Evil Yoga?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Lokadottir
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
Lokadottir said:
I’m not opposed at all. I just wondered. I’m not talking about the people who logically decide eh I’m not gonna risk it. I’m talking: :eek: GET THEE AWAY SATAN WITH YOUR DEMONIC YOGA! people.
Click to expand...
So you are wondering about people that think like this… and yet you answer another poster as to why non-Christians don’t do the adoration in church like this:

“Because they vehemently disagree with the theology behind it and therefore avoid it like the plague.”

Is this not the same way at looking at things? Seems avoiding like the plague is the same extreme reaction as demonic :confused:

Stretching is great and excercise is awesome and wholesome for the body. I can do this outside of yoga and, as others have stated, there are many Catholic devotions that would work better for ME. Why is my preference for not doing yoga any different than your preference for doing yoga?
 
Well this is just great. Now I going to be humming Evil Yoga to the tune of “Evil Woman” for the rest of the day!
 
Lokadottir said:
Why are some Christians so opposed to Yoga? It doesn’t have to be a religious endeavor. It can be exercise with meditation. So what’s the problem?
Click to expand...
This is coming from a non-catholic perspective, but a Christian once told me that yoga was evil because it cleared the mind and opened you up to demonic possession (it was a bit loopy to be honest so I’m not sure how accurate that is for the general Christian population).

Most would probably bring up Idolatory but to me it’s just a matter of perspective…yoga is simply about balance, stretches and putting your body into some rather strange positions…as long as you aren’t praying to other gods or intently worshipping other gods, I honestly can’t see how it’s Idolatory.

I find it fascinating because you’ll have Christians who say yoga is wrong because it’s origins were in xy and z but then have Christmas trees which origins are definitely not Christian. 🤷
 
China123 said:
So you are wondering about people that think like this… and yet you answer another poster as to why non-Christians don’t do the adoration in church like this:

“Because they vehemently disagree with the theology behind it and therefore avoid it like the plague.”

Is this not the same way at looking at things? Seems avoiding like the plague is the same extreme reaction as demonic :confused:
Click to expand...
I meant non-Catholic Christians. I possibly misread. Easy thing for me to do.
 
Hoosier_Daddy said:
I am sorry, I guess I am not qualified to speak to this issue because I have never witnessed what you are describing. Outside of the occasional evangelical protestant I have never seen that kind of reaction. Since this is a Catholic site with Catholic people I cannot speak to someone would speak in olde english screaming about yoga. :rolleyes:🤷
Click to expand...
You can totally speak on it, but please recognize my question pertains to the extremists. Not Christians as a group.
 
Lokadottir said:
Why are some Christians so opposed to Yoga? It doesn’t have to be a religious endeavor. It can be exercise with meditation. So what’s the problem?
Click to expand...
I have heard of this before. I heard of a Catholic School that insisted their children’s exercise program, (that was basically Yoga) had to be renamed so as not to include the word Yoga. What rubbish.

You are correct, this does not have to be a religious endeavor. Anyone making more of it than that has too much time on their hands and not enough to keep themselves busy.
 
MrSnaith said:
The three best arguments I’ve heard against Catholics practicing Yoga are these:
  1. The Yogic forms were developed and designed specifically for Hindu spirituality, and thus, engaging in these forms knowing of their unique spiritual nature constitutes a form of idolatry.
  2. Because there is a current trend toward religious relativism, that one religion is no better or worse than another, and that all religions represent equal paths toward God, engaging in Yoga by a Catholic might cause scandal in this regard. As Catholics, by engaging in a clearly Hindu practice, we may inadvertently scandalize others into the belief that the practices of one religion are as good and legitimate as another.
  3. There are reportedly connections between Yogic practice and the occult, including possession. While this is not widespread, indicating that the casual practitioner is likely not at immediate risk, there are certainly some cases of this, the suggestion being that the more one delves into the spirituality behind Yoga, the more one becomes susceptible to these forces. This is concurrent with the widespread spirituality found in Hinduism that makes use of spiritual possession in the practices of Witch Doctors, and the like. Like devices such as Ouija Boards, the practitioner may not be deliberately calling up these forces, but may still do so inadvertently through the use of the device.
Even if you reject 3), and think that 1) can be rendered meaningless if you dissociate yourself from Hindu spirituality, 2) is still enough reason in my book to find other stretches to use instead of Yoga, as a Faithful Catholic.
Click to expand...
All three are going over-board for me. Yoga is a form of stretching exercises. Despite it’s apparent history, and what others may have related it too, it is nothing more. To apply anything greater to it than that is pushing the bubble a bit too much. There are more urgent things to worry about.
 
Lokadottir said:
Why are some Christians so opposed to Yoga? It doesn’t have to be a religious endeavor. It can be exercise with meditation. So what’s the problem?
Click to expand...
You started with this.

