[L.N. Smithee]

Yoga is also great exercise. People who tell you it's a fast doorway to the occult are full of it. There is, in fact, no doorway to the occult since it simply doesn't exist.

That's no less a dogmatic statement than his that yoga positions are tributes to obscure deities.

Yoga may indeed be "great exercise," but the fact remains that by its nature, it cannot solely be healthful and athletic -- its practice calls upon the participant to buy into its inherent mysticism.

As a Christian, I prefer Pilates, which doesn't ask you to adopt elements of a religion you reject.

[Mr Rogers]

I disagree. You can practice yoga postures - certainly at the simple "I need to stretch" - without buying into ANY of its mysticism.

In martial arts, some debate the tie between the religious training once associated with it & its pure atheletic movements. Most would agree it depends on how you wish to learn it - some will only teach it associated with its religious roots (meaning no Christian can accept learning there), while others divorce it from its religious past and teach it simply as self-defense/sport.

I believe Christians should understand yoga and oriental martial arts have a religious root, and that some teachers will teach religion under the guise of physical fitness. But it is wrong to say I cannot learn, say, judo without buying into oriental philosophy (religion).

I joked earlier about watching the video only to check out the cute girl - truth is, when I follow the stretching, I see good improvement in my flexibility. As taught in the video I've got, there is NO - zero, nada - religous overtones. Just "Bend over holding the chair edge thus, keep your back straight and slowly move your shoulders..."