Yoga Guru: Om, Gays Can Be Cured

By Julie Bolcer

The leading television yoga expert in India filed a petition challenging last week's ruling by the Delhi high court that decriminalized gay sex, saying that homosexuality is a "disease" that can be cured by yoga, reports Agence France-Presse.

Swami Baba Ramdev (pictured) filed the petition in India's supreme court, charging that the lower court erred in legalizing "unnatural sex acts." He said that the "congenital defect" of homosexuality could be treated through yoga, breathing exercises, and meditation techniques.

Last week, the Delhi high court overturned the British colonial-era ban on gay sex, but under the Indian legal system, anyone can challenge a court decision in a higher court.

Earlier this week, Suresh Kaushal, an astrologer, filed a petition to challenge the overturning of the 148-year-old ban. He claimed that the traditions of India do not permit homosexuality, and said the court decision would contribute to the spread of HIV/AIDS.

The Indian government and pro-gay groups will have an opportunity to respond to the petitions.

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Reader Comments

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Name: Derek
Date posted: 7/13/2009 5:36:00 PM
Hometown: Boston

Comment:
to PJR in Michigan: Can you please site for me some legitimate scientific study in the last 30 years that verifies homosexuality as anomalous or pathological in any way? The DSMIV removed homosexuality from its list of psychological disorders over 35 years ago, the result of scientific data compiled by the professional psychiatric community, not social lobbyists. And if by the term 'gay-agendaers', you are referring to those gay people who fought to ensure that homosexual men and women would no longer be beaten, arrested, and forced to live in fear and emotional torment, then that so-called agenda is just and their efforts and sacrifices well spent, to spite people who would continue to demonize and hate us. Concerning the Good Swami is concerned, he is clearly another religious figure who is using his power to persecute. Yogic beliefs teach love, tolerance and brotherhood, not hatred. He is another living example of the perversity of institutionalized religion.
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Name: Adrianus
Date posted: 7/13/2009 2:05:00 AM
Hometown: Northridge, CA

Comment:
Is this Yoga Guru ever went to school?
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Name: Lisa
Date posted: 7/12/2009 8:12:00 PM
Hometown: Sacramento

Comment:
Is this guy trying to sell Yoga dvds? Maybe he could om to cure his bigotry. Perhaps he could salute the sun to cure his need to interfere in the quiet lives of others. Homosexuality is not an anamoly. It has always existed. If it's not who you are fine. Leave us in peace. BTW--He'd be a great candidate for Queer Eye......
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Name: Zach
Date posted: 7/12/2009 2:20:00 AM
Hometown: Buhl, Idaho

Comment:
Don't worry about PJR. He/she is always on here ranting and raving like some old queen that hasn't gotten laid since the 70s. I starting ignoring him/her a long time ago. Funny how this yoga dude can be such a prick. Like previous posts have mentioned, look at some of the temple art. You could say he's being blasphemous to his own religon then. :O
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Name: Paul
Date posted: 7/11/2009 11:56:00 PM
Hometown: New York

Comment:
To the homophobe in Michigan: what the hell are you doing on the Advocate site? You should pack your stupid nonsensical rants and take them to the fake swami in India and you two can stay in the closet together and have a gay old time. Face it, PJR - you've lost the argument. We're here, queer and we won.
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Name: Jacob
Date posted: 7/11/2009 8:12:00 PM
Hometown: Boca Raton

Comment:
Oh Christ, here we go again! I wonder how much he charges for the snake oil?
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Name: dave
Date posted: 7/11/2009 7:56:00 PM
Hometown: austin

Comment:
The real question is that beard attached with glue or is it more like a mask with a cord tied around behind his head?
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Name: Ginelle
Date posted: 7/11/2009 7:14:00 PM
Hometown: British Columbia, Canada

Comment:
And next the Sanderson Sisters are going to do a little Hocus Pocus whilst dancing around a caldron full of homosexuals - that is if this swami thing doesn't work out! It is totally amazing, and sad really, that so many people are still so taken up with all these voodoo practices and incantations in attempt to rid one's being of what they perceive to be evil. People are born homosexual just as they are born heterosexual - you cannot take away or "cure" your natural self. Any attempt to do so always ends in failure but try and get this across to any of these people is a complete waste of time as they are so brainwashed and hypnotized that they have lost all sense of reality.
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Name: Frank
Date posted: 7/11/2009 12:44:00 PM
Hometown: New York City

Comment:
Some of the best sex I've had has been with yoga instructors!
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Name: Mario
Date posted: 7/11/2009 12:39:00 PM
Hometown: Portland

Comment:
I'd like to shove my foot up his lower chakra!! I am so sick and tired of hearing people say that LGBT people are "sick", I know plenty of heterosexual people who are cruel, nasty and abusive to their partners and I could easily say that theyre sick BUT sexual orientation is not a disease!!

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