Yup...Yoga is the devil's work

[RU OX Alum]

Originally Posted by valkyrie

Oh noes are we going there again? You cannot be Buddhist and Christian. You can be Christian and engage in certain Buddhist practices or agree with certain Buddhist philosophies, but you cannot be Christian and Buddhist.

That's right, and here's why:

Jesus and the Buddha said a lot of stuff that goes hand in hand, and a lot of stuff that contridicts each other. With the "new age" movement going for a more Bahai'i type thing than a U/U type thing, the commonplace practice is to claim to be observing the truth of both religions or even to be both "christian and buddhist"

It doesn't work because jesus said "I am the way to salvation/enlightenement/freedom"

and meanwhile buddha said "work out for yourself your own salvation/enligtenment/liberation." In Buddhism you save your self. That is not the only difference but it does make them mutually exclusive.

[valkyrie]

Originally Posted by RU OX Alum

It doesn't work because jesus said "I am the way to salvation/enlightenement/freedom"
and meanwhile buddha said "work out for yourself your own salvation/enligtenment/liberation." In Buddhism you save your self. That is not the only difference but it does make them mutually exclusive.

So only Jesus could be a Christian Buddhist. LOLZ.

[KSig RC]

Originally Posted by centaur532

Buddhism isn't a religion, it's a faith practice and doesn't go against christianity. It's possible to be buddhist and christian. But being that most people don't know that, I'm not surprised.
Also, my mum probably would have reacted the same way if I'd been doing yoga in school I think.

This post specifically might be best to look at in Val's linked thread - while you can jigger the specific terms however you want, almost every real authority disagrees with you.

[AlexMack]

Originally Posted by KSig RC

This post specifically might be best to look at in Val's linked thread - while you can jigger the specific terms however you want, almost every real authority disagrees with you.

My real authority is uh...my boyfriend's buddhist family. There are many types of buddhism...the buddhism you are most familiar with believes in reincarnation because they believe that one must go through many lifetimes to achieve enlightenment.
Soka Gakkai is Nichoren buddhism-the belief that personal enlightenment is possible for each person in this lifetime. Ergo-you can believe in enlightenment and still think that after death you're off to a much better place.
http://www.sgi-usa.org

Salvation is not enlightenment. FWIW.

And I knew by saying that it was a can of worms.

[MysticCat]

Originally Posted by centaur532

There are many types of buddhism...

And I knew by saying that it was a can of worms.

Sometimes, the can of worms can be avoided simply by not stating things in such broad and absolute terms. For example, a statement such as

"some forms of Buddhism might be considered more of a philosophy than a religion and might be compatable with the beliefs of some who consider themselves Christian,"

comes across quite differently from "Buddhism isn't a religion, it's a faith practice and doesn't go against christianity."

Otherwise, you can expect some Buddhists, such as Valkyrie, RU OX Alum and (I think) KSig RC, to take issue with the absolute and fairly easy to refute generalization that "Buddhism isn't a religion."

And again, what's the difference between a "religion" and a "faith practice"?

[KSig RC]

Originally Posted by centaur532

My real authority is uh...my boyfriend's buddhist family. There are many types of buddhism...the buddhism you are most familiar with believes in reincarnation because they believe that one must go through many lifetimes to achieve enlightenment.

Soka Gakkai is Nichoren buddhism-the belief that personal enlightenment is possible for each person in this lifetime. Ergo-you can believe in enlightenment and still think that after death you're off to a much better place.
http://www.sgi-usa.org

Oh so basically you're saying that for a VAST majority of Buddhists, their beliefs run directly contrary to vital functional parts of traditional Christianity, but for a couple it's possible under a specific sect of Buddhist philosophy (as opposed to the rest of the traditional Buddhist faith)?

Because that's not what you said:

Originally Posted by centaur532

Buddhism isn't a religion, it's a faith practice and doesn't go against christianity.

[AlexMack]

Originally Posted by KSig RC

Oh so basically you're saying that for a VAST majority of Buddhists, their beliefs run directly contrary to vital functional parts of traditional Christianity, but for a couple it's possible under a specific sect of Buddhist philosophy (as opposed to the rest of the traditional Buddhist faith)?

Because that's not what you said:

Apologies, should not have swooped in like that. And there are many different sects of buddhism, not just one giant traditional faith. My habit of speaking before thinking through again...damnit.

[CutiePie2000]

valkyrie,
don't be reading those "devil" Harry Potter books either, you heathen you.

[valkyrie]

Originally Posted by CutiePie2000

valkyrie,
don't be reading those "devil" Harry Potter books either, you heathen you.

LOL I've never read any Harry Potter books, but I hate them a lot -- not because they're satan, though.

[KSig RC]

Originally Posted by centaur532

Apologies, should not have swooped in like that. And there are many different sects of buddhism, not just one giant traditional faith. My habit of speaking before thinking through again...damnit.

All good, and I understand what you're getting at, I really do - trust me on this - but yeah, it's really a terrible argument to try for.

[bluefish81]

Originally Posted by AlphaFrog

Whatcha wanna bet that those parents had the fat kids that couldn't get into those poses and hate exercise in general.

/I'm just sayin'

That's pretty much what I thought. PE class in general may next be "the devil's work" if that's the case.

[Kevlar281]

One could argue that football is a religion in Texas but were not about to ban that.

[bcdphie]

It's amazing how different the rest of BC can be once you get outside the lower mainland. In Vancouver it's a sin not to include yoga in your lifestyle...

[DSTCHAOS]

I partially agree with the parents and mostly with shinerbock and MysticCat. I know quite a few Christians who are against yoga because they are older and don't know about the McYoganization (thanks for whoever posted McYoga) of yoga.

The solution would be the school ensuring that the students aren't asked to get into "prayer" poses or participate in chanting. Unless the chanting is in English and the kids are saying things like "frreeeee yourrrr mindddddd" or "matthhhhhhhh issssss eassssssy."

[raggann03]

Originally Posted by DSTCHAOS

"frreeeee yourrrr mindddddd" or "matthhhhhhhh issssss eassssssy."

haha I'm gonna try that with my neices and see if it works