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Location: Upstate NY | Om Namah Sivaya,
Myself I was raised in a very..."strict" baptist enviroment. My grandparents more so with the death of their daughter in 1974 to a drunk driver. It did kinda push away my father and uncles somewhat to the degree of which my grandfather pushed his "values" on his children.
This "idealism" is what pushed me into looking for something greater than the ol' do as I say or your going to HELL! 
I studied Eastern philosophy for many years and was really drawn to it, because of the easiness into it. As Cyndi said Buddhism and Hinduism is a way of life................. and you can as much as you want apply it to your life or inspire to something else.
What tickles me was when I returned from my TTC ( not really letting anyone in my family know what I was doing.....saving the headache  ) my grandfather asked how many boards I could break now that I was a Yoga Instructor 
I just read the book "What is Religion" by Swami Vivekananda which really puts thing in perspective if anyone cares for a good read. Anyhow back to the studio I'm up to crushing 6 boards with my barefists because, I AM THE YOGA MASTER.........
Om Shanti,
Ravi |
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Expert Yogi
Posts: 5098
 
Location: Somewhere in the Mountains of Western NC | Anyone who is having issues with Christianity or religion should read the book entitled, "Why Christianity must change or Die: a Bishop speaks to believers in exile", by retired Episcopal Bishop John Shelby Spong.
I read this book when it first came out about 7 years ago. It really was inspiring because of my own dealings with the Baptist church growing up. This is an oldie but goodie and it is just really cool to have heard if from the Bishop himself. Of course, there was so much controversy over it, but it was an excellent must read.
I just wish I had the balls to give it to my Father's preacher like he gave that book to me at Thanksgiving......... !!!"Jesus among other God's, The Absolute Claims of the Christian Message" by Ravi Zacharias. I still have this copy if anyone is interested in checking it out from my book club,  Although, I do love this book's cover, it has Laxmi and Buddha on it, |
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| you mean him?
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 418
Location: New York | thrasher - 2006-02-23 4:06 PM
you mean him?
So the path of yoga leads straight to Nassau Coliseum? |
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| I need that hockey jersey.... |
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| Balen - 2006-02-23 4:42 PM
I need that hockey jersey....
http://shop.nhl.com/sm-reebok-new-york-islanders-miroslav-satan-player-name-and-number--pi-2075528.html |
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Expert Yogi
Posts: 2479
Location: A Blue State | elson - 2006-01-24 2:19 AM
A good point to note is that the current Holy Father was for many years the chief doctrine-keeper of the Church, so he is very religiously conservative. In short, the Holy Father is not too keen on yoga.
*
Well, put. I posted one of his holiness' writings on yoga a while back.
For many Protestants, yoga practice is like this. Much of the philosophy and worldview of yoga philosophy is contrary to what a Christian believes (zoe's comments notwithstanding :-). For example, the whole concept of the "divine" ass opposed to the personal God fo the bible.
I agree completely. These concepts are ultimately incompatible. It's dualism vs. non-dualism,
and for the majority of yogic philosophers (who follow Advaita Vendanta) Man is ultimately
god --- He just doesn't know it. The same concept is found in the Upanishads (which are a
bit older, or perhaps parallel...), and even in the Rg Veda...I have a lovely quotation from
the latter that I'm meaning to post, from Doniger's translation, but the book is back at my
workplace. Whenever the *******s start to get me down, I read something uplifting.
So the immature Christian may stay away from yoga because of its association with eastern religions. But as he grows in the faith, a christian begins to see that he does not have to agree with yoga philosophy to practice yoga. He does not have to chant sanskrit prayers to those who are not God. And so on.
Please, you mean "to those whom he does not recognize as God."
(For me, the same comment would apply to The Lord's Prayer.)
It is like Paul's teachings about the weaker brother - if your brother can not buy the cheap meat in the pagan temple because of his conscience, then he should refrain. But if you understand that meat is meat, even if it has been offered to gods, then you can eat the cheap meat with a good conscience.
Likewise, I practice asana and breathwork, and in philosophy sessions, I state my views along with the others, and we all get along rather well :-). It is more than lawful for me to be there, it is even a chance to speak well of _my_ God, and to occasionally share the glory and beauty of Him who I serve.
And it's a good workout :-).  |
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| I like what Swami Vishnu-devananda has to say about who the lord is and what mercy is and what happens when our bodies die....
but, my book isn't with me so I can't quote right now.
The mentality that immediately associates evil with the unknown is pervasive in humanity.
This mentality has material attachment and fear as the most common expressions of personality.
