Martial arts and Christianity?

[Turner]

How many people in this forum teach or have heard Ethics and Morality taught in their martial arts classes aside from religious implications?

Morality and Ethics are different from religion and I feel that they are subjects that should be taught in the classroom. Religion in the Martial Art classroom detracts from intention of the class, which is to teach someone how to defend themselves if a situation arises, however Morality and Ethics enhance the study of the Martial Arts because it not only teaches the students when it is right and good to use their skill and it also teaches them how to become better leaders and to have a strong character.

I've studied Goju-Ryu Karate, Tang Soo Do, Ninjitsu, Hapkido, Aikido, Shorinji Kempo and more for many years at a time and found that it was quite interesting how they claimed that they taught the students respect, integrity, and built character but never once were these topics discussed. I think morality and ethics are the instructors of Martial Arts responsibility. Who else is going to share that?
Schools? I know none of that was covered in any classes I took in school. Teachers are more interested in keeping the kids quiet and out of trouble than in being moral or ethical compasses.
Churches? This is something that the church should cover, but it seems more and more that churches are focused on telling the congregation how much God loves them and cares about them instead of telling them what is expected out of them as a human being.
Parents? These are the other people that should have the responsibility, but you can't teach what you don't know.
Role models? The Heros of the kids are sports, movie, or music stars. More often than not these heros show a serious lacking in character, morality, and ethics. Drugs, lack of integrity, and immorality run rampant.

Who is left? You are! If you teach or even are a senior student in a martial arts class, your juniors look up to you and look at you for guidance in all aspects of life. Your actions are under scruitiny and it will have an impact on the next generation. Ethics and Morality are a large part of what a warrior is all about. You have the right and the responsibility to let your students know where you stand on these issues. You have the responsibility to ensure they know what respect, integrity, and honor is all about. Make sure that you teach it in more places than bowing/shaking hands/calling elders "Sir" or "Ma'am".

Respect:
A man is stopped at a stoplight and a car pulls up next him blaring rap music so loud that the car seems like its bouncing with the rhythm. The man looks towards the car with annoyance. When the light changes he drives down the road and pulls into a gas station to get a gallon of milk. When he is almost to his car, the driver of the other car bashes him in the back of the head with the butt of the pistol and then points it to his head and shouts "Respect me, FOOL!"
This is an example of respect going awry. We all know who has the problem with respect. The first "respect infraction" is when the one turned up his music so loud. Loud music is a sign of disdain and a serious lack of respect towards all those around them. A person has the right to listen to what he wants to listen to, but his right can not infringe on anyone elses rights... In this case its the other drivers right to NOT listen to the music.
Then he has the misconception that he deserves to be respected. Why must the other respect him? He hasn't earned respect in any way. Having a gun and using violence doesn't teach respect for the person, instead it lowers the respect for the person. The only respect is for the gun or for the violence. When it comes to respect it is something that each individual should earn, but it should be automatically given all others. I'm saying that I respect you right off the bat because you've done nothing for me to lose that respect, but I don't expect you to respect me because I need to earn it. That is what respect and humility is all about. Give freely, but never expect anything to be given to you. This ties in perfectly with the next attribute of Honor; Obligation.