Then when given rational reasons that answered your question you went to this
GET THEE AWAY SATAN WITH YOUR DEMONIC YOGA! people.
Click to expand...
IF your question is indeed of Christian “extremists” then I would direct you to ask a christian extremist the answer to your question. BUt I get the feeling that you think anyone who thinks yoga could potentially be evil is an “extremist” and I get the feeling that you think this board is full of these “extremists” you seek. My answer to you is that I cannot speak to the beliefs of someone else, but as a charitable and good person I would assume the person had a right to that belief without being mocked, ridiculed and put down by someone who has a different faith. It is bad form, and frankly offensive.

All that being said, yes even on these boards you have a few odd ducks. And yes, I have been frustrated by some peoples seemingly illogical beliefs. I would not doubt in the least that in your time here with your religion being pagan you have been judged, mocked and ridiculed yourself. So, in all of that experience, should’t you, of all people, understand this issue and how you are coming off?

You know what would be cool?

Is if you took some of these responses (mine;)) and said, “hey, good point, I never thought of it that way” Or " this is a good discussion, thanks for your replies" 🤷

“Perhaps I have too judgemental”

Ah, I can dream can’t I?
 
Cricket2 said:
There are more urgent things to worry about.
Click to expand...
Are you saying you think this thread should be replaced by a more urgent thing? If only there were a place where we could talk about a myriad of things… If only we could have threads on more urgent things.😃
So, here is your one shot to plug an issue more important than yoga.

Go. Direct me to a thread with these "urgent things’ you speak of.

Certainly I will find no wackos or people who have different beliefs about spiritual implications of actions and rituals.:rolleyes:
 
Hoosier_Daddy said:
Are you saying you think this thread should be replaced by a more urgent thing? If only there were a place where we could talk about a myriad of things… If only we could have threads on more urgent things.😃
So, here is your one shot to plug an issue more important than yoga.

Go. Direct me to a thread with these "urgent things’ you speak of.

Certainly I will find no wackos or people who have different beliefs about spiritual implications of actions and rituals.:rolleyes:
Click to expand...
Your argument is deteriorating into general rudeness. Cricket2 was giving his opinion on Yoga.
 
Hoosier_Daddy said:
You started with this.

Then when given rational reasons that answered your question you went to this

IF your question is indeed of Christian “extremists” then I would direct you to ask a christian extremist the answer to your question. BUt I get the feeling that you think anyone who thinks yoga could potentially be evil is an “extremist” and I get the feeling that you think this board is full of these “extremists” you seek. My answer to you is that I cannot speak to the beliefs of someone else, but as a charitable and good person I would assume the person had a right to that belief without being mocked, ridiculed and put down by someone who has a different faith. It is bad form, and frankly offensive.

All that being said, yes even on these boards you have a few odd ducks. And yes, I have been frustrated by some peoples seemingly illogical beliefs. I would not doubt in the least that in your time here with your religion being pagan you have been judged, mocked and ridiculed yourself. So, in all of that experience, should’t you, of all people, understand this issue and how you are coming off?

You know what would be cool?

Is if you took some of these responses (mine;)) and said, “hey, good point, I never thought of it that way” Or " this is a good discussion, thanks for your replies" 🤷

“Perhaps I have too judgemental”

Ah, I can dream can’t I?
Click to expand...
No you actually brought up points that a Catholic would abstain from yoga. (You just did it in a very rude way) There are enough extremists on here. I don’t believe there the only ones on here. But they aren’t a rarity.
Its hard to respect pointing at things that are new to you and calling it satanic. And yes I HAVE been insulted on here (by you most recently) and it is often the same extremists who throw “satanic” around. Notice the word OFTEN I am NOT calling you an extremist.
 
Michael_Mayo said:
Remember, yoga predates Christianity. Some very holy people practiced it as a method to find God in the understanding of God they had without the benefit of the Bible or Jesus or the Catholic Church. Are all pre-Christian religions evil?

There are many threads and many posts on this forum that say almost all that can be said on both sides of the debate.
Click to expand...
👍
I love my posturing, which invokes nothing but relief of leg pain.

(I knew you would be here, MM…))
 
Lokadottir said:
Oh good I’m not seeing things! 😛
Click to expand...
Oh, don’t worry, not at all, I have definitely run across that kind of person here on CAF in the past. For some reason they happened to have ignored your particular thread, but they can certainly be found here.
 
thewanderer said:
Oh, don’t worry, not at all, I have definitely run across that kind of person here on CAF in the past. For some reason they happened to have ignored your particular thread, but they can certainly be found here.
Click to expand...
Maybe because I was addressing the belief itself and not asking for guidance?
 
Lokadottir said:
Why are some Christians so opposed to Yoga? It doesn’t have to be a religious endeavor. It can be exercise with meditation. So what’s the problem?
Click to expand...
ok, so let’s get back to the original question 🙂 because they (perhaps purposely?) misunderstand it. Perhaps they’ve heard that true Yogis with a capital Y are Hindu. But that doesn’t have much to do with the latte girl and her subaru, or me and my dvd trying to get a little exercise.

Plus, it’s often a little more than stretching. It’s pretty physical 😃 It can be hard to keep up in an advanced class! But slightly less demonic than cross fit lol.
 
“Evil Yoga?”
hahahahha that title, thanks for the laugh OP :tiphat:

Being scared of Yoga is a thing…? really? :doh2:
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top