Boxing and being a Christian?

[fhansen]

Whether it can or can't be considered to be fine isn't the issue.

In what sense are you using:

off the wall

beyond the realm of acceptability or reasonableness:
markedly out of the ordinary; eccentric; bizarre:
http://www.dictionary.com/browse/off--the--wall

Between and the title and the OP two separate questions appear to be asked: is it ok for Christians to be involved in boxing, and should they attribute success to God? The answer for the first is yes, the second, IMO, no. Same in any sport-if both sides pray to God should they attribute their loss to Him also?

 

[ewq1938]

Between and the title and the OP two separate questions appear to be asked: is it ok for Christians to be involved in boxing, and should they attribute success to God? The answer for the first is yes, the second, IMO, no. Same in any sport-if both sides pray to God should they attribute their loss to Him also?

If you ask for God's help or blessing then it is only appropriate to thank him as well.

 

[fhansen]

If you ask for God's help or blessing then it is only appropriate to thank him as well.

Even if you ask and lose? Or might it be more consistent with His nature to be unconcerned with who wins a boxing match?

 

[WolfGate]

Is it (wrestling) in harmony with loving neighbor as oneself?

What do you think?

 

[Radrook]

What do you think?

Christians believe that humans are made in God's image.
Boxing involves inflicting visible and internal damage on it.

The body is also described as God's temple.
Boxing requires an attack on that temple.

Jesus said to do to others as one would want others to do to us.
Boxing attempts to do the opposite.

We are counseled to seek peace and avoid violence.
Boxing seeks contention and involves a life focused on violence.

We are told to seek treasures in heaven
Boxing focuses on making money at the cost of our opponent's loss.

 

[ewq1938]

Even if you ask and lose?

Yes. If you survived it then you have plenty to thank God for.

 

[tatteredsoul]

How do you feel about wrestling (not the pro stuff, what they do in schools and Olympics).

Wrestling as a self-defense is great. As an actual game (sparrring,) and not a [blood] sport, it is great. Formal wrestling like in schools is tantamount to taking a martial art. It should be about discipline and comrodiary, rather than a show of strength and power.

 

[Mudinyeri]

As a former boxer and MMA fighter, allow me to suggest that both are much safer sports than American football (Yes, I played football for a bit too).

With that said, I think Paul was a boxer or a boxing fan. He specifically talks about fighting the good fight in both 1 and 2 Timothy. I highly doubt that Paul would use such an analogy if fighting was somehow inherently sinful.

Praying to win ... in my opinion (and only in my opinion - I have not done Biblical research to back up my opinion) seems self-serving and, therefore, in conflict with humility. Giving God the credit for the win also comes off as self-serving in a less direct way.

 

[dentonz]

Is it in harmony with loving neighbor as oneself?



If it contradicts that principle in any way I don't see how to harmonize it with the Christian personality that we are told to assume. The principle involves not doing anything to our neighbor which we don't wish upon ourselves. Do we wish to be slammed against the ground? Do we like to lose? Do we like pain being inflicted and our lives threatened via serious injury? All these become relevant when we strive to apply that principle
which is part of being Christlike.

Other scriptures which Some Christians consider very relevant to the subject are these:



Notice that Jesus went beyond the law by requiring that we love neighbor as he loved us. That means being willing to sacrifice our lives for others as he did for mankind.

If your neighbor is being beaten to death, would you try to help them? Is it not Christian to help those in need? If you are practiced in some form of martial art/boxing, you would have a better chance of helping them without receiving too much injury to yourself. Wouldn't you want your neighbor to do the same to you? If you can't help, I would bet you would probably call other trained warriors to their assistance, like police officers. You asked "do you wish to be slammed to the ground?". Well, in a training environment, yes, absolutely try to slam me to the ground. In doing so, I will learn how to be more proficient in whatever art I am studying, whether it be wrestling, or jiu jitsu, or whatever. Do I like to lose? Well, no, but if in losing, I learn how to get better, then yes.

 

[Radagast]

Does anyone else here see the incongruity between claiming Christianity and being a boxer?

Well, my natural tendency is to see them as incompatible. But the Apostle Paul, a better man than I am, writes with approval of boxing in 1 Corinthians 9:26 ("... I do not fight like a boxer beating the air").

 

[tatteredsoul]

Well, my natural tendency is to see them as incompatible. But the Apostle Paul, a better man than I am, writes with approval of boxing in 1 Corinthians 9:26 ("... I do not fight like a boxer beating the air").

Paul likely spoke about boxing in the same sense one would speak about it today in the West - since the culture was similar. There were casual sparring matche's and blood sport fighting.

I think Vegas boxing is a blood sport, and I can see the conflict between that and any spiritual walk, seeing as most spiritually focused walks focus on non violence, or violence as necessary.

But, real training in boxing as a martial art is not a conflict with Christianity. How can you fend off the thief if you don't know how to defend yourself? Even weapon skills were a part of a believer's carnal arsenal. Every human needs to know how to defend themselves whether it be a formal martial art or street fighting. I don't think Christians are supposed to be carnal warriors waging war or neighborhood uprising, but we aren't supposed to be passive little things either.

Even sheep defend themselves with powerful bucks and headbutts when they need to. Every creature has a natural melee defense art.

 

[Mudinyeri]

In my opinion, true violence is born of emotion. Certainly, you have some emotional boxers who really want to hurt their opponent. Most that I've encountered, however, are fairly cool-headed. If you aren't thinking in the ring, you have to be REALLY good to avoid getting beaten.

 

[faroukfarouk]

Paul likely spoke about boxing in the same sense one would speak about it today in the West - since the culture was similar. There were casual sparring matche's and blood sport fighting.