Obligation:
If anyone gives you anything you are obligated to repay it in some form or another. A simple rule to live by is that nothing in life is ever free... If someone gives you something without obligation to repay in some form, you should be indebted to them doubly because of it. If you can't repay the debt to them, repay it to another person or two. If everyone learns this simple principle, life would be so much better. When you give, don't expect it to be repaid. Just like respect, you should give things freely, but earn what is given to you.
Obligation and the workplace; This is an issue that I have run into time and time again. People discuss work with me and tell me that they don't work as hard as they could because they don't feel as if they are getting paid as much as they should be. This especially happens when someone finds out that someone else is getting paid more than they are. This shows a serious lack in character. You are being given something... money for performing a service. You agreed on the amount of money and so you are obligated to perform that service to the best of your ability. If you think you should be getting paid more, go look for a job elsewhere. I don't even believe in asking for a raise. If your boss thinks you deserve to make more, he'll give you a raise (if he's honest). If he's not honest or you need more money, go find another job. The only case to ask for a raise is when a change in your life situation means that you can't survive with how much you are getting paid. Then you go to your boss and let him know that you need more money or you are going to have to leave the job in search of a better paying one.
Obligation and Integrity: This two go hand in hand because you are obligated to be honest. Unless you live on a deserted isle or have really messed up in your life, there is someone that looks up to you. Because they trust that your word is honest and correct, you are obligated to them to make your word honest and correct. This applies in the workplace too. If your boss asks how much time it will take to get the project done, don't pad it, but tell him the truth. In looking for a job, don't tell them you have experience in something when you really don't. In the world of the martial arts, don't tell parents that you teach respect, integrity, and character when you really don't. Don't tell them you teach self defense when all you teach is aerobic kickboxing. Don't tell them that your class costs $50 a month when you have hidden charges like promotion tests, belts, and etc. If you can't tell, I think it is very decietful to tell someone that they have to earn a rank but turn around and charge them the promotion test. As an instructor I know that it doesn't cost much to get the certificate and the belt. I am glad to provide those for free to my students because they are already paying for my class, I am not going to charge extra for something they have earned with sweat and a little bit of blood. If you can't handle the costs of the belts and certificates, raise your monthly price to cover the costs of running your school. It might not attract as many people, but at least you're being honest when you tell people how much it costs to take your class.

Character:
What is it? I've looked all over but can't really find a good example of what character is all about... so I'll give you my point of view: "Character is the manner in which you respond to pressure."
A person with good character will demonstrate these characteristics; Authority, Service, Truth, and Potential.

-Authority: A person with good character will be a natural leader. When pressure is applied, he/she will take charge and act with authority while others only contibute to chaos.
-Service: A person with good character will put others before him/her self. He/she will lead, not for the glory, honor, or prestige, but will lead because it benifits others.
-Truth: A person with good character will be true to him/herself. He/she will do what he/she believes is right and will not sway because of the opinions of others. Always steadfast and sure.
-Potential: A person with good character will recognize that he/she has potential and will leave the comforts of the habits most of us get into in order to realize their fullest potential. He/she will be openminded enough to learn, but will not compromise personal beliefs.

Put all of these together and you've got about 1/100th of what being a warrior is all about.

Your opinions?

 

[Turner]

In response to Yari:

Good points, and no disrespect or harm done to me. My way is not better that yours. I believe eachs persons right to do what they believe best.
Bowing is against my religious convictions and so I can't do it. In my class we don't shake hands, salute, or bow in order to show respect. I don't require anyone to respect me, but I try to respect all people. If I required someone to bow, what if a Saudi Arabian muslim came to class? According to his Religion, bowing is wrong. And according to his culture shaking hands is improper? Should I require my class to do what is polite and proper in his culture... a kiss on the cheek? I couldn't because that is strange according to my culture... Wouldn't it be easier just to show respect by treating people with respect and knowing what respect is all about instead of trying to teach it through some frivilous gesture?

The only real issue I want to get across is that noone needs to be so stuck on tradition that the practices in your martial art class would be closed to a person of a certain faith. I've been turned away from classes because I can't and won't bow and that is a shame. Welcome all faiths and cultures with open arms and compromise so that everyone has the opportunity to learn from you.

 

[Yari]

Originally posted by Turner

How many people in this forum teach or have heard Ethics and Morality taught in their martial arts classes aside from religious implications?

Your opinions?

We'll it shouldn't comes as any suprise. I have been very lucky to be able to have a very good teacher, who emphesized the mental part. It's the same teacher I quota in my sig.

But I have to agree, most schools don't teach or even have an idea what they stand for.


Concerning respect. I belive in respect or no respect. Either you have it or you don't. But there is something in between. It is just accepting, and not predejuce(sp?). Because respect is based on your assumption of somebody, and they best way for me and them to interact is to be free of predejuce. But we could be talk about defining words here, so we might agree on this.

I belive that all people should have respect, no matter what. BUT, they should not nessesarly have it the way they want it. Evreybody is a individual by themselvs, having a life and reality. I don't have the right to define what is right for them. But I respect them for what they are.

