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Ga. parents, offended by the ‘Far East religion’ of yoga, get ‘Namaste’ banned from

HenryChinaski

HenryChinaski

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https://www.washingtonpost.com/news...igion-of-yoga-get-namaste-banned-from-school/ Of course this happened in Georgia. It boils down to "things that are different that I don't understand are bad" There is no religious aspect to yoga. I'm an atheist and I've practiced it. It's a non-religious physical endeavor completely secular and only religious if somebody decides to bring that aspect into it. Total idiocy on these slack-jawed yokels part. If more people practiced yoga they would be less violence in the world.
 
Re: Ga. parents, offended by the ‘Far East religion’ of yoga, get ‘Namaste’ banned fr

Sigh... We just cannot help but look like total idiots on the international stage.
 
Re: Ga. parents, offended by the ‘Far East religion’ of yoga, get ‘Namaste’ banned fr

While I think they're overreacting to something that could be beneficial for their kids, I can understand why they feel there's a double standard in place.
 
Re: Ga. parents, offended by the ‘Far East religion’ of yoga, get ‘Namaste’ banned fr

This is why we can't have nice things.
 
Re: Ga. parents, offended by the ‘Far East religion’ of yoga, get ‘Namaste’ banned fr

If the yoga techniques were instead called "guided Christian meditation" it wouldn't be an issue. Give it a name that doesn't sound foreign and its all good.
 
Re: Ga. parents, offended by the ‘Far East religion’ of yoga, get ‘Namaste’ banned fr

HenryChinaski said:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news...igion-of-yoga-get-namaste-banned-from-school/ Of course this happened in Georgia. It boils down to "things that are different that I don't understand are bad" There is no religious aspect to yoga. I'm an atheist and I've practiced it. It's a non-religious physical endeavor completely secular and only religious if somebody decides to bring that aspect into it. Total idiocy on these slack-jawed yokels part. If more people practiced yoga they would be less violence in the world.
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Actually, Yoga is a religious practice- adherents are called 'Yogis'. When you say you practice yoga, you're practicing a westernized version of Hatha-Yoga, one of five aspects of the discipline. The others are Raja-Yoga, Karma-Yoga, Bhakti-Yoga and Jnana-Yoga.
But yes, the yoga most people practice has had the religious aspect removed and is used mostly for stretching and, maybe, a form of meditation.
 
Re: Ga. parents, offended by the ‘Far East religion’ of yoga, get ‘Namaste’ banned fr

HenryChinaski said:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news...igion-of-yoga-get-namaste-banned-from-school/ Of course this happened in Georgia. It boils down to "things that are different that I don't understand are bad" There is no religious aspect to yoga. I'm an atheist and I've practiced it. It's a non-religious physical endeavor completely secular and only religious if somebody decides to bring that aspect into it. Total idiocy on these slack-jawed yokels part. If more people practiced yoga they would be less violence in the world.
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Um, actually there is a religious aspect to yoga. At least originally.
 
Re: Ga. parents, offended by the ‘Far East religion’ of yoga, get ‘Namaste’ banned fr

Goshin said:
Um, actually there is a religious aspect to yoga. At least originally.
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Right, but now there's about as much of a religious aspect to yoga as there is to Halloween.
 
Re: Ga. parents, offended by the ‘Far East religion’ of yoga, get ‘Namaste’ banned fr

Goshin said:
Um, actually there is a religious aspect to yoga. At least originally.
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Yes's, it's roots are within the Hindu religion. It is a spiritual, mental, physical, and certainly a non-violent practice. Yoga is good for the mind, body, and spirit, regardless of what religion one adheres to.
 
Re: Ga. parents, offended by the ‘Far East religion’ of yoga, get ‘Namaste’ banned fr

If I kneel down, am I kneeling or praying? If the intent is not there is it prayer? What we think of as yoga is the sutra of "hatha" yoga A path to enlightenment through building physical and mental strength. What enlightenment means is down to you. Attaining stillness of mind and relaxation, or coming to some understanding of your place in the world. Or simply a supple bendy body. Whatever. How is that incompatible with religious beliefs?
 
