The religious right, and Pat Robertson in particular, has done much to destroy our country's ability to behave like a modern Western nation. The things that come to mind are their distain for government anti-poverty programs (at least the ones that don't use the "faith-based" community as a cash conduit), the anti-science battles against stem cell research and teaching evolution, the intentionally divisive anti-abortion nonsense and their blatent gay hatred.
But Wednesday, Pat Robertson, he who said we were attacked on 9-11 because his God hates gay people, abortionists and feminists, took intolerance to a whole new level. Robertson declared YOGA to be "scary" and unchristian because it causes one to unknowingly pray to Vishnu and Krishna. Seriously.
This stand raised several theological questions in my mind. Including the question of whether "logic" and "theology" should really be combined in the same word.
Pat Robertson was responding to a question on the evil origins of Yoga. Magnanomously (sp?), he declared that "stretching is fine." Wow, thanks Pat. But he said that when one engages in the chants associated with the relaxation part of yoga, you are unknowingly praying to Hindu gods. And this, claims Robertson, is pantheism, which is evil.
Go watch the video at the Huffington Post link above to hear the full, bizarre statement. But here's my questions for Pat. Assuming, of course, that he reguarly lurks here at dkos.
If one is unknowingly praying to an unknown entity such as Vishnu or Krishna, is this really evil? I presume that Pat does not think any god other than his exists. So if the Hindu gods don't exist, they are not "hearing" any accidental prayers. And if Pat's god does exist and is all-knowing, then won't he/she/it know that the exercizing person is not intending to pray to Vishnu? Or is Pat's god prone to leap to conclusions in some Jack Tripper-esque fashion when he catches a few snippets of yoga chants?
My take is that (a) Pat Robertson thinks all Chistians are stupid and cannot engage in Yoga without being lured into pantheism and (b) Pat Robertson thinks his god suffers from A.D.D. and is apt to misinterpret the behavior of Christians who are in good physical condition.
But stretching is OK. Praise the (correct) Lord.