Guest guest Posted August 30, 2001 Report Share Posted August 30, 2001 Slovakia's churches exercise their clout against yoga plan By Brian Whitmore, Globe Correspondent, 8/26/2001 RATISLAVA, Slovakia - A government plan to boost the fitness of Slovakian children by teaching yoga exercises in school has been put on hold in the face of a firestorm of opposition from clergy who denounced it as a threat to Christianity. Yoga instruction, which was to begin next month, was put off following visceral attacks by Roman Catholic and Protestant clergy who charged that it would undermine Christianity and promote Hinduism. ''Yoga rejects faith in God the creator; it rejects Jesus Christ, the whole act of redemption and Christianity,'' said a letter from Slovakia's bishops that was read last month in each of the country's Roman Catholic churches. ''It is a path to total atheism.'' The letter likened the Catholic Church's opposition to yoga in schools to ''protecting the home from a stranger who enters, doesn't introduce himself, touches your children, and wants to take them away.'' Protestant clergy, who like the Catholics jealously protect their spiritual turf after decades of repression under Communism, have been no less outspoken. ''Yoga is not gymnastics,'' said Bishop Ivan Osusky of the Evangelical Church of Augsburg Confession, Slovakia's largest Protestant denomination. ''It leads to individualism which further leads to belief in reincarnation. It is an onslaught of Hinduism.'' Yoga, which originated in India, grew out of the Hindu tradition, and draws on Hindu beliefs like karma. But today, most yoga practices in Western countries focus on physical posture and breathing exercises. Yoga classes are offered in some US public schools and have met limited and scattered opposition, mostly from conservative Christian groups. Unlike in the United States, where rigid separation of church and state keeps religious instruction out of schools, Catholic and Protestant churches in Slovakia wield considerable influence in education. The yoga classes were initially proposed by the government to address a growing incidence here of children with back problems. Stefan Michalko, executive director of the Slovak branch of Yoga in Daily Life, said the school program was strictly about exercise and had no religious content. ''They don't understand what yoga is or what the program is about,'' Michalko said about yoga's critics. Education Minister Milan Ftacnik, a longtime yoga enthusiast, likened yoga's opponents to religious fundamentalists. ''Yoga has existed here for decades and we have not become a Hindu country,'' said Ftacnik, who belongs to no organized religion. ''Catholics, Baptists, Hindus, or Muslims can practice yoga.'' But as the controversy demonstrates, Slovakia's churches are determined to keep something they consider an ''alien'' religion out of the classroom. ''To better understand what yoga is, let's have a look at India, a cradle of yoga,'' the Catholic bishops' letter read. ''How is it possible that there are children and old people lying near trash containers and nobody notices them? It is possible because under the influence of Hinduism everybody lives only for themselves.'' In Parliament, the Christian Democratic Movement compared yoga to the Communist Party's assault on Christianity, and threatened to withdraw its support for the ruling coalition government should the plan go forward. The Rev. Cyril Jancisin, secretary of the Slovak Roman Catholic Bishops' Conference, said the church is most concerned with a group called Yoga in Daily Life, which is training yoga teachers for Slovak schools. He said the group's leader, Paramhans Svami Mahesvarananda, an Indian-born guru, seeks to spread Hinduism. To placate the opposition, Ftacnik proposed making yoga classes optional, but religious leaders balked. ''The Church does not want to give parents or children a choice,'' Ftacnik said. ''We have fundamentalist Catholics in Slovakia.'' Roman Catholics make up the largest religious denomination in Slovakia with 2.5 million members. The Evangelical Church of the Augsburg Confession has 369,000 members. Under Communist rule in the former Czechoslovakia, all organized religions suffered severe persecution, and church leaders of all denominations say this accounts for their defensiveness. ''We are a country deeply marked by Communism ... and have a spiritual vacuum now,'' Osusky said. ''There are risks associated with foreign influences. Thank God we are not America. Too much tolerance is harmful.'' This story ran on page A18 of the Boston Globe on 8/26/2001. © Copyright 2001 Globe Newspaper Company. