Am I missing something

[KempoGuy06]

Ok so a few months ago I told the story about my aunt damning me for practicing martial arts. Well the other day I was out at one of the malls here in town wearing one of my shirts from my dojo. This family(man and women and 3 kids, looked to be about 11, 8 and 5) comes up to me and is asking me about my shirt and wear i practice. The man held a BB in TKD from a dojo in his home town in Florida and was very interested in putting his kids in the MA's and was considering taking it up again. Well I was telling him about the dojo (where it is and what we study) and was talking about my instructors when this women in her late 40's early 50's comes up to me and says and I quote "Ive been listening to you this whole time and I want you to know that you are going straight to hell for glorifying violence." I was stunned and she walked off before I could respond (thank the lord cause I was a little hungover and might have said something I regret )

Now to the point: AM I MISSING SOMETHING??? Do I have a giant sign following me around that says I'll anyone and everyone or something? Was there a memo or meeting that I missed?

What is wrong with people?

Input please!!!

B

 

[Deaf Smith]

KempoGuy06,

Ignorance knows know bounds with people (no not you, them.) They have no clue of the benifits of the martial arts. No clue of what it takes to master one self. No clue that the more you unstand violence, the more you don't want it if it can be avoilded.

They know nothing of which they speak. "glorifying violence' they say? These same people want the police to protect them, yet the police use violence daily to 'protect' them. These same people want law breakers in jail, but I assure you, jail.. prison.. is violence to the extreem (I say this having visited a man in prison, a real state penititary and man it ain't a nice place.)

Don't sweat it Kempo. I only wish your school was were I'm at. I'd love to train at Kempo to add to what I know.

Deaf

 

[MJS]

Ok so a few months ago I told the story about my aunt damning me for practicing martial arts. Well the other day I was out at one of the malls here in town wearing one of my shirts from my dojo. This family(man and women and 3 kids, looked to be about 11, 8 and 5) comes up to me and is asking me about my shirt and wear i practice. The man held a BB in TKD from a dojo in his home town in Florida and was very interested in putting his kids in the MA's and was considering taking it up again. Well I was telling him about the dojo (where it is and what we study) and was talking about my instructors when this women in her late 40's early 50's comes up to me and says and I quote "Ive been listening to you this whole time and I want you to know that you are going straight to hell for glorifying violence." I was stunned and she walked off before I could respond (thank the lord cause I was a little hungover and might have said something I regret )

Now to the point: AM I MISSING SOMETHING??? Do I have a giant sign following me around that says I'll anyone and everyone or something? Was there a memo or meeting that I missed?

What is wrong with people?

Input please!!!

B

No, you're not missing anything...they are. This is just another fine example that the majority of people out there have no clue about the arts. They are just like some people who shall remain nameless, but we all know who they are that like to base the effectiveness of an art off of a youtube clip. Physically impossible! I'd be willing to bet that this woman has a misguided understanding, and she's probably one of those people who frowns upon anything outside of her perfect little box. I'd guess that she would frown upon certain types of music, the way certain people dress, certain shows on tv, etc.

This is the #1 reason why I like to keep my training to myself. There are certain people I hate talking to because once they know that you train, the stupid questions flow like a river.

Sadly, people like the one you mention are so set in their ways, no matter what you say, they won't buy it. Best to just ignore people like that, as hard as it may be. If this woman is so easily offended, she should live in some cave in the mountains, totally isolated from the real world. Fact of the matter is, is that the things she frowns upon are real life everyday things, that as much as we may not want to, we have to deal with them.

Dont let people like that get you down. Keep training, if someone is really interested, them tell them about the arts, but just brush people like her off, as there is no changing them, and you'll probably get more worked up trying to.

Mike

 

[terryl965]

KG people will be people we cannot change one views about the MA, if they do not want to listen. Keep training and have fun and forget about those types.

 

[MA-Caver]

What everyone else has already said, it's ignorance and self righteousness that get people acting stupid. Definitely ignore it or go the easy way... say uh-huh definitely right m'am would you all please pray for me?

Worry about what YOU know and feel. Because in the end it's YOU that's gotta make YOU happy with what YOU are doing.
I'm not talking being egocentric here but self-love, self esteem and self awareness that makes you a better person and a better ma-ist and a better instructor.

 

[jlhummel]

The thing that many people who are not part of a MA dont understand is that the aura that u present to the rest of the world can keep u out ot a confrontation more easily than actually fighting someone will. I have talked my way out of more fights than I have ever gotten into.

 

[shesulsa]

Glorifying violence.

You know, violence comes in many flavors. There is violent speech - which this woman delivered to you in terms of spiritual violence. There are violent actions which don't involved the hands, feet nor traditional weapon of any kind.

