Category: Hinduism

First Afghan Muslim in CA Senate Got Democrats to Pass Her Anti-Hindu Bill

By

SEE: https://www.jihadwatch.org/2023/09/first-afghan-muslim-in-ca-senate-got-dems-to-pass-her-anti-hindu-bill;

Republished below in full unedited for informational, educational, & research purposes.

Democrats have let themselves be dragged into Islamic attacks on Jews and Hindus.

California is moving to pass a “caste discrimination” bill. Strangest of all is that the bill comes from Sen. Aisha Wahab, the first Muslim and Afghan in the California State Senate.

After backlash from Hindus over a bill that was very clearly targeting them, Sen. Wahab and her political allies claimed that she was facing Islamophobia and death threats from “extremists”.

Time Magazine sent a Muslim journalist to interview Wahab about the Islamophobia she was suffering from.

And as the anti-Hindu bill moves closer to becoming law, the media has doubled down on this approach along with refusing to notice the obvious.

The affair has had repercussions for Wahab in her heavily South Asian district. It’s become a bitter lesson in the pitfalls of wading into nuanced cultural issues in an ever-more diverse nation.

Wahab, a progressive tapped by Newsom to highlight his signature gun control effort, appeared to be caught off guard by the vitriolic response to what she views as a straightforward issue.

“This is a civil rights bill,” she said in an interview. “It’s very simple. We’re trying to protect people.”

A Muslim legislator pushing a bill aimed at a practice that is stereotypically (and wrongly) associated with Hindus (in fact there’s caste discrimination in Pakistan as well and de facto in her own native Afghanistan) when Muslims and Hindus have a long history of conflict is not innocent. And it makes no particular sense to fail to mention the elephant in the room.

Even assuming Wahab was actually innocently unaware that there has been a longstanding conflict between Muslims and Hindus, and that Hindus in her district and around the world would feel attacked by this move, the media should have at least asked her about it instead of buying her act.

Now Democrats have let themselves be dragged into Islamic attacks on Jews and Hindus.

At some point, they may wonder if it’s worth it.

Sen. Wahab launched a 2020 congressional campaign for Rep. Eric Swalwell’s seat. So she would like to be in Congress which means her particular issues with Hindus, much like Rep. Ilhan Omar’s issues with Jews and Hindus, will likely be a national issue for her party as well.

Virginia: Woman identified as ‘Hindu extremist’ who disrupted Eid prayer turns out to be Muslim

BY CHRISTINE DOUGLASS-WILLIAMS

SEE: https://www.jihadwatch.org/2023/04/virginia-woman-identified-as-hindu-extremist-who-disrupted-eid-prayer-turns-out-to-be-muslim;

Republished below in full unedited for informational, educational, & research purposes.

Surprise! After the news outlets and propagandists rushed to brand a woman who disrupted the Eid prayer in Virginia a “Hindu extremist,” she turned out to be a Muslim woman. The false claim spread all over Twitter:

Bogus cases of “Islamophobia” often cause a massive uproar in the media and on social media, and many never see the correction afterward. The victimology subterfuge has become a worthwhile venture for Islamic supremacist groups. It always works on the woke.

Other stories of concern:

“‘Mentally ill’ Muslim woman disrupts Eid prayer in Virginia, propagandists blame Hindus,” Opindia, April 23, 2023:

On April 21 (local time), a ‘mentally ill’ Muslim woman created a ruckus at the All Dulles Area Muslim Society (Adams) Centre’s mosque in northern Virginia. Before her identity could be revealed, the fake news peddlers and propaganda social media handles claimed she was a Hindu and called her a “Hindu extremist”. However, their propaganda was busted by the ADAMS Centre itself……

Fake news peddlers ran propaganda against Hindus

Twitter user MrKhanMAK said, “An #Indian #Hindu extremist woman went inside d mosque in d #US during #EidUlFitr prayer and started shouting and assaulting the worshippers. The worshippers remained calm & peaceful n let d police do their duty. The then dragged this extremist woman out of d Masjid.”

Twitter user Mohammed Al-Hawsawi said, “A Hindu woman stormed a mosque in America during the Eid prayer and started screaming and insulting Muslims at the top of her voice. The security men tried to silence her but she did not respond so they forcefully took her out.”

Twitter user DJ Ali said, “A Hindu woman came to mosque during Eid prayers in USA and start shouting on Islamic Laws/Sharia!”

The Sikh Empire said, “#Hindu #Terrorist attacks mosque again.. this time in Virgina, USA during their #EID prayers. #hindutva #terrorism is real and is grave matter of concern for western world.”

Alleged fact-news checker conveniently ignored Indian Muslims spreading fake news

Interestingly, in its alleged fact-check the propaganda portal Alt News conveniently skipped the handles of infamous Indian Muslims who were among the first to spread the fake news. Stop Hindu Hate Advocacy Network (SHHAN) pointed out how Alt News’s co-founder Mohammed Zubair did not name handles like YehLog and OpusofAli in the fact-check.

The same Indian Muslim Twitter handles have always at been at the forefront of spreading anti-India and anti-Hindu propaganda to further the ‘Muslims under attack’ narrative. Despite being called out multiple times, they continue to fearmonger without any backlash because they do not get called out by so-called fact-checkers….

Rutgers defends anti-Hindu prof Audrey Truschke’s whitewashing of jihad genocide of Hindus: ‘academic freedom’

Audrey Truschke Says Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb Protected Hindu ...

BY ROBERT SPENCER

SEE: https://www.jihadwatch.org/2021/03/rutgers-defends-anti-hindu-prof-audrey-truschkes-whitewashing-of-jihad-genocide-of-hindus-academic-freedom;

republished below in full unedited for informational, educational & research purposes:

Rutgers doesn’t really care about academic freedom at all. It was a foregone conclusion that the university would defend Audrey Truschke, since her “scholarship” is devoted to whitewashing the bloody record of Islamic jihad. If she were a critic of that jihad and a reliable historian of the jihad against India, Rutgers would not only not be talking about “academic freedom,” but it would have fired her by now if it had ever hired her at all. “Academic freedom,” eh, Rutgers? Great. I’ll be there in the fall to teach a seminar on the history of jihad against India. See y’all then, eh?

Truschke is a great defender of the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb, whom she portrays as a Muslim Gandhi. The History of Jihad From Muhammad to ISIS introduces you to the real Aurangzeb, beyond these ridiculous academic myths, not from the work of “latter-day historians,” but in his own words and the words of eyewitnesses to his deeds. Aurangzeb in 1670 issued this decree: “Every idol-house built during the last 10 or 12 years, whether with brick or clay, should be demolished without delay. Also, do not allow the crushed Hindus and despicable infidels to repair their old temples.”

