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Tai Chi ban vicar criticised by group
A VICAR who banned a Tai Chi exercise class for elderly people over fears it is "anti-Christian" has been criticised by enthusiasts in Scarborough.
The popular keep-fit class was kicked out of All Saints’ Church hall in Sheffield because of its links with the Taoist religion.
Gloria Axham, who is 78, runs three similar classes in Scarborough, two of which are held at St Columba’s Church hall in Dean Road.
She said she is now thinking of changing the name of her freestyle Tai Chi group after a number of its members became worried their club could face a similar fate.
“Everyone has been talking to me about it, but it’s just a good way to keep fit. It’s not blasphemous at all,” said Mrs Axham, who teaches 60 women, some of whom are in their 80s.
“We all need to exercise and various doctors have said to us that Tai Chi-based exercises are beneficial at our age. The slow movements are more manageable for people with arthritis.
“I know not every member of the church is against it, but some do get a bee in their bonnet and I don’t understand why.”
Howard Gibbon set up the East West Taoist Association, which is based in Scarborough, in 1999. The group has 450 members throughout northern England and runs 55 Tai Chi classes.
Around 10 years ago, one of Mr Gibbon’s groups was stopped from using a church hall in Scarborough by its former Vicar.
He said: “Many people regard Taoism as a religion, but the sort of Taoism I subscribe to is more of a thinking process based on the laws of nature - I am actually a Methodist.
“We were thrown out of a church because a Vicar said it would: ‘Let the devil in.’ I think that sort of thinking in the 21st century is absolutely staggering. It is sad in this day and age but I think it’s a minority view.
“There is an enormous amount of medical research that shows that Tai Chi helps people to recover from illness and prevents people from becoming ill in the first place.
“I’ve been practising it for 36 years and the devil hasn’t carted me off yet!”
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Weather for Scarborough
Tuesday 07 February 2012
Today
Cloudy
Temperature: -3 C to 4 C
Wind Speed: 16 mph
Wind direction: South east
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