Is Yoga Ok for Christians?

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Is Yoga OK for Christians to engage in?

  • Yes

    Votes: 18 28.6%
  • No

    Votes: 39 61.9%
  • Not sure

    Votes: 6 9.5%

  • Total voters
    63
D

danschance

Guest
#1
Is it Ok to engage in Yoga for it's health benefits? Are there any spiritual negatives that come with Yoga? Many claim Yoga is a good why to stretch. Some churches alow a Yoga program to operate to benefit members.

First lets google the definition of Yoga:
[FONT=arial, sans-serif]1. a Hindu spiritual and ascetic discipline, a part of which, including breath control, simple meditation, and the adoption of specific bodily postures, is widely practiced for health and relaxation.[/FONT]
Yoga comes from Hinduism and yes it is a spiritual discipline. Each posture is designed to worship a particular Hindi diety. There are different types of Yoga practiced in the US. One of them is Kundalini yoga which is literally designed to open up your chakras and get in touch with the Kundalini spirit.

Here is a good YouTube video from a former Yoga master who details why he believes Yoga should not be practiced by Christians.
[video=youtube;wKwEkXcmEUQ]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wKwEkXcmEUQ[/video]
 

myfriendtiny

Senior Member
Jan 19, 2014
736
3
18
#2
I think it is how we use it...I do yoga...Some people use yoga as a God......I think we as christians can still do yoga...it just depends on how we use it..
 

BenFTW

Senior Member
Oct 7, 2012
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#3
God is the one who gave us a body and our bodies benefit from stretching. "Who is to say that which God calls clean can be declared unclean", comes to mind. Can a religion take prayer and use it for demonic reason and then prayer is of no use to Christians? Is breath control, the very lungs God created within you, to not be used for the edification and benefit of the body because a man uses breath to worship false gods?

Yoga is more than okay for Christians, it is a healthy practice for the body, there are physical benefits to yoga. No Christian goes into a yoga class with the intention of worshiping a false god or committing idolatry. God does look at the heart, and if He sees the intention behind why you partake, He knows its pure.

Matter of fact, the stilling of the mind is a biblical principle, "Be still and know that I am God." If yoga is used to quiet the mind and relax, and then is used for the hearing of the Lord's voice, who is to say that is a demonic practice?
 
D

danschance

Guest
#4
I think it is how we use it...I do yoga...Some people use yoga as a God......I think we as christians can still do yoga...it just depends on how we use it..
So you are claiming it is OK to borrow some practices from other religions if our heart is in the right place?
 

Hizikyah

Senior Member
Aug 25, 2013
11,634
372
0
#5
I dont know much about Yoga so I can not really say.

Personally I think there is nothing wrong with stretching, exercising, etc...

but if it were done in way that lead one away from Yahweh and to find "comfort" in it rather than the Creator then I think it would be dangerous....

But again i am not fully studied on this topic to say wither way. But personally if something is in doubt I usually steer clear, you know I would rather be safe than sorry.

There are mank ways to stretch that are not yoga, I stretch often, it is not in ways of yoga.
 
D

danschance

Guest
#6
God is the one who gave us a body and our bodies benefit from stretching. "Who is to say that which God calls clean can be declared unclean", comes to mind. Can a religion take prayer and use it for demonic reason and then prayer is of no use to Christians? Is breath control, the very lungs God created within you, to not be used for the edification and benefit of the body because a man uses breath to worship false gods?

Yoga is more than okay for Christians, it is a healthy practice for the body, there are physical benefits to yoga. No Christian goes into a yoga class with the intention of worshiping a false god or committing idolatry. God does look at the heart, and if He sees the intention behind why you partake, He knows its pure.

Matter of fact, the stilling of the mind is a biblical principle, "Be still and know that I am God." If yoga is used to quiet the mind and relax, and then is used for the hearing of the Lord's voice, who is to say that is a demonic practice?
Even if each pose was designed to "get in touch" with certain Hindu deities?
 

BenFTW

Senior Member
Oct 7, 2012
4,834
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#8
Even if each pose was designed to "get in touch" with certain Hindu deities?
Yes, even then. If a religion uses sitting as a means to worship "the god of tranquility", are we to stop all forms of sitting?
 
D

danschance

Guest
#9
I dont know much about Yoga so I can not really say.

Personally I think there is nothing wrong with stretching, exercising, etc...

but if it were done in way that lead one away from Yahweh and to find "comfort" in it rather than the Creator then I think it would be dangerous....

But again i am not fully studied on this topic to say wither way. But personally if something is in doubt I usually steer clear, you know I would rather be safe than sorry.

There are mank ways to stretch that are not yoga, I stretch often, it is not in ways of yoga.
i agree that their are many ways to stretch and exercise. My brother is a doctor of physical therapy and he never uses Yoga posses to stretch muscles. My Sister has a Master's Degree in Physical therapy and she also does not use Yoga to stretch muscles. In fact there are better ways to stretch than use yoga.

The part that bothers me is Yoga is a spiritual discipline by definition. It does more than simply stretch. It uses meditation and breathing exercises designed for meditation for the purpose of getting in touch with spiritual deities and /or spiritual goals.
 