Concerning obligation. That is a fixation. There are no obligations unless your belife says so. But there are consequenses. So if you react a certain way, you'll probalby get an reaction. The question is is it what you want.

This may be a question of my misunderstanding, but Truth....
I don't think it exsits. THe only thing that is, is. LIke I don't believe in greater good or evil. I think things are good /bad for people, but there is no good or bad, only consequenses.

Take care, and be true....

/Yari

 

[Kirk]

Turner, I like what you had to say, and I agree with a lot of it.

 

[Cthulhu]

In the TKD class I occasionally attend, the instructor always emphasizes showing respect to the other students in the class as well as yourself.

Cthulhu

 

[arnisador]

In this thread I posted this link to a story about a judoka who sued to be able to compete without bowing for religious reasons. She lost.

I have mixed feelings on requriing bowing in class! In the martial arts one learns about a country's culture as well as their fighting system. Yet, I wouldn't want to exclude someone who wanted to learn but had certain convictions.

 

[Yari]

Originally posted by arnisador

Yet, I wouldn't want to exclude someone who wanted to learn but had certain convictions.

Well..... depending on what it is, I would. But that would be handled already from the begining , when the person started.

These are the ground rules. You want to learn from me, or is your cup already full? I already give a lot of slack but there are places I don't slack, and one of them is bowing. If you don't bow in my class, it's the same as refusing to shake hands. But things like saying Sir og Sensei I don't mind the slack, it's not important. Titles are never important. It's they way things are doen that are important.

/Yari

 

[donald]

[Originally posted by Kirk
I challenge you to give me gospel where any prophet or Jesus acted in this way?

Sir,
First let me clarify my last post. If I offered a m.a. class, and opened it to the public. It would not be a covert
"christian" operation. My intentions, and the school/club curriculum would be presented openly, and honestly! My primary objective would be to present the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Using the m.a. training as a tool to introduce Him to those that would attend/train there. I would in no way force anyone to espouse the faith. I would present biblical truths, and include them in the criteria. Whether anyone accepted the "training" would be completely up to them. Also The Lord Jesus, healed,fed, and accepted all those who came. He did not try to trick anyone into believing, but when they came for healing etc.. He taught them The Truth, it was, and is up to the hearer to accept the healing, AND teaching, or not. I hope this has cleared up any confusion I may have caused you? Salute in Christ :asian:

 

[Kirk]

Well said sir! I read that you are currently using martial arts
to teach the gospel to those that might not enter a church. I
don't mean to offend, at all. I understood that to mean that
people will go "hey, there's a m.a. school", walk in and you're
teaching the Gospel.

 

[Yari]

To Tuner

I've been wondering how you show your respects.

1) for the person you practice with
2) To the people who made it psossible for you to pratice
3) For the people you made the system
4) For the style you pratice

Do who hand shake them all? Or salut them in some way?

HOw do you show another person respect, and not know how this person will know he's being handled with respect.

/Yari

 

[Turner]

To Yari

How I show respect for:

1) The person I practice with...
I verbally thank him/her for attending class and continually vocalize how much I appreciate them.

2) The people that made it possible to practice...
I'm not sure who that would be... If you are speaking of the people that I practice with... see nr. 1. If you refer to the person that I rent the space from... I don't know the guy that well. I just leave a paycheck on his desk.

3) The people who made the system...
Dragon Kenpo as I teach it is a Mixed Martial Art taking my experience from my Dragon Kenpo instructor, my Hapkido Instructor, My Goju-ryu instructor, My Kyokushin instructor... well, I don't want to go on forever and I wouldn't want to go on forever in class. I show them respect by passing down the information that they gifted me with.

4) The style I practice...
I show my respect by practicing the style and giving my all when I do each technique.

Words and guestures aren't how a person show respect.. Just as a Kiai doesn't need to make a sound to be a Kiai. These things are not external but come from within. I don't need words or guestures for people to see how much I respect and appreciate them. I show respect to my students by taking my job seriously and ensuring they get quality time on the floor learning how to defend themselves instead of spending a whole lot of time with formalities that in time mean little because you just go through the motions.

 

[Yari]

Thank You Tuner

/Yari

 

[Turner]

Your welcome. I hope I answered sufficiently...

