LifeWay.com Removes Pro-Yoga References
by Bud Press, Director
Christian Research Service
October 18, 2007
Once again, the folks at LifeWay.com have demonstrated their ability to remove materials promoting Hindu paganism from their online website.
After discovering a photo of a woman performing a Yoga pose on LifeWay.com, Christian Research Service wrote the following letter to LifeWay's Senior Media Relations Coordinator, Shirley Richardson:
October 17, 2007
Shirley Richardson, Sr. Media Relations Coordinator
LifeWay Christian Resources
One LifeWay Plaza
Nashville TN 37234
P: (615) 251-2902
Dear Shirley:
I am writing concerning the photo of the woman on LifeWay's Health and Wellness page at http://www.lifeway.com/lwc/mainpage/0,1701,M%253D200728,00.html .
The woman in the photo, which accompanies the article, "20 Steps to Looking Good, Feeling Great," is performing what is called a half spinal twist Yoga posture ( http://www.lifeway.com/lwc/images/lwcI_teaser_26483_exercise_woman.jpg ), which is almost identical to the photo of the woman on the Yoga Center of California website at http://www.yogacenter.org/index.htm .
Another example of the posture may be viewed at http://www.yogashop.co.za/ ). A lengthy listing of Yoga poses or postures may be reviewed at the Santosha Shop at http://www.santosha.com/asanas/ .
Two questions please:
1. Where did the LifeWay photo originate?
2. Since Yoga and its postures are rooted in Hindu paganism, why is the photo on LifeWay's website in the first place?
Thank you, Shirley. I look forward to your reply.
Sincerely in Christ,
Bud Press, Director
Christian Research Service
Jude 3
One day later, the photo of the woman performing the Yoga pose disappeared ( click here ), and was replaced with a photo of a woman jogging to beat the band ( click here and scroll down to the same article, "20 Steps to Looking Good, Feeling Great").
Way back in June 2007, Christian Research Service published the article, "LifeWay's Fitness Expert Promotes Yoga." Among other things, the article pointed out that Branda Polk (LifeWay's fitness expert), promoted Yoga in her article, "Develop an Intentional Exercise Plan."
But in a surprising move, while Polk's article is still available on LifeWay.com's website, the word "yoga" has been removed. Here are the paragraphs, before and after:
Before: "Flexibility training or stretching can be performed everyday and can be as simple as bending, reaching, and stretching at home, to taking yoga or a stretching class at a fitness center" (see "LifeWay's Fitness Expert Promotes Yoga" at http://www.christianresearchservice.com/LifeWayYoga.htm ).
After: "Flexibility training or stretching can be performed everyday and can be as simple as bending, reaching, and stretching at home, or even a stretching class at a fitness center" ( http://tinyurl.com/2lzjeg ).
While it only took the folks at LifeWay 111 days to make the change, how many people were deceived before the change took place?
Nevertheless, Branda Polk is still listed as a Certified Pilates Instructor at the infamous Germantown Baptist Church, where Yoga is welcomed and has become a way of life.
As with other Southern Baptist churches, Germantown Baptist Church has fallen prey to deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons (1 Timothy 4:1-2).
As of this writing, while site-searches on LifeWay.com's website revealed no favorable references to Yoga, the question that must be asked is:
Will LifeWay publicly repent and apologize for favorably promoting Yoga on its website?
For further information on how Yoga and the New Age Movement have infiltrated the Southern Baptist Convention, please refer to the following webpages:
