-
8/12/2019 1989 Issue 6 - The Christian and the Martial Arts -
Counsel of Chalcedon
1/3
m
er the last two decades, the
Martial Arts have captured
the imaginations
of
our
chil
dren and the interest of
millions of adults.
And
Hollywood is
one
of
the reasons. Martial Arts choreo
graphers supply the motion picture in
dustry with almost endless ways for the
hero to take revenge on the bad guys
(since revenge seems to be the current
box-office money-maker).
The
skills
and abilities of the movie Martial Artist
are
therefore greatly exaggeratedformax
imum effect, as the hero defeats a dozen
weapon-carrying attackers using the
flashiest flying, spinning,
jump
kicks
possible.
The
outcome is usually the
same -- the underdog wins -- and wins
big, as attackers find themselves being
kicked through walls, and flipped off
the edge
of
buildings.
As
a
result
of the mental
image
of
Black
Belts painted
by
the motion pic
tures,
some
of the audience
seek
out the
nearest Martial Arts school in hopes
that they will learn some of what they
have seen at the movies -- "just in
case". But, in real life, does the karate
student (perhaps
your
child) always
win
like the "karate kid" eventually does?
Are the Martial rts as harmless as
they
are made
to appear, or is there
something potentially harmful to us or
our children? Can they simply be placed
in a category
of
good exercises such as
running
or
swiJPllling?
Should
the
Christian allow
h s
children to
email
in
a Martial Arts school? Should the Chris
tian adult become involved in Martial
Arts
and
to what extent? Does the Bible
give us any guidelines?
To begin answering these questions,
we need, ftrst, to define "Martial Arts."
"Martial Arts" is a collective term mean
ing "arts of war". It is generally
used
to
refer
to
various Oriental "arts
of
war,"
such as Chinese Kung Fu,
Tai
Chi,
Kemp; Okinawan Karate; Japanese
Jujitsu, Judo, Sumo, Ninjitsu, and
Aikido;
and
Korean TaeKwonDo and
Hapkido. But this list
by no
means ex
hausts all styles of martial arts,
or
even
their countries of origin. There is even
an
"American" style similar to Thai
kick-boxing. Although these are all
referred to as Martial Arts, they are all
different in form, origin, history, and
philosophy. Although they are differ
ent, there is a common thread running
through
most types
of
Martial
Arts
to
which we must
now tum
our attention.
The
frrst obvious similarity is that
most Martial Arts are considered arts.
This is to say that the practice
of
the
techniques
can be an artistic expression,
similar
to
ballet. Certainly there is
no
Biblical prohibition of
art;
in fact, we
are
commanded
to
do
all that
we
do
to
the glory of God
(I
Cor. 10:31; Col
3: 17). Knowledge
of
anything; includ
ing self-defense, does
not
originate with
man, but comes from God and may
either be used to His Glory
or
misused.
Psalm 144:1 reads: "Blessed be the
LORD my strength, which teacheth my
hands
to
war, and my fingers to fight."
Secondly, all Martial
Arts
claim to
teach self-defense.
The
question then
arises: Is self-defense wrong? And for
the Christian that question must be
resolved
on
the basis
of
Biblical precept
and principle.
As
a matter of fact, there
are
many examples in Scripture
of
vari
ous forms of defense. Armies trained
themselves for battle, in some cases in
obedience
to
the command of the Lord.
One army of "choice men"
of
the tribe
of
Benjamin had seven hundred left
handed men who could sling stones
at
a
hair breadth
and not
miss (Judg. 20:16).
Obviously, they learned this from some
one,
and
they practiced
what
they had
learned.
B
ut did not Christ say
to
tum the other cheek (Matt.
?:39)?
But
then is
~
i b ~ e
mtemally contradictory m
this matter? Clearly not, for it teaches
that there is a proper time for both self
defense and turning the
other
cheek.
Ecclesiastes 3:8 teaches us
that
there is
A time
to
love, and a time ot hater a
time
of
war, and a time of peace."
The Counsel
of
Chalcedon July, 1989 p ge 12
Thus, there come times in which we
must
lay
down our lives for Christ's
sake
and
for
our
brother's sake. Of
course, this will require Bible-based;
Spirit-sanctified wisdom (John 17:17)
as to n o w ~ we should do so.
