Culture

Malaysia clerics issue yoga fatwa, 'Imagine No Religon' Billboard Only Lasts a Few Days in Rancho Cucamonga

by talentedchimp | November 23, 2008 at 08:55 pm

541 views | 5 Recommendations | 3 comments

Millions of people in Malaysia have been banned from doing yoga because of fears it could corrupt Muslims.

The Islamic authorities have issued a ruling, known as a fatwa, instructing the country's Muslims to avoid yoga because of its Hindu roots.

To most people yoga is simply a sport - a stress-busting start to the day.

Malaysia's National Fatwa Council said it goes further than that and that elements of the Indian religion are inherent in yoga.

Announcing the decision, the council chairman Abdul Shukor Husin said practices like chanting and what he called worshipping were inappropriate and they could "destroy the faith of a Muslim".

The ruling is not legally binding but many of Malaysia's Muslims abide by fatwas

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In my opinion, no religion has a leg to stand on.

A billboard in Rancho Cucamonga asking viewers to "imagine no religion" was taken down this week after residents and the city complained about its message. The Freedom From Religion Foundation advertisement was first installed last week causing local conversation and complaints. The pressure quickly built up and the General Outdoor sign company took it down.

The foundation's co-president Annie Laurie Gaylor was not so happy, as expressed in a statement they sent out: "Are religionists so thin-skinned they must squelch free debate? One small freethought billboard in the immense state of California is such a threat to insecure religious egos that it must be censored? With local freethinkers' help, the Freedom From Religion Foundation would love to plaster the valley with our message. Let's fight back!"

But seriously folks, these incidents only highlight the insecurities inherent in all religions. Thinking that a little diversity might trash their faith shows how shallow that faith must be. Thinking that a little imagination is a grave threat to their religion just shows how threatening a little imagination is to them.

What is particularly unpleasant is that the billboard company could be pressured to remove a bought and paid for bilboard. I hope they paid them their money back with abject apologies for their cowardice.

The hypocrisy is astounding, given the number of billboards exhorting you to find Jesus or threatening eternal torment in hell if you don't.