YOGA - is it "bad" or what?

still_in74

help me out. I recall in the past that the reigns on Yoga were eased off a bit but it seems now that the WTS has declared it full-fledged demonism.

Does anyone have any previous articles that connected the exercise/stretching aspect of yoga as something "acceptable" or a conscious decision?

blondie

http://www.watchtower.org/e/20020801a/article_01.htm

Here is a 2002 article on their website. It reflects past and current official WTS policy on yoga.

Not a Choice for Christians

Whatever health instructors may say to the contrary, yoga does not stop with physical exercises. The book Hindu Manners, Customs and Ceremonies relates the experiences of two yoga novitiates who were under the guidance of a guru. One is quoted as saying: "I made superhuman efforts to hold my breath as long as possible, and only breathed when I was on the point of fainting. . . . One day, at high noon, I thought I saw a bright moon, which seemed to move and sway from side to side. Another time I imagined myself enveloped in thick darkness at midday. My director . . . was greatly pleased when I mentioned these visions to him. . . . The time was not far distant, he assured me, when I should experience much more surprising results from my penance." The second man relates: "He obliged me to stare at the sky every day without blinking my eyes or changing my position. . . . Sometimes I thought I saw sparks of fire in the air; at others I seemed to see fiery globes and other meteors. My teacher was much pleased with the success of my efforts."

The strange sights were evidently what the gurus felt were proper results along the way to the true aim of yogic exercises. Yes, the ultimate goal of yoga is moksha, explained as the merging with some impersonal great spirit. It is described as "the (intentional) stopping of the spontaneous activity of the mind stuff." This is clearly contrary to the goal set out for Christians, who are given the admonition: "Present your bodies a sacrifice living, holy, acceptable to God, a sacred service with your power of reason. And quit being fashioned after this system of things, but be transformed by making your mind over, that you may prove to yourselves the good and acceptable and perfect will of God."—Romans 12:1, 2.

Hecklerboy

Man they are realy stretching it on this one. They had to go to two guys under the guidance of a guru to find a bad example. I've done Yoga. It's just a bunch of stretching and breathing excesises. No spiritual crap involved at all. The WTBS tries to find the bad in everything. Next they will say it's wrong to each chocolate because it releases the same chemicals in the brain as does sex. And we all know sex is bad.

Of course they probably wouldn't think much of me teaching karate now would they.

undercover

So does practising yoga become a DFing offense?

I can see the next 'Questions From Readers'...

"Should a Christian own the Wii Fit exercise program?"

(Wii Fit has Yoga exercises in it)

BizzyBee

Sometimes praying leads to rolling on the floor and talking in tongues. Does that mean that praying is wrong for Christians?

I've practiced it for years and yoga is a healthy practice both mentally and physically.

still_in74

*** g838/8p.28FromOurReaders***

Yoga

After I realized that I was getting involved in something that was clearly connected with false religion, I stopped the yoga class. (February 22, 1983) My problem then was what sort of exercise could I use instead. I went to the local library and found two books that contained exercises that were very similar to the stretching exercises of yoga, but that are based on sound medical research and have the same beneficial therapeutic effects but not with the yoga connections. So this problem has been solved.