Is Practising Martial Arts Spiritually Dangerous

[smolemong]

A few years ago I stopped doing martial arts (karate, tae kwan do) after a few months of attending classes because I was uncomfortable with something a guest instructor said. He said we should invite the "spirits" of martial arts to aid/guide us something along those lines. I didn't go back because I considered the possibility that practising what I just considered a sport may be a potential doorway for demonic spirits.

I am interested to know what the church thinks about this, especially because my organisation wants to make martial arts compulsory for serving members. Considering the Eastern origins of most martial arts, is it possible to separate kicking, blocking and punching from whatever underlying philosophies may have inspired them? Can one practice martial arts without engaging in the "spiritual" aspects that seem to exist in them?

[creationliberty]

It really depends on what you mean. If by "martial arts," someone means they are using physical techniques to defend themselves from an attacker, thief, mugger, or rapist, there's nothing wrong with that. However, most of them commonly use the concept of "ki," which is a mystical energy that is supposed to be an eastern pagan teaching about the chakras and all that junk. I was in tae kwan do for a couple years when I was a teenager, so I know about what is taught.

Basically, if they talk about anything spiritual concerning physical combat, I'd advise any Christian to get out as quickly as possible because anything spiritual that is discussed outside the boundaries of Holy Scripture is dangerous.

[Masha]

Hi Silindle, I wrote an exstensive response yesterday, but something went wrong and I didnt send it.
I basically agree with Chris. If you are doing mere physical training, then that is not a problem. What could be a serious problem tough, is the spiritual part to the martial arts.
Here's my first responce.

Hi Silindle, I feel compelled to answer as I have been so into all those things like martial arts, (yoga, Ci Gong, Reiki, meditation, etc, etc, etc. There is always a mixture of physical practises and spiritual practises. In those physical exercises or training you do gain a lot of good qualities like selfcontrol, discipline, endurance, patience, longsuffering. And the physical training does give strength, balance and health.I was a yoga instructor and a mindfulness teacher at one point in time. So there is no danger in doing physical training.
For the yoga I come to realise that basically many asana's are positions derived from posture of newborns, infants, children and animals. They have a certain wisdom and truth in them, (Gods creation reflects His eternal wisdom) so they do bring well being. ( I hope I am making myself understood properly as I do not want to promote any of the wicked occult stuff) The trick lies in that little bit of Gods truth that is in it.
Like ratpoison many of the new age and occult practises (MArtial arts incl) have some truth in their foundation and/or doctrine, they are therefor effective, yet you get a truckload of other garbage along with it ,which will eventually lead you to destruction in a place where there is no God.
The fact that these practices all have a spiritual aspect to it reveals that wickedness. Any of the martial art has a spiritual aspect, which means the fact that a spirit (!) is asked to join in the training / or the participant are supposed to seek spiritual growth through the practice YET they deny the only Living God!!!!

The spiritual assistance they ask for or seek after is NOT Gods spirit.


2Ti 3:5 Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.

1Jo 2:16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.

What I have come to understand in my walk with the Lord, is that :
Joh 12:35 Then Jesus said unto them, Yet a little while is the light with you. Walk while ye have the light, lest darkness come upon you: for he that walketh in darkness knoweth not whither he goeth.

Eph 5:8 For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light:

1Th 5:22 Abstain from all appearance of evil.

2Co 6:14 Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?

Light and darkness do not mix. Martial arts are part of that same wickedness. Martial arts is not light. So it is darkness. We can say with certainty that martial arts are wicked , right?

So, then the question would be can someone still practice or use martial arts. Should a Christian be involved with it? Can anyone just do the psychical training without getting spiritually corrupted??

I can only compare it to my own experience. I still have the knowledge of the human body, breathing techniques, etc. and I relate to that knowledge inevitably. But I have never again practiced yoga after I was saved. ( And I repeat: I was into it so much it was a daily practise)  When I move my body I still use the training I have had, but I have never taught my children any of it nor do I talk about it or advocate it. It has totally disappeared from my life. I believe God made it that way, because it is Him that has lead me far away from it all.
If or how you want to engage in martial arts, is your own choice. Whether you can avoid the spiritual aspect is for you to discern. (Yet I read in your post compulsory, that is not a free choice) I strongly advice against it based on my personal experience. Strongly encourage you to seek the Lord guidance in the matter!! May the Lord Jesus give you wisdom and discernment. x

[Jeanne]

Masha, you mentioned yoga, Ci Gong (not sure what that is) and Reiki, but are those really considered martial arts? To me, the term 'martial arts' would only include what would be used for fighting or self-defence, such as Tae Kwondo, Judo, Karate, etc. (The definition of the word 'martial' is 'related to fighting or war'.)