Anonymous judgement is an "ism" tantamount to racism, ageism, sexism ....

The Bible should not be a weapon against anything nor anyone. This woman's actions remind me of a hymn I used to hate to sing because of it's inference. It goes something like this:

"Onward Christian Soldiers, marching as to war;
With the cross of Jesus going on before!
Christ the royal master leads against the foe;
Forward into battle, see his banners flow!"

My advice?

Forgive her for she knoweth not what she sayeth. :asian:

 

[snoack]

Not meaning to turn this into a religoius discussion, but:

2 of my instructors are devout Christians. My school is in the gynasium of a Christian elementary school. I am a practing Believer.

The apostle Paul wrote that the body is a temple. The practice of MA balances and solidifies this temple.

I guess this self-righteous, holier-then-thou woman has never read the book that her seeming faith is supported by, or if she has she has never read the OT.

Ignore people like that. They have no clue what they're talking about, nor do they want to because it would shatter their pre-concieved notion of the world.

 

[Giorgio]

That said, this sort of thing seems to happen a lot more in the states. I've trained in the UK and Italy and I've only encountered two reactions: complete apathy or child-eyed enthusiasm (You do MA? Will you show me some?!)I think that's a great attitude to take, and a lot of them have been introduced to MA by tagging along with me to my training. I think it's less religion and more simply xenophobia that made that woman attack you like that.

And make no mistake, it was an attack. She clearly wanted to hurt you by intruding on your conversation and telling you you're going to burn in hell. She is a bitter, angry woman who wants to make people unhappy with her bigotry. If there is one thing that martial arts are about, it's respect, both for yourself and your training partners and opponents. Of course we can't expect this idea to filter into her little, little brain for a long time.

Hehe help me out, guys, it's so hard to show people like that woman human respect sometimes...

 

[morph4me]

Since it's already been established that you're going to hell, by people who are obviously better informed about these things than all of us heathens, I'd say just relax and be comfortable in the knowledge that when you get there, you'll be in good company with all of the rest of us who glorify violence

 

[Brian R. VanCise]

Amazing. Simply amazing. Ignorance simply knows no bounds at times. What is funny is that I teach several priests martial science and not one of them has an issue with it. (go figure)

 

[IcemanSK]

If you were indeed "promoting violence" as you were accused, I'd say you may perhaps be setting yourself up for these insults, unknowingly. Were you bragging about your prowess or your instructor's abilities? Were you talking about "gory details" techniques? (Discussing a wrist lock is normal to us, but some folks can't imagine that). I'm not saying that if you did say that you deserved the insults, by any means. The gal should have kept her unsolicited opinions to herself.

When I started theological studies at a fairly conservative Christian college & was already a BB. There were times in both college & seminary when I had to "defend myself" for training to defend myself. But I usually had the luxury of spending time with folks long enough to have them see my character, & that helped change their opinions. But being young & excited about what I'd learned in class the night before, sometimes my excited explanations would get odd looks & comments. The world of MA is foreign to most people, but for some people of faith, they can only see the violence in it.

I would try to get bothered by the person who gives an unsolicited opinion on your training or wants to ascribe your motives or your seat on the bus to hell. These are the same folks that would find fault with your eye color. Their issues are not about you.

I hope that helps.

 

[MA-Caver]

Since it's already been established that you're going to hell, by people who are obviously better informed about these things than all of us heathens, I'd say just relax and be comfortable in the knowledge that when you get there, you'll be in good company with all of the rest of us who glorify violence

It'd be one great Meet N Greet! artyon:

Actually, the comment "straight to Hell" is not something a liberal would say. That's a conservative remark.

Right. "Damned to hell!!" is the liberal saying!

 

[KELLYG]

I think her opinion is not relaveant in any way.

Judge not lest you be jugded.. I've read this some where?? Sould she not be practicing what she wants to preach.

 

[MBuzzy]

Wow, I suppose I'm REALLY in trouble....2 martial arts and in the military.

 

[Rich Parsons]

Ok so a few months ago I told the story about my aunt damning me for practicing martial arts. Well the other day I was out at one of the malls here in town wearing one of my shirts from my dojo. This family(man and women and 3 kids, looked to be about 11, 8 and 5) comes up to me and is asking me about my shirt and wear i practice. The man held a BB in TKD from a dojo in his home town in Florida and was very interested in putting his kids in the MA's and was considering taking it up again. Well I was telling him about the dojo (where it is and what we study) and was talking about my instructors when this women in her late 40's early 50's comes up to me and says and I quote "Ive been listening to you this whole time and I want you to know that you are going straight to hell for glorifying violence." I was stunned and she walked off before I could respond (thank the lord cause I was a little hungover and might have said something I regret )

Now to the point: AM I MISSING SOMETHING??? Do I have a giant sign following me around that says I'll anyone and everyone or something? Was there a memo or meeting that I missed?

What is wrong with people?

Input please!!!

B

Yes you are missing something. Their point of view. Sometimes though it is just too hard to see their point of view. I try but it is difficult. Seeing their point of view does nto amke them right and you wrong, it just lets you review your point of view as well.

Since it's already been established that you're going to hell, by people who are obviously better informed about these things than all of us heathens, I'd say just relax and be comfortable in the knowledge that when you get there, you'll be in good company with all of the rest of us who glorify violence

I have a grandmother who will not speak to me and told me I could not be a part of her religion and could not believe in anything, becuase I knew too much about science and those small little things people cannot see that really do not exist, like neutrons, and protons and electrons. (* i.e. She was really surprised when I asked her about Neutrino's and Quark's, she had no idea what they were and it pushed it over the edge into a screaming condeming scene *) This being told to me when I was 11 going on 12, and I onlyhad junior high science and did some reading on my own. She told me there was no hope for me. I would be one of those unbeliever's who would never make it to heaven.

Glorifying violence.

You know, violence comes in many flavors. There is violent speech - which this woman delivered to you in terms of spiritual violence. There are violent actions which don't involved the hands, feet nor traditional weapon of any kind.

Anonymous judgement is an "ism" tantamount to racism, ageism, sexism ....

The Bible should not be a weapon against anything nor anyone. This woman's actions remind me of a hymn I used to hate to sing because of it's inference. It goes something like this:

"Onward Christian Soldiers, marching as to war;
With the cross of Jesus going on before!
Christ the royal master leads against the foe;
Forward into battle, see his banners flow!"

My advice?

Forgive her for she knoweth not what she sayeth. :asian:

To SheSulsa'a point, I tell stories about my "ex" and about my "grandmother" and others, not because I still carry anger or violence in my heartfor them, but because I do not. For me to carry that anger or violence or hatred, means I have to dedicate too much of my time to them and their issues and lives, when I just wish them the best want to move on with my life with the understanding that we do not agree and that should be enough.

 

[Xue Sheng]

Ok so a few months ago I told the story about my aunt damning me for practicing martial arts. Well the other day I was out at one of the malls here in town wearing one of my shirts from my dojo. This family(man and women and 3 kids, looked to be about 11, 8 and 5) comes up to me and is asking me about my shirt and wear i practice. The man held a BB in TKD from a dojo in his home town in Florida and was very interested in putting his kids in the MA's and was considering taking it up again. Well I was telling him about the dojo (where it is and what we study) and was talking about my instructors when this women in her late 40's early 50's comes up to me and says and I quote "Ive been listening to you this whole time and I want you to know that you are going straight to hell for glorifying violence." I was stunned and she walked off before I could respond (thank the lord cause I was a little hungover and might have said something I regret )

Now to the point: AM I MISSING SOMETHING??? Do I have a giant sign following me around that says I'll anyone and everyone or something? Was there a memo or meeting that I missed?

What is wrong with people?

Input please!!!

B

Actually I think the whole thing is pretty damn funny.

Consider the source don't let it get to you and move on.

Do you like the martial art you train?

If you do who cares what anyone thinks

Are you out randomly hurting people to prove how tough and skilled you are?

Doubtful or you would not be posting here so basically this walk by yakking that was perpetrated on you is meaningless. She is clueless and is happy to remain so. If you actually did respond to her in the end she would have felt she proved her point and she does not want to know the reality of it and you would have been more frustrated than you already are.

Let it go and go train and forget it.

 

[Langenschwert]

when this women in her late 40's early 50's comes up to me and says and I quote "Ive been listening to you this whole time and I want you to know that you are going straight to hell for glorifying violence."

These are the same nutters that rant about Harry Potter, D&D, Metal, Gays and Pagans. Yea verily, I solemnly proclaim them to be asshats of the highest order. Pay them no heed and get thee to thy training hall, since they prolly won't follow you there.

Best regards,

-Mark

 

[Steel Tiger]

It seems to me that the problem isn't this lone crazy person's views on martial arts and hell, but the suggestion that your conversation with someone else is any of her business.

I mean, where do people get the idea that other peoples business has anything to do with them? All too often these days we are seeing this same scenario (with slightly different details) repeated everywhere. At what point did my business become your business and vice versa?

 

[Paul B]

Oh wow.

If you honestly believe someone is going to spend an eternity "paying" for what they have done in eighty or so years here one earth, do you really think there's a need to add your own 2 cents to it?

You handled it a lot better than I would have. Self-righteous people like that push all my buttons at the same time. Just one of those things.