Church bans yoga classes in its hall after concerns of causing 'spiritual confusion'
Sydney church halls are being told to “review” yoga classes conducted on their presmises as it may cause “spiritual confusion”.
The Anglican Church in Erskineville has told other churches in its Sydney Diocese to “review” yoga classes after it banned classes in its hall because the exercise practice may lead to “worshipping false gods”, The Inner West Courier reports.
Radio 4BC host Ben Davis told Sunrise he is venturing a guess that the Social Issues Committee is just trying to “justify their own existence”.
“They [the committee] had a look at the report, and I’ve got no idea but I’m going to tip that they might get paid and we’ve seen this too often in politics where they just try to justify their own existence,” he said.
“That’s the only plausible explanation I can come up with.”
News Local editor-in-chief Kathy Lipari described the ban as “bizarre”.
“It’s yoga. It’s good for you. Good for your mind, and boy well you think it’s something they would be supporting - it’s just bizarre,” she said.
The review comes after the diocese received a report from its Social Issues Committee, at its 2015 Synod - the annual policy meeting of clergy and lay people.
In the report, the committee urged yoga be kicked out of church and school halls because it “emerges from an Eastern religious background”.
The commitee also suggested that other activities such as tai chi, some martial arts and dragon boating be examined too.