Woo Hoo, we were both promoted!

 

[Battousai]

Along the lines of respect and the concept of bowing and such being against Christianity, in regards to bowing being a type of idolitry; Showing respect to others is a fundamental pillar of Christianity (1 Cor 13, loving others).
Jesus himself kneeled to his disciples and washed their feet, enacting the role of a slave. Bowing to someone else should not always be considered idolitry, it is what it means to that person, not what it looks like on the outside that determines the truth.

 

[Andi]

Hi everyone. I'd just like to say thanks to everybody who posted on this subject. I'm a christian and I'm just getting started in the martial arts (a few months of TKD) but I've only recently started asking myself questions like these. So your discussions have been very helpful. Thanks!

Andi

 

[Monkey King]

I've been a Christain since 1983. I've studied Martials since 1973.
I have gone over this question many times. Here is my summation:

The Christian populace often equates today's marial arts with that of the old hindu practice which combined prayer to other gods with combat traing.

This comes from the pseudopigraphal belief that when man sinned it caused separation from God. In the presence of God, sin would fry like bacon because there is no darkness in God only pure light and Light dispells darkness.
So God sent down angels to teach man. One of the angels, azazel, taught man how to war and make weapons of war. He taught man the warfare of the angels. Which God did not want man to learn....hence azazel is now locked up in chains until the judgement.

To many, this is the origin of martial arts. The hindus, with their many gods would combine worship with their training.

The chinese father of kung fu, Ta Mo or bodidharma in Sansskrit, traveled from india to china, moved into a cave above the Honan temple and eventually taught the monks the exercises he developed in the cave. The art spread from there.

Do you see where I'm going with this?

Is today's marial art like that of the past? No

Is today's martial art in conflict with Christian belief?

Some believe so. There is only one scripture to support this.
1 Timothy 4:8
"for bodily exercise profits a little, but godliness is profitable for all things, having promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come."

Does this mean don't exercise? or train? No

The book of Timothy is a guideline for growing in Godliness.

This verse means to recognize that godliness is necessary to this life and to the life eternal. We have to be disciplined in body, soul and spirit, and we have to conduct ourselves in an exemplary manner in every detail of our lives.

In the Marines we called it Honor, courage, and committment
These are traits that were learned and taught by the great martial arts masters.

Martial Arts is a discipline. Always has been. Every, and I mean every martial artist I've known except for two, were honorable men and women.

In class, I bow to my instructors and opponents, but with my eyes up. At the end when we are on our knees and do the final bow, I bow but say outloud, "I only bow to Christ".

Everyone knows I do this and have no problem with it.

My2.

 

[Battousai]

Pastor Raul Ries started a church in his kung fu studio!
To chech out his amazing story goto:
http://www.somebodylovesyou.org/calvary/testimon.htm

Raul went through vietnam and all sorts of violent stuff through out his life, an incredible story.

 

[WannaBeAmachine]

ok, wheh this is a long thread, and i will first off say that i did not read every single post so there might be a few things i miss.. but to start with... my credintials...

CREDENTIALS: I am the son of a baptis minister, which means snot.
a 3rd degree wiccan High Priest of the coven of the Luna Knox(night moon)
a ordained Minister of Metaphysics, and hold an honorary doctorate in Philosophy of Metaphysics from the american college of metaphysical theology. And have spent the last 8 years or so studying comparative religion in depth.

KAITH: i agree, people who say something is against christianity usually dont understand it at all. ps... what is your religion you said "harm none" which sounds very wiccan(and though harm none do what though will)

SAMURAI: the war in heaven did not start when jesus was born, no where in the bible does it say such. however in the koran it does say that the war started when Adam was created, before the creation of Eve. God told the angles that they were as he the race of fire, equals. then created adam and brought adam before the angles and said "i have created him in my image, and breathed my life into him and so he is greater than you. bow before him" and all but a few bowed as they were commanded, among those few were Lucifer, Azazel, and 1/3 of the legions. who said that they were all the race of fire and so above the race of clay, and that they would not bow. and there was a war in heaven. The war was not about power or "lucifer"/"satan" taking gods place it was about racial equality. also, in peter it says "even now in heaven there are angles carrying savage weapons". which tells me that(to put it bluntly) if an angle can carry a savage weapon and nock eack other around there is nothing wrong with the combative aspect of martial arts as long as it is used for self defence, and in war, even the bible discussed defending your country, obeying the laws of man, and defending the church. Jesus was not a docile man as he is depicted. on a closing note for all you bible thumpers... WWJD(as is now popular) "money lenders get you out of the house of god" ... as he flips a table.