A Muslim historian, Saqa Mustad Khan, writing just after Aurangzeb died in 1707, reported that in January 1680, Aurangzeb “went to view lake Udaisagar, constructed by the Rana, and ordered all the three temples on its banks to be demolished.” The following day, “Hasan Ali Khan brought to the Emperor twenty camel-loads of tents and other things captured from the Rana’s palace and reported that one hundred and seventy-two other temples in the environs of Udaipur had been destroyed.” Later that year, “Abu Turab, who had been sent to demolish the temples of Amber, returned to Court…and reported that he had pulled down sixty-six temples.”

Bakhtawar Khan, a nobleman during Aurangzeb’s reign, was also pleased, noting that “Hindu writers have been entirely excluded from holding public offices, and all the worshipping places of the infidels and great temples of these infamous people have been thrown down and destroyed in a manner which excites astonishment at the successful completion of so difficult a task.”

You won’t learn all this at any American university. They’re too busy teaching academic fictions such as those retailed here by Audrey Truschke, and warning their students about “Islamophobia.” But you can get the truth in The History of Jihad, the only comprehensive one-volume history of jihad in the English language, including not just the jihad in Europe but in India, Africa and elsewhere, drawing primarily on accounts of eyewitnesses and contemporary chroniclers. Arm yourself with the truth against the prevailing disinformation. Order here now.

“Hindu Genocide denial and racist rhetoric against Hindus is ‘Academic Freedom’, says Rutgers University, backs ‘historian’ Audrey Truschke,” OpIndia, March 9, 2021:

Days after a group of students initiated a petition asking Rutgers-Newark University to take strong action against controversial ‘historian’ and Professor Audrey Truschke for demonising Hinduism, the institution has instead decided to whitewash her vile and bigoted anti-Hindu remarks as ‘academic freedom’. The petition was shared on Twitter by the ‘Hindu on Campus’ group.

The petition accuses Truschke of portraying all Hindus as “lustful and sex obsessed” and ‘cow piss drinkers’. The petition also says that she has whitewashed the genocide of Hindus by Mughal king Aurangzeb.

In a statement released on Tuesday, the university said, “Rutgers emphatically supports Professor Truschke, academic freedom in pursuing her scholarship, abhors the vile messages end threats that are being directed at her, and calls for an immediate end to them.” To further justify its support for the controversial historian, Rutgers cited the significance of ‘academic freedom’ in scholarship.

“Scholarship is sometimes controversial, perhaps especially when it is at the interface of history and religion, but the freedom to pursue such scholarship, as Professor Truschke does rigorously, is at the heart of the academic enterprise,” the university said. Instead of cracking down on the anti-Hindu Professor, Rutgers chose to give a consolation prize to the Hindu community.

It said, “Just as strongly, Rutgers empathetically affirms its support for all member of the Hindu community to study and live in an environment in which they not only feel safe but also fully supported in their religious identity.” Far from condemning the controversial historian for her Hinduphobic remarks, Rutgers extended its full support to Audrey Truscke through shrewd monkey-balancing.

The university concluded, “Toward these ends, we are initiating dialogues to understand the sentiments of our Hindu community and create a context that honours our complexity, while allowing us to do the difficult work of constructive and healthy engagement among our diverse community.” Following the support from her own Institute, Audrey Truschke thanked the university administration for backing ‘academic freedom’.

“The Rutgers administration has released a statement of support. Rutgers backs academic freedom, including of controversial subjects. I also thank my university administration for calling an immediate end to the vile messages and threats directed at me,” the ‘historian’ emphasised.

Audrey Truschke denies Hindu genocide, Rutgers hails it as ‘academic freedom’

In its petition, the group of Hindu students, studying at Rutgers-Newark pointed, out that Audrey Truschke tired to trivialise and downplay the Hindu genocide, committed by the Mughal tyrant Aurangzeb. She had claimed that “such numbers are often exaggerated as there was really no way of knowing how many people existed in India at that time; and that people of that time made up numbers!”

This is despite the fact several trust-worthy sources estimate that a total of 4.6 million Hindus were murdered and enslaved by Aurangzeb alone….

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SEE ALSO: https://missionkaali.org/audrey-truschkes-pastor-father-in-law-caught-violating-indian-visa-laws/

DAVID CLOUD’S “WAY OF LIFE” RECENT ARTICLES

Republished below in full unedited for informational, educational & research purposes:

LEADERS OF U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES DEFYING GOD WITH “INCLUSIVE” LANGUAGE 
(Friday Church News Notes, January 8, 2021, www.wayoflife.org fbns@wayoflife.org , 866-295-4143) - 
In fulfillment of Bible prophecy, the Democratic leadership of the 117th U.S. House of Representatives is 
attempting to defy God with an “inclusive language” policy. The new rules would “address issues of inequities 
on the basis of race, color, ethnicity, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, age, or 
national origin.” This is impossible nonsense, of course, since addressing alleged inequality on the basis of 
sexual orientation or gender identity creates inequality against sex and religion, etc. The rule would outlaw 
the use of he and she, father, mother, son, daughter, brother, sister, uncle, aunt, nephew, niece, husband, 
wife, father-in-law, mother-in-law, son-in-law, daughter-in-law, grandson, or granddaughter, among others. 
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said the new measures would make the House of Representatives “the most 
inclusive in history.” True, and it would also make it the most stupid in history. “So God created man in his 
own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them” (Genesis 1:27). “The 
kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord, and against his 
anointed, saying, Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us. He that sitteth in 
the heavens shall laugh: the Lord shall have them in derision” (Psalm 2:2-4).

UNITED METHODIST MINISTER INVOKES HINDU GOD AT OPENING OF U.S. CONGRESS 
(Friday Church News Notes, January 8, 2021, www.wayoflife.org fbns@wayoflife.org , 866-295-4143) - 
Emanuel Cleaver, an ordained United Methodist minister and Democrat Representative, opened the first 
session of the 117th U.S. Congress by praying in the name of a Hindu god. He concluded, “We ask it in the 
name of the monotheistic God, Brahma, and god known by many names by different faiths. Amen and 
a-woman.” The term “amen” has nothing to do with gender, of course. It simply means “so be it.” According 
to the Encyclopedia Britannica, “Brahma was born from a golden egg and created the earth and all things 
on it. Later myths describe him as having come forth from a lotus that issued from Vishnu’s navel.”

