Does anyone on this forum go to church?

[sejintenej]

Going back to the title of this thread, there was a long discussion on the radio this afternoon. A vicar in Yorkshire has banned a number of his congregation from entering the church because they practice Tai Chi. Apparently he/she holds that the concept of Chi invokes some non-Christian deity.

My own view is that God, Yahweh or whomever made us responsible for keeping our bodies in good shape so any reasonable method is acceptable provided it is not anti - Christianity. I think he would have been far better advised to ban any and every science teacher and scientist on the grounds that they accept/teach the Big Bang theory which is almost diametrically opposed to Genesis and hence Christianity

Discuss

[NEILL THE NOTORIOUS]

I am afraid that, as in many professions, we get the odd brainless loon !

I sometimes wonder if these weird pronunciations from "Churchmen" arises from the fact that they are un-noticed and exert no influence in their particular environment.

I realise that this is hardly a Christian attitude --- but sometimes they make my blood boil !!

I shall retire to pray for them----- (That their Bishop gives them a good kick in the Fundament !)

[englishangel]

Surely Chi is the life force aka Soul.

I have heard of 'Christians; frowning on Yoga too.

[kerrensimmonds]

Zillions of years ago, it was my Vicar who suggested that I try yoga, as a means of coping with the stressful situations in my life...(death of parent, moving house, new job..... etc. etc. etc.)
He is now retired, but a Canon in the C of E and very active in the parish in which he and his wife live in retirement, and in the wider diocese. Would that I had his energy when I am over 70!

[sejintenej]

Surely Chi is the life force aka Soul.

I have heard of 'Christians; frowning on Yoga too.

An aversion to Judo and in a neutral manner Yoga were also mentioned in the radio conversation. Like Mary's post, people gave examples of churchmen who saw nothing wrong with Tai Chi - indeed I don't think that anyone actually supported said Vicar.
It seems to me that yoga and the normal (slow) version of Tai Chi actually benefit the body and keep it in condition better to honour one's God.

[J.R.]

There's got to be a joke here somewhere !

[Angela Woodford]

My mother was horrified when I attended a Yoga class! Heathen practices...

I'm currently riveted by the orthodox Judaism in Reva Mann's "The Rabbi's Daughter". Reva, hoping for an arranged marriage and dutifully fulfilling a forty-day prayer segula to the Western Wall, also consults a Mesuzah Rabbi in case there are spiritual blockages that prevent her from finding her soul mate. The Holy Rabbi asks her if she worships false gods? It's the Ashtanga Yoga book by her bedside causing the blockage. "You must burn it" he says "immediately".

I'm enchanted by the post-menstruation purification mikveh bath though. This book has been so fascinating to me in many ways. I have learned a lot! It's beautiful, shocking, funny and sad. Reva Mann is a brilliant writer.

Does anyone on this Forum go to Synagogue?

[englishangel]

or Mosque? or any other place of worship.

Jude goes to synagogue I think. She is certainly very proud of her Jewish heritage which she didn't discover until she was an adult.

[Fjgrogan]

My own vicar is also anti-yoga, and also acupuncture - I can see no reason for that; it even works on animals! anyway, surely the church should not be banning people just because they consider them to be 'sinning' - isn't that what the church is there for - the 'sinners', not the the 'righteous'!? who was it that said that the church is the only organisation that is there specifically for those who are not members - or words to that effect!

[kerrensimmonds]

Something like :- the only people who go to Church are sinners and the reason they go is to seek repentance?
The question is, how do you define (in 2010) what is meant by 'a sin'. Times/opinions/judgements change....

[englishangel]

http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/co ... 24327.html

The front page in The Independent today. It was the second paragraph which struck me.

[sejintenej]

http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/co ... 24327.html

The front page in The Independent today. It was the second paragraph which struck me.

You haven't referred to the second comment. This is extracts from an (apparently) independent investigation in the USA which found that 4.3% of all priests and 5% of diocesan priests have been accused of paedophilia, in some cases in multiple geographical areas. (This was over a long but specified time period) I hate to think what the situation is in Ireland where the RC Church came close to running the Republic.

One small thing I was looking for and which the Pope has apparently omitted is a message to all those attacked that their enforced vows of silence are forthwith revoked, rescinded, forgiven giving them formal permision and requesting them to notify the Garda or whomever about what was done to them. By failing to do this the Pope is continuing the secrecy enforced on those victims, giving any such vows of secrecy his Holy blessing and thus becoming as guilty as the priests and bishops who did nothing. Perhaps His previous function has something to do with this.

Back in the 1200's the RC church created an investigative organisation which came to be feared through its insane methods - tiorture was the least of them. That organisation continues to exist under a different name. Logically it would have looked into the allegations starting decades ago. Until recently the head of The Inquisition was the current Pope. He was ineffective then and has been ineffective during the start of His papacy.

By contrast I have the honour (and it really is one) to know two RC priests very well. The first was actually taught by the second in the Seminary. I have said that they are priests but they are no longer. Both have become disillusioned and have left. The first is now a lawyer specialising in helping the poor and (my word) downtrodden. He is married to an award winning architect and they have two exceptionally well brought up daughters. The second was (he retired last year) a rather controversial judge specialising committed to helping the poor. He is married - I know his wife well but I don't think I have met his 2 children. The RC church lost two exceptional and human priests and is losing more hour by hour. The second has written several books about his time in the church - not happy reading for any RC. I quote:

............ the church was an old hag, without make-up, thin, dry hair, drab clothes, without jewels. She was a wrinkled spinster intent on preserving her virtue, with thin, pursed lips and full of suspicion... Our church ............was still wearing her chastity belt, long after the barbarians had lost interest.

One of his other books describes how he was abused by the church from the age of 12

it was no fit place for a boy to grow up. He spent the most vulnerable years of his life cold, lonely, hungry and frightened. He was divorced from his family.

Now in his 60s, a judge in the ....... Court, with a family of his own, Geraghty says that he still carries the scars. He has never been able to enjoy food or eat a meal at a reasonable pace. As a teenager, he learnt to survive, and that meant devouring as much of the meagre quantity of available food as rapidly as possible.

(precied by a reviewer)
If that is how they treat children in the Seminary no wonder the priests are weird; how can they know that what they are doing is wrong?

[J.R.]

It's all a bit like inviting convicted felons to join the C.I.D. in my book !

Never mind poacher turning game-keeper. Its poacher STAYING poacher !

[huntertitus]

I met a policeman at a wedding and he told me that in his opinion most policemen would be criminals if they weren't in the force, sorry, service!!! Actually it is odd how when a young fellow you feel mistrust and fear of them and then you grow up and feel that they are there more to protect you. Maybe that's the definition of growing up? As to priests using their position to abuse youngsters I used to find this difficult to believe. I thought - how can someone religious, even if he HAS that tendency, not decide to NEVER to act on those impulses because obviously they are totally against all christian and human morality. The vicar at my church said the truly evil thing is to realise that some men deliberately chose the job with a view to carrying out these dreadful crimes. It really beggars belief. I don't know whether this is true but I have been told that there's a similar powderkeg ready to blow up in the muslim community.

[midget]

And how much will we hear about that, I wonder?