age church on the south side; a gay bar on the north side, and a Baptist church in the middle. I wonder if the Baptists could feel the sin pressing in on the walls during their Sunday services.

TlalocW

[The Flaming Red Head]

11. The state would control the church

if there was no separation

[happyslug]

12. lot of "religious" reflect the physical/psychological needs of people

For example. people need to be with their immediate families. Studies have shown that families that eat at least one meal together a week communicate with each other better than families that eat on the fly. The reason for this is people care communal animals and when we eat we eat best when we are eating with other people. Since conversation is PART of any meal when it comes to being Human, meals are place for family members to talk to each other (Thus families that eat together communicate better with each other). A lot of people work non Nine to Five jobs (especially teenagers and Collage Students). families. This also includes a lot of adults who have young children (and spouses, and hen I mean Spouses I mean the adult they are living with NOT just a Wife or Husband). The more the family members eat together the more they communicate, but you can NOT eat together if all of the members of the families are working different shifts (which is NOT uncommon). This has been a problem forever. Most Society help solves this problem by making a certain day "Holy" in that no one is to work that day (Or the number of people working is restricted to those that MUST work to keep society going, Doctors, Emergency workers etc). By making one day "Holy" and a day of NO WORK, those families with members working on different Shifts could get together for at least 1 meal on that date. In Ancient Rome this was once every 14 days (At the NEw Moon and the Full Moon). In Ancient Germany this was once every five days (Thus our calendar days for weekdays, all named after old German gods and goddesses, with the Roman Days of Saturday and Sunday added to make the week Seven when the Ancient Germans and English turned Christian). The ancient Jews and most of the Mideast used seven days, viewing 14 days as to long without a break. My point here is that the "Religious" call for one day in Seven being "Holy" and a day of rest, reflected a Human need for at least one day a week family members get a Chance to eat and talk together.

The "Religious" bans on Murder, Robbery etc are easier to understand for even today Society looks down at these crimes even through they are also violation of almost every Religion.

The same with "Yoga", while the present "fad" for Yoga (It was popular in the 1960s and some people where teaching Yoga in the US in the 1920s and earlier) tries to remove it from its Hindu religious roots, Yoga itself is just an Indian form of meditation, contemplation and exercise that occurs in every major religion for it reflects a Human need to know one's own body and mine. Thus the format is Hindu religious based, the underlying human need is not.

People have a difficult time accepting that religion often reflects Human Needs. In the case of one day out of Seven being a Day of Rest, the need for families to eat and communicate with each other. In the case of Yoga, the need to understand and accept one's body and mine. Most people prefer to keep Religion separate from the rest of their life, but that is impossible, for your religion reflects your world view (and influence your world view). This gentleman Sees the RELIGION behind Yoga, but is so blinded by that Religion that he fails to see the underlying need being fulfilled by that Religion. A better method of Attack on Yoga, would be to admit it is doing good, but that it is the underlying need for contemplation and connection with your body and mind that is the good and make sure the religious part of Yoga does NOT creep in. Now the story line says the Yoga Classes are "Secular" in nature, but part of the "Religion" of Yoga is the Hindu Dogma behind it. It is a difficult split, but most people can handle it. If I was this man (And I am NOT a fundamentalist) I would protest Yoga and make sure people in the class are informed of the "Religious" connections between Yoga and Hinduism, but that is all. I would not BAN it, just make sure people going into the class understand the religious connections.

[varun]

13. Hinduism is not a religion

There is no one book to define Hinduism. Foreigners (Greeks, Muslims) called the inhabitants of the land to the east of Indus (Sindhu) river - Hindus.

Hinduism is an amalgam of various practices, lifestyles of the people in the Indian subcontinent. Hinduism does not require one to believe in God. Atheism is a part of Hinduism.

Yoga is a practice that originated in India. It can be practiced without believing in any deity.

[stubtoe]

14. Thank you, Varun. I did not know that.

The more we know, the better off we are.

[HuffleClaw]

16. oh, miffy help us, what an utter crock.

yoga!??? do these complete fucking loons have NOTHING better to do than to see the 'eeeevilllllls' of things that aren't 110% christofascist? next they'll be campaigning against LEGO.