I think Vegas boxing is a blood sport, and I can see the conflict between that and any spiritual walk, seeing as most spiritually focused walks focus on non violence, or violence as necessary.

But, real training in boxing as a martial art is not a conflict with Christianity. How can you fend off the thief if you don't know how to defend yourself? Even weapon skills were a part of a believer's carnal arsenal. Every human needs to know how to defend themselves whether it be a formal martial art or street fighting. I don't think Christians are supposed to be carnal warriors waging war or neighborhood uprising, but we aren't supposed to be passive little things either.

Even sheep defend themselves with powerful bucks and headbutts when they need to. Every creature has a natural melee defense art.

So do you do martial arts?

I think not a few Bible believing Christians do martial arts, anyway.

 

[tatteredsoul]

So do you do martial arts?

I think not a few Bible believing Christians do martial arts, anyway.

I do two formal martial arts (Shotoken Ryu and Muay Thai,) and then God trained me in a style similar to Jeet Kun Do. Yes, He trained me.

 

[faroukfarouk]

I do two formal martial arts (Shotoken Ryu and Muay Thai,) and then God trained me in a style similar to Jeet Kun Do. Yes, He trained me.

Seems like some ppl think the martial arts are more of an ethical thing rather than just a physical thing, right?

PS: Do you come from an Asian background, maybe? you seem to know a lot about it, anyway.

 

[tatteredsoul]

Seems like some ppl think the martial arts are more of an ethical thing rather than just a physical thing, right?

PS: Do you come from an Asian background, maybe? you seem to know a lot about it, anyway.

The inside joke is you are a successful martial artist if you never have to get into a fight. When you get to a high enough level in martial arts, it is almost a liability to fight someone anyway; you can easily seriously injure someone. Of course most a-hats don't know this. That is why discipline is important, as well as a code of ethics and base of philosophy. I couldn't personally continue in formal martial arts at my level because it becomes a serious way of life. Very close to spirituality/religion.

I have gotten into two fights in my entire life: one I was the a-hat fighting a guy six inches taller than me over a game in elementary school. I got my eye dotted. The other fight was ironically in my beginner martial arts class - but both of us d the same story (I had been picked on for days without speaking.) And, of course after we fought we were best buds.

I have seriously injured a few of my sparring partners, which is devestating because 1) they are my friends, and 2) sparring is about controlling power while maintaining technique - and I feel like I failed to control my powe, maintain my technique, or both. I am still friends with them, though.

And no, I am not Asian. In America I am "black," but my actual ethnicity is more Andamanese and E. African.

 

[faroukfarouk]

The inside joke is you are a successful martial artist if you never have to get into a fight. When you get to a high enough level in martial arts, it is almost a liability to fight someone anyway; you can easily seriously injure someone. Of course most a-hats don't know this. That is why discipline is important, as well as a code of ethics and base of philosophy. I couldn't personally continue in formal martial arts at my level because it becomes a serious way of life. Very close to spirituality/religion.

I have gotten into two fights in my entire life: one I was the a-hat fighting a guy six inches taller than me over a game in elementary school. I got my eye dotted. The other fight was ironically in my beginner martial arts class - but both of us d the same story (I had been picked on for days without speaking.) And, of course after we fought we were best buds.

I have seriously injured a few of my sparring partners, which is devestating because 1) they are my friends, and 2) sparring is about controlling power while maintaining technique - and I feel like I failed to control my powe, maintain my technique, or both. I am still friends with them, though.

And no, I am not Asian. In America I am "black," but my actual ethnicity is more Andamanese and E. African.

Very interesting! You seem to know a great deal about it also. (Andamanese is Indian, right?)

I suppose you remove earrings before doing the martial arts? (I myself haven't worn them for years.)

 

[tatteredsoul]

Very interesting! You seem to know a great deal about it also. (Andamanese is Indian, right?)

Its an series of Islands with one great island in that area, yes. Indonesians and Pacific Islanders sometimes call them (and others like Solomon Island "dark" people, and Islands east of Papau New Guinea in the Pacific) "melanesians."

I suppose you remove earrings before doing the martial arts? (I myself haven't worn them for years.)

Well, I tried to pierce my ear twice - with about eight months (in two different major Western Countries/cities.) But, my ear rejected the piercing, and so I never tried to get my ear pierced again. But definitely you should remove all jewelry before katas even.

 

[faroukfarouk]

Its an series of Islands with one great island in that area, yes. Indonesians and Pacific Islanders sometimes call them (and others like Solomon Island "dark" people, and Islands east of Papau New Guinea in the Pacific) "melanesians."



Well, I tried to pierce my ear twice - with about eight months (in two different major Western Countries/cities.) But, my ear rejected the piercing, and so I never tried to get my ear pierced again. But definitely you should remove all jewelry before katas even.

I guess if the ring would fit, you'd still like to wear it, though.

People don't realize just how varied cultures are, even within broad geographical areas.

Seems like Japan and Thailand are pretty strong on the martial arts, though.

 

[tatteredsoul]

I guess if the ring would fit, you'd still like to wear it, though.

People don't realize just how varied cultures are, even within broad geographical areas.

Seems like Japan and Thailand are pretty strong on the martial arts, though.

Varied indeed. There is extreme overlap between African, Indian, Pacific Island, and Greater-Asia martial arts. Most of them born out of necessity, which is why I say everyone should know a martial art as a human (Tae Kwon Do was developed for kicking soldiers off of horses, for example.)

And, I likely would wear my earring in appropriate places if my body didnt reject it.