E.W. Jackson, black Republican Va. Lt. gov candidate, suggests yoga can lead to Satanism

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Republican lieutenant governor candidate E.W. Jackson has already shocked voters in Virginia and nationwide with his unapologetic anti-gay views; now he’s making headlines for linking yoga to Satan.

Millions of everyday Americans practice yoga for spiritual fulfillment, which apparently rubs the outspoken conservative the wrong way.

Politico reports that in his 2008 book Ten Commandments to an Extraordinary Life, Jackson argues that practicing yoga creates a void in peoples’ souls that the devil is only too eager to fill:

“When one hears the word meditation, it conjures an image of Maharishi Yoga talking about finding a mantra and striving for nirvana. … The purpose of such meditation is to empty oneself. … [Satan] is happy to invade the empty vacuum of your soul and possess it. That is why people serve Satan without ever knowing it or deciding to, but no one can be a child of God without making a decision to surrender to him. Beware of systems of spirituality which tell you to empty yourself. You will end up filled with something you probably do not want,” wrote Jackson.

Jackson’s candidacy is viewed as something of a liability for Republicans statewide in Virginia since he is sharing a ballot with their gubernatorial standard-bearer Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli.