Is yoga a religious practice or just some good exercise? That question is at the heart of one Alabama bill.
In 1993, the Alabama Board of Education banned the practice of yoga (along with meditation and hypnosis) on the grounds that yoga has a religious connotation. Yoga is practiced by Hindus the world over, but they are hardly the only practitioners. Yoga studios are a dime a dozen in most metropolitan areas, and have even popped up in some small, rural towns.
The 1993 ban on yoga in public schools was pushed by evangelical groups.
Now, Democratic Rep. Jeremy Gray is hoping to change that. He’s submitted a bill to the Alabama House education committee that would allow yoga in public school classrooms… under certain conditions.
The bill states that schools can choose to offer yoga classes - but they must be elective. Chanting would be prohibited, the greeting ‘Namaste’ would be prohibited, and the poses must be taught as their English names.
But not everyone’s ready for yoga in public schools. Evangelical and conservative groups are protesting the bill.
Joe Godfrey of the Alabama Citizens’ Action Program said that “you can’t separate the exercise from the religious aspect of it. This is Hinduism, straight up.”
Others had stronger feelings.
“Hinduism is demonic,” declared megachurch pastor John Lindell, lead pastor of the 10,000+ congregation James River Church.
“Let me say this, yoga positions were not designed by your local fitness instructor. They were designed and they were created with demonic intent to open you up to demonic power.”
Well, we’re not sure about that one. Downward facing dog is too good of a stretch to be THAT demonic.
Is yoga’s Hindu tradition enough that it should be prohibited from public schools? Or is it so embedded in our culture that, over time, it’s been divorced from its religious origins?
Yoga in schools: namaste or nama-no-way?
