hmmm

[Kay k]

I was just wondering...what religion, if any, do you guys follow? and i know this doesn't have anything to do with kung fu. But i was just thinking and i thought i'd ask.

[Tae Li]

a pole was done here once by Prana aka karma...
maybe you should set up another one Kay, unless people feel free to just say it, as religion can be very controversial and sensitive issue for some.

but for most here, kung fu on its own is religion (not necc. speaking for myself:Q)

Tae Li;)

[The Willow Sword]

and worship WUSHU CHIK. She IS the ONLY GOD(Dess). She is the light and the way.
a demon to some an angel to others.

"We bow down and offer up ourselves to Wushu Chik"
HALLELUJIA,,WOOO!!!

MRTWS

[Kristoffer]

Yo Willow are u high? I and every other sane man worship Tae Li-ism, the higher state of mind. ;)
show some respect..

[wushu chik]

TWS~ GET A LIFE.

Kristopher, I agree whole heartedly. I EVEN WORSHIP TAE LI!!!! She's way more grounded than me!!!

~Wen~

[dezhen2001]

religion huh? :) In my experience i've realised never to judge a person by their religion they practise nor the religion based on a person... :)

i'm the high priest of Tae Li-ism incase u couldn't already tell ;):D

david

[Kristoffer]

huh hehe don't u be stealin ma thunder now pretty boy.. Naw i'm just kiddin. But seriously, I was'nt joking about Tae Li-ism. That's some serious stuff right there man.

[rubthebuddha]

frisbeetarian -- it's the belief that when you die, your soul rises and gets stuck on the roof.

[dezhen2001]

Kristoffer: not stealing ur thunder mate, just fact ;) Plenty of room for everyone to follow Tae Li-ism LOL

jeez... first she starts a huuuge jet li thread, now has lots of fans :D

david

[Dreadnaught]

Man, I was out at my friend's cabin this weekend, and we were sitting around the fire, some of us having a couple of drinks, and theresa mix of people some of whom never met before.

Everyone was having a good time and the conversation turns to the profound. We're looking up to the stars in the sky and one of the people there asks another "Do you believe in the lord?" and BANG. I was slapping my head. That was really the end of any sane conversation. Everybody got all emotional and upset, each dissecting the others points and each claiming to be more valid than the other and it really went nowhere. I used to get drawn into those arguments quite a bit, so I had made a vow not to let myself get into those anymore. Arguments about right and wrong, they just don't work. Anyways, since I kept my mouth shut and just listened I really learned quite a bit.

No one is immune to learning one little tiny piece of truth and thinking they know the whole piece. No matter if you believe in this God or that, or that you don't believe in any God at all. It's all the same. The people who rail against religion are just as closed minded as people who think their religion in the only truth. And really, everybody thinks that what they understand is the only truth.

So yeah, I think religion is a great way to ruin a good conversation. That being said, I'm a Buddhist. Everyone else is wrong. especially those Tae Li guys. :cool:

[The Willow Sword]

Noone ever follows it.

[dezhen2001]

Religion can be a pretty sensitive point with some people, i have found others to be open minded... Even if u do believe something, it doesn't mean you can't try to understand other things.

It's like i do wing chun kung fu and am happy with it. Actually it has all i need and can want - but that doesn't mean i can't repsect and try to understand more about BJJ or whatever else is around... it helps me solidify my own thinking and principles as well as learning :)

dunno why people are closed minded... usually it's insecurity. Good things stand on their own merit - no need to force it :)

rant off
david
ps: dreadnaught - ur well wrong mate ;) lol

[GunnedDownAtrocity]

i am of the firm belief that i don't really know anything.

[dezhen2001]

good :)

david

[Aramus]

First I'm starting out as the new head of the Ohio Tae Li Worship association and martial arts of Jet Li. The old one kind of floundered and just took the donations for himself.

Second, question for all: Did your parent(s)/guardians talk to you about different religions? How about politics? Did your parent(s) invite people over and discuss religion and/or politics with you in the room? What did your parent(s)/guardian(s) talk about? The weather? Can you talk about the weather without getting upset? OK, don't blame your parents...did you talk to your friends about religion? Politics? Maybe, maybe not...I've found people can get upset about things that are important to them. you tease my daughter too much or verbally assualt her and you probably have put yourself into a lot of danger. The problem I've found is that most Western religions have a built in clause that goes, "don't believe the others, I'm the true path, watch false people, etc." This tends to interrupt thoughts and stop discussions. The topic also considered taboo so we don't get that much practice talking about it. However, I believe that the taboo topic of religion and politics should be discussed openly and without aggression. Just my .02 and more.
For the record, I was raised Catholic (and no, no priest every touched me), and now...I'm more spiritual, not necessarily catholic (that does not mean non-practicing...just not catholic).

Side note: Religion is a path for some and quite a few follow it despite what other casual observers think. No offense TWS.

[Tae Li]

your allllllll dead set right, Tae-Lism is the RIGHT way to go;) lol

come my children and follow the light to Jet li's haven of truth and wushu.....embrace the bagua and xing-yi......


Is anyone hypnotised yet?

Chicka.....aka wushuchick......miss, i RESPECT YOU a great deal, regardless of anything, a lady with a couple of youngsters, martial arts and POWER, thats how I wanna be, lol. good to hear from ya girl;)

ok, back to hypnotising, Kris.....Dez.......follow the light and bring ALLLLLLLLL the pretty boys with you...........:D

Tae Li;)

[The Willow Sword]

My parents were hippis and did not raise me in a traditional religious household. it wasnt until later when my interest in the religious practices of the world peaked. When i say Why have a religion anyway,,noone ever follows it. i mean just that. i see alot of so called christians out there not being very Christian. the same with those new agers who have a salad bar mix of religious beliefs. i have been on one spiritual path since i was 8 and have stayed on it ever since. but i at least had the open mind to explore other paths.
religion in the martial arts is strange for martial arts are about combat,,so in effect the religious connotations of martial arts is that of what i would think to be "justifying oneself" in killing or harming another,,or "saneing" oneself in combat.
i can see where ceratin religious groups would find it conflictive to practice MA's and still reatin thier religious beliefs,,for some of the martial principles can seriously challenge that of the institutioned religious rite.
MRTWS

[dezhen2001]

TWS: why should MA training conflict with religion? Does Qigong training conflict with religion? Nope. Qi is a natural thing, in everything that is alive and all around us... Chinese science proves this just like Western science can prove gravity and other things. Nothing wrong with it and/or meditation. As for MA training: sure, non violence and peaceful solutions are always the best - but what if there is no peaceful solution? Better to be able to deal with things in the most efficient way, and training developes that attitude. Actually both of these seem to me to be more like education - no dogma or anything needs to be attatched to them...

As for practising a religion: it's the persons duty to practise what they believe or not practise as they see fit. That shouldn't bring anything down on the religion though, just that peson. Perhaps it's most peoples attitude towards things - even training kung fu is the same. Some people praxctise every day without fail - for others it's enough to train once a week. Both religion and MA are life enriching, but to what level depends on you :)

Tae Li: i think u can convert all those guys by yourself - it's working already ;) lol

david

[Kristoffer]

religion is what you make it to be..
Tae Li I'll bring some asian boys for ya :D

[Aramus]

I actually see TWS's point about "religion in the martial arts is strange for martial arts are about combat,,so in effect the religious connotations of martial arts is that of what i would think to be "justifying oneself" in killing or harming another,,or "saneing" oneself in combat. "

Religion has been used to start war. Whether or not that was a ploy to get the masses involved and spark a war or not depends on that particular war. The crusades, jihad, etc. come to mind.
Of course wars have been started for economic reasons as well as political (genocide or is it call purification or ethnic cleansing)...

The way I see it (could be wrong), religion and martial arts can be used by people to rationalize actions. It is OK to do this b/c.

I like dezhen2001's positive point of Qi Gong and martial arts. And I can second that some of the best martial artists I've met are really nice guys and usually don't get into fights (sometimes they just end them :) )

Has anyone read where Qi Gong is more religion than just a "physical" practice? By physical I mean good for the body (internal and external), calming for the mind, etc. or in other words not spiritual or religious.

Anyway, religion is one of my favorite topics
Peace to all.

[dezhen2001]

Hi aramus :)

Actually Qigong and Religion have some connection, as most come from either Buddhism, Daoism or even some Confucianist methods... but for me they are just for health and development. Nothing religious about them. Otherwise u can end up with things like Falun Dafa and other methods... Of course u can develop an interest in those religions, but it's personal :)

Mind you if you are a Daoist or Buddhist monk for example, they will have their own energy cultivation methods, which are part of their religion... confusing huh :D

Religion does seem to be no more than an 'excuse' to start a war or rationalize violence... Jihad being a case in point if u know about Islam... terrorists using Islam as an excuse when really there is none for what they do (there are many pages n the Qur'an that clearly explain this).

just my thoughts :)
david

[nospam]

I'm a warlock.

See my soul as desire
Catch the words as they fall from my lips
Feel the passion grow higher
Lick the sweat from my fingertips

Be my love
Beware my love is strange
Be my love
Beware the time can change

See my scars heat the hunter
Catch the thoughts as they race with the wind
Hear my heart beat like thunder
Free yourself, let the madness begin

Be my love
Beware my love is strange
Be my love
Beware the time can change

We're Angels With Dirty Faces
Livin' all alone
Angels With Dirty Faces
So far from home
Our dirty minds go on and on
Our fear of night is long gone
We're Angels With Dirty Faces
So far from home

Touch my skin
It's on fire
Light your dreams with the heat of the sun

Let your passions expire
Burn it up till there's nowhere to run

Be my love
Beware my love is strange
Be my love
Beware the times have changed

We're Angels With Dirty Faces
Livin' all alone
Angels With Dirty Faces
So far from home
Our dirty minds go on and on
Our fear of night is long gone
We're Angels With Dirty Faces
So far from home
So far from home

Be my love
Beware my love is strange
Be my love
Beware the times have changed

We're Angels With Dirty Faces
Livin' all alone
Angels With Dirty Faces
So far from home
Our dirty minds go on and on
Our fear of night is long gone
We're Angels With Dirty Faces


nospam.
:cool:

[Aramus]

Yep, religion, martial arts, "use" of martial arts and religion cna get confusing real quick, everyone has their own interpretations and uses it seems.

Hey dezhen2001, I thought I was the only one who has heard of Falun Dafa. There is a group here in Columbus that advertises in an alternative newspaper ("the Other Paper") that they have free Falum Qi Gong. Once my knee heals I may check them out just for fun.

Anywho, NOSPAM, great poem/verse/lyrics. Excuse me for my ignorance, is it your work or another great artist?

And finally here is a funny link about God
http://www.theonion.com/onion3734/god_clarifies_dont_kill.html

Peace, good thoughts, and good training to all.

[Chang Style Novice]

Depending on the day, either Church of the Subgenius or your basic Scientific Pantheist with Taoist overtones.

[dezhen2001]

Falun Dafa was actually big news a while ago, as it caused a LOT (and i mean a LOT) of problems in China... Even it's been outlawed and this has caused many other more well known qigong systems to come under a lot of heat from the chinese government.

Actually i have seen them training a few times, but really don't know much about it apart from flicking in their book...

I do know that there has been a LOT of problems and backlash against them, but don't really know enough to make an informed opinion... apart from 'be careful'

good luck with your knee! Hope u can return to training soon :)

david