According to an article in the New York Times, Lord’s Gym is expanding across the country as a franchise. These Christian-focused fitness centers are meant to provide a space for Christians to work out — for purposes of staying healthy, not for vanity or for looking at members of the opposite sex.

As the article put it, “the gym offers classes including’Yogod,’ its take on yoga, and ‘Chariots of Fire,’ a spinning class. Spaghetti-strap tank tops and short shorts are not allowed, and women’s tops must cover their bottoms.”

The concept brings to mind another religion and gyms incident in which Muslim women at Harvard University asked school officials to let them have gym time and not allow men in. Seeking to remain modest, the women did not want to exercise in front of the opposite sex. Plus, they wanted to be able to work out without wearing clothing that fits the dress code (covering the hair and skin), and removing such clothing requires removing the men from the sightline. Officials agreed. But many on campus have voiced complaints, women claiming it’s sexist, men claiming it’s unnecessary.

What do you think? Is there enough temptation at the gym to warrant separate times for religious folk who wish to remain modest? Is creating a separate time or separate gym the answer?

Filed under: Christianity, Islam