The FaithWalker's Daily -- Jan. 7: California Yoga Classes, Our Spending Addiction, Kansas Sperm Donor

The FaithWalker’s Daily is a quick review of key news stories of the day from the perspective of a conservative Christ-follower living in, but not of, the world.

Yoga Classes in California Public School Raises Separation Issue

The Basics —

The Encinitas Union School District K-6 elementary schools in San Diego North County began taking Ashtanga yoga in the fall. The program is scheduled to expand now in January. Some parents are taking legal action, claiming yoga introduces religious teaching into their children’s public school education.

Dig Deeper:

Via ABC News: The original October story which I pointed out a while back. Key graph from Attorney Dean Broyles: “The poses and positions are acknowledged by Ashtanga and Hindi yoga as forms of worship and prayers to Hindu deities,” he told ABC News. “They have a spiritual and religious meaning behind them.”
Via The Huffington Post, the program is funded by a yoga group. “The program was launched at half of the district’s schools over the last couple months thanks to a $533,000 grant from the Jois Foundation, an Encinitas-based group that promotes Ashtanga Yoga.”
Local columnist for The North County Times Brigid Brett says this: “I feel sorry for the kids whose parents are allowing their unfounded fears of “the other” to get in the way of their well-being. These parents may want to consider that Hindus do not proselytize and that a Hindu child stands a far greater chance of being converted to Christianity than the other way around. They also may want to consider that religion is not a part of these classes at all and that the program has been stripped of all religious aspects, as Assistant Superintendent David Miyashiro has made clear…. We are living in an era when children are overstressed, overbombarded by technology and overmedicated. Who wouldn’t want their children to be able to calm themselves in a safe and natural way?”

A Few Thoughts…

Brigid misses the point here with her commentary. Imagine this situation with Christian characters. Imagine that a class on meditation were being required for all students based on the wisdom of Proverbs from the Bible. The program would, of course, be stripped of all its religious aspects (as if that were possible). It is being funded by an outside group known as the Center for Better Living through Wiser Thinking. In this stressful, fast-paced world, who wouldn’t want their kids to learn a little bit of time-tested wisdom of the ages? The fact is, we all know how this would end. That’s not to say that yoga stretching, etc. cannot have physical value. But the fact is that education is not, and cannot be neutral.

If the fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, then knowledge cannot be neutral.

Photo via: http://preparetovote.wordpress.com/category/uncategorized/

Mitch McConnel Says “Let’s Deal with the Debt”

The Basics —

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell said Sunday that it’s time to deal with the national debt and our “spending addiction” now that taxes have been dealt with.

Dig Deeper:

Via ABC News: McConnell says taxes were never the problem. “Why we end up in these last-minute discussions is beyond me. We need to function,” McConnell said. “I mean, the House of Representatives, for example, passed a budget every year. They’ve passed appropriation bills. The Senate Democratic majority and the president seem to like these last-minute deals.”
Via The Washington Times: House Minority Leader Pelosi says President Obama can raise the debt limit whenever he wants. “We always passed the debt ceiling when President Bush was president, as he was incurring these massive debts, and the Republicans weren’t saying ‘boo’ at the time,” Pelosi said of the expected February standoff. “If I were president, I would use the 14th Amendment, which says that the debt of the United States will always be paid.”
In related news, Obama supporters seem shocked that their taxes just went up. Imagine that.

A Few Thoughts…

No, Ms. Pelosi, we were not incurring “these massive debts” when George Bush was President. Too much debt? Yes. This much? Not even close. McConnell is right. Spending is the problem. And there is no plan from the President to address that problem. By waiting until the last minute, Democrats are creating a crisis situation that gives them political leverage. If our leaders found themselves in the parable of the talents, I strongly suspect that what they have would be taken from them and given to another.

We can’t always get what we want.

Sperm Donor for Lesbian Couple Must Now Pay Child Support

The Basics —

In a somewhat icky tale in Kansas, the courts are holding a sperm donor liable for child support after the lesbian couple split up, leaving the child’s mother in dire financial straits.

Dig Deeper:

Via CNN, the rest of the story, my apologies for too much information. After all, it is CNN.
Via Hot Air, a little perspective and legal analysis saying that guy should have used an attorney and all that.
Sage thoughts from John Gardner that might apply here:

No system of social arrangements, no matter how cleverly devised, no matter how democratic in character, is adequate to preserve freedom unless it is undergirded by certain habits and attitudes which are shared by members of the society.

A Few Thoughts….

Such is the tangled web we weave when we step away from Biblical wisdom and into a strange, new world where marriage is defined by man and not God. Some are arguing that this case is a good reason why we need marriage revised as a legal institution to accommodate such arrangements. I would argue that it is a good reason to stick to God’s clear instructions on marriage, the family, and sexual behavior to insure all are protected. His commands are evidence of his love and protective care, not oppressive burdens placed upon us by a harsh dictator.