Malice

[Wing Woo Gar83 6]

Who?

@Wing Woo Gar is more like Fozzie (Bear)

Take it easy piggy.

 

[Gyakuto148 157]

Take it easy piggy.

It’s like being back at high school…

 

[Prince_Alarming85 21]

Nah, high school without the daily fistfights, without the adult bullies masquerading as teachers and much less arbitrary punishment isn't really high school.

 

[Wing Woo Gar83 6]

Nah, high school without the daily fistfights, without the adult bullies masquerading as teachers and much less arbitrary punishment isn't really high school.

Bah! I’m as capriciously arbitrary as any high schooler, teacher or otherwise…

 

[Hyoho]

I have a close friend and my only dedicated Iai student; she is a pleasure to teach. Not only does she absorb the technical side of swordsmanship but also the mental and spiritual aspects too. This is very rare. Mentally visualising one’s opponent being dispatched by one’s sword, fostering a lethal intent (but trying to avoid hatred) and making those acts as efficient as possible are a part of what is required, at first at least. We free-spar with wooden swords which requires aggression, duplicity, cunning and the associated mindset. She throws herself into these ideas and practices which is what makes her such a satisfying student to teach!

In November, she is entering the pathway that will end in her becoming a Christian nun and wholeheartedly intends to carry on her study of swordsmanship. Is what I have described above, compatible with her chosen path? Does her Christian spiritual path mean she must give up her martial practice?

Indeed, my working for a Buddhist sect for most of my life has been a boon to what I do. But there are many Christians who practice to a high degree. Indeed, creative visualization is the epitome of what we do. My concern would be. What will the reaction of her seniors be to doing this? As you quote, in Matthew 26:52, when a disciple draws a sword to defend him at his arrest, "Jesus tells him to put it away: ' All who draw the sword will die by the sword.”. This aligns with the Japanese principle of katsujin no ken and satsujin no ken. Since the end of WW2 Japan has been very keen on pressing the former, bearing in mind what had happened. THe sword being used for all the wrong reasons. At least that's the way it has been in Japan. People in other countries should be aware of this. It's an educational tool for self-improvement.

 

[Hyoho]

When you're talking about sword fighting, though, that gap is very different. I've trained in Western fencing, Filipino swordplay, and full-contact stickfighting. And they all bear a comparatively low level of fidelity to actually killing someone with a sword. So I'm not confident that I have any real sense of the mentality that would either require or engender in a person..

Sad to say, things have not rubbed off so well on the young Filipino generation. Recently, there has been a spate of school killings and kids bringing guns to school.

 

[Prince_Alarming85 21]

TBH I'm more concerned about any potential student of Gyakuto mistaking specious, highly fallacious, reasoning for independent critical thought under his tutelage than I am about any abstract martial arts concepts interfering with her faith.

 

[Gyakuto148 157]

Indeed, my working for a Buddhist sect for most of my life has been a boon to what I do. But there are many Christians who practice to a high degree. Indeed, creative visualization is the epitome of what we do. My concern would be. What will the reaction of her seniors be to doing this? As you quote, in Matthew 26:52, when a disciple draws a sword to defend him at his arrest, "Jesus tells him to put it away: ' All who draw the sword will die by the sword.”. This aligns with the Japanese principle of katsujin no ken and satsujin no ken. Since the end of WW2 Japan has been very keen on pressing the former, bearing in mind what had happened. THe sword being used for all the wrong reasons. At least that's the way it has been in Japan. People in other countries should be aware of this.

You’ve just paraphrased and summarised this whole thread which we’ve discussed in-depth and to exhaustion. Thank you.

It's an educational tool for self-improvement.

The Japanese sword arts are filled with more than its fair share of despicable, corrupt braggarts. The self-improvement aspects of practicing swordsmanship are clearly not being assimilated by practitioners are very thin or a bit of both. Because swordsman don’t really engage in free sparring, they often think they’re better than they actually are and are seldom ‘put in their place’ by better practitioners.

 

[Hyoho]

The Japanese sword arts are filled with more than its fair share of despicable, corrupt braggarts. The self-improvement aspects of practicing swordsmanship are clearly not being assimilated by practitioners are very thin or a bit of both. Because swordsman don’t really engage in free sparring, they often think they’re better than they actually are and are seldom ‘put in their place’ by better practitioners.

When I arrived in Japan back in 1980 I was under some illusion that it was special path I was on. Over the years, I was very disappointed to meet the people you mention who had a personal agenda. Like anything else, even religion, we can only try to be a better person.

 

[Gyakuto148 157]

Yes, you’re right. I think trying is the key. You have to want to change and actively try. It doesn’t happen by osmosis while you’re swinging your sword!

 

[Prince_Alarming85 21]

But surely that could be said about any discipline whatsoever including, say, the visual arts or pole vaulting. Wherefore the need to play with certain items of oriental cutlery?

 

[Holmejr3 2]

Here is an interesting opinion of Christian pacifism

Does Christianity Require Pacifism? | Cold Case Christianity

As Christians we are commanded not to murder, but this does not mean we must be Christian pacifists.

coldcasechristianity.com

 

[Gyakuto148 157]

Somewhat tendentious because the authors states in the first paragraph, ‘I am a Christian, but I also believe there are times when deadly force is warranted.’

 

[Prince_Alarming85 21]

So a Christian is somehow automatically disqualified from commenting on matters pertaining to Christianity?

 

[Wing Woo Gar83 6]

So a Christian is somehow automatically disqualified from commenting on matters pertaining to Christianity?

Well they cannot be trusted, after all they can do whatever and then beg forgiveness directly thereafter…

 

[RDG15 5]

Repentance and habitual offender are actually not compatible.
You can get on the naughty list and be simply overlooked or ignored
for eternity.

 

[Wing Woo Gar83 6]

Repentance and habitual offender are actually not compatible.
You can get on the naughty list and be simply overlooked or ignored
for eternity.

Which scripture is it that you are quoting there? I don’t recall any limits on redemption.

 

[Holmejr3 2]

Somewhat tendentious because the authors states in the first paragraph, ‘I am a Christian, but I also believe there are times when deadly force is warranted.’

And what is wrong with that? At least he’s up front with his position.

 

[Gyakuto148 157]

Please look up the definition of the word ‘tendentious’.

It suggests that he’s unlikely to be impartial. He states that he’s a Christian but believes that murder is OK in some circumstances and then he writes an article to justify his position. He’s peddling his point of view to justify his moral position. It’s the equivalent of a man in pub giving his opinion on a topic.

What a balanced article would add to the above is dispassionately put the contrary argument across, so the reader can decide which standpoint is the most in line with Christianity. That would be critical thinking and a persuasive piece of writing. Unfortunately critical thinking is disappearing in the world and, dare I say, contrary to religious practice as it currently stands.

 

[shodan forever4]

“ I am kind to those who are kind to me, I am unkind to those who are unkind to me. I am tolerant to those are tolerant to me. I am intolerant to two those are intolerant to me.
I am non-violent to those who are nonviolent to me, I am violent to those who are violent towards me”
Malcom X