WALL STREET JOURNAL STANDS UP AGAINST CANCEL CULTURE 
(Friday Church News Notes, January 8, 2021, www.wayoflife.org fbns@wayoflife.org , 866-295-4143) - 
The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) is standing up for freedom of speech against the totalitarian cancel culture. 
After the WSJ published an editorial on Dec. 11 by Joseph Epstein poking some fun at Joe Biden’s wife, Jill, 
for flaunting the title of “Dr.,” there was a “flood of media and Twitter criticism,” angry tirades demanding 
an apology, retraction, lifelong ban of Epstein, and the resignation of the WSJ editorial editor. Epstein was 
sharply criticized by Northwestern University, where he taught some 20 years ago. The school went so far 
as to remove Epstein’s name from its website listing past faculty. In his reply to the critics, Paul Gigot, 
editor of the Wall Street Journal’s editorial page, wrote, “My guess is that the Biden team concluded it was 
a chance to use the big gun of identity politics to send a message to critics as it prepares to take power. 
There’s nothing like playing the race or gender card to stifle criticism. ... these pages aren’t going to stop 
publishing provocative essays merely because they offend the new administration or the political censors 
in the media and academe.” In a report on the WSJ brouhaha, The New Criterion observed, “Last month, 
after the electors met to cast their votes for him, Joe Biden once again made a plea for unity. ‘Now it’s time 
to turn the page ... to unite and to heal,’ he said. We applaud that sentiment. But we wonder what he 
means by ‘unite’ and ‘heal.’ To judge by the actions of the institutions supporting his cause in this sorry 
episode, ‘turning the page’ might just be euphemism for sweeping everything and everyone out of step 
with his program into the oubliette” (“The ‘Dr.’ will see you now,” The New Criterion, Jan. 2021).

U.S. DIVORCE RATE HITS 50-YEAR LOW, BUT MARRIAGES ALSO ON THE DECLINE 
(Friday Church News Notes, January 8, 2021, www.wayoflife.org fbns@wayoflife.org , 866-295-4143) - 
The following is excerpted from “U.S. Divorce Rate,” Christian Headlines, Nov. 11, 2020: “The new data 
shows that 14.9 marriages per 1,000 ended in divorce in 2019, a rate that is the lowest it’s been since 
1970, according to an analysis by author Wendy Wang, director of research for the Institute for Family 
Studies. It’s even slightly less than in 1970 when it was 15.0, Wang wrote in an online analysis. The data is 
derived from the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey. ... The drop in the divorce rate likely will 
continue, despite the pandemic, Wang asserted. New data from the American Family Survey shows that 58 
percent of married Americans say ‘the pandemic has made them appreciate their spouse more and half 
agree that their commitment to marriage has deepened,’ Wang wrote.  ... But the Census data also has 
some bad news for the nation: The marriage rate continued to decline in 2019, hitting an all-time low. 
‘For every 1,000 unmarried adults in 2019, only 33 got married. This number was 35 a decade ago in 2010 
and 86 in 1970,’ Wang wrote.”

CIRCUIT COURT STRIKES DOWN BAN AGAINST “CONVERSION THERAPY” 
(Friday Church News Notes, January 8, 2021, www.wayoflife.org fbns@wayoflife.org , 866-295-4143) - 
The following is excerpted from “Court Strikes Down,” PJMedia, Nov. 25, 2020: “Last week, a panel on the 
11th Circuit Court of Appeals effectively struck down two Florida bans on sexual orientation change efforts 
(SOCE) that sought to ban counselors from putting minors through ‘conversion therapy.’ The court ruled 
that the laws violated the First Amendment by restricting free speech. While LGBT activists have rightly 
condemned the historic abuses of ‘conversion therapy’ in the past, modern SOCE therapists use patient-
directed talk therapy, not ‘shock therapy.’ When the City of Boca Raton and the County of Palm Beach 
banned SOCE counseling, licensed marriage and family therapists Robert Otto and Julie Hamilton sued, 
seeking an injunction to prevent the city and county from enacting their bans. ... The therapists argue that 
‘their clients typically have sincerely held religious beliefs conflicting with homosexuality, and voluntarily 
seek SOCE counseling in order to live in congruence with their faith and to conform their identity, concept 
of self, attractions, and behaviors to their sincerely held religious beliefs.’ ... As Judge Grant wrote, ‘The 
ordinances thus codify a particular viewpoint--sexual orientation is immutable, but gender is not— and 
prohibit the therapists from advancing any other perspective when counseling clients.’ ... This involves an 
unconstitutional restriction of free speech. ‘Whether therapy is prohibited depends only on the content of 
the words used in that therapy, and the ban on that content is because the government disagrees with it. 
And whether the government’s disagreement is for good reasons, great reasons, or terrible reasons has 
nothing at all to do with it. All that matters is that a therapist’s speech to a minor client is legal or illegal 
under the ordinances based solely on its content,’ Judge Grant wrote. ... Lawsuits against ‘conversion 
therapy’ bans received a new lease on life thanks to NIFLA v. Becerra. In that decision, Justice Clarence 
Thomas explicitly struck down California’s law forcing crisis pregnancy centers to advertise abortion under 
the argument that states can regulate ‘professional speech.’ In striking down California’s law, Thomas 
referenced a case (King v. Governor of New Jersey) involving bans on sexual orientation change efforts. 
Otto v. Boca Raton represents a landmark case for therapy freedom.”

BIGGEST LOCKDOWN IS COMING 
(Friday Church News Notes, January 8, 2021, www.wayoflife.org fbns@wayoflife.org , 866-295-4143) - 
Lockdowns dominated the news for 2020, but the really big lockdown is in the future. Bible prophecy was 
fulfilled literally and precisely in the first coming of Christ, and it will be fulfilled in the same manner in His 
second coming. As a precursor, the Antichrist will lockdown the whole world with his worship program and 
economic control scheme, backed up by the death penalty. It will be a global North Korea. “And he had 
power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause 
that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed. And he causeth all, both small 
and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads: And 
that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his 
name” (Revelation 13:15-17). The Covid pandemic is child’s play compared with the trouble that looms on 
the horizon. Billions of people will die during the Great Tribulation from wars, famine, pestilence, 
earthquakes, and totalitarianism on a scale that will make Stalin and Mao seem like choir boys. It is all 
described in the book of Revelation for those who are interested. It is called “the day of the Lord” because 
it will spell doom for “the day of man.”

EX-NEW AGER DOREEN VIRTUE INTERVIEWS ALISA CHILDERS: PROGRESSIVE CHRISTIANITY & THE NEW AGE

Alisa Childers, the author of “Another Gospel,” warns that Progressive Christianity is so far removed from biblical Christianity that its followers may not be saved. Alisa explains the similarities between the new age and Progressive Christianity. You can preorder her book and receive bonus gifts, including admission into a private Facebook group by signing up at https://www.alisachilders.com/another... Please watch the American Gospel films. You can learn more about them at http://www.americangospelfilm.com

NEW YORK CITY: CATHOLIC CHURCH REPLACES JESUS AT THE ALTAR WITH GEORGE FLOYD & HAS CONGREGATION AFFIRM RACIAL JUSTICE PLEDGES~CHURCH SUPPORTS LGBTQ, ILLEGALS, NEW AGE ZEN MEDITATION, ETC.

KENNETH BOLLER, SJ-HAS NO BLACKS ON HIS STAFF!

  • Kenneth Boller, SJ

    Pastor
    212-627-2100 ext.204

    kboller@sfxavier.org

    Ken grew up in Queens, NY and entered the Jesuits after graduating from high school. The usual Jesuit training included a B.A. from Fordham in Math and Philosophy and a M. Div. degree from Woodstock. College.  Other studies included an M.S. in Math from NYU and degree in secondary school administration from Fordham. Ken’s primary ministry through the years has been in education, serving as a teacher, principal and president at four Jesuit high school, Canisius H.S., Fordham Prep, St. Peter’s Prep and Xavier H.S.(three times). In between, he served as Pastor of St Aloysius Church in Harlem, NY. 

    Throughout the years Ken has enjoyed varied pastoral ministries leading and directing the Spiritual Exercises, assisting in various parishes on the weekends and ministering at the youth detention center in the Bronx for many years. Having grown up in a large extended family, he has been privileged to accompany family members from Baptism and the range of sacraments through funerals, always celebrating life. 

    He is delighted to return to 16 th Street for the fourth time. 

    Church of St. Francis Xavier

SEE: https://sfxavier.org/

AND: https://sfxavier.org/racial-justice

AND: https://sfxavier.org/catholic-lesbians

AND: https://sfxavier.org/gay-catholics

AND: https://sfxavier.org/immigration-initiative

AND: https://sfxavier.org/zen-meditation-group

16th Street between 5th and 6th Avenue | Mailing Address: 55 West 15th Street, New York, NY 10011
Phone: 212-627-2100 | Fax: 212-675-6997 | E-Mail Address: StFrancisXavier@sfxavier.org

SHORT VIDEO:

SEE: https://reformationcharlotte.org/2020/09/01/nyc-catholic-church-replaces-jesus-at-the-altar-with-george-floyd/;

republished below in full unedited for informational, educational & research purposes:

A Catholic church in New York City has replaced Jesus on their altar with graven images of their new “martyred saints” of “racial injustice” and has offered a prayer to their god for their commitment to their new religion of “racial equity.”

The Reverend, Kenneth Boller, SJ of St. Francis Xavier in NYC offered a prayer to commit the church to acknowledge their “white privilege,” fight against “racial injustice,” promote “racial equity,” and to “strive to eliminate racial prejudice from your thoughts and actions so that you can better promote the racial justice efforts of our church.”

On the altar, instead of Jesus, you can see pictures of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and Ahmaud Arbery — all people who have been hailed as martyrs for the cause of “racial justice” by Marxist revolutionaries. Churches, too, have embraced this religion.

Just to be clear, the Roman Catholic Church removed Jesus from their altar long ago and replaced Him with an idol of self-sufficiency, works righteousness, and sacerdotalism. To the Roman Catholic, the cross is insufficient to remove the guilty stains of sin from the sinner and their religion requires an endless cycle of confession and penance, continually moving one from a state of grace to a state of damnation. Salvation is never secure. So, it should come as no surprise that these churches take the same approach to the history of racism in this country. To them, the stain hasn’t been — and never can be — fully removed and thus requires endless acts of penance and restitution on behalf of their ancestors who may or may not have committed the sin of racism.

But this religion isn’t unique to the Roman Catholic Church. An increasing number of Evangelical churches, including Southern Baptist and Presbyterian churches, are embracing this new religion. “Racial justice” has become a recurring theme at Evangelical meetings and sadly, the majority of Evangelical leaders are pushing the exact same theology.

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EXCERPTS TAKEN FROM: https://sfxavier.org/racial-justice

ORGANIZATIONS WORKING AGAINST RACISM

Audre Lorde Project

Black Lives Matter

Campaign Zero

Color of Change 

Call to Action 

Equal Justice Initiative

Faithful America

Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law

The Loveland Foundation

NAACP Legal Defense Fund

 

DOREEN VIRTUE: PROGRESSIVE CHRISTIANITY IS NEW AGE

Doreen Virtue

Repenting to plants? Jesus was just a good moral human teacher? The Bible is a metaphor written by men, to pick and choose from? These are among the shockingly heretical Progressive Christian beliefs and practices that Allyson Rossborough grew up in. When God opened her eyes to the truth of Who Jesus is, Allyson began studying the Bible and learning from solid teachers. She realized how twisted the false progressive/liberal teachings were. Now, Allyson helps others to deconstruct progressive beliefs, and compare them to Scripture. You can contact Allyson at Instagram.com/AllysonRossborough Allyson’s blog about the 8 heretical points of progressive Christianity is at https://www.manifoldministries.com/fr... Here are three recommended videos on the issues with the progressive movement: Alisa Childers: https://youtu.be/FwyJk1G_Dm0 and https://youtu.be/mxg4wHywv-s Allie Beth Stuckey: https://youtu.be/Kie9r89naF0

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BLOG 20 - 8 POINTS OF PROGRESSIVE CHRISTIANITY

BY Allyson Rossborough

SEE: https://www.manifoldministries.com/freedom-and-truth/8-points-of-progressive-christianity;

republished below in full unedited for informational, educational & research purposes:

jana-sabeth-8_I1Vr9OOnU-unsplash.jpg

About a month ago I discerned through the 8 points of Progressive Christianity on my Instagram.  These 8 points are up on the Progressive Christianity website found here.

My heart in doing this to help Bible believing Christians understand where Progressive Christians are coming from and what the implications are for following their teachings.  I also want to show that Progressive Christianity is not following the true God of the Bible. 

Before you read, please understand that not all Progressive Christians believe all of these 8 points.  The major belief they all have in common though is that the Bible is not their authority.  Experience and feeling tend to be the authority of a Progressive Christian. 

1. “Believe that following the path of the teacher Jesus can lead to healing and wholeness, a mystical connection to “God,” as well as an awareness and experience of not only the Sacred, but the Oneness and Unity of all life;"

This is the first point from progressive christianity.org. Within the first line we can see that Progressive Christians deny that Jesus Christ was the Son of God. They reduce Christ to a human teacher. Such that if they follow what this good teacher taught, they will find healing wholeness in their souls, and they will have a connection with god.

This is very subtle and speaks straight to our flesh. We naturally want to show how "good" we are by ascribing to a list of things to prove to ourselves and others that we aren't bad people. That we are better than others, since we do all these great things. In the PC mind set, by following teacher jesus, they are given a set of rules to show themselves and others they are good Christians. Thus, this will give them healing and wholeness, or in other words, life fulfillment. Then through their goodness, they will achieve a connection with what they call god. 

Next, once this connection is achieved they will understand the secrets of the Universe… this is new age rhetoric. And very unbiblical. 

The only way to know God is through Jesus Christ. If we believe that all we have to do is follow a good teacher to be fulfilled and then know the secrets of the universe, then we believe in a system of works designed to put us in bondage, build our pride, and feed our sin nature; ultimately sending us to Hell. 

Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.

John 3:36 ESV

2. "Affirm that the teachings of Jesus provide but one of many ways to experience “God,” the Sacredness, Oneness and Unity of life, and that we can draw from diverse sources of wisdom, including Earth, in our spiritual journey;"

This is the second point of the 8 points of Progressive Christianity found on their website. If you reduce Jesus Christ down to a good moral teacher, it makes so much sense that his teachings are one of many ways to god. Since most Progressive Christians believe in universalism, that Christ died for all regardless of what people believe about Him, there is no need to be exclusive. Because everyone means all religions too.

I would argue that most if not all Progressive Christians want some sort of relationship with God but since they keep denying their sin it's not possible. And since the jesus they follow is all about following a set of rules to be a good, moral, and spiritual person, they look to other religions or the new age to find their experience of god. 

Looking at all the world religions and the new age we can see that all of them, except Biblical Christianity, are set up for people to follow a set of rules to achieve something or to get into heaven or to get god. Or in other words to show they are good people.   

This statement by PC is also a way of saying we "respect" your experience of god. Since your religion, experience, and philosophy has the same outcome as ours, to be a good person, all religions and ideas must be the same. 

Jesus Christ was very clear when He said in John 14:6. "... 'I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.'" There is no way around that my friend. My professors at the PC seminary I went to couldn't even refute that claim. 

Keep your eyes open to words like interfaith, unity, and ecumenicalism. These are buzz words in PC. When you hear these words, start asking questions. Most likely, it's to promote the second point of Progressive Christianity.

3. "Seek and create community that is inclusive of ALL people, including but not limited to:

Conventional Christians and questioning skeptics,

Believers and agnostics,

Those of all races, cultures, and nationalities

Those of all sexual orientations and all gender identities,

Those of all classes and abilities,

Those historically marginalized,

All creatures and plant life;"

First, what is Biblical love? Biblical love is about laying our lives down for those around us, putting their best interest over our own best interest. Jesus showed us this love by dying for us, by taking our place and paying the price for our sin.  He came to die for our best interest so we could be free from sin and live with God forever. Biblical love points people to Christ and the Gospel so that they can be saved from the wrath of God. 

In the third point of Progressive Christianity, their definition of inclusion reveals what they truly believe love is. Love is acceptance of every person, including acceptance of all of their sin. 

If everyone is striving to follow this teacher jesus and everyone else in other religions around the world are doing the same thing, they must be accepting of sin. Because everyone is trying to make themselves a better person. By accepting everyone and their sin, they have loved like they think their jesus did. 

We all know this standard is impossible to live by. How many families are falling apart? We can't even accept our own families let alone everyone we meet. But if you fail at this type of love, they say just keep trying. 

This is what makes PC so binding. It either puts you in bondage or builds your pride. But most importantly, it keeps you a slave to your sin. 

This type of all inclusive love is a lie from hell and evil. By not pointing people to Christ and the Gospel, there is no hope for them and leaving them to God's eternal judgment is one of the most unloving things we can do. 

4. “Know that the way we behave towards one another and Earth is the fullest expression of what we believe, therefore we vow to walk as Jesus might have walked in this world with radical compassion, inclusion, and bravery to confront and positively change the injustices we experience as well as those we see others experiencing;"

One of the things we need to remember is that Progressive Christians do not submit themselves to the authority of the Bible. Because they don't believe it was divinely-inspired they don't use a Biblical understanding of the words "compassion" and "justice" as examples. They look to the world or their own experience to interpret those terms and apply them in a non-Biblical way. 

The fourth point of Progressive Christianity really breaks down what it means to follow their moral teacher jesus. Here we have a tangible list of rules so they know they are following him the correct way and thus they know they are "good" Christians. The language used leaves it up to the reader on how to interpret and implement each rule. 

This, I believe, is the point where well meaning Biblical Christians can get deceived by PC.  Christ tells us to have compassion, and empathy for the downtrodden and oppressed. The Bible is very clear on how to do these things. The issue within PC is that what Jesus says is filtered through a misinterpretation of love, that I mentioned yesterday, and the misunderstanding of Who Jesus Christ truly is. And that all comes from the lack of authority they ascribe to Scripture.  

As Christians, we can not trust everything or anyone who claims to be Christian.  We must check everything with scripture. Just because it sounds good or sounds Christian doesn't mean it is. This is why it is so important to renew our minds daily with the Word of God. That way we can spot the Truth from lies and know what is good and evil. 

joshua-eckstein-hV1mbxLYEco-unsplash.jpg

5. "Find grace in the search for understanding and believe there is more value in questioning with an open mind and open heart, than in absolutes or dogma;"

Progressive Christians believe it is more humble to question everything and claim that it is not possible to know God's will; better for everyone to have questions and doubts but never really seek to find the true answers. 

I see this point being born out of a legalistic approach to Biblical Christianity. Many Progressive Christians have been hurt by the church and the hypocrisy they may have seen in other people's lives. If they were taught that to be a Christian requires following all of the rules in the Bible perfectly, but everyone, including themselves, are failing at it, of course they will reject what they were taught. 

What fills that gap?  They will tend to look at true Christians as very arrogant people. However, by not seeking out answers to their questions, they will become deeply proud of how "humble" they are. All while still being slaves to sin and closing themselves off to hearing the True Gospel.

And those who want to have the Christian label without submitting to Christ will gladly take this point to heart. If questioning without finding true answers makes them humble people, then it's a check mark off the list of virtues that prove them righteous and a 'good' person.  Which all goes back to the first point of following the good moral teacher jesus. 

Things to look out for with this point are  phrases like "Is that what God really meant?" Or "It is impossible to know God's will." These phrases and others like them are used by the enemy to plant doubt in our hearts when it comes to the Word of God. 

6. "Work toward peace and justice among all people and all life on Earth;"

In Progressive Christianity most believe in a type of universalism; that Christ died to save everyone regardless of what they believe about Him. And if this is true, it makes sense that they would work towards these things to make the world a better place. 

This is another tangible way Progressive Christians follow the moral teacher jesus. They are usually very active in societal issues and charity work. The work is done in a worldly way, taking no consideration of what Biblical peace and justice look like.  They are helping people but doing it in vain. They neglect to share the true Gospel of Jesus Christ with those they are helping and just make them comfortable with their sin. 

Peace and justice are Biblical principles that must be seen through the eyes of the Gospel in order to be done in a godly way that glorifies God. We must look to Scripture and study it diligently to understand and apply it's truths.  

This is another point where Biblical Christians can be deceived by PC. Jesus does call us to do this type of work; we should all be serving. But again, PC does not believe that Scripture is authoritative so they are looking to worldly ideas and structures to fix a spiritual problem. Many Christians don't know that and get deceived by what PC claims. By exploring their honest and compassionate desire to help, the enemy leads them into his trap.

7. "Protect and restore the integrity of our Earth and all of Creation;"

I listened to a story once about a group of PC seminarians who wrote down their sins to a plant. They confessed to it and vowed to do better in protecting the environment. This was at a prominent seminary in the U.S. that has sadly turned from Jesus Christ.

Point seven is another way Progressive Christians attempt to follow moral teacher jesus. And it usually turns into an idol; worshipping creation. This is another way those who follow PC can make themselves feel like a good person.  

This can be extreme, where like in the story above, they become overly apologetic to the environment, seeking to make reparations for their environmental sins; an ideology known as Eco-justice. Or it can be small things like buying reusable straws or bags. But all of this boils down to checking another virtue off the list defining a righteous person. 

As Christians we are called to be good stewards of creation. God has given us the earth to treat well for His glory. But we also must understand that creation is under a curse because of our sin. This earth will never be perfect. It will be when Jesus Christ returns and those who are His join Him for eternity on the new earth where there will be no more sin.

8. "Commit to a path of life-long learning, compassion, and selfless love on this journey toward a personally authentic and meaningful faith."

We have come to our last point of Progressive Christianity. We can see that they want to continually educate themselves to be better people according to the standards of this world. They believe following Christ means following a moral teacher jesus; who is only one of many ways to god. The more they can learn, the more they can prove to themselves they are good enough for Heaven. The more they can check off their list of virtues. 

Biblically, we know even our good and righteous deeds are sinful and as filthy rags to our Holy God. We have all fallen short of God's glory. It will never be possible to be compassionate enough, or love others enough to earn God's favor. 

At the root of all of this is pride. Progressive Christians and others like them refuse to acknowledge their sin of self righteousness, or in other words,  pride.  They reject the True Gospel of Jesus Christ, instead believing they are morally superior and can earn utopia by their works. If we can never admit we are sick, we can never be healed. 

And Jesus answered them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance.”

Luke 5:31-32

 

PARENTS, TEACHER, CHURCHES SUE CHICAGO SCHOOL DISTRICT TO STOP HINDU MEDITATION FROM BEING TAUGHT TO STUDENTS

BY HEATHER CLARK

SEE: https://christiannews.net/2020/08/04/parents-teacher-churches-sue-chicago-school-district-to-stop-hindu-meditation-from-being-taught-to-students/;

republished below in full unedited for informational, educational & research purposes:

CHICAGO — A coalition of parents, a teacher and a group of churches have filed suit against Chicago Public Schools in an effort to stop the district from allowing Hindu transcendental meditation, and its initiation Puja, from being taught to students.

“Although all named defendants have made statements to the contrary, the ‘Quiet Time’ program is based in Hindu beliefs and the practice of ‘transcendental meditation’ is fundamentally religious in nature,” the legal challenge states.

“Plaintiffs’ rights under the First Amendment were violated when defendants created environments within public schools where Hindu beliefs and the practice of ‘transcendental meditation’ were being endorsed and students were coerced to engage in religious practices against their wills.”

The plaintiffs include the groups Separation of Hinduism from our Schools — a coalition of parents and students who oppose meditation and other practices being taught in schools — and Civil Liberties for Urban Believers, an association of churches and ministries in the Chicago area.

Substitute teacher Dasia Skinner, parent Darryl Williams and former student Amontae Williams are named in the suit as well.

According to the official complaint, the the David Lynch Foundation approached the University of Chicago Urban Labs to present the stated “Quiet Time” program within Chicago schools. The program is offered to inner-city schools across the country to combat “traumatic stress.”

“The Quiet Time program is a practical, evidence-based approach to reduce stress and dramatically improve academic performance, student wellness and the school environment,” the foundation website reads. “This schoolwide program complements existing educational strategies by improving the physiological underpinnings of learning and behavior.”

It claims that the program “does not involve any religion, philosophy, or change in lifestyle.”

But, according to the lawsuit, students in participating Chicago schools actively took part in a “Puja” initiation ceremony during school hours, bringing certain items to present to the image of Guru Dev  — the teacher of Hindu transcendental meditation founder Maharishi Mahesh Yogi — although the identification of the person in the photograph was not disclosed.

The instructor also reportedly chanted words in Sanskrit, while not providing a translation of what she was saying.

Students were additionally taught various mantras to silently recite when engaged in meditation, being instructed in the pronunciation but being told that they were “meaningless sounds.”

“Mantras are drawn from a select pool of Sanskrit words that honor or reference specific Hindu deities. For example, the ‘Aim’ mantra is associated with the deity Saraswati, who is the Hindu goddess of knowledge, music, art, wisdom, and learning,” the lawsuit states.

Two meditation sessions were held per day, with the instructor ringing a “ghanta” bell, used in Hindu rituals, to announce the start of the 15-minute practice.

“The students were instructed to keep all information about the ‘Puja’ initiation ritual a secret from anyone else, including their parents,” substitute teacher Dasia Skinner testified in her official declaration. “Students told me that the TM instructors warned them that what happened in the ‘Quiet Time’ room was supposed to stay in the ‘Quiet Time’ room.”

The lawsuit also alleges that while students were able to opt-out, they were “nevertheless also pressured to participate.” It states that the program is a violation of the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.