Certainly, we are not to stand by and
watch as someone else is attacked, for
the Sixth Commandment, though
phrased in the negative, implies the
positive: "Thou shalt make alive," i.e.
to promote life. And since life is a gift
from God (Gen. 2:7; Job 33:4; Acts
17:25), should we give
it
to anyone
who would take it from us? Do we not
have a responsibility
of
defense here?
To be sure, God has given us minds for
thinking, legs for running, and, if
necessary, strength for defense. Paul
saved his own life when he was lowered
out of the city in a basket, thereby
enabling his own ministry to continue
(2 Cor. 11:33). And an obvious refer-
nce
to
defense is contained in Exodus
2:2, where a thief breaks in, the home
owner kills him, and God declares that
the homeowner is
not
guilty
of
murder.
But, sadly, the Martial Arts do not
claim merely to be a form
of art
or of
self-defense. Many types
of
Martial
Arts claim to be a "way of life." Herein
lies the real danger, for this is a reli
gious
claim
. Christianity is our only
way
of life (John 14:6; Matt. 16:24ff)-
this is why early Christianity was
called "the way" (Acts 9:2; 19:23;
24:14,22). Instead
of
directly claiming
to
teach a way of life, the "benefits" of
studying the art are often claimed in
stead. They teach "patience" and "self
control"; they "build character," "self
confidence", and "self-esteem".
Be not deceived. They are saying that
involvement in the Martial Arts will
produce, in essence, the fruit of the
Spirit. And it does so while the student
is concentrating on himself Only a con
version to Christianity, however, pro
duces the fruit of the Spirit. We are to
put
our
confidence in God, not our
selves (Prov. 14:26 . We are to reflect
the
mind
and character
of
Christ (I Cor.
2:
16 , not
attempting to build
our
own
character apart from Him. And we are
to
esteem others more highly than our
selves (Phil. 2:3); not desperately try
ing to build our self-esteem (or that of
our
children). Despite the emphasis on
S( lfesteem today; even
by
Christian
pSychologists, it is
not
a Biblical con-
-
8/12/2019 1989 Issue 6 - The Christian and the Martial Arts -
Counsel of Chalcedon
2/3
cept Too
much
self-esteem is man's
problem
Some Martial Arts schools even go
beyond the inward "way of life" teach
ings and are more overtly religious.
Many, in fact, are closely associated
with Shintoism
or
Zen Buddhism.
Some have elements
of
pagan worship
of
ancestors or goddesses with all the
helps: shrines, incense, idols, and medi
tation (not on
the word
of
God, but on
emptying the mind, or becoming "one
with the universe").
Yet, like the "way
of
life" idea, these
things are often taught as something
else. Ancestor worship is taught
as
"showing respect" for past "masters" of
the art-- some schools are in a habit of
bowing to their pictures. Meditation is
taught as "a technique for relaxation".
But this inward meditation is the
reverse ofChristian meditation on God
Almighty and His Word (Psa.
1:2).
Their
goal
is
to the mind, rather
than to
fill
it
with the knowledge
of
God (Eph. 5:18).
11
ny of
the other practices
within the Martial Arts are
passed off as "tradition".
It
is interesting
to
note that
the
same things done in American
schools are often done in the Oriental
Martial Arts schools, but as religion,
not tradition. Most of the Japanese arts
practice zen, which seems to be a fas
cination with meaninglessness, non
sense,
or
the absurd.
For
example,
"meditate on the sound of a one-handed
clap." Of course, this irrational absurdi
ty fits well with this, as with any, non
Christian worldview.
t the
root
of
the "way of life" and
religious aspects of the Martial Arts are
a number of theological errors, such as
the Chinese concept of Yin Y ang, for
instance. Yin/Yang goes back
to
the
idea of the ultimate duality
of
nature,
much like "the force" in the Star Wars
movie, having a good side and a dark
side. These ideas sometimes are re
flected in the techniques themselves,
not just the words spoken. Some
schools teach the us
of
"chi" (Chinese),
or ki
(Japanese), an internal force
thought to increase striking power, or
effectiveness in defense. Incredible feats
are atlributed to those who are profi
cient in controlling
t
Hence, we see
the exaggerated "superhuman" abilities
of
the stars in some
of the
Martial
Arts
films. These are based on legends
of
past Martial Artists, who are thought to
have mastered the use of ki . Little is
known of the origin of "ki", even by
those who claim to be experts in its
use.