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 30, 2001 Report Share Posted August 30, 2001 As far out as that sounds there is, don't forget, here in North America many people assume kundalini yoga and Sikh Dharma are the same. Seva Simran Dharam Singh wrote: > Slovakia's churches exercise their clout against yoga plan > > By Brian Whitmore, Globe Correspondent, 8/26/2001 > > RATISLAVA, Slovakia - A government plan to boost the fitness of Slovakian > children by teaching yoga exercises in school has been put on hold in the face of a firestorm > of opposition from clergy who denounced it as a threat to Christianity. > > Yoga instruction, which was to begin next month, was put off following visceral attacks by > Roman Catholic and Protestant clergy who charged that it would undermine Christianity and > promote Hinduism. > > ''Yoga rejects faith in God the creator; it rejects Jesus Christ, the whole act of redemption and > Christianity,'' said a letter from Slovakia's bishops that was read last month in each of the > country's Roman Catholic churches. ''It is a path to total atheism.'' > > The letter likened the Catholic Church's opposition to yoga in schools to ''protecting the home > from a stranger who enters, doesn't introduce himself, touches your children, and wants to > take them away.'' > > Protestant clergy, who like the Catholics jealously protect their spiritual turf after decades of > repression under Communism, have been no less outspoken. > > ''Yoga is not gymnastics,'' said Bishop Ivan Osusky of the Evangelical Church of Augsburg > Confession, Slovakia's largest Protestant denomination. ''It leads to individualism which > further leads to belief in reincarnation. It is an onslaught of Hinduism.'' > > Yoga, which originated in India, grew out of the Hindu tradition, and draws on Hindu beliefs > like karma. But today, most yoga practices in Western countries focus on physical posture > and breathing exercises. > > Yoga classes are offered in some US public schools and have met limited and scattered > opposition, mostly from conservative Christian groups. > > Unlike in the United States, where rigid separation of church and state keeps religious > instruction out of schools, Catholic and Protestant churches in Slovakia wield considerable > influence in education. > > The yoga classes were initially proposed by the government to address a growing incidence > here of children with back problems. > > Stefan Michalko, executive director of the Slovak branch of Yoga in Daily Life, said the school > program was strictly about exercise and had no religious content. > > ''They don't understand what yoga is or what the program is about,'' Michalko said about > yoga's critics. > > Education Minister Milan Ftacnik, a longtime yoga enthusiast, likened yoga's opponents to > religious fundamentalists. > > ''Yoga has existed here for decades and we have not become a Hindu country,'' said Ftacnik, > who belongs to no organized religion. ''Catholics, Baptists, Hindus, or Muslims can practice > yoga.'' > > But as the controversy demonstrates, Slovakia's churches are determined to keep something > they consider an ''alien'' religion out of the classroom. > > ''To better understand what yoga is, let's have a look at India, a cradle of yoga,'' the Catholic > bishops' letter read. ''How is it possible that there are children and old people lying near trash > containers and nobody notices them? It is possible because under the influence of Hinduism > everybody lives only for themselves.'' > > In Parliament, the Christian Democratic Movement compared yoga to the Communist Party's > assault on Christianity, and threatened to withdraw its support for the ruling coalition > government should the plan go forward. > > The Rev. Cyril Jancisin, secretary of the Slovak Roman Catholic Bishops' Conference, said the > church is most concerned with a group called Yoga in Daily Life, which is training yoga > teachers for Slovak schools. He said the group's leader, Paramhans