Re: Ga. parents, offended by the ‘Far East religion’ of yoga, get ‘Namaste’ banned fr

HenryChinaski said:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news...igion-of-yoga-get-namaste-banned-from-school/ Of course this happened in Georgia. It boils down to "things that are different that I don't understand are bad" There is no religious aspect to yoga. I'm an atheist and I've practiced it. It's a non-religious physical endeavor completely secular and only religious if somebody decides to bring that aspect into it. Total idiocy on these slack-jawed yokels part. If more people practiced yoga they would be less violence in the world.
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Seriously?

You know it was invented by Buddhists right?
 
Re: Ga. parents, offended by the ‘Far East religion’ of yoga, get ‘Namaste’ banned fr

MorrisDay said:
Yes's, it's roots are within the Hindu religion. It is a spiritual, mental, physical, and certainly a non-violent practice. Yoga is good for the mind, body, and spirit, regardless of what religion one adheres to.
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I have no problem with it as an exercise in physical and mental discipline.
 
Re: Ga. parents, offended by the ‘Far East religion’ of yoga, get ‘Namaste’ banned fr

Goshin said:
I have no problem with it as an exercise in physical and mental discipline.
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And that's all it is unless you fold in some Hinduism or Buddhism.
 
Re: Ga. parents, offended by the ‘Far East religion’ of yoga, get ‘Namaste’ banned fr

HenryChinaski said:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news...igion-of-yoga-get-namaste-banned-from-school/ Of course this happened in Georgia. It boils down to "things that are different that I don't understand are bad" There is no religious aspect to yoga. I'm an atheist and I've practiced it. It's a non-religious physical endeavor completely secular and only religious if somebody decides to bring that aspect into it. Total idiocy on these slack-jawed yokels part. If more people practiced yoga they would be less violence in the world.
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Yoga absolutely has spiritual and religious roots in Vedic traditions. Just because it isn't being practiced in a way that explicitly highlights its origins doesn't mean that it doesn't have a spiritual heritage. I'm an atheist too and I think if we're going to be as strict as we've been with the Lemon test when it comes to moments of silence, silent prayer, voluntary religious events, organized meditation, etc then we should be uniform in restricting spiritual practices. Otherwise we should relax our stringency altogether and allow a whole class of less religious behaviors in. Furthermore in this case there was spiritual phraseology used and an emphasis on mindfulness which has a spiritual root.

Separation of Church and State either means exactly what we profess it means, or it doesn't. No exceptions for hip new age spiritual movements that also have popular exercise rituals. You wouldn't call them yokels if they had sued because they were teaching kabbalistic meditation exercises.

Bottom line: if we want people to take secularism in our schools seriously we have to enforce it equally. Otherwise they will justifiably cry foul and see it as unfair. I completely understand the parents reaction.
 
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Re: Ga. parents, offended by the ‘Far East religion’ of yoga, get ‘Namaste’ banned fr

HenryChinaski said:
And that's all it is unless you fold in some Hinduism or Buddhism.
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Some people are concerned their children might develop an interest in eastern religions if exposed to things RELATED to those religions, like yoga (which originally derives from religious practice and is still done as such in India and some ashram in the US).

Personally I think this is usually a bit over-protective, but depends on a case by case basis. I remember back in the 70s when I started in martial arts, my parents required assurances from the instructor that he didn't teach any "asian religious practices". :) I found it embarrassing at the time, but in hindsight I see it was just my parents trying to protect their youngster from what they'd consider bad influences.
 
Re: Ga. parents, offended by the ‘Far East religion’ of yoga, get ‘Namaste’ banned fr

Goshin said:
Some people are concerned their children might develop an interest in eastern religions if exposed to things RELATED to those religions, like yoga (which originally derives from religious practice and is still done as such in India and some ashram in the US).

Personally I think this is usually a bit over-protective, but depends on a case by case basis. I remember back in the 70s when I started in martial arts, my parents required assurances from the instructor that he didn't teach any "asian religious practices". :) I found it embarrassing at the time, but in hindsight I see it was just my parents trying to protect their youngster from what they'd consider bad influences.
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So Asian religious practices are bad influences?
 
