Posted on 04/11/2018 6:45:09 PM PDT by marshmallow
The Church’s Doctrinal Commission released a report on ‘Yoga and Catholic beliefs’. The practice is mandatory in schools. Hindu nationalists "try to exploit yoga to achieve their political and sectarian goals." The Church warns against equating “physical experiences stemming from yoga with the workings of the Holy Spirit.”
Mananthavady (AsiaNews/Agencies) – The practice of yoga is incompatible with Christian doctrine, this according to a report issued by the Syro-Malabar Church, one of the three rites of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of India (CBCI).
Published in the latest bulletin of the eparchy of Mananthavady, the paper by the Syro-Malabar Doctrinal Commission is titled ‘Yoga and Catholic beliefs’ (Yogayum Katholika Vishvasavum).
It notes that yoga and Christianity cannot go together and that Hindu nationalist groups (Sangh Parivar) "try to exploit yoga to achieve their political and sectarian goals."
It calls for a “re-reading of yoga” since the “government has moved towards making yoga compulsory in schools and present it as an inseparable part of Indian culture.”
This is not the first time that Syro-Malabar Bishops have spoken out on this matter. Last year they stated that "yoga is not a means to reach contact with the divine, although it may contribute to physical and mental health."
Yoga is a set of physical, mental, and spiritual practices that originated in India and spread around the world. It combines physical and breathing exercises. In Hinduism, it is also a spiritual journey to experience contact with the divine.
In Indian schools, yoga is compulsory and every year, on International Day Yoga (21 June), schools focus on activities and events dedicated to yoga.
(Excerpt) Read more at asianews.it ...
If your Christian faith is in peril from some deep breathing and stretching then god thinks you’re a pussy.
Most Christians familiar with possession by demons (people hearing voices, etc.) agree that opening the mind without letting Jesus in at the same time in is dangerous. Even having an occult book or object is dangerous, because a part of your mind knows that it is there and that space is not taken up by Christ.
Leaning on yoga for anything opens that dangerous space. You are not supposed to depend on any person or any thing apart from him.
Put on the full armor of Christ. Love him with your whole heart, soul, mind, and strength. Leave room for no other to take his place. You will be full of his spirit and won’t need yoga or anything else.
Also I read lots of things about reincarnation. Sometimes I still wonder if some souls have to or can come back (or possess another body) but if you are a Christian, it is one more thing Christ saved us from. Or it's all a lie of the devil. I know what the bible says about it except some people thought one of the OT prophets had returned as John the Babtist.
Here is an example of how I got "seduced" by a good friend who seems to have lived a blessed life into a forbidden spiritual practice due to my ignorance. It was at a baby shower, and I don't know what you would call it other than one form of divination.
It was pre-planned. We were each given a needle suspended on a double thread a foot or so as I recall. We were to hold it as still as we could over a left or right wrist and see which way it started to swing. It always did swing. It somehow predicted the number of children we would have and possibly somehow the sex and order.
I did a search, there is even a yt video on it. I sure would advise anyone now against doing that.
And somebody gave my sister a fortune telling black ball with liquid and messages that would float to the window. I was fascinated with that and asked many questions. If I didn't like the answer, I'd keep asking.
It's still out there, did a search on black fortune telling ball and google even filled it in for me so there have been others. I won't embed a picture of it.
There were probably other superstitious practices we did as children because we didn't know any better. Step on a crack and break your mother's back. Don't walk under a ladder. And etc. I have begged God to cleanse me from all those terrible mistakes and tried to teach my children not to do them if they come up.
I've been explaining the incidents in the bible to my middle-aged daughter. So many incidents mostly of the NT. She is amazed that I remember so much. So am I. However I am quick to admonish there is much I do not know or understand or can't remember.
Because Christians are Hindus focusing on a false god.
**But is there anything actually spiritual involved? **
Very contemplative.
I will worship God and not a Hindu god.
I agree with you
Movements that benefit and clean the body, that find a home in a traditionally peaceful religion ... incompatible.
Sorry, but I do not claim to be very religious, and pray only when I get in trouble lol. Fortunately, I have led a trouble free and industrious life, so seldom get in serious trouble. Honestly, my real God was always been hard work in my profession of design and construction of heavy machinery. That resulted in a rewarding and happy life.
And in America freedom of religion entitles you to worship the God of your choice.
Yoga in America is a tool of the left.
We have much bigger problems than worrying about the compatibility of Yoga with Christianity. Personally, I find Yoga incompatible with my joints.
Yes, I gather from news reports that a few Westerners will go further and delve into Hindu "spirituality," in various guises. Some of these may in fact take yoga as a point of entry into a different religion. But my guess is that these are a very small fraction of the people in the U.S. who "do yoga."
You must have had personal values that aligned with Jesus’ teachings in order to live the “trouble free and industrious life.” My life has been one of continuous wonderful bizarre coincidences, in spite of me!
Not only do you turn to God in times of difficulty, your statement was one of gratitude, another excellent spiritual quality.
“Elijah granted the same spirit to Elisha. But it’s not his soul.”
Just curious, What is the difference between a person’s spirit and their soul?
“Next thing you know, witchcraft.”
I agree. It is a slippery slope with satan. I’ve helped quite a few people over the years that got in trouble with ouija boards and various spells. They brought in spirits that stayed and caused trouble for them.
I don’t exactly know. Spirit is more related to attitude I suppose, while your soul is your sense of awareness. Your spirt can be raised or lowered, but your soul just stays where it is.
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