Svami Mahesvarananda, > an Indian-born guru, seeks to spread Hinduism. > > To placate the opposition, Ftacnik proposed making yoga classes optional, but religious > leaders balked. > > ''The Church does not want to give parents or children a choice,'' Ftacnik said. ''We have > fundamentalist Catholics in Slovakia.'' > > Roman Catholics make up the largest religious denomination in Slovakia with 2.5 million > members. The Evangelical Church of the Augsburg Confession has 369,000 members. > > Under Communist rule in the former Czechoslovakia, all organized religions suffered severe > persecution, and church leaders of all denominations say this accounts for their > defensiveness. > > ''We are a country deeply marked by Communism ... and have a spiritual vacuum now,'' > Osusky said. ''There are risks associated with foreign influences. Thank God we are not > America. Too much tolerance is harmful.'' > > This story ran on page A18 of the Boston Globe on 8/26/2001. > © Copyright 2001 Globe Newspaper Company. > > > > > "OUR DESTINY IS TO BE HAPPY" > - Yogi Bhajan > > You can UNSUBSCRIBE from this list at the Groups Member Center (My Groups), or send mail to > Kundaliniyoga > NO UNSUBSCRIBE REQUESTS TO THE LIST PLEASE! > WEB SITE: kundalini yoga > > KUNDALINI YOGA ON-LINE TRAINING. Details from > kundalini yogaclasses.html > > Sponsored by YOGA TECHNOLOGY - Practical Books & Videos on Kundalini Yoga & Meditation. Also Meditation & Mantra CDs. > > Your use of is subject to Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 30, 2001 Report Share Posted August 30, 2001 To me it's more evidence that it's very possible to be religious and cruel. Whereas it is not possible to be spiritual and cruel. They have forgotten that the first temple was the human body. For most of my life and even in the present I avoid categorization. When someone asks me "am I a Sikh" they never get a one word answer. I resist the label. Sat Nam mark terrell wrote: > As far out as that sounds there is, don't forget, here in North America many people assume kundalini yoga and Sikh Dharma are the same. > > Seva Simran > > Dharam Singh wrote: > > > Slovakia's churches exercise their clout against yoga plan > > > > By Brian Whitmore, Globe Correspondent, 8/26/2001 > > > > RATISLAVA, Slovakia - A government plan to boost the fitness of Slovakian > > children by teaching yoga exercises in school has been put on hold in the face of a firestorm > > of opposition from clergy who denounced it as a threat to Christianity. > > > > Yoga instruction, which was to begin next month, was put off following visceral attacks by > > Roman Catholic and Protestant clergy who charged that it would undermine Christianity and > > promote Hinduism. > > > > ''Yoga rejects faith in God the creator; it rejects Jesus Christ, the whole act of redemption and > > Christianity,'' said a letter from Slovakia's bishops that was read last month in each of the > > country's Roman Catholic churches. ''It is a path to total atheism.'' > > > > The letter likened the Catholic Church's opposition to yoga in schools to ''protecting the home > > from a stranger who enters, doesn't introduce himself, touches your children, and wants to > > take them away.'' > > > > Protestant clergy, who like the Catholics jealously protect their spiritual turf after decades of > > repression under Communism, have been no less outspoken. > > > > ''Yoga is not gymnastics,'' said Bishop Ivan Osusky of the Evangelical Church of Augsburg > > Confession, Slovakia's largest Protestant denomination. ''It leads to individualism which > > further leads to belief in reincarnation. It is an onslaught of Hinduism.'' > > > > Yoga, which originated in India, grew out of the Hindu tradition, and draws on Hindu beliefs > > like karma. But today, most yoga practices in Western countries focus on physical posture > > and breathing exercises. > > > > Yoga classes are offered in some US public schools and have met limited and scattered > > opposition, mostly from conservative Christian groups. > > > > Unlike in the United States, where rigid separation of church and state keeps religious > > instruction out of schools, Catholic and Protestant churches in Slovakia wield considerable > > influence in education. > > > > The yoga classes were initially proposed by the government to address a