Bob Larson weighs in on Yoga

From Bob Larson’s Blog post:  Yoga Takes Over

Scenes from San Francisco Airport concourse.
A week ago, on my way home, passing through San Francisco Airport (SFO), I was exhausted with a little time on my hands. Thinking I might find a quiet chapel, which almost all airports used to have, I was instead confronted by signs directing me instead to a yoga room. I peeked inside, and sure enough, there, in pretzeled positions, were travelers in various stages of yogic enlightenment. Most folks, especially liberal, New Aged Californians, wouldn’t think much about this. To me, it was more than an acquiescence to multiculturalism; it was a vivid sign of the times. When people today want peace, rest, and tranquility, they don’t pray to a transcendent deity. They evoke the yogic god within, align their chakras, and awaken the Kundalini power at the base of the spine. And they get demons.
Spare me. I’ve heard all the idiot arguments of so-called Holy Yoga, Yoga for the Soul, and Praise Moves, and Yahweh Yoga (all claiming incongruously to be “Christian”). It’s hard for me to charitable and gracious to these deceptions which are the result of abject, willing ignorance. My book Larson’s Book of World Religions (To order CLICK HERE.) has 35 pages of references to yoga, all heavily documented from original Hindu sources. Those who really want the truth can read the book. No need to repeat all its contentions here; but it’s obvious I’m not talking off the top of my head through some religiously, legalistic mindset.
Briefly consider these few points I extract from the book:
  • One of the supreme texts of yoga declares, “The aim of all yoga is realization of the Absolute Brahman” [Hindu demon-god]. The aim is to unite with a demon, one that I’ve cast out many times from advocates of yoga.
  • Famed Hindu mystic Swami Vishnudevananda, who helped to bring yoga to the west, wrote, “The aim of all yoga practice is to achieve truth wherein the individual soul identifies itself with the supreme soul of god.” But what god???
  • My book states: “The postures are designed to condition the mind to experience altered states of consciousness. Each pose is presumed to be tuning the body, glands, and psychic nervous system to a level of spiritual susceptibility and altered awareness.”

There isn’t enough space here to address the fallacy that Yoga (which in Hindi means “union or yoked with god”) can be casually dissociated from its pagan origins simply because some willingly deceived Christian yoga instructor redefines its intent. Almost every week, I pick up the spiritual collateral damage of those who got sucked in to this lie of “Christian” yoga and became demonized. I know of no legitimate exorcist or deliverance minister who approves of such nonsense. Get my book. Read all I have to say. Enroll in our International School of Exorcism® (CLICK HERE to enroll.) and get educated to the real battlefront of spiritual warfare. And tell everyone you know that yoga is a direct pathway to spiritual oppression that is not easily removed.

Reprinted with permission
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2 thoughts on “Bob Larson weighs in on Yoga”

  1. Larson, as usual is RIGHT ON THE MONEY HERE (and I am a Catholic!) but I give credit where credit is due–even though I differ with his Protestant dogma, I almost ALWAYS see so much truth, validity, and soundness to his posited points–never arguments. Larson is a RARE Protestant that actually relies on the strength of his own relationship with God,, leaving little to no time to blast on Catholics and our ways of doing things with Christ. Thank you for that, Reverend! I would love to meet you some day–coming to California area anytime, I’m THERE!

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  2. Yoga has also saved many lives, Christian or otherwise. To say that Yoga is a anti-Christian is a deception – clearly it is not Christian by nature, as it for you see did Christianity by several centuries, but it is equally clearly not opposed to the teachings of Christianity or any other religion . The “demon” of Yoga you speak of is not a demon in the western sense of the word, it is a part of the yogic believe that all things are in balance, such as Shiva, the great creator/destroyer, just as Jehovah filled both of those roles. The attempt to stigmatize this practice may prevent many people from attaining the enlightenment and purpose they seek. It will also deprive them of opportunities to improve their health where Western medicine has failed. It is akin to denying a patient life-saving treatment. There are many paths to enlightenment, please allow everyone the right and respect to work out their own salvation with diligence. Are there people in the Transcendental Meditation and Mindfulness movements who are clearly watering down and misrepresenting Yoga? Of course there are, just as there are people in this representing the teachings of Christ. The differences is, I feel no need to invalidate Christianity because of the behavior of a few people who identify as believers. Certainly, good points are being raised and this is always good, but please try to be understanding, excepting, kind and loving of those who practice a believe system that differs from your own – all those things Christ taught us.

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