Yes, there is a similar expression in the Bible to the one you attributed to the buddha 'But test everything. Keep what is good, and stay away from everything that is evil.'. Though in practice, you are right, such advice is often overlooked. My personal encounters with pranayama e.g. reading Iyengar's 'Light of Pranayama' are that the ritual aspects are not strongly emphasised but there is a cultural message designed to keep alive aspects of the tradition which are beneficial - in a way which could be compared to the learning of Kung Fu, where anger is the main emotional enemy of successful practice.
On a side note, I wonder what the general reception amongst the tech community is to Tesla's eccentricities e.g. opening and closing a door thrice before entering a room. Of course, these are mostly seen as expressions of OCD and ignored but I wonder if there isn't any connection between these impulses of Tesla's and his particular genius? I worry that in the process of stripping away superstitions we might accidentally take away more than we desired and lose the authentic character of progress.
On a side note, I wonder what the general reception amongst the tech community is to Tesla's eccentricities e.g. opening and closing a door thrice before entering a room. Of course, these are mostly seen as expressions of OCD and ignored but I wonder if there isn't any connection between these impulses of Tesla's and his particular genius? I worry that in the process of stripping away superstitions we might accidentally take away more than we desired and lose the authentic character of progress.