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Thread: Martial Arts & Religion

  1. #1171
    Quote Originally Posted by sanjuro_ronin View Post
    Considering we are talking about a 1st century Jewish peasant that was executed like so many others, it is remarkable that we have what we do have.
    If you don't care enough to do the research, which is fine, at least give the benefit of the doubt to those that have.
    I have yet to meet anyone, skeptics included that have done the research and believe that Jesus never existed.
    Taken into the context of the times and who Jesus was, it is remarkable that we have as much info as we do.
    Whose research to what end? It would be helpful if we could stop beating around the bush and start naming names.
    We weren't talking about beliefs (I do believe there is a historical core) but about proofs for that theory.

  2. #1172
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    Quote Originally Posted by Cataphract View Post
    Whose research to what end? It would be helpful if we could stop beating around the bush and start naming names.
    We weren't talking about beliefs (I do believe there is a historical core) but about proofs for that theory.
    More writings from thallus would help, but there are references outside of Christian writers. there are also non-canon books etc that strongly point to his physical existence. I think one of the issues is that only Christians believe he was a living embodiment of a single god. That is part and parcel to their faith.

    the non Christian writers in no particular order are:

    Thallus (54AD) (see Julius of Africa)

    Julius of Africa (who references Thallus) wrote:
    “On the whole world there pressed a most fearful darkness; and the rocks were rent by an earthquake, and many places in Judea and other districts were thrown down. This darkness Thallus, in the third book of his History, calls, as appears to me without reason, an eclipse of the sun.”

    Josephus (1st Century AD) (Jewish scribe and historian) wrote:
    About this time there lived Jesus, a wise man, if indeed one ought to call him a man. For he ... wrought surprising feats.... He was the Christ. When Pilate ...condemned him to be crucified, those who had . . . come to love him did not give up their affection for him. On the third day he appeared ... restored to life.... And the tribe of Christians ... has ... not disappeared. (some of this text is admittedly considered to have been altered later by christian apologists in teh 3rd or 4th century, but even with the omission of what may have been altered, and as Josephus did not use roman records for his jewish histories, it is a good indication of the reality of Jesus as a man.

    Tacitus(64AD) (Roman General) wrote:
    Nero fastened the guilt ... on a class hated for their abominations, called Christians by the populace. Christus, from whom the name had its origin, suffered the extreme penalty during the reign of Tiberius at the hands of ... Pontius Pilatus, and a most mischievous superstition, thus checked for the moment, again broke out not only in Judea, the first source of the evil, but even in Rome.(There was no "bible" per se in the time of Tacitus. No uniform gospel etc. No Christianity as official Roman religion until centuries after him.)

    Pliny the younger (112 AD)wrote:
    They were in the habit of meeting on a certain fixed day before it was light, when they sang in alternate verses a hymn to Christ, as to a god, and bound themselves by a solemn oath, not to any wicked deeds, but never to commit any fraud, theft or adultery, never to falsify their word, nor deny a trust when they should be called upon to deliver it up; after which it was their custom to separate, and then reassemble to partake of food – but food of an ordinary and innocent kind.

    Babylonian Talmud (about 70AD it was compiled) and had within it:
    On the eve of the Passover Yeshu was hanged. For forty days before the execution took place, a herald ... cried, "He is going forth to be stoned because he has practiced sorcery and enticed Israel to apostasy."


    Not surprisingly, there are more references to Jesus and in particular, to his followers who were in fact still Jews although Gnostic up until about the time the Romans adopted the religion as official and they were no longer welcome in the Jewish temples due to the disruptive nature of their belief and faith in context to Judaism.

    It's safe to say that when first century writers are talking about him in the same context as what we read in Paul or the gospels and hundreds of years before any sort of canon bible is formed, and written by mostly pagans, then...well, It looks like I did your homework for you.
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  3. #1173
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    Quote Originally Posted by Cataphract View Post
    Whose research to what end? It would be helpful if we could stop beating around the bush and start naming names.
    We weren't talking about beliefs (I do believe there is a historical core) but about proofs for that theory.
    A good introduction:
    Jesus Outside the New Testament: An Introduction to the Ancient Evidence (Studying the Historical Jesus) Kindle Edition
    by Robert E. Van Voorst (Author)
    Psalms 144:1
    Praise be my Lord my Rock,
    He trains my hands for war, my fingers for battle !

