m

ver the last two decades, the

Martial Arts have captured
the imaginations of our chil-
dren and the interest of
millions of adults. And Hollywood is
one of the reasons. Martial Arts choreo-
graphers supply the motion picture in-
dustry with almost endless ways for the
hero to take revenge on the bad guys
(since revenge seems to be the current
box-office money-maker). The skills
and abilities of the movie Martial Artist
are therefore greatly exaggeratedformax-
imum effect, as the hero defeats a dozen
weapon-carrying attackers using the
flashiest flying, spinning, jump kicks
possible. The outcome is usually the
same -- the underdog wins -- and wins
big, as attackers find themselves being
kicked through walls, and flipped off
the edge of buildings.
As a result of the mental image of
Black Belts painted by the motion pic-
tures, some of the audience seek out the
nearest Martial Arts school in hopes
that they will learn some of what they
have seen at the movies -- "just in
case". But, in real life, does the karate
student (perhaps your child) always win
like the "karate kid" eventually does?
Are the Martial Arts as harmless as
they are made to appear, or is there
something potentially harmful to us or
our children? Can they simply be placed
in a category of good exercises such as
running or swiJPllling? Should the
Christian allow h1s children to email in
a Martial Arts school? Should the Chris-
tian adult become involved in Martial
Arts and to what extent? Does the Bible
give us any guidelines?
To begin answering these questions,
we need, ftrst, to define "Martial Arts."
"Martial Arts" is a collective term mean-
ing "arts of war". It is generally used to
refer to various Oriental "arts of war,"
such as Chinese Kung Fu, Tai Chi,
Kemp; Okinawan Karate; Japanese
Jujitsu, Judo, Sumo, Ninjitsu, and
Aikido; and Korean TaeKwonDo and
Hapkido. But this list by no means ex-
hausts all styles of martial arts, or even
their countries of origin. There is even
an "American" style similar to Thai
kick-boxing. Although these are all
referred to as Martial Arts, they are all
different in form, origin, history, and
philosophy. Although they are differ-
ent, there is a common thread running
through most types of Martial Arts to
which we must now tum our attention.
The frrst obvious similarity is that
most Martial Arts are considered arts.
This is to say that the practice of the
techniques can be an artistic expression,
similar to ballet. Certainly there is no
Biblical prohibition of art; in fact, we
are commanded to do all that we do to
the glory of God (I Cor. 10:31; Col
3: 17). Knowledge of anything; includ-
ing self-defense, does not originate with
man, but comes from God and may
either be used to His Glory or misused.
Psalm 144:1 reads: "Blessed be the
LORD my strength, which teacheth my
hands to war, and my fingers to fight."
Secondly, all Martial Arts claim to
teach self-defense. The question then
arises: Is self-defense wrong? And for
the Christian that question must be
resolved on the basis of Biblical precept
and principle. As a matter of fact, there
are many examples in Scripture of vari-
ous forms of defense. Armies trained
themselves for battle, in some cases in
obedience to the command of the Lord.
One army of "choice men" of the tribe
of Benjamin had seven hundred left-
handed men who could sling stones at a
hair breadth and not miss (Judg. 20:16).
Obviously, they learned this from some-
one, and they practiced what they had
learned.
B
ut did not Christ say to
tum the other cheek (Matt.
?:39)? But then is
mtemally contradictory m
this matter? Clearly not, for it teaches
that there is a proper time for both self-
defense and turning the other cheek.
Ecclesiastes 3:8 teaches us that there is
"A time to love, and a time ot hater a
time of war, and a time of peace."
The Counsel of Chalcedon July, 1989 page 12
Thus, there come times in which we
must lay down our lives for Christ's
sake and for our brother's sake. Of
course, this will require Bible-based;
Spirit-sanctified wisdom (John 17:17) .
as to we should do so.
Certainly, we are not to stand by and
watch as someone else is attacked, for
the Sixth Commandment, though
phrased in the negative, implies the
positive: "Thou shalt make alive," i.e.
to promote life. And since life is a gift
from God (Gen. 2:7; Job 33:4; Acts
17:25), should we give it to anyone
who would take it from us? Do we not
have a responsibility of defense here?
To be sure, God has given us minds for
thinking, legs for running, and, if
necessary, strength for defense. Paul
saved his own life when he was lowered
out of the city in a basket, thereby
enabling his own ministry to continue
(2 Cor. 11:33). And an obvious refer-
"
ence to defense is contained in Exodus
2:2, where a thief breaks in, the home-
owner kills him, and God declares that
the homeowner is not guilty of murder.
But, sadly, the Martial Arts do not
claim merely to be a form of art or of
self-defense. Many types of Martial
Arts claim to be a "way of life." Herein
lies the real danger, for this is a reli-
gious claim. Christianity is our only
way of life (John 14:6; Matt. 16:24ff)--
this is why early Christianity was
called "the way" (Acts 9:2; 19:23;
24:14,22). Instead of directly claiming
to teach a way of life, the "benefits" of
studying the art are often claimed in-
stead. They teach "patience" and "self-
control"; they "build character," "self-
confidence", and "self-esteem".
