Who does combat sports here?

Dansiph · Oct 24, 2018

Hi, are there many Christians here who participate in combat sports? Sports like:
Boxing, Judo, MMA, Kickboxing and Muay Thai etc. (Long post) I'll write a "too long, didn't read" paragraph at the bottom.

I am not asking whether these sports are allowed or good as a Christian. Mainly, I would like a discussion about whether they're the best use of time as a Christian.

To explain, I'm ready to commit to training now however I have become a stronger Christian as I continue to learn. This helps me in many ways except the thought that I should be spending my time becoming stronger spiritually rather than physically etc. I cannot remember the verse about why spiritual battles are more important than carnal/physical, but it's in the Bible. This also applies to how we spend our time e.g. training a martial art or combat sport.
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Should I as a Christian spend a lot of time training and competing? Should I "give up" on my aspirations to be a successful martial artist?

If you participate, how do does it effect your life as a Christian? Do you sometimes think you should be focusing on other things? Does it help, as I think it might, with strengthening your faith?

I'll list some negative reasons I have thought of for wanting to do these sports or being involved in them.

Brain injuries can occur, you have to spend a lot of time training to be successful, other injuries and deterioration of body (for example a lot of Judoka have knee and back problems later on), possibly focuses too much on physical strength rather than spiritual, It can be a pride thing to want to win at sports.

TL;DR I want to commit to sports, worried it's not my best use of time. Some dangers to health involved. Worried I want to compete for wrong reasons, for example pride. Those who do compete etc, how do you feel about it and what's your rationale for participating? I'd suggest reading from the underlined questions and down if you don't want to read the whole post.

Thanks

messianist · Oct 31, 2018

martial science is demonic

Dansiph · Oct 31, 2018

messianist said:
martial science is demonic

Why is it? Just asking, I'm not trying to be confrontational

messianist · Oct 31, 2018

Aspzan said:
Why is it? Just asking, I'm not trying to be confrontational

no problem, the Bible warns against these things, the question id ask is why do you need to take part in martial science

Dansiph · Oct 31, 2018

messianist said:
no problem, the Bible warns against these things, the question id ask is why do you need to take part in martial science

Where does the Bible warn against these things? I actually spoke to a very Biblical Pastor via email who said it's fine and that violence, for example, in the Bible means innocent people being hurt.

The reason I want to do it is for exercise and they're valuable skills to know. Say for example you got into a boxing ring with no experience you would get beaten badly, same with Judo/grappling or mixed. Or if you needed to run away from something or someone and your fitness was bad. You might get caught. Need to defend yourself with a gun? What if you argue that practicing is not good? You'd probably miss your shots.

I honestly think driving a car is more dangerous than these sports but no one argues against driving.

Also please don't misunderstand me. I know doing these sports won't make me untouchable, far from it. It's better than not training though imo. I put my trust in God and I want to put this to the test also.

Sorry for rambling a bit

messianist · Nov 1, 2018

ok so as a Christian why do you need to run away or defend your self from anything or anyone?

Also if you were to enter a boxing ring you then would be trying to hit your opponent which could cause damage or on a more serious level you could kill your opponent, granted that would not be intentional but why would you put your self in there when the potential is there? what would you gain

Driving a car has no comparison to these sports a car is used for a completely different purpose than for fighting

There many things that you could do to get fit, Running, cycling, swimming, walking, the list goes on and there is nothing demonic involved with them

martial science has a deeper side than just running around a dojo

Dansiph · Nov 1, 2018

messianist said:
ok so as a Christian why do you need to run away or defend your self from anything or anyone?

Also if you were to enter a boxing ring you then would be trying to hit your opponent which could cause damage or on a more serious level you could kill your opponent, granted that would not be intentional but why would you put your self in there when the potential is there? what would you gain

Driving a car has no comparison to these sports a car is used for a completely different purpose than for fighting

There many things that you could do to get fit, Running, cycling, swimming, walking, the list goes on and there is nothing demonic involved with them

martial science has a deeper side than just running around a dojo

I just disagree I actually think driving a car is dangerous. Cycling is dangerous also. If you've never had to run away from someone or defend yourself that's good but many have had to. I've been chased by a gang of young men before with weapons for no reason I've also been in an altercation which started from a joke about football in a shop. I managed to walk away without fighting but he was very determined to fight. It was a minor joke but he obviously had some sort of anger issues.

Martial arts imo are not demonic and they are consensual

messianist · Nov 1, 2018

Aspzan said:
I just disagree I actually think driving a car is dangerous. Cycling is dangerous also. If you've never had to run away from someone or defend yourself that's good but many have had to. I've been chased by a gang of young men before with weapons for no reason I've also been in an altercation which started from a joke about football in a shop. I managed to walk away without fighting but he was very determined to fight. It was a minor joke but he obviously had some sort of anger issues.

I don't drive a car and I never plan to, I dislike being in a car although I wouldn't say I'm "scared" of it. I think the way our society has widely accepted vehicles is baffling. Especially with the amout of innocent death and injury involved.

Martial arts imo are not demonic and they are consensual

OK they are not consensual in the bible and for me, it's God's authority I live under

All the best.

bobk · Dec 28, 2018

Aspzan said:
Hi, are there many Christians here who participate in combat sports? Sports like:
Boxing, Judo, MMA, Kickboxing and Muay Thai etc. (Long post) I'll write a "too long, didn't read" paragraph at the bottom.

I am not asking whether these sports are allowed or good as a Christian. Mainly, I would like a discussion about whether they're the best use of time as a Christian.

To explain, I'm ready to commit to training now however I have become a stronger Christian as I continue to learn. This helps me in many ways except the thought that I should be spending my time becoming stronger spiritually rather than physically etc. I cannot remember the verse about why spiritual battles are more important than carnal/physical, but it's in the Bible. This also applies to how we spend our time e.g. training a martial art or combat sport.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Should I as a Christian spend a lot of time training and competing? Should I "give up" on my aspirations to be a successful martial artist?

If you participate, how do does it effect your life as a Christian? Do you sometimes think you should be focusing on other things? Does it help, as I think it might, with strengthening your faith?

I'll list some negative reasons I have thought of for wanting to do these sports or being involved in them.

Brain injuries can occur, you have to spend a lot of time training to be successful, other injuries and deterioration of body (for example a lot of Judoka have knee and back problems later on), possibly focuses too much on physical strength rather than spiritual, It can be a pride thing to want to win at sports.

TL;DR I want to commit to sports, worried it's not my best use of time. Some dangers to health involved. Worried I want to compete for wrong reasons, for example pride. Those who do compete etc, how do you feel about it and what's your rationale for participating? I'd suggest reading from the underlined questions and down if you don't want to read the whole post.

Thanks

I'm a wrestler and a High School coach. My son is a college wrestler who also does muay thai and jujitsu. I can tell you that some of the most faithful Christians I have met are involved in combat sports. Keep in mind that the first sport mentioned in the Bible is wrestling. Also, remember that Jacob wrestled an Angel. So obviously, they do combat sports in heaven. Most likely, they were doing pankration which is similar to MMA as opposed to modern wrestling. If you want to train, I don't see the problem.

Dansiph · Dec 28, 2018

bobk said:
I'm a wrestler and a High School coach. My son is a college wrestler who also does muay thai and jujitsu. I can tell you that some of the most faithful Christians I have met are involved in combat sports. Keep in mind that the first sport mentioned in the Bible is wrestling. Also, remember that Jacob wrestled an Angel. So obviously, they do combat sports in heaven. Most likely, they were doing pankration which is similar to MMA as opposed to modern wrestling. If you want to train, I don't see the problem.

Cool, I think it would be good if we wrestled in schools here in the UK. Although, freestyle wrestling is gaining popularity here again. Catch wrestling is popular not far from where I live. Boxing is by far the most popular in my city as far as I know.

I was actually looking for a image a few days ago of a wrestling "collar tie up" to recreate Jacob wrestling the Angel. My uncle is an MMA coach that's the only reason I know what a collar tie up is.

I agree, for me there is no problem with training and competing

Jude1:3Contendforthefaith · Aug 20, 2019

I like MMA OP :

.

bobk · Aug 20, 2019

messianist said:
martial science is demonic

Dumbest comment ever.

JackRT · Aug 20, 2019

I don't need a combat sport --- I'm married.

messianist · Aug 21, 2019

bobk said:
Dumbest comment ever.

Read the bible and you will see otherwise

messianist · Aug 21, 2019

Aspzan said:
Cool, I think it would be good if we wrestled in schools here in the UK. Although, freestyle wrestling is gaining popularity here again. Catch wrestling is popular not far from where I live. Boxing is by far the most popular in my city as far as I know.

I was actually looking for a image a few days ago of a wrestling "collar tie up" to recreate Jacob wrestling the Angel. My uncle is an MMA coach that's the only reason I know what a collar tie up is.

I agree, for me there is no problem with training and competing

you clearly haven't got a clue spiritually what the scriptures are conveying when it talks about Jacob wrestling.

Jude1:3Contendforthefaith · Aug 21, 2019

messianist said:
Read the bible and you will see otherwise

Are you referring mostly to the spiritual side of martial arts ? I agree with you that a lot of the spiritual side of it is demonic.

What about the physical sporting aspect of it though ?

The Secrets Behind Martial Arts !

The reason I ask is because even Jacob wrestled with an angel :

Then Jacob was left alone; and a Man Wrestled with him until the breaking of day. Now when He saw that He did not prevail against him, He touched the socket of his hip; and the socket of Jacob's hip was out of joint as He wrestled with him. And He said, "Let Me go, for the day breaks." But he said, "I will not let You go unless You bless me!" So He said to him, "What is your name?" He said, "Jacob." And He said, "Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel; for you have struggled with God and with men, and have prevailed." Then Jacob asked, saying, "Tell me Your name, I pray." And He said, "Why is it that you ask about My name?" And He blessed him there. And Jacob called the name of the place Peniel: "For I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved." Just as he crossed over Penuel the sun rose on him, and he limped on his hip. Therefore to this day the children of Israel do not eat the muscle that shrank, which is on the hip socket, because He touched the socket of Jacob's hip in the muscle that shrank.
• Genesis 32:24-32

.

Dansiph · Aug 21, 2019

messianist said:
you clearly haven't got a clue spiritually what the scriptures are conveying when it talks about Jacob wrestling.

What are the scriptures conveying?

messianist · Aug 22, 2019

Aspzan said:
What are the scriptures conveying?

why would you ask that question?

messianist · Aug 22, 2019

Jude1:3Contendforthefaith said:
Are you referring mostly to the spiritual side of martial arts ? I agree with you that a lot of the spiritual side of it is demonic.

What about the physical sporting aspect of it though ?

The Secrets Behind Martial Arts !

The reason I ask is because even Jacob wrestled with an angel :

Then Jacob was left alone; and a Man Wrestled with him until the breaking of day. Now when He saw that He did not prevail against him, He touched the socket of his hip; and the socket of Jacob's hip was out of joint as He wrestled with him. And He said, "Let Me go, for the day breaks." But he said, "I will not let You go unless You bless me!" So He said to him, "What is your name?" He said, "Jacob." And He said, "Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel; for you have struggled with God and with men, and have prevailed." Then Jacob asked, saying, "Tell me Your name, I pray." And He said, "Why is it that you ask about My name?" And He blessed him there. And Jacob called the name of the place Peniel: "For I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved." Just as he crossed over Penuel the sun rose on him, and he limped on his hip. Therefore to this day the children of Israel do not eat the muscle that shrank, which is on the hip socket, because He touched the socket of Jacob's hip in the muscle that shrank.
• Genesis 32:24-32

.

The spiritual side comes hand in hand with the physical side when you do martial science.

What I don't understand is why any converted man would need to do any combat sport.?

The scripture regarding wrestling are not the same as what people see on the tv wwf.

Jude1:3Contendforthefaith · Aug 22, 2019

messianist said:
The spiritual side comes hand in hand with the physical side when you do martial science.

What I don't understand is why any converted man would need to do any combat sport.?

The scripture regarding wrestling are not the same as what people see on the tv wwf.

Oh, I'm talking about college / olympic conventional wrestling.

.

Who does combat sports here?

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