Southern Baptist leader, "no yoga for Christians"

[Tez3]

To be honest there's not a lot of different interpretations you can actually put on the commandment about not worshipping other gods, it's one of the most unambigious statements going.

I'm not really sure how you question it. It says you shouldn't worship or have other gods. You can accept that statement or you can reject it, up to you.

If I say that to train in my class you will wear a black BJJ Gi, it isn't open to questioning, you wear it and train or you don't wear it and don't train. The law about worshipping and praying to others gods is the same, it's a matter of choice not blindly following some leader. If you do the Yoga with the chants which are prayers to Hindu gods you are breaking your religions commandments which it's believed were given by their god, if you do the Yoga without the chants, its fine.

 

[Flea]

and WHAT if they DO question, and then agree with him???
Are they still Sheeple? Because honestly, You don't know and are not qualified to ascertain IF they've "questioned" at all. It appears to me you simply don't like their opinion. Condemning without fully understanding seems to me to be NO better than the so called "Thumpers" you are judging.

Your Brother
John

Thanks Brother.

To set the record straight, R. Albert Mohler is the president of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville Kentucky. There are six seminaries affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention, the largest Protestant denomination in the United States. While he is highly respected as a theological scholar, he is not the "pope" of the SBC. He's an administrator. And in my twelve years living in Louisville I never met a single Southern Baptist who saw him as infalliable.

He issues statements like this from time to time, and some of them fly and some don't. The SBC is noted for its conservatism, but a couple of his pronouncements sank like a stone in his faith community - like his 1999 call for wives to "submit themselves graciously" to their husbands. That pissed off a lot of christians in Kentucky as much as anywhere else. Some were even embarrassed to call themselves southern baptist when that came out.

So no, the concept of "sheeple" doesn't enter into this particular conversation. 16 million people aren't going to drop everything and run screaming out if their local YMCA just because some seminary president has an overly broad view of what constitutes a spiritual practice, any more than they would all suddenly become teatotallers at his word. People think for themselves. A genuine doctrinal automaton is extremely rare, and it's unfair to paint any general demographic with a brush like that.

 

[Yondanchris]

Huh?

Because I read a theological text, doesn't make me a member of the sect.

Because I visit a place deemed "holy" or any other theological reference, doesn't make me a member of the sect.

Because I practice a martial art that's grounded in a theology, doesn't make me an adherent to it.

Because you practice yoga, doesn't make you a devotee of Hinduism, Buddhism or anything else.

This guy is pushing his thoughts & values out to everybody as "I know & you don't". Being raised in the South & around Southern baptists... I kinda got an idea a little.

I am a Southern Baptist Pastor, so I see where he is coming from. For those who claim to follow Jesus, his advice and thoughts are sound. But for everyone else it is entirely up to you, here in the US we have religious freedom so this Pastor's opinion is just as valuable as your opinion that you post here on MT. Just remember the audience he is speaking to and weather or not that includes yourself....so many things are taken out of context because people will not take the time to read and understand the who,where,what,when,how, and why!!

BUT.....we can not forget that everything from Yoga to MA is rooted in some sort of religion (read...way to get to god) that Is why I remove the tradidional references and teach Christian Martial Arts!! Jesus said "I am the WAY ("do"), the TRUTH, and the Light, NONE come to the Father (GOD) except by me" and I stand upon that objective TRUTH with two feet.

My humble .02 cents,

Chris

 

[Yondanchris]

That's cool. You don't, I do.

If they're not strong enough to question (and there have been plenty that have) then they fit the role.

Anybody who blindly follows somebody in that position (in any organized religion) without questioning, deserves the title.

But even as Jesus said that sheep need a shepheard to guide them, that is why there are Pastors and Elders leading Christian churches. I do believe that my congregation has the right to examine what I preach. As long as my preaching/teaching is Biblical they *should* follow it. If i am going off the deep and and leading them astray they should can me ASAP!!

Some sheep are insecure and they can latch to teachers, thats when it is our job to train and teach them to be Biblicaly literate so they understand what Jesus said for themselves.....I am not interested in being like the Catholic church and keeping the Bible only for the clergy and creating their own "doctrine" based on 50% man's rules and 50% scripture! Thats why the reformation and prodestant church came about......ok ok im preaching again.....already did that this morning....

 

[WC_lun]

The guy has a right to his opinion. He hasn't said no one who practices yoga are not welcome as a Christian...or a Baptist Christian. He says he believes it is breaking a commandment. That's fine. People have to make up thier own minds about that. I would respect a person's decision either way.

 

[Brother John]

The guy has a right to his opinion. He hasn't said no one who practices yoga are not welcome as a Christian...or a Baptist Christian. He says he believes it is breaking a commandment. That's fine. People have to make up thier own minds about that. I would respect a person's decision either way.

Excellent point.
I believe that it's my responsibility as a Christian to strive to be obedient to God to the best of my ability and to not violate my own conscience or that of my brothers/sisters in Christ. IF I feel that something IS a sin...yet I do it, then I AM sinning. Simple as that. IF this pastor feels that doing authentic yoga is a sin and he had done yoga in the past, repentance would be the scriptural solution.

Your Brother
John

 

[Brother John]

But even as Jesus said that sheep need a shepheard to guide them, that is why there are Pastors and Elders leading Christian churches. I do believe that my congregation has the right to examine what I preach. As long as my preaching/teaching is Biblical they *should* follow it. If i am going off the deep and and leading them astray they should can me ASAP!!

Some sheep are insecure and they can latch to teachers, thats when it is our job to train and teach them to be Biblicaly literate so they understand what Jesus said for themselves

saying this mostly to others as I'm sure that "Pastor NidanChris" (funny to put those together) is very likely to know this better than I....
but one group of people from the first century Christian Church that are often held up in HIGH regard for their discernment about their teachers were the Berean's. They're often held as a shining example of how Christian's should discern the messages of their leaders (such as this theology prof.s position on Yoga):
found in Acts 17:11 (NIV) it says:

Now the Bereans were of more noble character than the Thessalonians, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true.

Though they were EAGER to receive, they didn't just swallow whatever the apostle Paul said just because of who he was or his great renown or because he was trained in law & rhetoric and could put together one FINE sermon.... they checked things out for themselves. THAT should be the standard operating procedure for a Christian. Granted.... it isn't always. We fail. But like Paul himself said in "Romans 14:5

Let each be convinced in his own mind.

(emphasis mine)
We all should exercise some tolerance though toward each other and NOT assume that just because someone IS 'convinced' in their own mind that this theological-thinker is correct that they've NOT "examined the scriptures" and decided for themselves....instead of asserting that they're a mindless woolen flock-animal.

ME?
I like Yoga. I enjoy it., and I'm a passionately dedicated, Bible believing, baptized and born-again Christian.
I do not do those 'branches' of yoga that I DO believe would conflict with my faith...
and ya know what, Nobody whom I train in yoga with, instructors or fellow classmates, cares one whit one way or the other.

Your Brother
John

 

[Yondanchris]

saying this mostly to others as i'm sure that "pastor nidanchris" (funny to put those together) is very likely to know this better than i....
But one group of people from the first century christian church that are often held up in high regard for their discernment about their teachers were the berean's. They're often held as a shining example of how christian's should discern the messages of their leaders (such as this theology prof.s position on yoga):
Found in acts 17:11 (niv) it says:
Though they were eager to receive, they didn't just swallow whatever the apostle paul said just because of who he was or his great renown or because he was trained in law & rhetoric and could put together one fine sermon.... They checked things out for themselves. That should be the standard operating procedure for a christian. Granted.... It isn't always. We fail. But like paul himself said in "romans 14:5
(emphasis mine)
we all should exercise some tolerance though toward each other and not assume that just because someone is 'convinced' in their own mind that this theological-thinker is correct that they've not "examined the scriptures" and decided for themselves....instead of asserting that they're a mindless woolen flock-animal. :d

me?
I like yoga. i enjoy it., and i'm a passionately dedicated, bible believing, baptized and born-again christian.
I do not do those 'branches' of yoga that i do believe would conflict with my faith...
And ya know what, nobody whom i train in yoga with, instructors or fellow classmates, cares one whit one way or the other. :d

your brother
john

amen!!!

 

[Shai Hulud]

Yoga: the flexibility exercise of SATAN!!!

The devil must love those contortionist body-pretzel positions. Needs to keep limber to keep the embers aglow.

 

[crushing]

Yoga: the flexibility exercise of SATAN!!!

So grab a Monster Energy drink and do some yoga!

Monster Energy Drinks Promote Satan, Viral Video Claims

 

[Xue Sheng]