In
addition to the theological errors, a
high premium is placed on human
"words
of
wisdom".
I
remember seeing
the words "There are
no
absolutes"
framed in one Karate school. The name
of a well-known high-ranking instruc-
tor's name was underneath them. This
is part
of
the problem. The highest
ranks, the leadership, in the Martial
Arts
have a non-Christian (or anti-Ciuis
tian) worldview, and they expect their
students to adopt
i t
In
addition to various philosophies,
theological errors, and "words of wis
dom," numerous superstitions are
taught. Inanimate objects, such as
weapons used by past teachers, are
thought
to
contain some part
of
the
"spirit" of the person. Therefore,
the
objects are treated with awe and respect
beyond the normal care one would have
for a rare historical artifact (such as
George Washington's sword).
t
one
well-attended Karate seminar, an in
structor actually claimed to have the
spirit of a dead instructor inside him. t
the opening
of
another school, the
spirits
of
past instructors were thought
to be present. Is this merely tradition?
Or is it overt ancestor worship?
There is
at
least
one
Martial Art
which adopts "ways
of
death" as its
"way
of
life". This
art,
Ninjitsu, parts
company with most other Martial
Arts
being primarily for attack, rather
than defense. Ninjitsu was originally a
Japanese art that was taught
to
a group
of
assassins, called Ninja. They were
trained from an early age
to
be mur
derers.
If
caught, the Ninja committed
The author, Bob Nance,
Is
a 5tb degree Black Belt
In Oldnawan Karate.
suicide by slicing up his own face
beyond recognition, so that his identity
wpuld remain a
secret
A few years ago,
Ninjitsu began
to
be taught
to
the gen
eral public, hence the fascination with
this "new" Martial rt form in Holly
wood. As a result, we are experiencing
"Ninja-mania" right now, from Ninja
outfits and weapons,
to
videogames
and
motorcycles.
As remarkable as it may seem, we
have only touched
on
a few
of
the
mOre
common problems associated with Mar
tial
Arts.
There are other matters which
are unique
to
certain styles, and even cer
tain schools. Unfortunately, most sys
tems are saturated with one
or
more of
the above. So let us turn our attention
to the question
of
the involvement
of
a
Christian in the Martial Arts It would
be easy
to
avoid involvement in the
The Counsel
of
Chalcadon July, 1989 page 3
-
8/12/2019 1989 Issue 6 - The Christian and the Martial Arts -
Counsel of Chalcedon
3/3
Martial Arts by sayiitg when in doubt,
throw '
it
out But
1s
that what should
be
done?
11
, re commanded tO share
our faith in all areas
of
life
artd the Christian may
w e ~ l
. fmd numerous opporturu
ties in the Martial Arts tO share his
faith. Martial Arts schools are filled
with a
number
of
people trying to.fill
the void in their lives with activities. In
light of this, it could serve as a good
mission field for the Christian who is
armed
with the Word of God.
Beyond
that even,
it
provides an opportunity for
a discerning Christian
to
call his less
perceptive brother
or
sister in Christ to
a
deeper
level of conunitment.
Despite these possible good motiva
tions for the Christian, Martial Arts
schools ate ~ e n e t a J l y
no
place for cbil
ID:sm
As far
as
possible, our covenant
children should
be
protected from un
righteous influences in their lives, such
as those mentioned above. When they
are physically, mentally, emotionally,
and spiritually mature, then they may
be ready for this difficult challenge.
So is it possible for a Christian to
practice Martial Arts without being dis
obedient to Christ? Perhaps, but only if
he has (
1)
a carefully maintained and
perceptive Biblical wotldview and (2) a
conscientious
and
dedicated Christian
Join us in the
Worship of God
chalcedon
Presbyterian
Church
The Rev. Joseph C. Morecraf't, ill,
Minister
Sunday School-9:45 a.m.
