Using a Sword in Japanese martial arts and being a Christian Samurai.

[faroukfarouk]

I like both, but I practice Iaido more than I practice Korean martial arts. I do have a steel blade for my ancestor, who was of the samurai class, it is folded and hammered 1000 times. It's a family heirloom. The name of my katana is Cerulean Courage. It's been passed down from 7 generations of my family. There are Japanese English parallel bibles in the niv and nkjv versions. As for Korean, the common fear of learning the language lies in the Hangul characters. It means that from a western view, they are not roman letters so korean will be hard to learn. But actually, Korean is the easiest language in Asia to pick up. Also about my dojo; my cousin is also my sensei or teacher, and teaches on Christian values, as well as learning to "wield the sword with the heart." In actuality, we have more females in our dojo than males, and the females are of higher rankings than some of the male students. We believe skill doesn't come from gender, race, or age, but by using the sword by the heart.

Well, this is all very interesting information that I find helpful about Japanese and Korean. Do young people sometimes dispense with some of the more complex politeness inflections in Korean? I really would love to be able to speak Korean and Japanese, and reading the Bible in those languages is one of a number of good ways to achieve this, I think.

Very interesting that women outnumber men in your martial arts classes; and I expect that many of them would be appropriately tattooed also. While in North America 59%-70% of parlor clients are female and being tattooed is widely regarded as a very womanly thing to do, I was not sure how widespread tattooing was among women in Japan and Korean, even among martial arts circles.

I think you make some very searching comments about wielding the sword; reminds me of your first post, where you refer to the sword of the Spirit, the Word of God in Ephesians.

 

[BryanW92]

You are saying this, not me, friend.

I said it in jest. But you imply it with your constant devotion to tattoos. Just go back and read your comments in this thread alone. The OP said that she did not have or want a tattoo. But, you continue to proselytize the tattoo lifestyle, completely ignoring her choice to not be "inked".

Frankly, the whole "Christian Samurai" concept is much more interesting without adding on your tattoo obsession, which is a distraction from a rarely discussed topic: the Christian Warrior.

 

[faroukfarouk]

I said it in jest. But you imply it with your constant devotion to tattoos. Just go back and read your comments in this thread alone. The OP said that she did not have or want a tattoo. But, you continue to proselytize the tattoo lifestyle, completely ignoring her choice to not be "inked".

Frankly, the whole "Christian Samurai" concept is much more interesting without adding on your tattoo obsession, which is a distraction from a rarely discussed topic: the Christian Warrior.

Maybe you could go back and read the series of posts between the OP and myself in which we have a very interesting discussion about martial arts, swords, codes of conduct, the Japanese and Korean languages, Bible versions in those languages, and the Bible as the Sword of the Spirit. Care to join in the discussion?

 

[BryanW92]

Maybe you could go back and read the series of posts between the OP and myself in which we have a very interesting discussion about martial arts, swords, codes of conduct, the Japanese and Korean languages, Bible versions in those languages, and the Bible as the Sword of the Spirit. Care to join in the discussion?

I already did read them. Note how many times the word "tattoo" appears in them. You do a good job of wrapping your tattoo discussion in something on-topic, but your enthusiasm for the ink shows through.

 

[faroukfarouk]

I already did read them. Note how many times the word "tattoo" appears in them. You do a good job of wrapping your tattoo discussion in something on-topic, but your enthusiasm for the ink shows through.

Care to join the discussion about Japanese and Korean forms of martial arts? and linguistic similarities? and the Sword of the Spirit?

 

[BryanW92]

Care to join the discussion about Japanese and Korean forms of martial arts? and linguistic similarities? and the Sword of the Spirit?

No. I would prefer to discuss the topic of the OP, which was the idea of the Christian Samurai and/or Christian Warrior. The forms and languages and body art really do not address the real interesting topic presented by the OP. However, but keeping the discussion worldly, you have been able to interject your tattoo questions throughout your discussion.

 

[faroukfarouk]

No. I would prefer to discuss the topic of the OP, which was the idea of the Christian Samurai and/or Christian Warrior. The forms and languages and body art really do not address the real interesting topic presented by the OP. However, but keeping the discussion worldly, you have been able to interject your tattoo questions throughout your discussion.

The OP's point was that her idea of the Christian Samurai fits with the idea of the Sword of the Spirit and codes of conduct. Some good considerations.

 

[BryanW92]

2) we are called to love our enemies. This is never going to be easy, especially if using a sword, but it comes back to what the intent is. Love means many things and if it means to protect yourself for God's plan for you, it is not wrong.

I carry a handgun for protection and sometimes a pacifist Christian will find out and be shocked. They ask, "how can you preach and teach the gospel and carry a gun?"

They quote the event in the garden of Gethsemane with Peter's sword as proof that I should disarm.

But, I agree with you that a gun is tool and I use that tool to protect myself to continue with God's plan for me. I'm not a vigilante driving around at night, trying to find a criminal to shoot, but I will defend myself and others if called upon. Sometimes a Christian is called to be martyr, but sometimes, he is called to be a crusader.

 

[BryanW92]

The OP's point was that her idea of the Christian Samurai fits with the idea of the Sword of the Spirit and codes of conduct. Some good considerations.

Which has nothing to do with tattoos.

 

[faroukfarouk]

I do have a steel blade for my ancestor, who was of the samurai class, it is folded and hammered 1000 times. It's a family heirloom. The name of my katana is Cerulean Courage. It's been passed down from 7 generations of my family.

PS: ChristianSamurai88:

Sounds like a real family treasure. I guess years ago the ancestors who would habitually have wielded this precious sword would have been male; but very interesting that women now outnumber men in your martial arts class.

Just goes to show there is no gender restriction in learning about the whole armor of God in Ephesians. (A book you might like is William Gurnall's 'The Christian in Complete Armor', published by Banner of Truth.)

 

[Sammy-San]

Greetings! I have a few pointers to make on the misconceptions about a Christian using a sword and why it is relevant to today...
Also going to cover what it means to be a Christian Samurai, and the path I walk as one.

Let's start with the meaning of a Christian Samurai:

1) The kanji for samurai is very simple (&#20365 if you want to get technical, it means to serve. As Christians we are called to serve God as we live our lives and walk alongside him, a Samurai is one who serves his master. He/she follows the master who commands him/her to serve unwaveringly. If you look at the concepts, we are servants to God as Christians and we are called to follow unwaveringly and walk alongside Him. These mean the same.
2) As a Christian Samurai myself, my life belongs to no other but God and Jesus. Back in history, many samurai denied their lives were for the master they served when the Daimyo commanded them to commit seppuku or ritual suicide. Instead, they stated that their lives did not belong to the daimyo, but to The Lord, and refused. Many were martyrs and died for that faith. I am not afraid of death in my body because I have eternal life with Jesus.
3) A Christian Samurai is also one who serves his or her people to know Christ. We are called to make disciples in many lands and give the love of God to all. We all have spiritual gifts The Lord has given us, and we should join together in bringing love through those gifts. This means we should also love those who don't love and need it.

For using a sword in martial arts as a Christian:
1) I was taught at a very young age, when I started Iaido (Japanese swordsmanship) by my cousin saying to me that "the sword isn't merely wielded by the hand, but by the heart. If your Heart is for God, and it is full of love, your blade will be after God as well, but if your heart is full of hate, your blade will be evil, and those who don't understand this are unfit to use a blade." A Christian Samurai doesn't use his sword to murder but to protect. I believe God will not judge you if you kill someone in the process of protecting yourself or others, if your heart is for God. Of course, we should fight as a last resort and try to win with the sword in the sheath if possible. A common mistake of society is that as Christians we cannot and are not allowed to kill under any circumstance, but this is not true. There is a verse in Matthew (I think? Unsure exactly) that tells us Jesus told his disciples to sell their coats and buy two swords. Meaning that Jesus was all for self-defense on his mission to save all of us. At the same time, when Peter cut a man's ear off in the garden the night Jesus was betrayed, and Jesus healed the man, He rebuked Peter. This means that Peter was trying to stop God's master plan, even so with intentions of protecting Jesus. However, Christ calls us to use a spiritual sword, the Bible as our guide, and use The Word as our sword and use it in love, coming back to the sword being wielded by the heart. 2) we are called to love our enemies. This is never going to be easy, especially if using a sword, but it comes back to what the intent is. Love means many things and if it means to protect yourself for God's plan for you, it is not wrong.

I am a Christian Samurai and I fight a spiritual battle the world will never see unless they choose The Lord. All things I do, I do in love after God's heart.
If anyone has questions or comments feel free! Amen and God bless you all!

How can you use swords in martial arts when katanas are the most dangerous sharp objects ever? That seems like the most dangerous thing ever.

 

[faroukfarouk]

How can you use swords in martial arts when katanas are the most dangerous sharp objects ever? That seems like the most dangerous thing ever.

Interesting question; I think the OP already said it's basically for protection rather than as an offensive weapon. (But we'll let her respond.)

 

[BryanW92]

How can you use swords in martial arts when katanas are the most dangerous sharp objects ever? That seems like the most dangerous thing ever.

I took some kendo classes a long time ago and we used shinai as our swords. At least, I think that's what they were called. They hurt and leave a bruise and occaisionally break a finger or two, but aren't sharp.

 

[ChristianSamurai88]

Interesting question; I think the OP already said it's basically for protection rather than as an offensive weapon. (But we'll let her respond.)

As stated above, and repeated several times is that a sword is not used by the hand but by the heart, it can kill, but not out of malice, and not for hate. It is wielded by the heart and if your heart is for The Lord, your sword will also be for God. It's like the saying "guns don't kill people, people kill people." And of course the meaning I feel is the same, but the intent is different. A teaching we have is "win with the sword sheathed" this translates to don't draw the blade first or, "ask questions first, shoot later" and only of necessary. If I kill someone in the act of self defense, and did not have the intent of doing so, God will not see it as a sin. It will be seen as a sin if I was planning to kill the person before hand. I use a sword for self control. This is my reply. The teaching of Iaido is in stages. Shu-obey ha-break ri-seperate and they go in a circle within eachother. When one is at the obey stage, they are like children to the sensei and to the art. They have a relationship like parents and children. They must be protected, but also must learn that it's not used as a tool for evil but for God. At the break stage, this is when the student is truely tested. The sensei's ideals and the students clash, in more ways than one, because of the student's will to pick up a blade for his or her 'yume' or dream. The student respects the sensei, but has his or her own ideals. It's like a teen and parent. Finally, the seperate stage is where the student has learned all he or she can from the sensei. The student has surpassed the master with skill and knowledge and will begin a new journey. The ideals are not the same completely but te relationship is like parent and grandparent. The student now has their own students willing to pick up a sword, and although the ideal is different, it's not not existant but a basis. My cousin and sensei, taught me that this is a natural cycle of Iaido. And everyone is an individual

 

[faroukfarouk]

... we have more females in our dojo than males, and the females are of higher rankings than some of the male students. We believe skill doesn't come from gender, race, or age, but by using the sword by the heart.

Well, this is a very interesting development, that women outnumber men in your martial arts class.

I'm guessing that all your ancestors that would normally have wielded (from the heart!) the heirloom sword that your family has would have been men.

Just goes to show that the truths about the whole armor of God in Ephesians are not gender restricted.

Interesting about the higher rankings being achieved by women also.

I read about 12th century Samurai warriors, many of whom were women.

 

[ChristianSamurai88]

Well, this is a very interesting development, that women outnumber men in your martial arts class.

I'm guessing that all your ancestors that would normally have wielded (from the heart!) the heirloom sword that your family has would have been men.

Just goes to show that the truths about the whole armor of God in Ephesians are not gender restricted.

Interesting about the higher rankings being achieved by women also.

I read about 12th century Samurai warriors, many of whom were women.

The farthest I've traced my genealogy is up to the 14-15th century. One of my ancestors fought in the battle of seikigahara, his name was Akashi takenori. And he was a Christian Samurai who was also a major figure in the Japanese Christian faith...of course, after seikigahara, nobody knows what his whereabouts were, but as it traced from 14-15th century, he most likely fled. This is my mother's side of the family.

 

[faroukfarouk]

The farthest I've traced my genealogy is up to the 14-15th century. One of my ancestors fought in the battle of seikigahara, his name was Akashi takenori. And he was a Christian Samurai who was also a major figure in the Japanese Christian faith...of course, after seikigahara, nobody knows what his whereabouts were, but as it traced from 14-15th century, he most likely fled. This is my mother's side of the family.

Interesting! so which sides fought at Seikigahara?

I think in the 19th century there was a disbandment of an old style Samurai.

 

[Sammy-San]

The farthest I've traced my genealogy is up to the 14-15th century. One of my ancestors fought in the battle of seikigahara, his name was Akashi takenori. And he was a Christian Samurai who was also a major figure in the Japanese Christian faith...of course, after seikigahara, nobody knows what his whereabouts were, but as it traced from 14-15th century, he most likely fled. This is my mother's side of the family.

How exactly did you trace your ancestry back that far? I have traced my ancestry back several generations, but not as far back as medieval times.

 

[faroukfarouk]

PS: ChristianSamurai88:

BTW, what is a dojo? does a dojo refer to a local martial arts organization? You seem to know all the terminology, anyway.

 

[ChristianSamurai88]

PS: ChristianSamurai88:

BTW, what is a dojo? does a dojo refer to a local martial arts organization? You seem to know all the terminology, anyway.

A dojo is the place a martial artist practices. It is the martial arts studio