I realise most of these have a spiritual aspect, as well, but is it emphasised in these as much as it is in yoga or Reiki? It does seem to me that some of these moves might come in handy at some point, IF you can learn from someone who ONLY teaches the physical part of it and leaves the spiritual nonsense out of it.

[creationliberty]

Agreed; those are not martial arts. Those are more along the lines of meditations and therapies that are considered "spiritual," but in fairness, they are based on the eastern mystic paganism.

[anvilhauler]

If they truly want to teach self defence then they should only ever refer to it as 'self defence' and never using the Roman mythology term 'martial arts'.  Although I have never been involved in self defence apart from the usual stuff one learns as a soldier, I would happily take part in such a course so long as it was only ever referred to as self defence and I would use every mentioning of the word 'martial' to give people a small lecture about the evils of Romanism.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mars_(mythology)
Mars (mythology)

Not to be confused with the planet Mars.

In ancient Roman religion and myth, Mars (Latin: Mārs, [maːrs]) was the god of war and also an agricultural guardian, a combination characteristic of early Rome.[2] He was second in importance only to Jupiter and he was the most prominent of the military gods in the religion of the Roman army. ...

... Latin adjectives from the name of Mars are martius and martialis, from which derive English "martial" (as in "martial arts" or "martial law") and personal names such as "Martin". ...

[Masha]

Hi everyone, yoga and reiki are not martial arts, yet ci gong is supposed to be. (see the wikipedia info)

general search: Qigong[chee-goo ng, -gong]a Chinese system of breathing exercises, body postures and movements, and mental concentration, intended to maintain good health and control the flow of vital energy.
This is what wikipedia says:
Qigong (/ˈtʃiːˈɡɒŋ/),qi gong, chi kung, or chi gung (simplified Chinese: 气功; traditional Chinese: 氣功; pinyin: q

[Jeanne]

That sounds similar to Tai Chi. Still has nothing to do with fighting, though. (Even though the Klingon, Worf, used a variation of it to work out in Star Trek: TNG...)

Your post got cut off again but with all the problems this forum has with simple apostrophes, I'm surprised it actually allowed any of the Chinese characters in!

[smolemong]

Thank you all, you have given me food for thought. Until the day I mentioned, the class was basically self defence. I only took issue with bowing to the trainer (sensei). I think the unease I felt when he mentioned the "spirits of martial arts" was a warning signal to me that things were not as simple as I wanted to believe.

[Masha]

indeed my post got caught off. But I think the point is clear. Right?
Yep, I also wonder how come the chinese got in there.... and a simple apostrophe does not???
Anyway, Silindle, I hope you have wisdom and discernment. One strongly rooted in Gods truth shall not stumble easily, but it is wise to know what you are dealing with.

[davehenry]

I did kickboxing as a kid and the only reason was that Bruce Lee was my "hero".He was deep into that Tai Chi,Yin Yang and had alot of occultic philosophies,eg
There is no way but way
Water can either drip or flow or crash-Be water and flow.
I create my own circumstances,and empty your mind among other things,which can lead to demonic infestation.
There are alot more but i'm sure you know the Yin Yang symbol?circle with a black and white S with a black dot in the white and a white dot in the black(there is good in all evil and evil in all good).He was once asked if he had a belief in God and he said,To be quite honest i do not.He was a god to himself but whether he knew that what he was actually into i've no idea.He invented Je Kun Do(way of the intercepting fist)which is a mixture of Karate,kickboxing,boxing,judo,taekwando,juditsu.kung fu and tai chi.There may be more but i can't remember @ the moment.@ it's core i believe martial arts as in the things listed above is occultic but yoga which comes also from eastern mystisism(hinduism)is passed as physical excersise in the west and is far from that.As for Martial arts as in self defence,one may equate in a way that to be similar to the way yoga is seperated from occultism to excersise but it may be dangerous in any case as satan does appear as an angel of light.Definately it it is all tied in together and is spiritual also and it isn't the Holy Spirit.