Yoga in schools?

[KabeRinnaul]

Yes, I mean think of all the horrible things children might learn from Taoism and Confucianism! Like compassion, humility or God forbid, tolerance.

Good god, man. If you teach them tolerance, then that could make them intolerant of other people's intolerance!

Why do you hate free speech?

[PepperElf]

As far as I can tell, it is an optional class. Children elect to take it.

where did it say that? on the second link i didn't watch the vid but i read the article the only 'optional' part i saw was that you can opt out. However it's unclear if it's one that students are automatically enrolled in or if it's something they specifically have to pick.

and the parent in the link who did opt out, specified she did it because the teacher was including stuff such as "thanking the sun" etc.

“They were being taught to thank the sun for their lives and the warmth that it brought, the life that it brought to the earth," she said, "and they were told to do that right before they did their sun salutation exercises."

To some that may seem a bit "meh, who who cares" but that *can* be close enough to make it questionable.

To some... stuff like this can be seen as indoctrinating children to adopt other beliefs contrary to that of the family.

[Panacea]

Considering Yoga is wildly considered a purely physical / mental exercise in the west I don't see what the problem is. You would be hard pressed to find a yoga studio that even teaches any religious aspects.

Yoga is essentially on par with a martial art in the west.

I've never equated Yoga with the martial arts. Tai Chi maybe, but not yoga.

But I'll agree that among westerners it's seen as good flexibility training and strength training . . . which it is when you take out the religious aspects of it. I don't know of any yoga program in my area that teaches the religious connections of it. But people do tend to be suspicious of it because it is foreign and the mental discipline aspects of it can seem to "replace" religious devotion to those who really don't understand what it is.

To some... stuff like this can be seen as indoctrinating children to adopt other beliefs contrary to that of the family.

And that scares some people to death, the idea they might be exposed to a different way of viewing faith.

Personally, I found that exploring how other people worship just redirected me back to my own Christian faith. I simply could not get into Buddishm, Taoism, Hindusim, Wicca, or any other non-Christian religion because I couldn't make a spiritual connection through those paths. But I value the experience of looking at other spiritual points of view.

Too bad a lot of people are too insecure for this. They just make themselves look foolish.

[Gravekeeper]

I've never equated Yoga with the martial arts. Tai Chi maybe, but not yoga.

Tai Chi is a martial art. Yoga is both a mental and physical discipline. Just like a martial art. I never said Yoga IS a martial art. Just that in the west, its in the same sort of category. It's a mental / physical discipline you go to classes to learn that benefits your health.

But there's no connotation of religion or philosophy in the average Yoga class any more than taking the average Kung Fu class would end up indoctrinating your children into Taoism or Buddhism.

And that scares some people to death, the idea they might be exposed to a different way of viewing faith.

And that's ultimately what its all about. The fear that someone else will break the indoctrination they're forcing on their children themselves. They don't want their children exposed to the world until they've finished brainwashing their children on how to view the world.

[Aethian]

If I had choice between yoga and regular gym I would have taken the yoga every chance I could. The year I did a after school class of yoga cause a friend dragged me there I had the best season of varsity swimming ever.

As far as the religious aspect, we have one yoga studio in KZoo that offers a early morning religious aspect of the yoga. I hear its very intense but it ends after I have to be at work.

[PepperElf]

And that scares some people to death, the idea they might be exposed to a different way of viewing faith.

No. What scares people is the notion that the schools are trying to instill their own personal views (be it politics, religion, etc) into students as if it's on par with say math or physics etc.

Interesting that you say "brainwashing" because that is also what some schools do to.

[Panacea]

No. What scares people is the notion that the schools are trying to instill their own personal views (be it politics, religion, etc) into students as if it's on par with say math or physics etc.

Interesting that you say "brainwashing" because that is also what some schools do to.

Really? What schools? What personal views?

[jackfaire]

http://www.cracked.com/article_19283...nventions.html


I am just going to leave this here. *whistles innocently*

[Panacea]

http://www.cracked.com/article_19283...nventions.html


I am just going to leave this here. *whistles innocently*

We're talking about a humor magazine. Hardly an authoritative source.

The lotus posture (the one referred to in the article) is difficult to attain and requires a great deal of flexibility to perform comfortably. Try it: unless you are very fit and flexible you won't be able to do it (I can't and I do martial arts and stretch regularly).

Being able to get to poses like that is a process. There's more to yoga than just sitting comfortably, and the asanas (postures) are designed to enhance meditation. They take practice to master.

There are texts discussing these postures that date back to 500CE. They've been around awhile.

[Gravekeeper]

We're talking about a humor magazine. Hardly an authoritative source.

Actually, having some experience with Cracked's editorial procedures ( <cough> ), you cannot write a list article on Cracked without reliable, verified sources. You're not even permitted to write the article until after you present a researched pitch that provides multiple verified sources. They don't accept any random website as a source either. You need legit sources they can follow up on before they even green light a rough draft.

Before you can write any ha ha, you have to basically submit a thesis -.-

[Andara Bledin]

That doesn't mean they can't be wrong. I can't remember the article, but they had something that was on a topic I'm rather well-versed in that was not at all factual. Not all sources are created equal, and even good ones can have bad info.

[Gravekeeper]

That doesn't mean they can't be wrong. I can't remember the article, but they had something that was on a topic I'm rather well-versed in that was not at all factual. Not all sources are created equal, and even good ones can have bad info.

I'm not saying they're infallible. Just that you can't dismiss them just for being a comedy website. They dot their i's and cross their t's on research like anyone else.

[Andara Bledin]

Anyone else is kind of a broad category. Fox News would be part of it, for example.

[Gravekeeper]

Anyone else is kind of a broad category. Fox News would be part of it, for example.

And what exactly? Are you literally going to do this in every single thread? Please let me know now so I can just stop bothering to respond. -.-

[HYHYBT]

Cracked feels reasonably trustworthy, even if they're not perfect. (I'm still confused by one of their lists, the topic of which I don't remember, calling "The High snd the Mighty" a war movie.)