Judge goes to mat for yoga, rules it's irreligious

[alchemy]

Of course, separation of church and state is only an issue when the religion in question isn't Christianity. :snooty:

http://www.sacbee.com/2013/07/02/553917 ... rules.html

[Mama Mia]

Of course, separation of church and state is only an issue when the religion in question isn't Christianity. :snooty:

http://www.sacbee.com/2013/07/02/553917 ... rules.html

On the other hand, if a Christian Foundation was providing a half million dollar grant and teachers at each school to provide a sanitized class that was in some way marginally tied to Christian teachings, there would probably be a lawsuit as well. Just by different parents.

[doggie]

well the idiots used this expert who does not seem to know anything about yoga and what religion it belongs to. Since when did the TAO have anything to do with yoga? or Buddhism? nothing like a paid clueless expert. hopefully the college will let her go.

The plaintiffs relied heavily on testimony of Candy Gunther Brown, an Indiana University religious studies professor who found the district's program is pervasively religious, having its roots in Hindu, Buddhist, Taoist and metaphysical beliefs and practices.

[miffy]

Western yoga is not religious. Even my friend who is Hindu, but went to a catholic school in Mumbai says its a 'health science'.

However doing yoga every day helps me to be a better Christian.

[louisa05]

I would be concerned about it being in schools because of the pseudo-science and the lack of adequate training of "instructors". One I know well was not quite certified in a training course that consisted of nine weekends and thinks she can cure heart disease and cancer and use yoga as physical therapy.

If I had kids, I wouldn't want idiots like that messing with their physical well-being.

[doggie]

I would be concerned about it being in schools because of the pseudo-science and the lack of adequate training of "instructors". One I know well was not quite certified in a training course that consisted of nine weekends and thinks she can cure heart disease and cancer and use yoga as physical therapy.

If I had kids, I wouldn't want idiots like that messing with their physical well-being.

yes it is crazy how fast Americans seem to learn things that other cultures take decades.

[Minerva]

Colour me not surprised. Yoga is a type of exercise. There are certain practitioners who inject spirituality and/or pseudoscience into it, but the kind of yoga kids do in gym class is just exercise.

The plaintiffs relied heavily on testimony of Candy Gunther Brown, an Indiana University religious studies professor who found the district's program is pervasively religious, having its roots in Hindu, Buddhist, Taoist and metaphysical beliefs and practices.

By that logic, putting up a Christmas tree is a pervasively Pagan practice.

[TheJewAmongUs]

Not really that surprising, but the plaintiff's attorney is somewhat of a nutter.

nclplaw.org/about-us/dean-broyles/

His degree is from Pat Robertson U.

[Aurora rising]

Unfortunately, some muslim thinks this, too. When I told a (fundie) "friend" she asked me if it´s not "haram" (forbidden) because you pray to the sun. :wtf:

But when I told her how it works and how good it feels, she even tried it. :D

[2xx1xy1JD]

Colour me not surprised. Yoga is a type of exercise. There are certain practitioners who inject spirituality and/or pseudoscience into it, but the kind of yoga kids do in gym class is just exercise.

By that logic, putting up a Christmas tree is a pervasively Pagan practice.

I'll agree with the Christmas Tree analogy, but from a different POV. To many people, it's just a tree and a fun tradition, and doesn't particularly have any Pagan or Christian meaning. To someone from another religion however (like me), it's clearly something that is associated with Pagan and Christian celebrations, and there is no way that I'd have one in my house.

Do we dumb down Yoga by claiming that it's "just exercise"? I'm thinking about the part in "Eat, Pray, Love" where the author is asked, rhetorically, whether we do yoga just to get more "bend-y". You can certainly benefit from the exercise part, or do meditation without necessarily being in conflict with other religious beliefs, but completely dismissing the spiritual side of it seems a bit odd (although it is quite possible that this particular program was simply using yoga-derived exercises but doing so in a way that completely removed the spiritual content).

[Aurora rising]

Do we dumb down Yoga by claiming that it's "just exercise"? I'm thinking about the part in "Eat, Pray, Love" where the author is asked, rhetorically, whether we do yoga just to get more "bend-y". You can certainly benefit from the exercise part, or do meditation without necessarily being in conflict with other religious beliefs, but completely dismissing the spiritual side of it seems a bit odd (although it is quite possible that this particular program was simply using yoga-derived exercises but doing so in a way that completely removed the spiritual content).

My sufi-teacher always says that everything is and should be spiritual - it doesn´t matter if you bring out the garbage or if you do yoga, you can always connect with your spirituality.

So it´s quite easy for me, I like the mantras and yoga itself and with the breathing exercises I use some sufi-mantras, it works wonderful for me.