growing incidence > > here of children with back problems. > > > > Stefan Michalko, executive director of the Slovak branch of Yoga in Daily Life, said the school > > program was strictly about exercise and had no religious content. > > > > ''They don't understand what yoga is or what the program is about,'' Michalko said about > > yoga's critics. > > > > Education Minister Milan Ftacnik, a longtime yoga enthusiast, likened yoga's opponents to > > religious fundamentalists. > > > > ''Yoga has existed here for decades and we have not become a Hindu country,'' said Ftacnik, > > who belongs to no organized religion. ''Catholics, Baptists, Hindus, or Muslims can practice > > yoga.'' > > > > But as the controversy demonstrates, Slovakia's churches are determined to keep something > > they consider an ''alien'' religion out of the classroom. > > > > ''To better understand what yoga is, let's have a look at India, a cradle of yoga,'' the Catholic > > bishops' letter read. ''How is it possible that there are children and old people lying near trash > > containers and nobody notices them? It is possible because under the influence of Hinduism > > everybody lives only for themselves.'' > > > > In Parliament, the Christian Democratic Movement compared yoga to the Communist Party's > > assault on Christianity, and threatened to withdraw its support for the ruling coalition > > government should the plan go forward. > > > > The Rev. Cyril Jancisin, secretary of the Slovak Roman Catholic Bishops' Conference, said the > > church is most concerned with a group called Yoga in Daily Life, which is training yoga > > teachers for Slovak schools. He said the group's leader, Paramhans Svami Mahesvarananda, > > an Indian-born guru, seeks to spread Hinduism. > > > > To placate the opposition, Ftacnik proposed making yoga classes optional, but religious > > leaders balked. > > > > ''The Church does not want to give parents or children a choice,'' Ftacnik said. ''We have > > fundamentalist Catholics in Slovakia.'' > > > > Roman Catholics make up the largest religious denomination in Slovakia with 2.5 million > > members. The Evangelical Church of the Augsburg Confession has 369,000 members. > > > > Under Communist rule in the former Czechoslovakia, all organized religions suffered severe > > persecution, and church leaders of all denominations say this accounts for their > > defensiveness. > > > > ''We are a country deeply marked by Communism ... and have a spiritual vacuum now,'' > > Osusky said. ''There are risks associated with foreign influences. Thank God we are not > > America. Too much tolerance is harmful.'' > > > > This story ran on page A18 of the Boston Globe on 8/26/2001. > > © Copyright 2001 Globe Newspaper Company. > > > > > > > > > > "OUR DESTINY IS TO BE HAPPY" > > - Yogi Bhajan > > > > You can UNSUBSCRIBE from this list at the Groups Member Center (My Groups), or send mail to > > Kundaliniyoga > > NO UNSUBSCRIBE REQUESTS TO THE LIST PLEASE! > > WEB SITE: kundalini yoga > > > > KUNDALINI YOGA ON-LINE TRAINING. Details from > > kundalini yogaclasses.html > > > > Sponsored by YOGA TECHNOLOGY - Practical Books & Videos on Kundalini Yoga & Meditation. Also Meditation & Mantra CDs. > > > > Your use of is subject to > > > "OUR DESTINY IS TO BE HAPPY" > - Yogi Bhajan > > You can UNSUBSCRIBE from this list at the Groups Member Center (My Groups), or send mail to > Kundaliniyoga > NO UNSUBSCRIBE REQUESTS TO THE LIST PLEASE! > WEB SITE: kundalini yoga > > KUNDALINI YOGA ON-LINE TRAINING. Details from > kundalini yogaclasses.html > > Sponsored by YOGA TECHNOLOGY - Practical Books & Videos on Kundalini Yoga & Meditation. Also Meditation & Mantra CDs. > > Your use of is subject to Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 31, 2001 Report Share Posted August 31, 2001 Dear Dharam Singh Would you please read my post of yesterday, and delete old trailers from your messages and only quote from the directly relevant parts and not send the original string in its entirety. The list is becoming too busy and the digests are becoming almost unreadable because of the volume of irrelevant stuff that is left behind in messages. Thank you for your cooperation. Sat Nam! Gordon - "Dharam Singh" <dharam <Kundaliniyoga> Friday, August 31, 2001 04:06 Re: Slovakia's churches against Yoga plan > To me it's