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Should a Christians be Involved in Martial Arts then
- Thread starter JesusFan
- Start date
justapewfiller
New Member
Well, not all of the martial arts have anything to do with eastern religion or philosophies.
You have to remember there are a ton of martial arts systems aside from kung-fu and karate.
There are western marital arts that are for sport and/or self defense. For example, boxing, catch wrestling, savate, bbj or MMA. No eastern religion or philosophies there.
There are those have a military roots - Krav Maga, Defendu, Systema, Line system, MCMAP, etc - again not focused on eastern religion or philosophies.
Even in the east there are those that are don't really have a religious or philosophical aspect. Some systems of Malay archipelago ( Indonesia, Philippines, Malaysia) are very combat focused while others have a more religious focus.
This is just my two cents, I do not have issue with something that will teach some practical self defense along with some good character building (ie boxing, wrestling, mma, etc) but would steer away one that lean heavily into eastern philosophy, eastern religion / mysticism (Shaolin Kung Fu, Aikido, etc).
You have to remember there are a ton of martial arts systems aside from kung-fu and karate.
There are western marital arts that are for sport and/or self defense. For example, boxing, catch wrestling, savate, bbj or MMA. No eastern religion or philosophies there.
There are those have a military roots - Krav Maga, Defendu, Systema, Line system, MCMAP, etc - again not focused on eastern religion or philosophies.
Even in the east there are those that are don't really have a religious or philosophical aspect. Some systems of Malay archipelago ( Indonesia, Philippines, Malaysia) are very combat focused while others have a more religious focus.
This is just my two cents, I do not have issue with something that will teach some practical self defense along with some good character building (ie boxing, wrestling, mma, etc) but would steer away one that lean heavily into eastern philosophy, eastern religion / mysticism (Shaolin Kung Fu, Aikido, etc).
Your videw mirrors mine on this. as would avoid anything into teaching chi energies, Yoga becoming one with universe etc
Absolutely yes. I've been involved in the martial arts for almost 60 years, starting in 9th grade: wrestling through high school (yes, it's a Western martial art), judo, karate, various styles of kung fu. My primary reason was for self defense, but I get great exercise and just enjoy doing it.
There were many martial artists in the OT, and they were never condemned by the Lord. Israel's soldiers used spears, swords, slings, quarterstaffs, even the jawbone of a donkey! David gave God credit for his fighting ability: "Blessed be the LORD my strength, which teacheth my hands to war and my fingers to fight" (Ps. 144:1). In the NT, even Jesus said in John 18:36 Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence." And someday He will come with His army and physically conquer the world.
As for the Asian monism (meditation, chi/ki, and all that stuff), I have always had Christian teachers and never gotten into that stuff. There are various Christian martial arts organizations that avoid that garbage, and there are many Christian styles. I am cross ranked 2nd black in Christian styles of jujutsu and karate, and am an 8th degree black belt leading my own style of Christian kung fu.
I started out in kung fu with a Christian teacher, and got my first black belt in White Dragon Kung Fu from Mike Crane of Judo and Karate for Christ fame, an evangelist. I've done many demonstrations with Gospel presentations in four different countries, and seen many saved. Mike was one of the very earliest of the martial arts evangelists, and I thank God for him--retired now.
There were many martial artists in the OT, and they were never condemned by the Lord. Israel's soldiers used spears, swords, slings, quarterstaffs, even the jawbone of a donkey! David gave God credit for his fighting ability: "Blessed be the LORD my strength, which teacheth my hands to war and my fingers to fight" (Ps. 144:1). In the NT, even Jesus said in John 18:36 Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence." And someday He will come with His army and physically conquer the world.
As for the Asian monism (meditation, chi/ki, and all that stuff), I have always had Christian teachers and never gotten into that stuff. There are various Christian martial arts organizations that avoid that garbage, and there are many Christian styles. I am cross ranked 2nd black in Christian styles of jujutsu and karate, and am an 8th degree black belt leading my own style of Christian kung fu.
I started out in kung fu with a Christian teacher, and got my first black belt in White Dragon Kung Fu from Mike Crane of Judo and Karate for Christ fame, an evangelist. I've done many demonstrations with Gospel presentations in four different countries, and seen many saved. Mike was one of the very earliest of the martial arts evangelists, and I thank God for him--retired now.
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Actually, very few American styles go in for the mysticism, though some do. And I know one style done by the Muslims in N. China, Tan Tui, which has nothing to do with eastern religion, obviously.
By the way, you seem well informed about the martial arts. Are you a martial artist yourself?
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I don't know about that. I've heard when he does pushups he simply moves the earth away and pulls it back.
But actually, I fought in tournaments when I was a lowly green and then brown belt back when Chuck was the world full contact champ. Never met the guy, though I have met Bill Wallace, the heavyweight full contact champ, and had him insult my form once in a tourney when I was a brown belt. Bill is a real joker--and an incredible fighter.
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By the way, Chuck Norris is a born again Christian, and teaches Christian values in his classes.
