Alumni

Alumni 'Shocked' Over Tai Chi, Yoga at Baylor University

by B.A. Moran

After reading "Lightness of Being," my jaw dropped open and I thought, "Since when does a Baptist university have teachers teaching Chinese Taoism techniques?" Have I missed something? Is this the same Baylor I attended?

Tai chi is a form of moving meditation, an internal Chinese martial art to relieve stress and balance your "chi," which is the life force of Taoism. It is yin and yang or the god of paganism and hermetics. I know a lot about this because I have done in-depth studies of the occult and pagan belief systems.

I am a Christian whose son got involved in drugs and the occult. He is now a Christian, and we have a ministry to people who get hooked into it. I also studied the Bible in-depth for more than thirty years. I know pagan when I see it!

Tai chi and yoga are being advertised as harmless exercise and health programs. Nothing could be further from the truth! Any Christian that has been involved in the occult can tell you that these are gateways to get people interested in the occult. I understand that a university has to offer secular courses, even a Baptist one; however, this is taking it a bit too far.

When I attended Baylor, I took courses in comparative religions and philosophy. We studied eastern mysticism and other theologies, but always with a Christian understanding of the differences.

I am shocked Baylor even allows this unless there is some Christian perspective being taught alongside it. What are we teaching our children? "Mantras? I am an empty cup?" Please! How Zen--and at a Baptist university, no less.

--B.A. Moran is a freelance writer and lecturer, who specializes in extensive, in-depth

research on a wide variety of topics.

--Used by permission

CRS Comments: Site-searches on Baylor University's website revealed at least 52 references to Yoga and 37 references to Tai Chi ( http://www.baylor.edu ).

Baylor University is financially supported in part by the Baptist General Convention of Texas Cooperative Program (Southern Baptist Convention, http://www.bgct.org/texasbaptists/Document.Doc?&id=4294 ).