Be not deceived. They are saying that
involvement in the Martial Arts will
produce, in essence, the fruit of the
Spirit. And it does so while the student
is concentrating on himself! Only a con-
version to Christianity, however, pro-
duces the fruit of the Spirit. We are to
put our confidence in God, not our-
selves (Prov. 14:26). We are to reflect
the mind and character of Christ (I Cor.
2: 16), not attempting to build our own
character apart from Him. And we are to
esteem others more highly than our-
selves (Phil. 2:3); not desperately try-
ing to build our self-esteem (or that of
our children). Despite the emphasis on
S(!lfesteem today; even by Christian
pSychologists, it is not a Biblical con-
cept Too much self-esteem is man's
problem!
Some Martial Arts schools even go
beyond the inward "way of life" teach-
ings and are more overtly religious.
Many, in fact, are closely associated
with Shintoism or Zen Buddhism.
Some have elements of pagan worship
of ancestors or goddesses with all the
helps: shrines, incense, idols, and medi-
tation (not on the word of God, but on
emptying the mind, or becoming "one
with the universe").
Yet, like the "way of life" idea, these
things are often taught as something
else. Ancestor worship is taught as
"showing respect" for past "masters" of
the art-- some schools are in a habit of
bowing to their pictures. Meditation is
taught as "a technique for relaxation".
But this inward meditation is the
reverse of Christian meditation on God
Almighty and His Word (Psa. 1:2).
Their goal is to the mind, rather
than to fill it with the knowledge of
God (Eph. 5:18).
11
any of the other practices
within the Martial Arts are
passed off as "tradition". It
is interesting to note that
the same things done in American
schools are often done in the Oriental
Martial Arts schools, but as religion,
not tradition. Most of the Japanese arts
practice zen, which seems to be a fas-
cination with meaninglessness, non-
sense, or the absurd. For example,
"meditate on the sound of a one-handed
clap." Of course, this irrational absurdi-
ty fits well with this, as with any, non-
Christian worldview.
At the root of the "way of life" and
religious aspects of the Martial Arts are
a number of theological errors, such as
the Chinese concept of Yin!Y ang, for
instance. Yin/Yang goes back to the
idea of the ultimate duality of nature,
much like "the force" in the Star Wars
movie, having a good side and a dark
side. These ideas sometimes are re-
flected in the techniques themselves,
not just the words spoken. Some
schools teach the us of "chi" (Chinese),
or "ki" (Japanese), an internal force
thought to increase striking power, or
effectiveness in defense. Incredible feats
are atlributed to those who are profi-
cient in controlling it Hence, we see
the exaggerated "superhuman" abilities
of the stars in some of the Martial Arts
films. These are based on legends of
past Martial Artists, who are thought to
have mastered the use of "ki". Little is
known of the origin of "ki", even by
those who claim to be experts in its
use.
In addition to the theological errors, a
high premium is placed on human
"words of wisdom". I remember seeing
the words "There are no absolutes"
framed in one Karate school. The name
of a well-known high-ranking instruc-
tor's name was underneath them. This
is part of the problem. The highest
ranks, the leadership, in the Martial
Arts have a non-Christian (or anti-Ciuis-
tian) worldview, and they expect their
students to adopt it
In addition to various philosophies,
theological errors, and "words of wis-
dom," numerous superstitions are
taught. Inanimate objects, such as
weapons used by past teachers, are
thought to contain some part of the
"spirit" of the person. Therefore, the
objects are treated with awe and respect
beyond the normal care one would have
for a rare historical artifact (such as
George Washington's sword). At one
well-attended Karate seminar, an in-
structor actually claimed to have the
spirit of a dead instructor inside him. At
the opening of another school, the
spirits of past instructors were thought
to be present. Is this merely tradition?
Or is it overt ancestor worship?
There is at least one Martial Art
which adopts "ways of death" as its
"way of life". This art, Ninjitsu, parts
company with most other Martial Arts
being primarily for attack, rather
than defense. Ninjitsu was originally a
Japanese art that was taught to a group
of assassins, called Ninja. They were
trained from an early age to be mur-
derers. If caught, the Ninja committed
The author, Bob Nance,
Is a 5tb degree Black Belt
In Oldnawan Karate.
suicide by slicing up his own face
beyond recognition, so that his identity
wpuld remain a secret A few years ago,
Ninjitsu began to be taught to the gen-
eral public, hence the fascination with
this "new" Martial Art form in Holly-
wood. As a result, we are experiencing
"Ninja-mania" right now, from Ninja
outfits and weapons, to videogames and
motorcycles.
As remarkable as it may seem, we
have only touched on a few of the mOre
common problems associated with Mar-
tial Arts. There are other matters which
are unique to certain styles, and even cer-
tain schools. Unfortunately, most sys-
tems are saturated with one or more of
the above. So let us turn our attention
to the question of the involvement of a
Christian in the Martial Arts. It would
be easy to avoid involvement in the
The Counsel of Chalcadon July, 1989 page 13
Martial Arts by sayiitg "when in doubt,
throw 'it out" But 1s that what should
be done?