I also like the ultra orthodox judaism interpretation of who satan is...
a creation of god, doing what god told him to do--which is temp your evil inclination--god is happy when you control your evil inclination
accusations of associations between the unknown and evil is giving into your evil inclination "fear and material attachment", and so
when one finger points out, three point back
or
it takes one to know one
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| Somebody: So the immature Christian may stay away from yoga because of its association with eastern religions. But as he grows in the faith, a christian begins to see that he does not have to agree with yoga philosophy to practice yoga. He does not have to chant sanskrit prayers to those who are not God. And so on.
===> This is one of the most illogical statements I have ever read. Let me explain how it reads to me:
One who practices Yoga does not have to agree with Yoga Philosophy. One who wants to join army does not have to believe in fighting. One who sells alcohol does not have to belive in drinking effect of alcohol.
One does not have to chant Sanskrit Prayers to those who are not God. One also does not have to pray in English, or Hebrew. One should pray in a language which God understands. What language God understands? Only, God knows.
But as he grows in faith, a Christian will know that a Christian can actually practice Yoga without believing in Yoga Philosophy which is related to eastern religions. And, then Christianity shall have association with Yoga! And, then after many years he can practice Yoga again without having anything to do with Christianity which now has association with Yoga. And, thus a immature Christian gets certificate of maturity, and then again falls into immaturity!
And, so on.
The saint Jesus Christ must be laughing at such immature Christians, no doubt! Alas! What he came for, what he did, and what these are doing!!! |
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| This seems like an apropriate place to share an article I found this week, entitled "Is Yoga Really So Bad?" (I can't remember how I found this, but I don't think it was linked from this site.) Sorry moonmoma, I don't think this will help you address your issue.
http://www.christianitytoday.com/tcw/2001/005/3.50.html
Like many Christians, I was ignorant of yoga's underlying force. What appeared to be a healthy exercise alternative really harbored a more insidious agenda. Yoga is designed to lead you into the arms of a false god. The question every Christian considering yoga must ask is: Can I still worship the true God if my body's reaching toward another? |
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Here's a different view from a sister magazine.
http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2005/120/42.0.html
To dispel the stereotype at hand, let me witness that yoga has never had any negative influence on me, and it doesn't trigger any harmful religious impulses. Just the opposite is true. The three hours a week I spend doing yoga not only make me more flexible, tone my muscles, and relax me. They also draw me closer to Christ. They are my bodily-kinetic prayer.
Here's a biography of one who believes Both are compatible.
Fr. Thomas Ryan, CSP, a catholic priest and certified Kripalu yoga teacher, coordinates ecumenical and inter-religious relations for the paulist community in the U.S. and Canada. His nine books include Reclaiming the Body in Christian Spirituality; The Sacred Art of Fasting; Four Steps to Spiritual Freedom; Prayer of Heart and Body; Meditation and Yoga as Christian Spiritual Practice; and Disciplines for Christian Living: Interfaith Perspectives. |
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| There is a lot of propaganda out there putting up strawmen and running false flag operations to control your perception and get folks to be on their side.
people make mistakes, but if there is an all mighty, who or what is all everything, forever and ever then all good and bad come from that almighty...all things come from that one.
your perception and attachment make it good or bad
and the philosophy that will shackle my guilt with the threat of eternal ****ation is not great enough to cast a shadow next to my ALL MIGHTY.
So put that in your fundamentalist belief pipe and smoke it.
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| riftwaver quoted: This seems like an apropriate place to share an article I found this week, entitled "Is Yoga Really So Bad?" (I can't remember how I found this, but I don't think it was linked from this site.) Sorry moonmoma, I don't think this will help you address your issue.
http://www.christianitytoday.com/tcw/2001/005/3.50.html
Like many Christians, I was ignorant of yoga's underlying force. What appeared to be a healthy exercise alternative really harbored a more insidious agenda. Yoga is designed to lead you into the arms of a false god. The question every Christian considering yoga must ask is: Can I still worship the true God if my body's reaching toward another?
