Do you guys think that it's a sin to train martial arts / grappling as an Orthodox Christian ?

Jude1:3Contendforthefaith said:

*** You Are In The Eastern Orthodox Forum ***


I know that the spiritual side of eastern martial arts does absolutely have negative occult / demonic stuff :
The Secrets Behind Martial Arts !

But I'm specifically referring to :

• The Self Defense Aspect

and

• The Physical Sporting (Wrestling) Combat / Exercise Aspect


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Depends on which art you take ans where you take it. I take Chinese Kenpo and where I go there are no spiritual components just pure bone breaking self defense techniques. My daughters take Tang Soo Do and the same is true for them no spirutal aspects just the self defense and art . Many forms of Kung Fu(not all) and some forms of martial arts do have some negative spiritual aspects I would stay away from. If a school is wanting you to do eastern meditation or believe in Chi etc I would stay away.

Training for physical performance and competition is fine. Even in the pre-Christian era sports were always tied to religious rituals yet Paul in his epistles often compared his struggles in the faith to a Boxer who trains and fights for the prize hence prizefighter). See ( 1 Corinthians 9:25-27, 2 Timothy 2:5, 2 Tim 4:7-8,

buzuxi02 said:

Training for physical performance and competition is fine. Even in the pre-Christian era sports were always tied to religious rituals yet Paul in his epistles often compared his struggles in the faith to a Boxer who trains and fights for the prize hence prizefighter). See ( 1 Corinthians 9:25-27, 2 Timothy 2:5, 2 Tim 4:7-8,

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Weren't the Christians the ones who got rid of the Olympic Games though?

ArmyMatt said:

well, as someone who fought in Afghanistan and is an Orthodox Christian, I can say from the Orthodox POV that all war is a sin, even when necessary.

that being said, if you read my previous post, I said as far as martial arts goes it depends on which one.

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Were there soldier saints who died in battle against the enemy soldiers?

trulytheone said:

Were there soldier saints who died in battle against the enemy soldiers?

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yes, but their sanctity has nothing to do with killing their fellow man.

ArmyMatt said:

yes, but their sanctity has nothing to do with killing their fellow man.

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Oh I’m not disputing that. Anyway, who were some of those saints?

trulytheone said:

Oh I’m not disputing that. Anyway, who were some of those saints?

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Sts George, Theodore the general, Theodore the recruit, Alexander Nevsky, David the Restorer, Dmitri Donskoy, etc.

David Neos said:

Weren't the Christians the ones who got rid of the Olympic Games though?

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Yes and No. Under Theodosios I pagan festivals were banned so it's usually thought the Olympics were discontinued around 395 AD as it was basically a Greek pagan festival. But it seems the games survived abit longer:

Mythbusting Ancient Rome: did Christians ban the ancient Olympics?

buzuxi02 said:

Yes and No. Under Theodosios I pagan festivals were banned so it's usually thought the Olympics were discontinued around 395 AD as it was basically a Greek pagan festival. But it seems the games survived abit longer:

Mythbusting Ancient Rome: did Christians ban the ancient Olympics?

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Thanks, this will help next time a Nationalist neopagan tries to discredit Christianity.

My homeboy Troy hit HARD and played rough....but Orthodox all the way.

I weep when I think of my beloved Steelers this season....

Those look like Makarovs.

Jude1:3Contendforthefaith said:

This video kind of goes along with what's been posted in the thread :

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gurneyhalleck1 said:

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My homeboy Troy hit HARD and played rough....but Orthodox all the way.

I weep when I think of my beloved Steelers this season....

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you shouldn't. starting 1-4 and ending 8-8 isn't a bad way to end.

plus, if memory serves, your team is the 9ers, and they are still in the playoffs.

My buddy at work is a rabid Niners fan. I’m not. I pulled for them for his sake a few times, but after Kaepernick and the kneeling crud and the liberal junk surrounding that team, I’d had enough. Growing up I never liked the 49ers....Montana, Rice, Craig, meh.....their fans are super pretentious, mostly snobs, and silicone valley elitists. The rabble pull for the Raiders here. The hicks and people missing many teeth like the Cowboys, a few Rams fans are around, and I think there are nine Chargers fans in the state. The hard-working middle class like the Steelers! When I was little it was Mean Joe Greene, Bradshaw, Swan, Lambert, Chuck Noll coaching....then in my older years the Bus, Big Ben, Ward, Troy, Cowher....ah the memories. Plus, you know me! I’m a Gotham Rogues fan!

ArmyMatt said:

you shouldn't. starting 1-4 and ending 8-8 isn't a bad way to end.

plus, if memory serves, your team is the 9ers, and they are still in the playoffs.

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whoa, I distinctly remember you telling me you hated the Steelers. I think it was the first of our many sports discussions.

If just war is a thing, and I think it probably is, Afghanistan (or any modern 'war') could not possibly meet the criteria. Appealing to experience in a war that certainly is unjust as reason doesn't seem... like it fits the bill.

Boxing is a martial art. So is the venerable British art of shin-kicking. I fence, that is also a martial art. No weird theologies in those, as far as I'm aware, but I think that such a sport is superior than football or the other weird 'ball' sports which are simply absurd and the opiate of the masses.

Jude1:3Contendforthefaith said:

*** You Are In The Eastern Orthodox Forum ***


I know that the spiritual side of eastern martial arts does absolutely have negative occult / demonic stuff :
The Secrets Behind Martial Arts !

But I'm specifically referring to :

• The Self Defense Aspect

and

• The Physical Sporting (Wrestling) Combat / Exercise Aspect


.

Click to expand...

That should be fine.

Euodius said:

Boxing is a martial art. So is the venerable British art of shin-kicking. I fence, that is also a martial art. No weird theologies in those, as far as I'm aware, but I think that such a sport is superior than football or the other weird 'ball' sports which are simply absurd and the opiate of the masses.

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American football might be but you won’t prevent me from playing rugby