Sometimes, it is embarrassing to be a Christian.

I have been a Christian my entire adult life. I grew up in a conservative Baptist church in rural Tennessee. As I have gotten older, I have become slightly more moderate in my beliefs but still hold to my Baptist upbringing. The same basic Christian values are still firmly entrenched. However,...

As I have gotten older, I have noticed that some Christians tend to be backward, ignorant and hypocritical. A recent blog by Dr Albert Mohler of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary has reminded me of this fact. He teaches at the largest Baptist seminary in the world, turning out Southern Baptist ministers. For a seemingly educated man, he is fairly ignorant.

I had never head of this man until today when I was directed to his blog about "The Subtle Body — Should Christians Practice Yoga?" In his article he says, generally, I'm not quoting, that Christians should not do yoga because it requires one to become part of a spiritual movement that is contradictory. He says in his blog,

"they must either deny the reality of what yoga represents or fail to see the contradictions between their Christian commitments and their embrace of yoga."

There is no direct connection between yoga that has the elements of Hinduism and what people do for exercise. I think he is afraid of the word 'meditate.'

"these positions are teaching postures with a spiritual purpose. Consider this — if you have to meditate intensely in order to achieve or to maintain a physical posture, it is no longer merely a physical posture."

Meditation is not an evil word. Meditation is the same thing when you pray and wait, sitting quietly waiting for God to reveal an answer. Medication is another way of listening to what your body is saying or concentrating on what you are doing. I meditate all the time when I am doing things like blogging or to remember the answer to a test question. Have you ever seen some one take a death breath before doing something critical? That's meditating.

There are yoga classes that teach the fundamentals of yoga using the teachings of the 'religious' form. The yoga classes I have attended are purely physical. Yes, you have to listen to your body. I wonder what Dr Mohler thinks about martial arts? They are full of motions and exercising that have their roots in religion.

It is disheartening that Mohler talks about such things. It's embarrassing. What he needs to be talking about is how Christians need to be less hypocritical. Teach what Christ taught. Don't be adding stuff to inflate your status. That is, all he is doing.