more evidence that it's very possible to be religious and cruel. > Whereas it is not possible to be spiritual and cruel. > They have forgotten that the first temple was the human body. > > For most of my life and even in the present I avoid categorization. When someone asks me "am I a Sikh" they never get a one word answer. I resist > the label. > Sat Nam > > > > mark terrell wrote: > > > As far out as that sounds there is, don't forget, here in North America many people assume kundalini yoga and Sikh Dharma are the same. > > > > Seva Simran > > > > Dharam Singh wrote: > > > > > Slovakia's churches exercise their clout against yoga plan > > > > > > By Brian Whitmore, Globe Correspondent, 8/26/2001 > > > > > > RATISLAVA, Slovakia - A government plan to boost the fitness of Slovakian > > > children by teaching yoga exercises in school has been put on hold in the face of a firestorm > > > of opposition from clergy who denounced it as a threat to Christianity. > > > > > > Yoga instruction, which was to begin next month, was put off following visceral attacks by > > > Roman Catholic and Protestant clergy who charged that it would undermine Christianity and > > > promote Hinduism. > > > > > > ''Yoga rejects faith in God the creator; it rejects Jesus Christ, the whole act of redemption and > > > Christianity,'' said a letter from Slovakia's bishops that was read last month in each of the > > > country's Roman Catholic churches. ''It is a path to total atheism.'' > > > > > > The letter likened the Catholic Church's opposition to yoga in schools to ''protecting the home > > > from a stranger who enters, doesn't introduce himself, touches your children, and wants to > > > take them away.'' > > > > > > Protestant clergy, who like the Catholics jealously protect their spiritual turf after decades of > > > repression under Communism, have been no less outspoken. > > > > > > ''Yoga is not gymnastics,'' said Bishop Ivan Osusky of the Evangelical Church of Augsburg > > > Confession, Slovakia's largest Protestant denomination. ''It leads to individualism which > > > further leads to belief in reincarnation. It is an onslaught of Hinduism.'' > > > > > > Yoga, which originated in India, grew out of the Hindu tradition, and draws on Hindu beliefs > > > like karma. But today, most yoga practices in Western countries focus on physical posture > > > and breathing exercises. > > > > > > Yoga classes are offered in some US public schools and have met limited and scattered > > > opposition, mostly from conservative Christian groups. > > > > > > Unlike in the United States, where rigid separation of church and state keeps religious > > > instruction out of schools, Catholic and Protestant churches in Slovakia wield considerable > > > influence in education. > > > > > > The yoga classes were initially proposed by the government to address a growing incidence > > > here of children with back problems. > > > > > > Stefan Michalko, executive director of the Slovak branch of Yoga in Daily Life, said the school > > > program was strictly about exercise and had no religious content. > > > > > > ''They don't understand what yoga is or what the program is about,'' Michalko said about > > > yoga's critics. > > > > > > Education Minister Milan Ftacnik, a longtime yoga enthusiast, likened yoga's opponents to > > > religious fundamentalists. > > > > > > ''Yoga has existed here for decades and we have not become a Hindu country,'' said Ftacnik, > > > who belongs to no organized religion. ''Catholics, Baptists, Hindus, or Muslims can practice > > > yoga.'' > > > > > > But as the controversy demonstrates, Slovakia's churches are determined to keep something > > > they consider an ''alien'' religion out of the classroom. > > > > > > ''To better understand what yoga is, let's have a look at India, a cradle of yoga,'' the Catholic > > > bishops' letter read. ''How is it possible that there are children and old people lying near trash > > > containers and nobody notices them? It is possible because under the influence of Hinduism > > > everybody lives only for themselves.'' > > > > > > In Parliament, the Christian Democratic Movement compared yoga to the Communist Party's > > > assault on Christianity, and threatened to withdraw its support for the ruling coalition > > > government should the plan go forward. > > > > > > The