A British Hindu group have hit out at two clergy who they claim are 'bigoted' for banning yoga classes in their church halls. The Hindu Council UK (HCUK) believes the refusal to allow yoga in church premises breaches the Equality Act of 2006, and have ordered their lawyers to investigate the situation. They are also looking into comments made by the two clergy for labelling yoga a 'sham', 'false philosophy' and 'un-Christian', comments they believe may be discriminatory against Hinduism.
HCUK General Secretary Anil Bhanot criticised the bans saying "These priests appear to be advising Christians not to practise yoga because they believe it is based on a 'sham' and a 'false philosophy', but what in effect they mean is that Hinduism is a false religion. "The yoga teacher concerned left religion out of the equation; they with their alarmist, uninformed, fundamentalist version of Christianity that lives in fear of any perceived unorthodoxy, dragged religion in. "In doing so, they have demonstrated the kind of bigotry that is precisely the cause of religious strife in this world."
A spokesman for one of the Churches involved defended the decision not to allow the yoga group for pre-school children use the church hall. He said the principles behind yoga are contrary to the Christian gospel. He added: "From a Christian perspective we feel that alternative activities like yoga are not the real thing, they're a sham. "Yoga has its roots in Hinduism and Buddhism and attempts to use human techniques, such as breathing, to put a person into a calm frame of mind in order to be in touch with some sort of impersonal spiritual reality.
"This runs contrary to the Christian gospel as we believe in a personal God who has revealed himself to us. "Yoga encourages people to think there's a way to wholeness through human techniques, whereas the Christian gospel says it's through the person of Jesus Christ" the spokesman said.
Source: Intercessors Network
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