BOWING: Many many many, times if you just want to stick to the bible did Jesus wash other peoples feet. are you going to tell me bowing to each other, is worship when the son of god is willing to get on his knees(humble himself before) a mere man, and wash their feet. if bowing is non christian worship then jesus was a hell of a heratic. by the way jesus was a Jew so this goes to who ever it was that posted something about jews not bowing.

CONFLICTIN RELIGIONS: bull sh**, just for starters there are about a million gnostic text that discuss Jesus travels to the "east". also the biggest point here is that even the pope(who i think most non catholics will agree is a pretty rigid guy) has stated that the pagan god Mythra, is the same as Jehova/YHWY/YHVY/I am/Adonai/Adonis/AO/etc....in that list of "same gods" is Alla, Buda, vishnu(who is actually thought of only as an aspect of god) and about every other "one god" or even ones that are viewed as an aspect of god. so no studying eastern religions is not wrong...

hate to say it and dont care if anyone gets offended but modern christianity's tenet of blind faith is not about faith it is about ignorance, and control. even jesus was not happy with just faith and asked "why"

peace, power, and prosperity.

ps. sorry for being so long winded but it erks me to see people making moot points with no literary support. unless it is made as an opinion post of course.

 

[Kirk]

Helluva post, brother-man!

 

[Monkey King]

:soapbox:
Note to everyone: Don't be afraid to talk about religion, simply understand it so you can intelligently discuss it.

WannaBeAmachine:

... modern christianity's tenet of blind faith is not about faith it is about ignorance, and control.

That has got to be the most asinine statement I've ever heard. Sounds to me like someone is mad at daddy.

Your credentials tell me you're qualified...qualified at being confused. I'd get your money back.

But allow me to retort:

First of all I agree with the first part of your post to Samurai. But only the first part.

Now to my reply; since this thread is about Martial arts and Christianity:

.

the pagan god Mythra, is the same as Jehova/YHWY/YHVY/I am/Adonai/Adonis/AO/etc....in that list of "same gods" is Alla, Buda, vishnu

Your first mistake was quoting the pope. You both need to open your bibles and read them.

Allah:

Allah - Aramaic from two roots: "Al" Which means Nay or not. And Ilah or Elah which means god. Small "G" and yes semantics and spelling are important in Hebrew and Aramaic because they specifically describe attributes. In English, the only difference between "god", meaning a false god, and "God", meaning the One True God, is the capital "G. The muslim "allah" means 'god'. It is a generic term. "Allah" is simply the Arabic word for "God"

Jehovah is Jesus
This is stated all throughout the old testament.

"God" to the Jew has names that describe his character.
Old Testament (The Hebrew Scriptures, or Tanach):
EL:God ("mighty, strong, prominent")

linguistically equivalent to the Moslem "Allah," but the attributes of Allah in Islam are entirely different from those of the God of the Hebrews. ELAH is Aramaic, "god."

Elah appears in the Hebrew Bible in Jer. 10:11 (which is in Aramaic, and is plural, "gods"). In Daniel (the Aramaic sections) Elah is used both of pagan gods, and of the true God, also plural. Elah is equivalent to the Hebrew Eloah which some think is dual;

ELOHIM: God (a plural noun, more than two, used with singular verbs)

EL SHADDAI: God Almighty or "God All Sufficient." "Lord God the Almighty."

ADONAI: Lord in our English Bibles (Capitol letter 'L ', lower case, 'ord') (Adonai is plural, the sing. is "adon"). "Master'' or "Lord"

JEHOVAH: LORD in our English Bibles (all capitals). Yahweh is the covenant name of God. (Jehovah Elohim). From the verb "to be", havah, similar to chavah (to live), "The Self-Existent One," "I AM WHO I AM" or 'I WILL BE WHO I WILL BE" as revealed to Moses at the burning bush, Ex.3.
The name of God, too sacred to be uttered, abbreviated or written "YHWH" without vowel points. Note Deut. 6:4, 5 known to Jews as the Sh'ma uses both Jehovah and Elohim to indicate one God with a plurality of persons.

JEHOVAH-JIREH: "The Lord will Provide." From "jireh" ("to see" or "to provide," or to "foresee" as a prophet.) God always provides, adequate when the times come.

JEHOVAH-ROPHE: "The Lord Who Heals" From "rophe" ("to heal"); implies spiritual, emotional as well as physical healing. God heals body, soul and spirit; all levels of man's being.

JEHOVAH-NISSI: "The Lord Our Banner." God on the battlefield, from word which means "to glisten," "to lift up,"

JEHOVAH-M'KADDESH: "The Lord Who Sanctifies" . "To make whole, set apart for holiness."

JEHOVAH-SHALOM: "The Lord Our Peace" "Shalom" translated "peace" means "whole," "finished," "fulfilled," "perfected." Shalom means that kind of peace that results from being a whole person in right relationship to God and to one's fellow man.

JEHOVAH-TSIDKENU: "The Lord Our Righteousness" From "tsidek" (straight, stiff, balanced - as on scales - full weight, justice, right, righteous, declared innocent.) The God Who is our righteousness.

JEHOVAH-ROHI: "The Lord Our Shepherd" from "ro'eh" (to pasture).

JEHOVAH-SHAMMAH: "The Lord is There"

JEHOVAH-SABAOTH: "The Lord of Hosts" The commander of the angelic host and the armies of God.

EL ELYON: 'Most High" (from "to go up")

ABHIR: 'Mighty One', ("to be strong")

KADOSH: "Holy One"

SHAPHAT: "Judge"

EL ROI: "God of Seeing" The God Who opens our eyes.

KANNA: "Jealous" (zealous).

PALET: "Deliverer"

YESHA: (Y'shua) "Savior" Isa. 43:3. Jesus is the Greek equivalent of the Hebrew "Joshua." The latter is a contraction of Je-Hoshua. ("Christ", the anointed one is equivalent to the Hebrew Maschiah, or Messiah).

GAOL: "Redeemer" (to buy back by paying a price)

MAGEN: "Shield"

EYALUTH: "Strength"

TSADDIQ: "Righteous One"

EL-OLAM: "Everlasting God" (God of everlasting time)

ZUR: "God our Rock"

Malachi calls Messiah "The Sun of Righteousness"

Isaiah calls Messiah "Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God (El Gibhor), Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace" (Isa. 9:6).

'Attiq Yomin (Aramaic): "Ancient of Days,"

MELEKH: "King"

THE FIRST AND LAST: Isa. 44:6, 48:12.


To the Christian: God is personal because He left his High estate to become like us that he might save us, why? Because he loves us.

New Testament Scriptures, (Greek):
KURIOS: "Lord" Found some 600 times in the NT.

DESPOTES: "Lord"

THEOS: "God" (equivalent to the Hebrew Elohim),

I AM: Jesus upset his generation especially when He said, "Before Abraham was, I AM," John 8:58. Note also his claim to be Jehovah in such phrases as "I AM the Light of the world," "the bread of life," living water," "the Resurrection and the Life," "the Way, Truth and the Life" in John's Gospel. From the Hebrew OT verb "to be" signifying a Living, Intelligent, Personal Being.

THEOTES: "Godhead"

HUPSISTOS: "Highest"

SOTER: "Savior"


CHRIST: is equivalent to the Hebrew 'Messiah' (Meshiach), "The Anointed One."

Other NT Titles for Jesus: Shepherd of the Sheep; Master; King of kings; Lord of lords; Bishop and Guardian of our Souls; Daystar, Deliverer, Advocate, Second Adam, Ancient of Days, Branch, Chief Cornerstone, Immanuel, First Born, Head of the Body, Physician, Rock, Root of Jesse, Stone, Potentate; Chief Apostle; Great High Priest; Pioneer and Perfecter of our Faith (or Author and Finisher); Lamb of God; Lamb Slain before the Foundation of the World; Lord God Almighty.

So to say that Allah is the same is eroneous.


The church doesn't change the bible because it believes it is the inspired word of God.
God inspires it, man abuses it. Many Christian leaders in the past have used the scriptures for their own gain. Man is inherently evil and therefore will become greedy. Greedy for Power, money...what have you.

Since the begining there have always been believers of God. Those who truly want to follow his ways. BTW, That is what "Jew" means in arabic; "Believer of God".

Don't judge all Christians by the actions of a few.

Witches in the bible refers to those who use divination. Does that mean we burn them at the stake? NO.

Jesus took their sin as well as ours.


Budda Zen Buddism

Historically, Zen Buddhism originates in the teachings of Siddhartha Gautama. Around 500 B.C. he was a prince in what is now India. At the age of 29, deeply troubled by the suffering he saw around him, he renounced his privileged life to seek understanding. After 6 years of struggling as an ascetic he finally achieved Enlightenment at age 35. After this he was known as the Buddha (meaning roughly "one who is awake"). In a nutshell, he realized that everything is subject to change and that suffering and discontentment are the result of attachment to circumstances and things which, by their nature, are impermanent. By ridding oneself of these attachments, including attachment to the false notion of self or "I", one can be free of suffering.

The teachings of the Buddha have, to this day, been passed down from teacher to student. Around 475 A.D. one of these teachers, Bodhidharma, traveled from India to China and introduced the teachings of the Buddha there. In China Buddhism mingled with Taoism. The result of this mingling was the Ch'an School of Buddhism. Around 1200 A.D. Ch'an Buddhism spread from China to Japan where it is called (at least in translation) Zen Buddhism.


It is a philosophy. Budda is not a god. He knew that. I'm sure if budda knew others were worshipping him, he'd roll over in his grave since that would be contradictory to his "enlightenment."

Vishnu
(vish´noo), one of the many gods of Hinduism , considered one of the greatest, also called Narayana. First mentioned in the Veda as a minor deity, his theistic cults, known as Vaishnavism, or Vishnuism, grew steadily from the first millennium BC, absorbing numerous different traditions and minor deities.

In the Vedic sacrifice a god or gods are invoked by the hymns or mantras . Offerings of food, butter, or soma are prepared and offered to the fire, which as an intermediary god, Vishnu conveys these to the other gods.

Hindus
Hinduism is unique among the world religions in that it had no single founder but grew over a period of 4,000 years in syncretism with the religious and cultural movements of the Indian subcontinent. Hinduism is composed of innumerable sects and has no well-defined ecclesiastical organization.

Wicca (Since you brought it up)
Wicca is a recently created, Neopagan religion. The various branches of Wicca can be traced back to Gardnerian Witchcraft which was founded in the UK during the late 1940s.
Wicca is based on the symbols, seasonal days of celebration, beliefs and deities of ancient Celtic society. Added to this material were Masonic and ceremonial magickal components from recent centuries. In this respect, it is a religion whose roots go back almost three millennia to the formation of Celtic society circa 800 BCE.

A follower of Wicca is called a Wiccan. Wicca and other Neopagan religions are currently experiencing a rapid growth in the U.S., Canada, and Europe. This is seen particularly among teenagers, who are rejecting what they feel is the autocracy, paternalism, sexism, homophobia, and insensitivity to the environment that forms part of some more traditional religions. Many North Americans of European descent, who are keen to discover their ancestral heritage, are also being attracted to this religion.

Wiccans generally consider themselves to be Witches, Neopagans, and Pagans. However, not all Witches, Neopagans and Pagans are Wiccans. The terms Witch, Neopagan and Pagan can also refer to followers of many other faith traditions.


Basically, believe everything.

Multiple gods, customs, traditions...sound familiar? Try the Celtics, egyptians, Greeks, romans, persians, druids, Aztecs, Mayans, Arayans,...etc.

Back to the subject...

If we're going to talk about martial arts and Christianity, then let's talk about it.

If you're going to sit there and make biased, uneducated, and suppositional statements about Christianity...then i suggest you do your homework first.