Rev. Cyril Jancisin, secretary of the Slovak Roman Catholic Bishops' Conference, said the > > > church is most concerned with a group called Yoga in Daily Life, which is training yoga > > > teachers for Slovak schools. He said the group's leader, Paramhans Svami Mahesvarananda, > > > an Indian-born guru, seeks to spread Hinduism. > > > > > > To placate the opposition, Ftacnik proposed making yoga classes optional, but religious > > > leaders balked. > > > > > > ''The Church does not want to give parents or children a choice,'' Ftacnik said. ''We have > > > fundamentalist Catholics in Slovakia.'' > > > > > > Roman Catholics make up the largest religious denomination in Slovakia with 2.5 million > > > members. The Evangelical Church of the Augsburg Confession has 369,000 members. > > > > > > Under Communist rule in the former Czechoslovakia, all organized religions suffered severe > > > persecution, and church leaders of all denominations say this accounts for their > > > defensiveness. > > > > > > ''We are a country deeply marked by Communism ... and have a spiritual vacuum now,'' > > > Osusky said. ''There are risks associated with foreign influences. Thank God we are not > > > America. Too much tolerance is harmful.'' > > > > > > This story ran on page A18 of the Boston Globe on 8/26/2001. > > > © Copyright 2001 Globe Newspaper Company. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > "OUR DESTINY IS TO BE HAPPY" > > > - Yogi Bhajan > > > > > > You can UNSUBSCRIBE from this list at the Groups Member Center (My Groups), or send mail to > > > Kundaliniyoga > > > NO UNSUBSCRIBE REQUESTS TO THE LIST PLEASE! > > > WEB SITE: kundalini yoga > > > > > > KUNDALINI YOGA ON-LINE TRAINING. Details from > > > kundalini yogaclasses.html > > > > > > Sponsored by YOGA TECHNOLOGY - Practical Books & Videos on Kundalini Yoga & Meditation. Also Meditation & Mantra CDs. > > > > > > Your use of is subject to > > > > > > "OUR DESTINY IS TO BE HAPPY" > > - Yogi Bhajan > > > > You can UNSUBSCRIBE from this list at the Groups Member Center (My Groups), or send mail to > > Kundaliniyoga > > NO UNSUBSCRIBE REQUESTS TO THE LIST PLEASE! > > WEB SITE: kundalini yoga > > > > KUNDALINI YOGA ON-LINE TRAINING. Details from > > kundalini yogaclasses.html > > > > Sponsored by YOGA TECHNOLOGY - Practical Books & Videos on Kundalini Yoga & Meditation. Also Meditation & Mantra CDs. > > > > Your use of is subject to > > > > "OUR DESTINY IS TO BE HAPPY" > - Yogi Bhajan > > You can UNSUBSCRIBE from this list at the Groups Member Center (My Groups), or send mail to > Kundaliniyoga > NO UNSUBSCRIBE REQUESTS TO THE LIST PLEASE! > WEB SITE: kundalini yoga > > KUNDALINI YOGA ON-LINE TRAINING. Details from > kundalini yogaclasses.html > > Sponsored by YOGA TECHNOLOGY - Practical Books & Videos on Kundalini Yoga & Meditation. Also Meditation & Mantra CDs. > > Your use of is subject to > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 31, 2001 Report Share Posted August 31, 2001 Sorry, this should not have gone to the list! :-( "gordon" <gordon > Dear Dharam Singh > > Would you please read my post of yesterday, and delete old trailers from > your messages and only quote from the directly relevant parts and not send > the original string in its entirety. The list is becoming too busy and the > digests are becoming almost unreadable because of the volume of irrelevant > stuff that is left behind in messages. > > Thank you for your cooperation. > > Sat Nam! > Gordon > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 31, 2001 Report Share Posted August 31, 2001 Hi all ! Sat Nam, Don't you think that it was the same problem with the West, when Yoga was first practiced by Maharishi and others ? Let's hope with time, the Slovakians will certainly see more of Yoga phenomena in their everyday life. I think they are not so stressed yet and are reticent to feel and acknowledge the benefits of Yoga as yet. On the other hand, do they have access to Television as such, and again, this is a positive influence for the community, as far the hundredth monkey theory goes... especially with children! Just brooding... before the w/e and thank you, Dharam, for your sharings and advice. Sat Nam, Blessings, Chama Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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