There are actually two questions here and they should both be among the first considerations for any Christian when looking at training in the martial arts.
Does the Bible support self-defense, i.e. martial arts or fighting skills?
Search the internet and you will find any number of sites that condemn the martial arts as being un-Christian or demonic. The problem is few have taken the time to really study the origin of the martial arts, relegating all their beginnings to the Eastern countries and related philosophies, and what they have been told.
This thought process is actually an affront to the Bible as it gives the devil credit for creating something.
Believers know from passages of scripture that only God can create anything, John 1:3; Colossians 1:16. The devil only copies and corrupts, John 8:44.
- Note: the words of David in Psalm 144:1.
- Note: the reason God did not remove all the militant nations from Canaan, Judges 3:1-3.
- Note: Jesus told his disciples to “buy a sword” for self-defense because they (we) were going need one, Luke 22:36.
We accept the directive of the most used argument against physical combat, that being “turn the other cheek.” This is a standard paraphrase from Matthew 5:39. However, we do not accept the context in which it is normally applied. In this verse, we see the Lord telling us that we are not to strike back when someone “slaps” us for our beliefs. But there is a point when self-defense becomes proper. What do we do then? Refer back to Luke, above.
These are only a couple of the many verses of scripture readily available to the objective person regarding the propriety of the Christian training in the martial. Training in the martial arts can be perfectly scriptural.
But… and this is the dividing issue…. those that do find it wrong, in their spirit, do not belong in the martial arts. Train or do not train according to the manner in which the Spirit of God leads you. You are accountable to God for yourself alone.
Our position is that God commands us to be ready but unoffensive, Luke 11:21. This is both in the physical and spiritual world.
What does the Master Instructor or martial art program allow in the way of false beliefs?
Again, look on the internet for Christian Karate or Christian Martial Arts schools. You will find a myriad of them. But look closer and consider…. just because it says Christian in the name, does not make it Christian any more than washing and putting a tuxedo on a pig makes the animal a man.
The Christian Martial Arts Fellowship (CMAF) was a mission direction that developed while the Master Instructor, Dr. “Doc” Young, was training in a traditional style of martial arts. It became quite evident that traditional arts do not have a Biblical “philosophy.” He left that system.
Over time he associated with many “Christian” martial arts schools. The sad report is that just changing locations or terminology or style, didn’t really change the root philosophy behind the art being taught. And that philosophy is not grounded in the Word of God. This fact is evident in the training materials, school patches, wall hanging, and terminology used by those instructing in these programs. Then, too, there are a number of occult/mystical concepts inherent in the traditional martial arts. Therefore, it is impossible to completely removed all aspects of the occult, Eastern philosophy and unscriptural teachings from a martial arts program based on a traditional martial art discipline. For this reason, Dr. Young put together a program from the ground up, the ground being the foundation of the Bible. The “philosophy” is totally Biblical and American. A major requirement for this redesign was a new discipline or training format which is totally dedicated to teaching self-defense. The art of Cha Yun-do was designed. (See the page “The Art of Cha Yun-do for a more in-depth description of this martial art.) It meets the directives of scripture and the needs of self-defense for the “average” American. Traditionally, martial arts schools teach two systems, one for katas/poomse/patterns and one for self-defense. Cha Yun-do does have patterns and combinations, but they are the same movements and techniques used in standard sparring drills, as well as MMA. You will not find a stance, or a technique used in a pattern that is different from those used in actual sparring drills. Everything taught is for self-defense; one purpose, one direction, one system. In conclusion, please note the index for this site has separate page for our position on the important issues of Christianity, and our mission.
copied from Christian Karate Chayundo on January 15, 2022