My Type A husband walks for exercise. Because he is easily stressed, I have from time to time thought about nudging him towards a yoga class. My type A daughter twirls. That is good exercise for her now, but I've thought about yoga as an option for her when she graduates from high school. After what I have learned in the past two weeks, I am very glad that I have not pursued yoga for either of them.

I don't disagree with Dr. D'Adamo about many things, but I would strongly urge not only my family members, but any Christian, to stay away from yoga.

I have been listening to a series of interviews with Dave Hunt who wrote a book called "Yoga and the body of Christ; what position should Christians hold?" The double entendre in the title made me smile, but my smile quickly faded.

Yoga is a Hindu religious practice the goal of which is to "yoke" the practitioner to the god of the Hindus through an altered state of consciousness. It has come to the United States as an exercise program, but Hunt makes a convincing case that dabbling in this religion is dangerous.

The statement that first grabbed my attention was this: After a lecture a woman approached Hunt and said that her son used to be involved with illegal drugs, but when he started yoga, he stopped using drugs. She was thankful for yoga. Hunt said he told her that the son was in more danger now than he was before. Drugs chemically induce an altered state of consciousness, which is bad enough. But through yoga and its meditation techniques, you not only experience relaxation, but you open your mind to demonic forces. I find that to be an alarming statement!

The religious aspects of yoga are not promoted in beginner classes. But as a person advances, the mystical side becomes more and more important including repeating mantras (which are really the names of Hindu gods) and seeking spirit guides (which are demonic).

Hunt warns Christians that the word meditation is used quite differently in the Bible and in yoga. Judeo/Christian meditation is thinking and contemplating. When I meditate on the Bible, I actively use my mind to study. Meditation to Hindus is emptying the mind and allowing outside forces to come in and influence it.

Hinduism and Christianity are completely incompatible. The goal of Hinduism is self-realization or becoming a god. That is the very sin that Judeo/Christianity warns against. It is the sin of Adam and Eve -the desire to be in control, to be a god.

If you are a Hindu - I recognize your freedom to worship as you choose. However, if you are a Christian, think prayerfully before you dabble in pagan religious practices. If you have no religious faith, I urge you to fully investigate and compare the hopelessness and escapism of Eastern and New Age religions with the hope, peace and joy of Christianity.