Just a few months after Malaysia formally banned yoga, the conservative Indonesian Ulemas Council has issued a fatwa prohibiting the practice of yoga by Indonesian Muslims. The religious edict is the latest in a series of controversial decrees, including the one banning non-Islamic banking, which resonates with Islamic revivalism in the largest Muslim country. Although the council’s rulings are not binding, they are observed by traditional segments of the society. The council, whose advice is sought by state authorities, was recently accused by Transparency International Indonesia of being one of the most financially corrupt institutions in the country, especially when it comes to taking bribes in return for issuing halal certificates for food products. Read full story here.
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Ultra-conservative clerics in Indonesia aren’t the only ones against yoga. Check out what the Revered Pat Robertson has to say about it: