Religion and Martial Arts

[IFAJKD]

I don't know of any art that "based" on a religion. There simply is this "spiritual" component. The Silat practicioner believes that they don't have to fear a battle because God gave them their skill and only God can take it away. FMA & Religion. Yeah the Moros are Muslim. Their arts in the US ? I am not sure to what extent they are trained/taught as it's own system. They are incorporated into many systems being taught. FMA arts seem to train in many systems vs just one. But that's another thread

 

[Cthulhu]

I think we kind of broadened the topic to the point where we're also talking about the religions the spiritual aspects come from, or even just the cultures the arts come from. I think the arguments are still valid when we talk about them that way, which I believe is essentially that if you try to change the philosophical/religious/spiritual/cultural roots of a system, you fundamentally change that system.

Cthulhu

 

[LeatheJ1]

<This is a response for Rob_Broad's posting a while back.>

It is possible that Mitose talked to Ed Parker about some of the spiritual aspects of Kosho Shorei Ryu Kenpo. Mitose came to feel that his teaching of only the physical components of Kosho in Hawaii was a mistake. (This was something he sought to rectify in his later years with Bruce Juchnik.) However, I don't know of any suggestion that James Mitose was considering aligning Kosho Shorei Ryu Kempo with its own organized religion.

The limiting factor of most modern incarnations of martial arts styles is the loss of the essence of the art, namely, the inherent spirituality necessary to truly describe it. I guess it's because Westerners often confuse spirituality with religion - and successful businesses have to stay secular. After all, that is one of the fundamental truths of MA in the Western world - we propogate the arts via a business model. We have had to adapt each respective art to this paradigm in some way or another. Yet, this is not necessarily a bad thing - as long as we try not to sacrifice the spirit of the art. So that is the challenge - to walk the tightrope between staying true to the original spirit and simultaneously remaining a viable enterprise. I believe that many have accepted this challenge, and have done it well.

 

[arnisador]

Thread moved.

-Arnisador
-MT Admin-

 

[Reprobate]

Originally posted by Jay Bell
Anyway..I have a dear friend that studies Goju ryu Karate. He's Jewish of the Orthadox belief...so there were many things he looked into before he could honestly take part in training. He finally came to Goju ryu, but cannot bow or the like.

I've heard the comment stated before from Christians who wanted to train in aikido but 'were not allowed to bow' due to their beliefs.

Bowing in Japanese culture is not a sign of deference to a deity, but a sign of respect. In bowing towards the kamiza, one thanks the founder of the art for sharing his knowledge. In bowing towards the sensei, one shows respect for someone who teaches his knowledge. In bowing towards fellow practitioners/students, one shows respect towards fellow pupils.

This is not the same as prostrating oneself before the altar of fake gods.