===> The article on the link is written by a person who does not have sufficient Yoga background. The person is confused and is more focussed on whether Yoga exercise can be performed without getting into any philosophy other than his own, which also is not his own, but what he is taught. This article is written with the fear of loss of one's philosophy at hand. In Philosophy, one should not fear. Also, in what is true one should not fear. Because what is real or true never becomes otherwise. Such as water can be called as milk for a while, but it will still be water. So, the person does not have to fear that someone else shall take God away from him/her. Now, the writer is correct in that one can not separate Yoga Philosophy from Yoga Exercise. When a person from an Islamic (I am not Islamic) country comes to USA and settles here, he/she can not escape from seeing a person with short clothes or swimming costumes. In the same way the Yoga Philosophy and Yoga are inseparable. Now, when a person from an Islamic country comes to USA as he/she received a fullbright scholarship to do PhD in Physics at Princeton, should such a person reject this offer because there is an American lady in the Princeton Campus who wears a swimming costume? No, he/she can come and study and not wear the costume him/her-self. And, leave the lady alone.
In the same way, one can perform Yoga Exercise and leave the others to do whatever they want to do with it. One should only know what one should do. But, if one is really knowledgeable in Yoga, one can not escape the Sutra from the most Standard Yoga Philosophy Text, namely Shree Patanjala Yogadarshanam which states:
yathaabhimatadhyanadwaa.... one should meditate on one's chose ideal whatever that is. And, one shall succeed in Yoga.
Thus, Yoga does not have any contradiction with one meditating on Jesus Christ or whatever they want.
The problem arises when one is worried about what others are meditating on! |
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| A very interesting thread, hahahaha...
Coming from a very Christian community, middle Eastern Maine, I really don't think 85% of all Christians and or Catholics understand what spirituality really is. Let alone the God or what ever one terms the Ultimate Divine. Is it the Tao? Is it Brahma?
Main stream Christianity is really ignorant about the progressive bodies that all humans have. And I believe that coming in touch with these many bodies brings us, as humans, closer to The Divine. The Taoists know this, and so do Yogis and many Eastern ways of life. Christianity, as it is known now, is a young religion, and like a child becomes afraid easily.
And remember, there are other scriptures that were thrown out that challenged the CONTROL of the church. Look at the Nag Hamadi Gospels. And Gnostic Christianity.Most Gnostics were tortured and killed.That's real Christian behaviour. Basically, most Christians are worshipping Pauline Christianity, which is only a peripheral view of spirituality. We weren't given the essence of the teaching. I have read some of the Gnostic Gospels and what I've noticed is that they are YOGA! Isn't that appalling? What is the essence of Christianity is what is being dogmatically ostracized. But, if a person was truly pure, than, I think, reading the Bible can and does open up the soul. But with society the way it is, self purification is needed and opening the chakras, dan tiens, etc. That is simply what yoga offers. It offers one to witness God in a purer state. Ignorance is the devil(as mentioned before)not yoga. Yoga is a tool for the Divine Spirit. The Bible coupled with yoga can be a beautiful thing. That sort of leads back to Gnostic Christianity, in a sense. Gnostic=knowledge. Yoga is simply knowledge.
SElf-study is really needed that transends culture.
I've never met a violent yogi/ni. I have met violent Christians. Can anybody truly support a crusade for spiritual beliefs? Whether it be Iraq or the Inquisition, it is closer to evil than yoga will ever be. Those are the issues that need to be dealt with.
Doug |
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Expert Yogi
Posts: 5098
Location: Somewhere in the Mountains of Western NC | So, today as I was driving around the city, I was listening to a christian talk show on the radio...just happened to have heard a couple of bleeps and left it there for a few mins. Boy, these guys are really fired up about the Divinci Code Book and Movie due out. I could not believe how these Christians are reacting to this...it's is so hilarious. Anyway, I think I'm going to go get me a copy of the book and read it before the movie comes out.
The part they were upset with was the fact that somewhere in the book it says that Jesus Christ was married and had children in the South of France. I can't see why they would get upset over this. I guess if we told them about Jesus in India and Tibet, that would really send them over the edge, huh?? Oh well..... |
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| Cyndi - 2006-05-11 10:38 PM
The part they were upset with was the fact that somewhere in the book it says that Jesus Christ was married and had children in the South of France. I can't see why they would get upset over this. I guess if we told them about Jesus in India and Tibet, that would really send them over the edge, huh?? Oh well.....
I really don't get it either. I had a pretty strict christian upbringing, so you'd think I'd know right? Not a clue. I guess some people are always looking for a reason to get upset. |
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| not to be a complete a$$hole about this but
I've read some really good arguments that state that there's as much proof that Hercules existed as there is that Jesus Christ Existed
so
if you believe you must have strong faith, because there is no proof of the existence of Christ, and books called your bible written hundreds of years after the death of a possible person is not objective verifiable proof
but that doesn't mean I'm a heathen or non-believer
i'm just putting that ultra orthodox judaism argument forward, because i know about it
peace
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| Well, there is the possibility that the Christ story was an amalgamation of many different gods. i'm sure most of you heard some of these theries. Maybe Christ did live, but from what i've been told by a friend that studied ina Jewish college was that there's no real proof in the Roman archives that Christ did exist. I think that there was someone that these stories are based after, but parts of his life could be jumbled with past religions. Christ is not the first man to have 'risen from the dead.' There are a lot of similarities is all I'm saying. But the Crist message is beautiful and strong. If we can get beyond the blundering egotistical and manipulative, fearful vises of man, that destroy the message. Part of that is the fear of yoga!
There are some Japanese that believe Christ died here at the end of his journeys...hmm. There's a grave dedicated to him here. What about Buddha? |
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| The basketball player named Satan is funny. I love that.
Unfortunately, the people who think yoga has an agenda are hypnotized by their religion. I think these people substitute one addiction (drinking) for another (fundamentalism). It says in the bible, 'be like little children' (be innocent and open) and don't you know kids just love yoga! Where does it say, 'be like old, crotchety people fearful of new experiences'?
I don't need carbon dating to know God exists. He surprizes me everyday. I am grateful.
fifi |
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| P.S. I have a Jewish friend who told me Christ existed. My Buddhist friend told me that, too. |
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| Cyndi, nobody likes to be proven wrong...If the Bible says Christ didn't have Children and some scriptures were kept out for control of the church, and there was proof later that there is another possible finish, then I'm sure there would be a lot of embarrassment, especially, the dogmatic, tight, worshipping that happens in large organizations. It's not really important. It's themessage that's important. I don't know why people get all bent out of shape about it either.
I like the new Christian religions that are popping up. They're interesting and exploring yogas of different sorts.
One woman who I found to be particularly knowledgeable is Carolyn Myss. She has been raised by nunsies and she is a medical intuitive and works wirth doctors. She's linked into the Taoist knowledge of energetics, chakras, specific organs, and illnesses just by being in the realm of the nun's spiritual lifestyle, which tells me Christianity isn't all poopoo. She talks about how energies are stored in the different chakras and how they are leaked out. She also makes the assertion that people in the seventies tried yoga, tried meditation, and nothing worked(they didn't stick with it long enough, we like the quick fix). But the point is that people didn't know what to do with the energy, so even an energetic healing system won't work if one doesn't know what to do with the energy leakage, or the stored up negative energy.
She's in Boulder Co. She puts out audio and video tapes. The one that I have is 'The Enegetics of Healing' |
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| Please! The Catholic Church practices magic closely linked to Kabbalah.
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| *Fifi* - 2006-05-12 12:45 AM
Please! The Catholic Church practices magic closely linked to Kabbalah.
Heretic! Sending out the Illuminanti hit squads!
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| If Jesus of Nazareth existed and was flesh and blood, a real man like me then..........
why not Hercules
or Zoraster
or Mithras
or Krishna
All of these are Son of God, some are Holy Trinity, Savior/Messiah Stories
I mean really, it's a matter of faith
how's it go? "Blessed is he who believes but does not see"
and then there's the story of the doubting Thomas who wouldn't believe unless he could touch the wounds
But what i'm getting at is "do any of these stories need to be real for us to know the ALMIGHTY"
and i would contend that needs must not be so, that there are other possibilities
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| My opinon:
1. It is NOT good for anyone to doubt whether Jesus actually existed. Because, either a) He did really exist. b) or, at least he exists through the books c) or he does exist through stories.
All the three forms of existence would not create any problem. As long as we know what he did, what he said, what he stands for. It will not make any difference to me whether I heard of a flower called XXX which I have not seen, and it exists in Nepal, even in story form. As long as I know that the flower was blue, smelt good, etc. etc. I can relate to the flower.
2. The problem comes when I say that with the same logic such as above, others did not exist. Others are against my understanding. ETC. For example, I start telling that certain other flower of orange colour in Malasia should not be worn or should not be smelt, because that is NOT my blue flower from Nepal, whether really or in a story form.
3. Also, I should not be fearful about Orange flower if I am user of Blue flower.
4. And, when Jesus said " Do NOT hoard money" and he did show it in his actual act, I can not imagine his so called devotees of today building multimillion dollar manshions in the name of Religion.
5. And, those who do not want to do Yoga exercise, can go biking, swimming, or walking around their big building called Church with a small statue of Saint Jesus. They should not worry what the Yogis are doing in their studios.
Love and Peace |
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Yoga/Yogi=Satan?!