In case anyone is interested, I'm attaching the PDF of a document I wrote when I was tested for 6th black. It describes Asian monism, comparing it to trichotomy. Monism is the belief that body and spirit/soul can be unified, giving the practitioner great power--the chi/ki connection in Asian belief.
In Appendix 1 I describe and debunk many of the so-called "internal energy" (chi/ki) stunts done by martial artists: the bed of nails and the like.
In Appendix 1 I describe and debunk many of the so-called "internal energy" (chi/ki) stunts done by martial artists: the bed of nails and the like.
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canadyjd
Well-Known Member
I had an instructor many years ago that spared with Bill Wallace (super foot?) at the Battle of Atlanta in the late 70’s. He said he never saw his feet leave the ground before he was hit.I don't know about that. I've heard when he does pushups he simply moves the earth away and pulls it back.
But actually, I fought in tournaments when I was a lowly green and then brown belt back when Chuck was the world full contact champ. Never met the guy, though I have met Bill Wallace, the heavyweight full contact champ, and had him insult my form once in a tourney when I was a brown belt. Bill is a real joker--and an incredible fighter.
Peace to you
Bill had a very effective way of kicking. He had a bad left knee, so he did all his kicks with the right foot. He would raise the knee the same way for a side kick, roundhouse kick and hook kick. You never knew which kick was coming!
I saw him in person fight for the championship with Joe Corley in about 1976, an Atlanta sensei who ran the tourney you mentioned. Bill was all smiles until Joe foolishly mocked him, and the match ended with a KO for Bill. I rejoiced, because I had been in one of Joe's tourneys and gotten knocked out. Head contact was illegal, so I won the match, but had to go to the hospital. Joe came up to me and asked how old I was. When I said I was 21, he said, "Good, we don't have to call your Mommy!" I went to the hospital, and had my head X-rayed. (They didn't find anything.
). Anyway, Official Karate interviewed Joe about the tourney, and he had the nerve to say there were no injuries. But I had ridden to the hospital with a van full of injured competitors! "Non-contact" tourneys were rough in those days. 
By the way, who was your teacher? There were some good schools and tourneys in that area. We were in Chattanooga.
canadyjd
Well-Known Member
Small town in SE Missouri. Woodrow Speed. He won a lot in Missouri. He also talked about the contact at the tourney in Atlanta. Brutal. He said Chuck Norris was there but didn’t compete, if I remember correctly.Bill had a very effective way of kicking. He had a bad left knee, so he did all his kicks with the right foot. He would raise the knee the same way for a side kick, roundhouse kick and hook kick. You never knew which kick was coming!
I saw him in person fight for the championship with Joe Corley in about 1976, an Atlanta sensei who ran the tourney you mentioned. Bill was all smiles until Joe foolishly mocked him, and the match ended with a KO for Bill. I rejoiced, because I had been in one of Joe's tourneys and gotten knocked out. Head contact was illegal, so I won the match, but had to go to the hospital. Joe came up to me and asked how old I was. When I said I was 21, he said, "Good, we don't have to call your Mommy!" I went to the hospital, and had my head X-rayed. (They didn't find anything.
By the way, who was your teacher? There were some good schools and tourneys in that area. We were in Chattanooga.
My brother and sister both earned black belts under Speed. My sister 2nd degree. She won 1st place forms in Memphis as a black belt. She got a samurai sword, of all things.
My brother was ranked #3 in a regional publication as a black belt. I told him that just meant two others were better just to keep him humble.
Peace to you
I was in Martial Arts about 627 yrs ago?
Can’t remember
Can’t remember
Killer of a program!
Started as a kid, huh?
Haven't heard of Woodrow Speed. Samurai sword sounds cool!
One of our black belts fought a guy with a reputation in the black belt finals in an Atlanta tournament where the grand prize was a Kawasaki motor cycle. He purposely charged in with his face wide open, hoping his opponent would be disqualified with contact to the head, and so it was. We stuffed the Kawasaki in the rear of a station wagon, and he sang their jingle all the way home; "Kawasaki makes the good times roll!"
Interesting to me that Chuck Norris got involved while in Air Force, and that he later got black belts in Judo, and Brazilian kick boxing. Got into Judo as was he got on the mat, was finished and done, so wanted a way to keep fighting, and the Brazilian technique is said to be one of the most efficient styles, at times can be brutal?
Also have heard the martial arts Israeli soldiers train under is very effective for combat?
You mean Brazilian jujutsu (BJJ), not kick-boxing. There is no special "Brazilian Kickboxing" that I know of. BJJ is mainly for competition: submission matches and MMA. Other than that, falling down on the ground when you are attacked? Not bad against one opponent when there are rules, but you're dead if there is more than one attacker. As for calling it "brutal," it is that in the sense that any MMA style is brutal--chokes, joint locks mainly. BJJ fighters in the UFC have to have extra training in striking before they are effective. Thai kick boxing (Muay Thai) is the go to art for that for many of them, or boxing--which has its limits for MMA.
Israeli Krav Maga has that reputation, but I've never trained in it so I can't say.