Copy-pasted from the Christian Advice forum because my OCD might be factoring into this.
I've been wanting to learn a martial art for some time. I tried a kickboxing class many months ago, but it was too expensive to keep up. And now, after going through COVID and cutting off contact with my friends (due to unhealthy relationships), I'm alone and don't do much outside my job. I figured kickboxing would be a great way for me to get in shape, meet people, and learn better coordination, engaging my brain and learning something new.
I had an odd feeling about it though. I tried two classes at two different places, and ended up signing up for an 8 week program. It's fighting kickboxing, not just bag work.
I have some OCD, so that may be a factor in my doubting. But first I was thinking "I shouldn't do this because I want to hurt people, therefore my motives are impure." But when practicing, I'm careful not to kick too hard, even to the point where my partners have said "you can kick harder."
And then I thought that I shouldn't do it because I will be late to the classes (I get off work only 15 minutes before it starts). But I'm paying them, and they're pretry relaxed anyway.
And then driving home the other night I thought along the lines of "I shouldn't do this because it's inherently violent."
And this lead me to days and days of googling, researching whether or not a Christian should do kickboxing or any martial art.
(As far as I can tell, there's little to no Eastern religion stuff involved in the training, it's just how to fight against an opponent. So that's not what's bugging me.)
I want to learn to fight, and that bothers me, that I want to get into the ring and win a fight. Granted, I'm a skinny female with no experience and not much strength, so it would take a really long time for me to get there.
But on the flipside, Paul did mention boxing in his letters (1 Corinthians 9:26)--although I'm not 100% sure if he meant it in a positive or negative way.
Basically, I'm wanting to go about this with good motives, and at the beginning I was pretty excited to be learning a new sport. But now I feel as though I'm doing something wrong. I want to take the thoughts captive that enjoy the idea of hurting someone, and just learn it for self defense, for the act of making my brain learn a new task, and getting stronger and more confident, and making new friends. But like I said, going to class now feels wrong (And I literally started just over a week ago).
And I also added: I'm careful during practice, to the point where classmates and the instructor have said to hit harder. I'm considering buying shin pads too, because they might help soften the blow. And, though I didn't mention it above, my reaction to "I want to hurt people" is "wait, no, that's not the kind of person I want to be."
I've been wanting to learn a martial art for some time. I tried a kickboxing class many months ago, but it was too expensive to keep up. And now, after going through COVID and cutting off contact with my friends (due to unhealthy relationships), I'm alone and don't do much outside my job. I figured kickboxing would be a great way for me to get in shape, meet people, and learn better coordination, engaging my brain and learning something new.
I had an odd feeling about it though. I tried two classes at two different places, and ended up signing up for an 8 week program. It's fighting kickboxing, not just bag work.
I have some OCD, so that may be a factor in my doubting. But first I was thinking "I shouldn't do this because I want to hurt people, therefore my motives are impure." But when practicing, I'm careful not to kick too hard, even to the point where my partners have said "you can kick harder."
And then I thought that I shouldn't do it because I will be late to the classes (I get off work only 15 minutes before it starts). But I'm paying them, and they're pretry relaxed anyway.
And then driving home the other night I thought along the lines of "I shouldn't do this because it's inherently violent."
And this lead me to days and days of googling, researching whether or not a Christian should do kickboxing or any martial art.
(As far as I can tell, there's little to no Eastern religion stuff involved in the training, it's just how to fight against an opponent. So that's not what's bugging me.)
I want to learn to fight, and that bothers me, that I want to get into the ring and win a fight. Granted, I'm a skinny female with no experience and not much strength, so it would take a really long time for me to get there.
But on the flipside, Paul did mention boxing in his letters (1 Corinthians 9:26)--although I'm not 100% sure if he meant it in a positive or negative way.
Basically, I'm wanting to go about this with good motives, and at the beginning I was pretty excited to be learning a new sport. But now I feel as though I'm doing something wrong. I want to take the thoughts captive that enjoy the idea of hurting someone, and just learn it for self defense, for the act of making my brain learn a new task, and getting stronger and more confident, and making new friends. But like I said, going to class now feels wrong (And I literally started just over a week ago).
And I also added: I'm careful during practice, to the point where classmates and the instructor have said to hit harder. I'm considering buying shin pads too, because they might help soften the blow. And, though I didn't mention it above, my reaction to "I want to hurt people" is "wait, no, that's not the kind of person I want to be."