Hizikyah

Senior Member
Aug 25, 2013
11,634
372
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#10
i agree that their are many ways to stretch and exercise. My brother is a doctor of physical therapy and he never uses Yoga posses to stretch muscles. My Sister has a Master's Degree in Physical therapy and she also does not use Yoga to stretch muscles. In fact there are better ways to stretch than use yoga.

The part that bothers me is Yoga is a spiritual discipline by definition. It does more than simply stretch. It uses meditation and breathing exercises designed for meditation for the purpose of getting in touch with spiritual deities and /or spiritual goals.
1) You showed we can get a quality stretch without having to enter babylon

2) I agree... Anything rooted in/created by paganisim is a no no.

(we have a a few agreement but usually disagree, its nice to agree on something Dan!)
 
E

Ecclesiastik

Guest
#11
Stretching does not make you a pagan any more than eating food offered to idols makes you a pagan. However, consider what Paul said about offending your weaker brothers. You're not walking in charity if you are just throwing caution to the wind and saying "I don't care what anybody thinks! I'm gonna get my stretch on!" I wouldn't do it.
 
D

danschance

Guest
#12
Yes, even then. If a religion uses sitting as a means to worship "the god of tranquility", are we to stop all forms of sitting?
I never mentioned sitting. I am talking about specific postures that are designed and used to open chakras, get in touch/worship with the Kundalini spirit (a demon) and other deities, breathing and meditation to accomplish certain spiritual goals, being co opted by Christians for their health.

Is there not a better way to get healthy than yoga?
 

BenFTW

Senior Member
Oct 7, 2012
4,834
981
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#13
i agree that their are many ways to stretch and exercise. My brother is a doctor of physical therapy and he never uses Yoga posses to stretch muscles. My Sister has a Master's Degree in Physical therapy and she also does not use Yoga to stretch muscles. In fact there are better ways to stretch than use yoga.

The part that bothers me is Yoga is a spiritual discipline by definition. It does more than simply stretch. It uses meditation and breathing exercises designed for meditation for the purpose of getting in touch with spiritual deities and /or spiritual goals.

If we really want to get to the nitty gritty of it all, get down to it, will practicing yoga condemn you to hell? Sure, if it did "open you up" to the spiritual[world] it may not be the most edifying thing in the world to do. But, if that be the case, does such activity condemn you or are you still saved in Christ?
 

BenFTW

Senior Member
Oct 7, 2012
4,834
981
113
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#14
I never mentioned sitting. I am talking about specific postures that are designed and used to open chakras, get in touch/worship with the Kundalini spirit (a demon) and other deities, breathing and meditation to accomplish certain spiritual goals, being co opted by Christians for their health.

Is there not a better way to get healthy than yoga?
There very well may be better forms of stretching, and if for whatever reason you do not feel comfortable partaking in yoga, then there are alternative options. However, neither condemn you.
 

myfriendtiny

Senior Member
Jan 19, 2014
736
3
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#15
I am not claiming anything...I think that it is ok to do yoga if your heart is based on GOD ONLY... If you are doin yoga to practice Hundism then yea it is not ok to do yogai think...If you are heart and mind and soul is based on God then i believe it is okay..My personal opion ..If i am wrong i appologize..
 
D

danschance

Guest
#16
If we really want to get to the nitty gritty of it all, get down to it, will practicing yoga condemn you to hell? Sure, if it did "open you up" to the spiritual[world] it may not be the most edifying thing in the world to do. But, if that be the case, does such activity condemn you or are you still saved in Christ?
I never suggested it would send people to hell. I am asking if it makes God happy that we engage in it. Does it put a smile on God's face or a frown? Can you do the tree pose for 20 mins while controlling your breath and meditate please God?
 

Hizikyah

Senior Member
Aug 25, 2013
11,634
372
0
#17
If we really want to get to the nitty gritty of it all, get down to it, will practicing yoga condemn you to hell? Sure, if it did "open you up" to the spiritual[world] it may not be the most edifying thing in the world to do. But, if that be the case, does such activity condemn you or are you still saved in Christ?
wow

There very well may be better forms of stretching, and if for whatever reason you do not feel comfortable partaking in yoga, then there are alternative options. However, neither condemn you.
so you are the final judge?

I am continually shocked by peoples willingness to mingle with paganisim.
 
D

danschance

Guest
#18
The term yoga comes from a Sanskrit word which means “yoke” or “union”. Practicing Yoga is yoking yourself to the Hindu gods. The series of yoga poses called “salutation to the sun” are a bowing down and a worship of the sun. The sun worship is a pagan practice common to many ancient civilizations. Yoga asana are prayer movements to the many gods of the polytheistic Hindu religious system; they are offerings to the 330 million Hindu gods.
From: 24-The spiritual stretch*of*Yoga | Spiritual*Warfare – Revelation of a New Age*Deception
 

myfriendtiny

Senior Member
Jan 19, 2014
736
3
18
#19
I think depending on how we use it...There are lots of thing that have you ever stopped to think..Will God approve of what I am doing?..Will God be happy wit my choice?..It is all based in CHOICES.. good or bad...Just because something came from another religion doesn't makes us non-christians..Put God first in everything we do...
 

Hizikyah

Senior Member
Aug 25, 2013
11,634
372
0
#20
Revelation 18:4, "And I heard another voice from heaven, saying: Come out of her, My people, so that you do not partake in her sins, and so that you do not receive of her plagues, For her sins have reached unto heaven, and Yahweh has remembered her iniquities!"