Tai Chi martial art banned from church hall for being "unchristian"

London, March 19 (ANI): Members of a Tai Chi class claim they have been banned from the use of a church hall because their martial art was not deemed to be unchristian.

About 20 regulars at the weekly class had been meeting at the All Saints' Church Hall in Totley, Sheffield, for nearly five months.

According to vicar, the Rev David Rhodes, Tai Chi was drew upon the Taoist faith and the church had no knowledge what the class was about when the booking was first taken.Our understanding is that the basis of Tai Chi is an Eastern religion and from the church's point of view that isn't something that we want to be involved in," the Telegraph quoted him as telling the Sheffield Telegraph.

He added that the decision was taken by the church leadership team.

However, the group, comprising mainly older women, said they only took up Tai Chi - which involves slow movements and controlled breathing - to stay healthy.

"Some of the older people were very upset about it. They say they're just doing exercises and being healthy, it's got nothing to do with religion," Jennie Street, from the Totley Residents Association, said. (ANI)