Re: Ga. parents, offended by the ‘Far East religion’ of yoga, get ‘Namaste’ banned fr

HenryChinaski said:
If the yoga techniques were instead called "guided Christian meditation" it wouldn't be an issue. Give it a name that doesn't sound foreign and its all good.
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Or perhaps instead of "the Sanskrit greeting “Namaste,” placing hands “to heart center” and coloring pages with the symbol of the Mandala (a spiritual symbol in Indian religions representing the cosmos)" they could simply bow their heads with their palms together, utter the ancient Hebrew expression "Amen" and color pages with the symbol of the cross or the Star of David. You'd be okay with that, right?

Maybe on the one condition that they keep those crystals with their mystical healing powers?
 
Re: Ga. parents, offended by the ‘Far East religion’ of yoga, get ‘Namaste’ banned fr

Goshin said:
Some people are concerned their children might develop an interest in eastern religions if exposed to things RELATED to those religions, like yoga (which originally derives from religious practice and is still done as such in India and some ashram in the US).

Personally I think this is usually a bit over-protective, but depends on a case by case basis. I remember back in the 70s when I started in martial arts, my parents required assurances from the instructor that he didn't teach any "asian religious practices". :) I found it embarrassing at the time, but in hindsight I see it was just my parents trying to protect their youngster from what they'd consider bad influences.
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I agree. Yoga in itself is not a religion but the practice has actually helped me to become more spiritual within my own religious believes.
 
Re: Ga. parents, offended by the ‘Far East religion’ of yoga, get ‘Namaste’ banned fr

PoS said:
So Asian religious practices are bad influences?
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This was in the 1970s and my parents were devout Christians. Most of what they knew about "Asian religions" involved crazy-ass cults like Bagwan Osho and similar "guru cults".


In point of fact I have studied Eastern Religions extensively and found much that was admirable in Buddhism and Taoism, though I remain Christian.
 
Re: Ga. parents, offended by the ‘Far East religion’ of yoga, get ‘Namaste’ banned fr

HenryChinaski said:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news...igion-of-yoga-get-namaste-banned-from-school/ Of course this happened in Georgia. It boils down to "things that are different that I don't understand are bad" There is no religious aspect to yoga. I'm an atheist and I've practiced it. It's a non-religious physical endeavor completely secular and only religious if somebody decides to bring that aspect into it. Total idiocy on these slack-jawed yokels part. If more people practiced yoga they would be less violence in the world.
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Usually you'd have to be from Texas to be that stupid.
 
Re: Ga. parents, offended by the ‘Far East religion’ of yoga, get ‘Namaste’ banned fr

Yoga can lead to veganism and other tenets of liberal ideology. So, of course, the Georgia Republicans will be against it.
 
Re: Ga. parents, offended by the ‘Far East religion’ of yoga, get ‘Namaste’ banned fr

HenryChinaski said:
Right, but now there's about as much of a religious aspect to yoga as there is to Halloween.
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WAIT! There is no religious aspect to Halloween?

You mean jack-o-lanterns don't keep away the restless spirits. Silver doesn't kill werewolves, crosses don't stop vampires, and zombies can walk on hallowed ground? If I don't give out treats my house won't get Tee-Pee'd?

DUDE!!!! :boohoo:
 
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Re: Ga. parents, offended by the ‘Far East religion’ of yoga, get ‘Namaste’ banned fr

HenryChinaski said:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news...igion-of-yoga-get-namaste-banned-from-school/ Of course this happened in Georgia. It boils down to "things that are different that I don't understand are bad" There is no religious aspect to yoga. I'm an atheist and I've practiced it. It's a non-religious physical endeavor completely secular and only religious if somebody decides to bring that aspect into it. Total idiocy on these slack-jawed yokels part. If more people practiced yoga they would be less violence in the world.
Click to expand...

Yoga is in fact an eastern religion. You would know this if you bothered to Google before posting.

It is disgraceful that such a thing should be taught to schoolchildren in a majority Christian country.
 
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