“[Chicago Public Schools’] practice coerces students and others to engage in religious practices and rituals that are based in Hinduism, and thus violates both the Establishment Clause and the Free Exercise rights of the students,” it states. “CPS’ practice communicates a message that the district endorses and favors the Hindu belief system and the practice of ‘transcendental meditation.'”

The plaintiffs are seeking a declaration that the practice of transcendental meditation is indeed religious in nature, as well as an injunction preventing the “Quiet Time” program, or any similar program, from being presented to students in the future.

Read the lawsuit in full here. 

Last year, the Chicago Tribune published an article on the practice of transcendental meditation in schools, explaining the concerns of one student at Bogan Computer Technical High School, who said that said instructors “chanted in a foreign language” and “threw rice, seasonings and oranges in a pan in front of a picture of a man.”

“[T]hey tell us to place the flowers in the pan with everything else, and they ended the song,” Jade recounted. “I felt uncomfortable because I didn’t know what they were saying or who the man was in the picture.”

 

OVER 100 PASTORS SIGN LETTER TO OHIO BOARD OF EDUCATION OPPOSING YOGA, MEDITATION BEING TAUGHT IN SCHOOLS~HOW THE NO LONGER “CHRISTIAN” YMCA & YWCA PROMOTE YOGA

VIDEO:

OVER 100 PASTORS SIGN LETTER TO OHIO BOARD OF EDUCATION OPPOSING YOGA, MEDITATION BEING TAUGHT IN SCHOOLS

BY HEATHER CLARK
republished below in full unedited for informational, educational and research
purposes:
(Christian News Network) — More than 100 pastors recently signed a letter to the Ohio Board of Education, which was also sent to 39 school districts, to express opposition to yoga and transcendental meditation being taught in schools as they are rooted in Eastern religion and are a spiritual practice at their core.
The letter, signed by 105 pastors from various denominations, notes that yoga has been taught during school hours in Clear Fork, Galion, Lexington, Lucas, Mansfield and Shelby counties and asks for an assurance that such practices will be discontinued.
“Yoga is not merely an external physical practice with a purely physiological effect, but rather an internal spiritual practice advertised as being able to provide the power to change an individual and transform the world,” it reads. “Specifically, yoga’s ‘stretching’ and ‘breathing’ components, called ‘asanas’ and ‘pranayama’ in Sanskrit, are intended to be spiritually transformative.”
The correspondence points to various court decisions characterizing yoga as being rooted in Hinduism, including the 1988 case of Powell v. Perry, which concluded that “yoga is a method of practicing Hinduism,” and the 1995 case of Self-Realization Fellowship Church v. Ananda Church of Self-Realization, which spoke of the “Hindu-yoga spiritual tradition.”
The pastors further provide examples of classroom or physical education sessions that incorporated yoga, including where a Lexington language arts teacher allegedly taught sixth-graders how to “salute the sun god Surya,” or “bow to the sun,” as well as how to get into a “praying hands posture.”
In Plain School District, an elementary school is said to have created a “mindfulness room” that featured quotes from the Dalai Lama. Its yoga program was discontinued in 2013 following complaints from parents.
One of the groups behind in-school teaching cited by the pastors also teaches Reiki to its followers. Examples of general Facebook posts include, “We will use ushas mudra this week to support the awakening of new and creative possibilities in this new year. What are you ready to manifest in 2020?” “How is your third eye? Are you connected to your vision center?” “How will you raise your vibration today? Come play some yoga with us!” and “Take a screen shot and see what you the Universe wants to tell you.”
The letter also notes that those involved in Eastern religion refute assertions that yoga is not a religious activity. It cites Subhas Tiwari, professor at the Hindu University of America and graduate of Bihar Yoga Bharati University, who once said, “The simple immutable fact is that yoga originated from the Vedic or Hindu culture. Its techniques were not adopted by Hinduism, but rather originated from it.”
The pastors concede that while “[m]ost initiate yoga practice for exercise and stress relief,” for others, “spirituality becomes their primary reason for maintaining practice.” They point to a study of mindful yoga retreat participants, which found that “longer-term meditators were less likely to be religious monotheists and more likely to identify as Buddhist or with ‘all’ religions.”
Photo Credit: Facebook
Further, “[w]hile proponents of Eastern religion allege yoga brings benefits to student practitioners, our biblical faith tradition brings just as many, if not more, scientifically-proven benefits,” the clergy contend. “Yet, ironically in a nation with Judeo-Christian heritage, it is school sanctioned prayer, Intelligent Design curriculum and the display of the Ten Commandments that are strictly prohibited from public schools.”
They therefore ask that the school districts discontinue teaching yoga and transcendental meditation to students.
Signees include pastors Howard Burnett of Perryville Baptist Church, Floyd Allen of Philippian Community Church, Ron Smals of Woodville Grace Brethren, Paul Larson of First English Lutheran Church, Russ Smith of Shiloh Wesleyan Church, Dan Zediker of Mission Point Mansfield, Bill Strader of Bucyrus First Alliance Church, Sylvester Ginn of Hesed Agape Fellowship, Layton Broom of Paradise Hill United Methodist Church, and William Jordan of Faith Temple Church of God in Christ.
Read the letter in full here. View some of the pastors sharing their thoughts at the end of the article.
As previously reported, in a booklet entitled “Yoga: Exercise or Religion — Does it Matter?”, author Ray Yungen outlines that while many view yoga as harmless exercise, there is no denying that the practice is rooted in Eastern New Age religion.
Hindu god Shiva. Photo Credit: Kalyan Kumar/Flickr
“The word ‘yoga’ actually means to be yoked to or united in body, mind, and spirit with Brahman (the Hindu concept of God). It doesn’t get more spiritually obvious than that,” he outlined. “… Even the traditional Hindu greeting, Namasté, that is said at the end of yoga classes, is spiritual. When translated, it means, ‘The god in me bows down to (or salutes) the god in you.’”
“If you go to the fitness section of any bookstore and look in the yoga subsection, you will find references to the spiritual aspects of Yoga such as the chakra system, kundalini, etc. in almost every book on yoga. It is quite rare to find a book on yoga that does not incorporate spiritual concepts found in classic Hinduism,” Yungen explained. “To devout Hindus, yoga cannot be separated into physical and spiritual parts. Both are relevant to the practice, with the end desire being a profound religious experience.”
He said that some Christians have wrongly concluded that yoga can be adopted by believers as long as it is stripped of its pagan aspects.
“We live in an age where the acceptance of trendy practices, such as yoga, is hammered into us from every side, with the end result being an ecumenical generic inter-spirituality that fits everybody,” Yungen lamented.
“Believers in Christ have fallen prey to some dangerous ideas. One is that we feel free to draw from pagan sources. Or, as is popularly stated, we can chew the meat and spit out the bones. But this doesn’t make any sense from a biblical standpoint,” he said. “As a Christian, we can’t segregate into portions what part we think will do us harm and what part will profit us. If the foundational spirituality is contrary to God’s word, then it will be folly to interact with it.”
SEE OUR PREVIOUS POSTS ABOUT YOGA & THE YMCA, YWCA:

OVER 100 PASTORS SIGN LETTER TO OHIO BOARD OF EDUCATION OPPOSING YOGA, MEDITATION BEING TAUGHT IN SCHOOLS~HOW THE NO LONGER “CHRISTIAN” YMCA & YWCA PROMOTE YOGA

VIDEO:

OVER 100 PASTORS SIGN LETTER TO OHIO BOARD OF EDUCATION OPPOSING YOGA, MEDITATION BEING TAUGHT IN SCHOOLS

BY HEATHER CLARK
republished below in full unedited for informational, educational and research
purposes:
(Christian News Network) — More than 100 pastors recently signed a letter to the Ohio Board of Education, which was also sent to 39 school districts, to express opposition to yoga and transcendental meditation being taught in schools as they are rooted in Eastern religion and are a spiritual practice at their core.
The letter, signed by 105 pastors from various denominations, notes that yoga has been taught during school hours in Clear Fork, Galion, Lexington, Lucas, Mansfield and Shelby counties and asks for an assurance that such practices will be discontinued.
“Yoga is not merely an external physical practice with a purely physiological effect, but rather an internal spiritual practice advertised as being able to provide the power to change an individual and transform the world,” it reads. “Specifically, yoga’s ‘stretching’ and ‘breathing’ components, called ‘asanas’ and ‘pranayama’ in Sanskrit, are intended to be spiritually transformative.”
The correspondence points to various court decisions characterizing yoga as being rooted in Hinduism, including the 1988 case of Powell v. Perry, which concluded that “yoga is a method of practicing Hinduism,” and the 1995 case of Self-Realization Fellowship Church v. Ananda Church of Self-Realization, which spoke of the “Hindu-yoga spiritual tradition.”
The pastors further provide examples of classroom or physical education sessions that incorporated yoga, including where a Lexington language arts teacher allegedly taught sixth-graders how to “salute the sun god Surya,” or “bow to the sun,” as well as how to get into a “praying hands posture.”
In Plain School District, an elementary school is said to have created a “mindfulness room” that featured quotes from the Dalai Lama. Its yoga program was discontinued in 2013 following complaints from parents.
One of the groups behind in-school teaching cited by the pastors also teaches Reiki to its followers. Examples of general Facebook posts include, “We will use ushas mudra this week to support the awakening of new and creative possibilities in this new year. What are you ready to manifest in 2020?” “How is your third eye? Are you connected to your vision center?” “How will you raise your vibration today? Come play some yoga with us!” and “Take a screen shot and see what you the Universe wants to tell you.”
The letter also notes that those involved in Eastern religion refute assertions that yoga is not a religious activity. It cites Subhas Tiwari, professor at the Hindu University of America and graduate of Bihar Yoga Bharati University, who once said, “The simple immutable fact is that yoga originated from the Vedic or Hindu culture. Its techniques were not adopted by Hinduism, but rather originated from it.”
The pastors concede that while “[m]ost initiate yoga practice for exercise and stress relief,” for others, “spirituality becomes their primary reason for maintaining practice.” They point to a study of mindful yoga retreat participants, which found that “longer-term meditators were less likely to be religious monotheists and more likely to identify as Buddhist or with ‘all’ religions.”
Photo Credit: Facebook
Further, “[w]hile proponents of Eastern religion allege yoga brings benefits to student practitioners, our biblical faith tradition brings just as many, if not more, scientifically-proven benefits,” the clergy contend. “Yet, ironically in a nation with Judeo-Christian heritage, it is school sanctioned prayer, Intelligent Design curriculum and the display of the Ten Commandments that are strictly prohibited from public schools.”
They therefore ask that the school districts discontinue teaching yoga and transcendental meditation to students.
Signees include pastors Howard Burnett of Perryville Baptist Church, Floyd Allen of Philippian Community Church, Ron Smals of Woodville Grace Brethren, Paul Larson of First English Lutheran Church, Russ Smith of Shiloh Wesleyan Church, Dan Zediker of Mission Point Mansfield, Bill Strader of Bucyrus First Alliance Church, Sylvester Ginn of Hesed Agape Fellowship, Layton Broom of Paradise Hill United Methodist Church, and William Jordan of Faith Temple Church of God in Christ.
Read the letter in full here. View some of the pastors sharing their thoughts at the end of the article.
As previously reported, in a booklet entitled “Yoga: Exercise or Religion — Does it Matter?”, author Ray Yungen outlines that while many view yoga as harmless exercise, there is no denying that the practice is rooted in Eastern New Age religion.
Hindu god Shiva. Photo Credit: Kalyan Kumar/Flickr
“The word ‘yoga’ actually means to be yoked to or united in body, mind, and spirit with Brahman (the Hindu concept of God). It doesn’t get more spiritually obvious than that,” he outlined. “… Even the traditional Hindu greeting, Namasté, that is said at the end of yoga classes, is spiritual. When translated, it means, ‘The god in me bows down to (or salutes) the god in you.’”
“If you go to the fitness section of any bookstore and look in the yoga subsection, you will find references to the spiritual aspects of Yoga such as the chakra system, kundalini, etc. in almost every book on yoga. It is quite rare to find a book on yoga that does not incorporate spiritual concepts found in classic Hinduism,” Yungen explained. “To devout Hindus, yoga cannot be separated into physical and spiritual parts. Both are relevant to the practice, with the end desire being a profound religious experience.”
He said that some Christians have wrongly concluded that yoga can be adopted by believers as long as it is stripped of its pagan aspects.
“We live in an age where the acceptance of trendy practices, such as yoga, is hammered into us from every side, with the end result being an ecumenical generic inter-spirituality that fits everybody,” Yungen lamented.
“Believers in Christ have fallen prey to some dangerous ideas. One is that we feel free to draw from pagan sources. Or, as is popularly stated, we can chew the meat and spit out the bones. But this doesn’t make any sense from a biblical standpoint,” he said. “As a Christian, we can’t segregate into portions what part we think will do us harm and what part will profit us. If the foundational spirituality is contrary to God’s word, then it will be folly to interact with it.”
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