11
, e are commanded tO share
our faith in all areas of life
artd the Christian may
. fmd numerous opporturu-
ties in the Martial Arts tO share his
faith. Martial Arts schools are filled
with a number of people trying to. fill
the void in their lives with activities. In
light of this, it could serve as a good
mission field for the Christian who is
armed with the Word of God. Beyond
that even, it provides an opportunity for
a discerning Christian to call his less
perceptive brother or sister in Christ to
a deeper level of conunitment.
Despite these possible good motiva-
tions for the Christian, Martial Arts
schools ate no place for cbil-
ID:sm. As far as possible, our covenant
children should be protected from un-
righteous influences in their lives, such
as those mentioned above. When they
are physically, mentally, emotionally,
and spiritually mature, then they may
be ready for this difficult challenge.
So is it possible for a Christian to
practice Martial Arts without being dis-
obedient to Christ? Perhaps, but only if
he has ( 1) a carefully maintained and
perceptive Biblical wotldview and (2) a
conscientious and dedicated Christian
Join us in the
Worship of God
chalcedon
Presbyterian
Church
The Rev. Joseph C. Morecraf't, ill,
Minister
Sunday School-9:45 a.m.
Morning Wo:rship-10:55 a.m.
Sunday Evening-6:00 p.m.
7901 Roberts Drive (comer of
Roberts Drive & Spalding Drive,
one-half mile south or the
exit [#3] off high
400) Dunwoody, GA
Phone (404) 396-0965
instructor. Otherwise, it would be diffi-
cult, if not impossible. When a person
enters a Martial Arts school, he usually
enters a different culture, where the law
is the Black Belt. Beginner students in
Martial Arts sch()()ls are expected to
conform to the traditions being taught
and the niies of the school. Those who
do not follow the rules and traditions
are asked to leave. So the Christian
may not have the opportUnity to be phy-
sically involved for long, even though
: physical invoivement may not be neces-
sary in order to have an influence.
Aside from the above, there are phy-
sical risks as well. Practice of the Mar-
tial Arts, if n<. under the strictest safety
precautions, can result in serious in-
. jury. The popular foam "safety
equipment" is only minimal protection,
and may even invite a lack of control. It
would be rare for a Martial Arts student
over the course of several years not to
experience some type of injury, perhaps
a permanent one, although most would
be minor. ln addition, there is a risk
that the instructor may be unqualified to
teach, much less protect students from
injury. Anyone can mail-order a Black
Belt and have an official-looking certifi-
cate made. Moreover, some (but, thank-
fully, not all) schools push students to
.in tournaments, which usual-
ly place the student at the mercy of the
. rules ( ar lack of them) of often un-
Knowledge & Liberty
(I Cor. 8:1-l3)
Compelled to Preach
the Gospel, I & II
(I Cor. 9:1-18)
Doing Everything for the
Sake of the Gospel
The Counssl of Chalcedon July, 1989 page 14
known instructors; I have seen people
knocked out in "light contact" tourna-
ments, and little boys kicked in the
groin full force with no penalty in
"point karate" matches. One feinale
Black Belt I know of has had several
operations ott her jaw as a result of a
blow received in a "light contact" tour
nament.
There are, however, some schools
which allow the student to practice for
exercise and limit the amount of ''free-
fighting" required in his class. But rtlost
schools expect their students to practice
whatever the instructor says and every-
thing he says.
t present, there may be few
Christian Martial Arts in-
structors who have recog-
nized the above problems
with their systems. Instructors want to
believe the best about a system that
they have studied and-practiced for ten
to twenty years or longer. Yet, a chal-
lenge to answer some questions about
the "traditions" and practices may be all
that is needed to encourage additional
study and possible change. Every Mar ..
tial Art has Black Belts of very high
rank called Masters or even Grand
masters, which titles are based (usually)
on proficiency and years of study. These
men are honored and exalted. Yet, few
schools give Jesus Christ His rightful
place as absolute Lord, the One who
has been given all authority in heaven
and on earth. Martial Arts schools ate
not independent of His authority and
should not be operated as if they were.
Therefore, if you know Christian Mar-
tial Artists, share a copy of this article
with them. See the instructor if pos-
sible. A few words at the
right time and in the right place
make a difference.
About the author: Bob Nance became a
Christian in 1978{ shortly after receiving his
second degree B ack Belt iil an Okinawan
style of Karate. He was the Mississippi State
Karate Champion in Kata and WeaPQns in
1979 and 1980, later a Director of the Missis-
sipP.i Karate Association and an official of the
PiOfessional Karate Association. Now at 33
Y.ears of age, Bob is a 5th degree Bla& Bell
A.pproximate_ly two years ago, he j>egan
aSking questions about Martial Arts m lhe
light of lhe Bible. This article is one of the
results: He lives with his wife, Lise', in Con-
S.C. . are exP-ecting their first
chjld. 'Bob lS Drrector oflnformafion systems
at Conway and h.as his own
COqlJ>Uterconsulting/programnung company,
NEWUFE Software. .