The religion of peace fears yoga

jimpeel

jimpeel

Well-Known Member
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,456367,00.html

Islamic Leaders in Malaysia Ban Yoga for Muslims

Friday, November 21, 2008

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia — Malaysia's top Islamic body on Saturday banned Muslims from practicing yoga, saying the Indian physical exercise contains elements of Hinduism and could corrupt Muslims.

The National Fatwa Council, which has the authority to rule on how Muslims must conduct their faith, issued a fatwa, or edict, saying yoga involves not just physical exercise but also includes Hindu spiritual elements, chanting and worship.

Council chairman Abdul Shukor Husin told reporters that many Muslims who practice the globally popular yoga failed to understand that its ultimate aim was to be one with a god of a different religion.

"We are of the view that yoga, which originates from Hinduism, combines physical exercise, religious elements, chanting and worshipping for the purpose of achieving inner peace and ultimately to be one with god," he said.

"It is inappropriate. It can destroy the faith of a Muslim," he said.

The Fatwa Council's decisions are not legally binding on Muslims, who comprise nearly two-thirds of Malaysia's 27 million people, unless they are enshrined in national or Shariah laws.

However, many Muslims abide by the edicts out of deference, and the council does have the authority to ostracize an offending Muslim from society.

The fatwa reflects the growing strain of conservatism in Malaysia, which has always taken pride in its multiethnicity. About 25 percent of Malaysians are ethnic Chinese and 8 percent ethnic Indians, mostly Hindus.

Recently, the council issued an edict banning tomboys, ruling that girls who act like boys violate the tenets of Islam.

The issue of yoga came into the limelight last month when an Islamic scholar expressed an opinion at a seminar that it was un-Islamic, prompting the Fatwa Council to step in.

Local newspapers have received several letters from Muslims, expressing indignation at the scholar's view, saying yoga is simply a way to maintain health and has nothing to do with religion.

There are no figures for how many Muslims practice yoga, but many yoga classes have a sprinkling of Muslims attending.

In a recent blog, social activist Marina Mahathir criticized the council for even considering a yoga ban, calling it "a classic case of reacting out of fear and ignorance."

"Yoga may have spiritual roots but most of us do it for the exercise, both for the mind and body," Marina wrote.
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Gonz

Gonz

molṑn labé
Staff member
Instead of "Yea, well your guy does it too" can we discuss the merits of the post, at least until it legitimately goes off topic?
 
chcr

chcr

Too cute for words
Gonz said:
Instead of "Yea, well your guy does it too" can we discuss the merits of the post, at least until it legitimately goes off topic?
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Do you mean the continual muslim-bashing bullshit that a few of our fellows are intellectually unable to stop or the general paranoid distrust of other religious, quasi-religious or possible to be perceived as religious practices by any religion at all that anyone at all may care to name? I'm afraid I find both to be pretty much equally stupid and equally boring. Just an opinion. :hairbang:
 
H2O boy

H2O boy

New Member
2minkey said:
try google. i'm sure you'll find plenty about the christians petrified of all that wacky eastern spiritual shit.
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no need. as a practicing Christian i feel no fear of yoga nor have i ever met one who does.

besides i didnt ask you i asked the person who said it
 
spike

spike

New Member
H2O boy said:
link please
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http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20070924094600AA7agFM

http://www.omegaletter.com/articles/articles.asp?ArticleID=5463

http://www.gotquestions.org/Christian-yoga.html

http://catholic-perspective.blogspot.com/2008/09/excorist-warns-against-yoga-and.html

Vatican's stance on Yoga teaching is that its not compatible with Catholic Doctrine
http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_is_the_Catholic_Church's_teaching_on_yoga

no need. as a practicing Christian i feel no fear of yoga nor have i ever met one who does.
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All Muslims are not against Yoga either. Jim just attempted to make another one of his generalizations again.
 
MrBishop

MrBishop

Well-Known Member
2minkey said:
try google. i'm sure you'll find plenty about the christians petrified of all that wacky eastern spiritual shit.
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Not to mention Tarot card readers, Horoscopists, Crystal Ball Gazers and anything associated with Wiccan or Pagan rituals.
 
jimpeel

jimpeel

Well-Known Member
I guess some, here, missed the part about "Malaysia's top Islamic body on Saturday banned Muslims from practicing yoga ...".

While some, here, have posted links to Christian sites which state that Yoga is incompatible with Christian doctrine they have yet to produce anything that actually bans the practice for all Christians. The Fatwa was all inclusive in its scope while the best those, here, could come up with was that some Christian sects disallow the practice.

I have yet to meet a single person of any religion who feels threatened by the practice of Yoga but it is glaringly obvious, even to the addle brained, that the Malaysian National Fatwa Council, which has the authority to rule on how Muslims must conduct their faith, has outright banned the practice.

They are, to my knowledge, the only ones of any faith who have stated outright that the practice of Yoga is a corrupting influence on members of their religion and thereby banned the practice.
 
Professur

Professur

Well-Known Member
Jim ... the pope long since banned birth control. How many roman catholic families do you know with over 18 kids?
 
catocom

catocom

Well-Known Member
man, I just can't make myself give a shit about anything that's happening in Malaysia right now.:alienhuh:
 
jimpeel

jimpeel

Well-Known Member
catocom said:
man, I just can't make myself give a shit about anything that's happening in Malaysia right now.:alienhuh:
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Ah, but you should. Simply look at the printing on the top of most any IC chip as to where it is manufactured to know why.
 
2minkey

2minkey

bootlicker
jimpeel said:
Ah, but you should. Simply look at the printing on the top of most any IC chip as to where it is manufactured to know why.
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irrational religious beliefs and intolerance need not have a negative effect on productivity. american has proven this many times over.
 
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