Yoga programme at US school sparks religious controversy

[joekrish]

Yoga is connected to Hinduism as much as Karate is connected with Buddhism.

 

[Developereo]

Hilarious

If it's optional , there is no controversy really .



Yoga is not a religious thing . If some errant professor starts preaching Hinduism under the guise of Yoga ( unlikely) , he can be disciplined . Anyway it's up to them.

They are not preaching Hinduism, as in "here's how to convert". The discussion starts from yoga poses, to history, to culture, which inevitably touches on aspects of Hinduism.

Again, the teachers I have known are not trying to convert anyone. It's just that some of them are so passionate about the cultural aspect of yoga that they can't help but talk about it. And these were white Christian Westerners; not Hindu themselves.

 

[DARIUS]

I am pretty sure that these guy's or rather parents who are opposing the inclusion of Yoga are of South Asian background!!

 

[karan.1970]

some people are so insecure in their beliefs.. Unfortunately such nut jobs exist in all religions. They are so insecure about their own religion that they believe that their religion can survive only if all other options of religious faith are removed. Kind of tells you how much faith they really have in their own religious beliefs.

Any religion or person who resorts to isolation or subjugation of other religions or beliefs actually indicates the fickleness of their own religion and beliefs..

 

[newdelhinsa]

Good, they should practise more on how to lock down a school seeing an armed white Christian.

Such a waste of taxpayers money teaching Hinduism, no one will like it, even Muslims (Develpereo) have objections on it.

Scrap Yoga Americans, its an evil worth your protest/controversy.

 

[xyxmt]

never knew excercises spark religious sentiments
what about Karate, does that get you closer to Budhism

 

[Developereo]

In case people missed it

After the classes prompted discussion in local evangelical churches

 

[Spring Onion]

I am pretty sure that these guy's or rather parents who are opposing the inclusion of Yoga are of South Asian background!!

no your phobia is wrong in this case dint work.



Dean Broyles, the president and chief counsel of the National Center for Law and Policy, a nonprofit law firm that champions religious freedom and traditional marriage, said, "There is a transparent promotion of Hindu religious beliefs and practices in the public schools through this Ashtanga yoga programme

Source: http://www.defence.pk/forums/member...arks-religious-controversy.html#ixzz2FV0fuCt4

 

[Gandhi G in da house]

They are not preaching Hinduism, as in "here's how to convert". The discussion starts from yoga poses, to history, to culture, which inevitably touches on aspects of Hinduism.

Again, the teachers I have known are not trying to convert anyone. It's just that some of them are so passionate about the cultural aspect of yoga that they can't help but talk about it. And these were white Christian Westerners; not Hindu themselves.

So if they are not preaching Hinduism , then your point of preaching a particular religion using public funds does not stand. At the end of the day , it just remains a health exercise .

 

[El Weirdo]

I am pretty sure that these guy's or rather parents who are opposing the inclusion of Yoga are of South Asian background!!

Well how can you be so sure about it bud?
I have met a few devout Church goers who thinks their Religion is The Best ,High up there.. They would go to the Mass every Sunday and such.
The same could be said about many devout Temple goers too, Mosque goers etc. For them their Religion is High up there.

Interesting Story... will try to put it in few words,

Had a conversation with a work colleague (A Christian White Lady) a few days ago about Religions and stuff, She said her Husbands Cousin died of excessive use of Drugs etc.
and they went to their parish Preist to perform a service for the departed soul and the family specifically told the Priest Not to mention the cause of the death and such, as they were already emotionally drained with the Death.

But in the Alter the Priest started ranting about the cause of Death , The Sins and Sinners , and a few people actually left the service in the middle. Didnt effected priest and He ranted and ranted trying to instilll the Fear of God ,not the Love of God (acc to my colleague)in people .. And its the Priests who try Not let people convert to other Religions , its their Business. A Priest is considered successful for the number of People under his Parish!!

So I dont agree with you that its only the people who follow Islam could have been against it..

 

[Developereo]

So if they are not preaching Hinduism , then your point of preaching a particular religion using public funds does not stand. At the end of the day , it just remains a health exercise .

Well, there's a spectrum of engagement from "discussing" to "promoting" to "preaching" and, evidently, some parents don't feel comfortable about where the classes lie on this spectrum. Where, and if, it breaches the law also becomes a grey area.

 

[Rig Vedic]

You can go as deep into Yoga as you want to go. The physical Asanas are only the surface, but you can benefit even from the surface. Yoga is Dharma, but Dharma does not mean religion in the Abrahamic sense.

If the school is using public funds to pay for a program which may promote a specific religious belief, then it's a misuse of public funds.

It was funded by a grant from a private foundation.

 

[Gandhi G in da house]

Well, there's a spectrum of engagement from "discussing" to "promoting" to "preaching" and, evidently, some parents don't feel comfortable about where the classes lie on this spectrum. Where, and if, it breaches the law also becomes a grey area.

Agreed , and in which spectrum the engagement lies could and should be moderated by the school authorities. If they keep an eye, it won't go beyond the spectrum of "discussing".

 

[BJP*]

Well how can you be so sure about it bud?
I have met a few devout Church goers who thinks their Religion is The Best ,High up there.. They would go to the Mass every Sunday and such.
The same could be said about many devout Temple goers too, Mosque goers etc. For them their Religion is High up there.

Interesting Story... will try to put it in few words,

Had a conversation with a work colleague (A Christian White Lady) a few days ago about Religions and stuff, She said her Husbands Cousin died of excessive use of Drugs etc.
and they went to their parish Preist to perform a service for the departed soul and the family specifically told the Priest Not to mention the cause of the death and such, as they were already emotionally drained with the Death.

But in the Alter the Priest started ranting about the cause of Death , The Sins and Sinners , and a few people actually left the service in the middle. Didnt effected priest and He ranted and ranted trying to instilll the Fear of God ,not the Love of God (acc to my colleague)in people .. And its the Priests who try Not let people convert to other Religions , its their Business. A Priest is considered successful for the number of People under his Parish!!

So I dont agree with you that its only the people who follow Islam could have been against it..

that's sounds weird. In Hinduism, Its upon people to worship God or not, go to temple or not. No one can not force any human to do that. By your lines, I feel, Hinduism is democratic religion and christianity is autocratic religion.

 

[Rajaraja Chola]

Yoga is connected to Hinduism as much as Karate is connected with Buddhism.

NOt actually. Both Buddhism and Martial Arts forms emerged out of India to the rest of the world.