Latest Breaking News

Judi Lynn

(160,450 posts) Sat Apr 4, 2015, 05:52 AM Apr 2015

Yoga is secular, does not violate religious freedoms; rules US court [View all]

Source: India Today

Yoga is secular, does not violate religious freedoms; rules US court
IndiaToday.in New Delhi, April 4, 2015 | UPDATED 15:05 IST

A California appeals court has allowed yoga to be continued in elementary schools and ruled that yoga taught in elementary schools is not a gateway to Hinduism and does not violate religious freedoms.

"We conclude that the programme is secular and does not have the primary effect of advancing or inhibiting religion, and does not excessively entangle the school district in religion," the three-member appeals court ruled Friday.

The decision by California's 4th District Court of Appeal upheld a lower-court ruling in support of the Encinitas Union Elementary School District in San Diego, IANS reported quoting utsandiego.com.

The school had been sued by parents who argued the school yoga programme was inherently spiritual and therefore unconstitutional.

Read more: http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/yoga-in-school-secular-religious-freedom-california-appeals-court/1/428427.html

66 replies

= new reply since forum marked as read

Highlight:

Yoga is secular, does not violate religious freedoms; rules US court [View all] Judi Lynn Apr 2015 OP

OMG, they're teaching the kids empathy! LuvNewcastle Apr 2015 #1

"Religious Freedoms"!!!1111 "I'm not secure enough in my own religion to allow anyone their Cha Apr 2015 #3

That's pretty much 2naSalit Apr 2015 #51

and how to calm oneself, exercise and improve balance/posture! Terrible! wordpix Apr 2015 #25

They need to be good Capitalists like Jesus was. Oneironaut Apr 2015 #62

Well that's good.. I tried to tell a couple of my friend something like that who dropped out Cha Apr 2015 #2

Having it suggested to you to say "Hamaste" a couple of times in a yoga class you can leave at any time is scary Satanic stuff. Fred Sanders Apr 2015 #8

It does beat all.. Yoga is actually helping the kids but these guys want it over because.. "freedom" Cha Apr 2015 #10

Namaste is not religious cosmicone Apr 2015 #20

Wasn't clear to me whether the parents who sued were religious or atheist goldent Apr 2015 #16

Right. If you had to bet your life on one or the other, which would you choose? valerief Apr 2015 #24

Might I suggest a yoga class for them so they justhanginon Apr 2015 #28

Yes, but had they that much sense, they'd never have sued to begin with. valerief Apr 2015 #46

Is there a specifically Christian sport or physical activity that could mahina Apr 2015 #42

I'm all for letting the lions loose in the coliseum. valerief Apr 2015 #47

There have been a lot of FFRF lawsuits recently, so that is what I would have guessed. goldent Apr 2015 #52

I thought FFR was written into the Constitution's First Amendment. valerief Apr 2015 #53

Yeah, I think that is what FFRF lawsuits are based upon goldent Apr 2015 #54

They're probably scared of the fire... Blue_Tires Apr 2015 #65

I don't think you understand where this is coming from... glowing Apr 2015 #4

I think they just see yoga pants as the work of the Devil....offends their Puritan morals. Fred Sanders Apr 2015 #12

No, I'm telling you there is this long crazy town link to Hinduism thru Yoga poses/ glowing Apr 2015 #13

Which is strange because Hinduism's worship of craven idols is the closest thing there is to Catholicism. Fred Sanders Apr 2015 #14

I actually work for a couple who is Hindu...AND yes, their ceremonies remind me a lot of the glowing Apr 2015 #18

what type of closed minded hatred are you preaching????? monkeyofstick Apr 2015 #66

It's a thin line elias7 Apr 2015 #5

Its essentially sun salutations, downward dog.. Its used to increase flexablity for the kids. glowing Apr 2015 #19

Yoga predates Sikhism by thousands of years. cosmicone Apr 2015 #21

That it does, elias7 Apr 2015 #60

Unfortunately, the yoga taught in the West focuses on the poses cosmicone Apr 2015 #61

WHAT ABOUT THOSE EAST ASIAN SELF DEFENSE SCHOOLS? cynzke Apr 2015 #6

Well, about that... Bradical79 Apr 2015 #17

Well, that went down hill fast Telcontar Apr 2015 #43

May The Force Be With You, LOL! cynzke Apr 2015 #44

Yay San Diego! nt bananas Apr 2015 #7

Wait until they find out the Hindus gave us zero jberryhill Apr 2015 #9

Or that English derives from ancient Indian Sanskrit....of course they will just not believe it. Fred Sanders Apr 2015 #11

A friend of mine got into yoga TlalocW Apr 2015 #15

I'm surprised the RW self-identified christians haven't tried to outlaw soccer in schools yet. nt Zorra Apr 2015 #22

The suing fuckheads probably LOVE brain-damaging football, though. valerief Apr 2015 #23

and WWE porn fake wrestling wordpix Apr 2015 #27

Sidenote on soccer and brain damage: Arugula Latte Apr 2015 #49

Soccer, football--it's all football to me. nt valerief Apr 2015 #50

Any sport where head contact (to other players or to the ground) is possible goldent Apr 2015 #56

well, super- rather than preternatural then! but yes we've seen the fundies running MisterP Apr 2015 #26

Thanks for sharing the link. Would have missed it altogether. n/t Judi Lynn Apr 2015 #35

Torquemada Syndrome orpupilofnature57 Apr 2015 #29

Some knucklehead actually brought this suit? onecaliberal Apr 2015 #30

P.E is just as good as Yoga. Quasimodem Apr 2015 #31

They are talking about hatha yoga, right? Larry Engels Apr 2015 #32

and a hatha practitioner might well say it's religious--as religious as preparing ghee MisterP Apr 2015 #36

Yes. Larry Engels Apr 2015 #38

oh, the fundies won't be happy until sitting down is banned unless you're married MisterP Apr 2015 #39

Don't give them ideas. n/t Chan790 Apr 2015 #48

It's not even hatha yoga, just some stretching exercises from hatha yoga bananas Apr 2015 #41

They were really careful to secularize it. Larry Engels Apr 2015 #45

Christian dominionists/reconstructionists hate everything and everybody. blkmusclmachine Apr 2015 #33

oh no! next they will be teaching our little angels how to hopemountain Apr 2015 #34

Dinner forks should be outlawed immediately nolabels Apr 2015 #63

like this dembotoz Apr 2015 #37

The original 2013 ruling: "Yoga is a religious practice, but not the way that it is taught by..." bananas Apr 2015 #40

I think the courts just have to use some common sense on these cases goldent Apr 2015 #55

Yoga - the little green guy? I thought he believed in the force. 24601 Apr 2015 #57

"gateway to Hinduism" - who says stuff like that? Matariki Apr 2015 #58

"Gateway" has a nasty connotation because of "gateway drugs." Larry Engels Apr 2015 #64

It is and it isn't - can be part of a spiritual practice but doesnt have to be - like meditation can Kashkakat v.2.0 Apr 2015 #59