Morning Wo:rship-10:55 a.m.
Sunday Evening-6:00 p.m.
7901 Roberts Drive (comer of
Roberts Drive
Spalding Drive,
one-half mile south
or he
o r t h r i d ~ e exit
[#3]
off high
w ~ y
400)
Dunwoody,
GA
Phone (404) 396-0965
instructor. Otherwise, it would be
diffi-
cult,
if not
impossible.
When
a person
enters a Martial Arts school, he usually
enters a different culture, where the law
is the Black Belt. Beginner students
in
Martial Arts sch()()ls are expected to
conform to the traditions being taught
and the niies o the school. Those who
do not follow the rules and traditions
are
asked
to le
ave. So the Christian
may
not
have the opportUnity to be phy
sically involved for long, even though
physical invoivement
may
not
be
neces
sary in order to have an influence.
Aside from the above, there are phy-
sical risks as well. Practice
of
the Mar
tial Arts, if n< under the strictest safety
precautions, can result in serious in
. jury. The popular
c a l l e d
foam safety
equipment is only minimal protection,
and may even invite a lack
of
control.
It
would be rare for a Mart ial Arts student
over the course of several years not to
experience some type
of
injury, perhaps
a permanent one, although
most
would
be minor. ln addition, there is a
risk
that the instructor may
be
unqualified to
teach, much less protect students from
injury. Anyone can mail-order a Black
Belt and
have an official-looking certifi
cate made. Moreover, some (but, thank
fully, not all) schools push students to
p a r t i c i p ~ e
.in tournaments, which usual
ly place the student at the mercy of the
. rules (ar
lack
of them) of often un-
Knowledge Liberty
(I Cor. 8:1-l3)
Compelled to Preach
the Gospel I
(I Cor. 9:1-18)
Doing Everything
for
the
Sake of the Gospel
The Counssl
of
Chalcedon
July
1989
page
14
known instructors; I have seen people
knocked out in light contact tourna
ments, and little boys kicked in the
groin full force with no penalty in
point karate matches. One feinale
Black Belt
I know of has had several
operations ott her jaw as a result
of
a
blow received in a light contact tour
nament.
There are, however, some schools
which allow the student
to
practice for
exercise and limit the amount of free
fighting required in his class. But rtlost
schools expect their students to practice
whatever the instructor says
and
every
thing he says.
t present, there may
be
few
Christian Martial Arts in-
structors who have recog
nized the above problems
with their systems. Instructors want to
believe the best about a system that
they have studied and-practiced for
ten
to twenty years or longer. Yet, a chal
lenge to answer some questions about
the traditions and practices may be all
that is needed to encourage additional
study
and
possible change. Every Mar
tial Art has Black Belts of very high
rank called Masters or
even
Grand
masters, which titles
are
based (usually)
on proficiency and years of study. These
men
are
honored and exalted. Yet, few
schools give Jesus Christ His rightful
place
as
absolute Lord, the One who
has been given all authority in heaven
and
on earth. Martial rts schools ate
not
independent of His authority
and
should not
be
operated as
if
they were.
Therefore, i you know Christian Mar
tial Artists, share a copy
of
this article
with them. See the instructor
if
pos
sible. A few w e l l ~ s p o k e n words at the
right time and in the right place
make a difference.
About
the
author: Bob Nance became a
Christian in
1978{
shortly after receiving his
second degree B ack Belt
iil an
Okinawan
style
of
Karate.
He
was the
Mississippi State
Karate Champion
in
Kata and
WeaPQns in
1979 and 1980, later a Director
of
the Missis
sipP.i
Karate Association and
an
official of the
PiOfessional
Karate
Association.
Now at 33
Y.ears of age, Bob is a
5th
degree Bla& Bell
A.pproximate_ly
two
years ago, he j>egan
aSking
questions
about
Martial
Arts
m he
light of
lhe
Bible.
This
article is one of
the
results: He lives
with
his wife, Lise',
in
Con
w ~ y S.C. . T ~ e y are exP-ecting their first
chjld. Bob lS Drrector oflnformafion systems
at Conway H o ~ p i t a l and
h.as
his
own
COqlJ>Uterconsulting/programnung
company,
NEWUFE Software. .
