Should Christians be boxers?

King James---Boxing is a sport----all be it, a rough, rough one!!! I have heard that Evandor Holyfield is a Born Again Believer----but I ain't gonna step in the ring with that man-----Know what I mean?? I've also heard someone say that George Foreman is a Born again believer.

No where in the Bible does it say Christians cannot participate in that sport---wanna go a few rounds with me????

 

Its always been my favorite sport. The Apostle Paul even uses it as an illustration.

I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air: I Cor 9:28

 

More important should Christians WEAR boxers?

 

Yes, that or boxer-briefs. Tighty whities should be outlawed.

 

I hope it is not true that Christians should be boxers, because I don't have much desire to get punched in the face.

I think it's kind of odd to intentionally hurt someone as a sport, but since the other guy is game for it and they try not to cause lasting harm I suppose there is no reason against it.

 

Yes, that or boxer-briefs. Tighty whities should be outlawed. </font>[/QUOTE]Especially after seeing that photo of Saddam Hussein in his. WMD = Whities of Mass Destruction.

 

I knew we'd find some WMD!

 

I used to enjoy watching boxing. I was a high school wrestler and as an adult took a couple of years of karate. So, I was very much gung ho about the manly art of self defense. Then one night I was watching a boxing match between a fighter named Duk Koo Kim (sp?) and Ray "Boom Boom" Mancini. It was a good match with Mancini knocking Kim out. I found out later that Kim had died from blows inflicted during the match. It then dawned on me that I had just enjoyed watching one man kill another man and I have never watched another boxing match. If you think about it, the main purpose of the event is to watch one man give another man a brain concussion (knockout). It is a deal breaker for me that the intent of the whole sport is to injure the other person. Willingness of both parties is irrelevant to that.

 

I remember the fight with Ray Mancini. It was very tragic.

I used to box in the Army, and I have always enjoyed the sport, but I have struggled with the violence since I was saved. I rarely watch it anymore, but mainly because I don't have the time.

For the record, I have read there are many more head injuries (concussions) in soccer and in (American) football, than in boxing. I have never independently varified that, however. Deaths are rare, but injuries are often.

George Foreman retired after his fight with Ali (The rumble in the jungle?) in the mid-late 70's, where he had been knocked out (Ali used the "rope-a-dope" to tire him out). He had been an angry, terrifying fighter that many were afraid to fight. He was the "Mike Tyson" of the 70's.

After the Ali fight, he was converted to Christianity, (that very night if I remember right) and became a pastor of a Church down south somewhere, maybe Georgia. In the late 80's, weighing 300+ pounds, he began to fight again to earn money for his church (they were experiencing financial problems I think).

He was a completely different persona in and out of the ring. Before, he was brooding and angry. Now, he was light hearted and humorous. He was a novelty fight for a while, but continued to win. He got himself into "fighting weight" at about 250-260 lbs. He won the heavyweight championship with a final round knockout (I can't remember the kid's name) but then lost it to Tommy Morrison by decision.

He does appear to be a genuine Christian, at least in his attitude and conduct. I haven't heard him speak of any specific doctrine.

Evander Holyfield has claimed Christ from the beginning, but has had some personal failings. He was "healed" of a heart problem by Benny Hinn after a championship loss to Riddick Bowe. It was a "documented" healing in that doctors had diagnosed him with this heart problem, which ended his career, and then afterward they said he no longer had the heart problem. He went on to fight Mike Tyson to win the championship.

Mike Tyson has claimed to be a Christian and a Muslem. I don't know what he claims to be right now.

 

Just because Paul used Greco-Roman wrestling illustrations does NOT mean that God would condone the "sport" of beating on another man.

That is utterly ridiculous.

No "christian" should be in a sport like this, whether it be boxing, judo, karate or whatever.

Whatever happened to the peaceable fruit of the Spirit of God?

My, My, My, My..........


In HIS service;
Jim

 

av1611jim writes:

No "christian" should be in a sport like this, whether it be boxing, judo, karate or whatever.
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Jim,
Does that include any sport in which there might be an injury? How about football? Some consider it a brutal sport. Had my nose smashed in a basketball game by a flying elbow. Did you ever play baseball and have the imprint of the stitches embedded on your thigh from a fastball that got away? I have never competed in judo or karate but I understand they are "controlled competition" events.
As for boxing, I enjoy watching the amateurs in the Olympic trials and the Olympics. Three round fights, headgear, and heavy gloves cut down on the injuries. However, I lost all interest in pro boxing years ago. I also remember the Mancini fight. He was never the same after that.