Twitter is a great place to fight about just about anything, and though politics usually fills the bill, the past week has seen a couple of hot takes on yoga that are coming from opposite sides of the political spectrum.
Only a few days ago, we learned that yoga practitioners were indulging in cultural appropriation and contributing to white supremacy.
People who practice yoga contribute to white supremacy, professor claims https://t.co/3XQXa3YKuK pic.twitter.com/XH4A7CaDXi
— New York Post (@nypost) January 30, 2018
The New York Post reports that Shreena Gandhi, a religious studies professor at Michigan State, and Lillie Wolff, a self-described “anti-racist white Jewish organizer, facilitator, and healer,” recently co-authored a piece arguing that the explosion in the popularity of yoga among affluent white women “is part of systemic racism” built on “the labor of black people and people of the global south.”
Few white people “make the connection between their attraction to yoga and the cultural loss their ancestors and relatives experienced when they bought into white dominant culture in order to access resources,” Gandhi writes.
That was one take. Another, offered by conservative blogger Matt Walsh, was featured in The Daily Wire.
The overwhelming mockery of this piece has only further convinced me that I'm righthttps://t.co/LmmLLn8SNm
— Matt Walsh (@MattWalshBlog) February 1, 2018
Walsh writes:
So, if we follow the trajectory of yoga, we begin with pagan spiritualism, trace it through the anti-Christian counter-culture revolution, then sprinkle on a bunch of new age gibberish, and here we land with the modern day yoga class. Is it really crazy to think that perhaps this thing — with its combination of ancient paganism and new age mysticism — may not be an advisable hobby for Christians?
It's kind of amazing to see all of the Christians who think nothing of going to a yoga class. There are many excellent ways to get in shape that do not involve participating in Hindu worship.
— Matt Walsh (@MattWalshBlog) February 1, 2018
I wonder how everyone here would respond if someone came up with a workout routine based around Muslim worship practices and then a bunch of Christians flocked to participate.
— Matt Walsh (@MattWalshBlog) February 1, 2018
The best comparison for Yoga would be the Ouija board. Yes you can play it "just for fun" without any ill intent, but still you are participating in something that was designed to conjure spirits. Better to just play Monopoly or something. Why mess around with it?
— Matt Walsh (@MattWalshBlog) February 1, 2018
We’re not sure why yoga became a hot topic this week, but it did. Maybe someone turned up all of Hillary Clinton’s scrubbed emails on her yoga routines?
https://twitter.com/BridgetPhetasy/status/959211148712148994
Can't I just enjoy women wearing tight pants in peace
— David Burge (@iowahawkblog) February 1, 2018
https://twitter.com/BridgetPhetasy/status/959213220585078785
Let’s talk this out like rational human beings who just happen to hang out on Twitter of all places.
Not just extreme stupidity (though certainly that). They are also against one of the greatest things about Western civilization: looking out to the world and finding what is good, useful, lovely or smart and embracing it. https://t.co/tcL5MEJa4J https://t.co/Kuvfi7NvZl
— Jonah Goldberg (@JonahDispatch) February 2, 2018
Embracing it? Don’t you mean CULTURALLY APPROPRIATING it, Mr. Goldberg?
If you’re wondering why Twitchy is covering yoga, check this out: both “Big Sick” star Kumail Nanjiani and the Church of Satan weighed in on Walsh’s take:
https://twitter.com/kumailn/status/959118527566299136
The Ouija board was designed as a fun party game and only later had "spooky" connotations added. Calling yoga "Hindu worship" is completely ignorant. Matt Walsh is a superstitious buffoon who apparently can't do a google search. https://t.co/XCo7VHk4r2
— The Church Of Satan (@ChurchofSatan) February 1, 2018
I know everyone is dragging that guy on Twitter over his Bad Yoga Opinion and yes it was bad & silly but let me tell you, folks, you might be surprised at how often you hear that opinion voiced among midwestern evangelical Christians. It does not come out of nowhere.
— The Nats Won The World Series (@EsotericCD) February 1, 2018
Understand: this is not meant as a defense on my part. It's just that much of the reaction is of the tenor "ZOMG this is so bonkers that nobody has ever expressed it before!" Oh no not so. I've encountered it frequently among devout evangelicals.
— The Nats Won The World Series (@EsotericCD) February 1, 2018
I'm far less inclined to mock such opinions than most among the bien-pensant Twitterati, even though I disagree with them. I think the only religious belief that should be mocked is SoulCycle (cc: @bendreyfuss).
— The Nats Won The World Series (@EsotericCD) February 1, 2018
Practicing the spiritual elements of Yoga is pagan to a Christian, doing Yoga as exercise or even meditating and praying to God through Christ while doing the exercising is NOT a pagan thing. 1st Corinthians 8 is applicable here.
— Chris Loesch (@ChrisLoesch) February 1, 2018
On the flip side, trying to ban yoga pants is the cause that will unite both sides of the aisle to fight against as one https://t.co/tD0grfpeIa
— Ben McDonald (@Bmac0507) February 1, 2018
Iowahawk likes the tight pants, Ben wants them banned — there’s no agreeing here, is there?
Wife: you should get some exercise
Me: stop pushing you white supremacy satanic cult on mehttps://t.co/Vc4MrSWL1o— David Burge (@iowahawkblog) February 1, 2018
Satan Yoga it is then I guess
— Stephen Miller (@redsteeze) February 1, 2018
This is what you see on your way to hell pic.twitter.com/HMuGpSGWeh
— Ben McDonald (@Bmac0507) February 1, 2018
No, it gets worse.
I guess yoga really is evil pic.twitter.com/hVoPzBcWVb
— Ben McDonald (@Bmac0507) February 1, 2018
No wonder she had her server scrubbed if that’s what was on it.
Related:
‘Foot in Lying Mouth’: You’ll love these hilarious #HillaryYogaPoses
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