  4. #1174
    I'll have a look on Van Voorst's book. Thank you.

    Quote Originally Posted by David Jamieson View Post
    It's safe to say that when first century writers are talking about him in the same context as what we read in Paul or the gospels and hundreds of years before any sort of canon bible is formed, and written by mostly pagans, then...well, It looks like I did your homework for you.
    - Thallus & Julius of Africa: interesting, but off topic
    - Josephus: talks about twenty different men called Jesus, two short passages, dubious authenticity, weak circumstantial evidence
    - Tacitus: late, arguably hearsay from Christians, dubious authenticity, weak circumstantial evidence
    - Pliny the Younger: late, off topic
    - Talmud: heavily censored and redacted during the middle ages, dubious authenticity, weak circumstantial evidence

    This goes into more detail https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Source...icity_of_Jesus

    Interesting for sure, but hardly convincing. But is this really such a big deal? There's no proof that Jesus did not exist, either.

  5. #1175
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    Quote Originally Posted by Cataphract View Post
    I'll have a look on Van Voorst's book. Thank you.



    - Thallus & Julius of Africa: interesting, but off topic
    - Josephus: talks about twenty different men called Jesus, two short passages, dubious authenticity, weak circumstantial evidence
    - Tacitus: late, arguably hearsay from Christians, dubious authenticity, weak circumstantial evidence
    - Pliny the Younger: late, off topic
    - Talmud: heavily censored and redacted during the middle ages, dubious authenticity, weak circumstantial evidence

    This goes into more detail https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Source...icity_of_Jesus

    Interesting for sure, but hardly convincing. But is this really such a big deal? There's no proof that Jesus did not exist, either.
    You say "late" but late compared to what? All of these were long before Christianity had any sort of a major foothold and centuries before any bible was produced. That is kind of jumping the gun to say "late".

    If you are looking for eyewitnesses, well, I don't even think you could find some of those for even bigger names in history that we accept as real people easily.

    I personally am of the opinion that the record is deliberately muddy because of the requirement of the church to recognize Jesus as the one and only son of god. Really, I think the message was to be better people. there is not a lot of difference between the inferences about Jesus being the son of god and the Buddha saying he was the father of all men and that all humans are his children.

    If the history of him was to be made utterly clear, it would cause some problems in the faith whatever it's sect.

    People worship celebrities now, imagine the requirements 2000 years ago to achieve that kind of status. Mighty to say the least.
    I personally believe that Jesus was the actual King of the Jews in that he was the one who should have had the throne of Judea and not Herod the client king of the Romans. Of course, Tiberius being the twisted and corrupted man that he was didn't want insurrection of any kind across his empire and so, like many other rebels, he (yeshua ben joseph) was put to death. His followers kept the faith though and carried on. Eventually, that movement grew very strong. Jewish people are tenacious and tough. That's the big message and calling a man a god in that time was not terribly uncommon.

    As an aside, the concept of "proof of non existence" is somewhat absurd.
    Last edited by David Jamieson; 05-11-2016 at 12:54 PM.
    Kung Fu is good for you.

  6. #1176
    Quote Originally Posted by David Jamieson View Post
    You say "late" but late compared to what? All of these were long before Christianity had any sort of a major foothold and centuries before any bible was produced. That is kind of jumping the gun to say "late".
    Ok, true. But Tacitus was born approximately 25years after Jesus death. He was recounting stories that came the early church itself, which got its dogma from Paul.

    Quote Originally Posted by David Jamieson View Post
    As an aside, the concept of "proof of non existence" is somewhat absurd.
    Why is that? A lot of fictional persons can be proven to be non-existent.

  7. #1177
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    You should realize that anything written within 30-50 years of a person's death is considered extremely close in regards to ancient history.
    Example:
    All we have of Alexander the Great, the great King and conqueror of Macedonia, were written 100's years after his death.
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Histor...nder_the_Great

    The five main sources[edit]
    Arrian[edit]
    Anabasis Alexandri (The Campaigns of Alexander in Greek) by the Greek historian Arrian of Nicomedia, writing in the 2nd century AD, and based largely on Ptolemy and, to a lesser extent, Aristobulus and Nearchus. It is generally considered one of the best sources on the campaigns of Alexander as well as one of the founders of a primarily military-based focus on history. Arrian cites his source by name and he often criticizes them. He is not interested in the King's private life, overlooking his errors . That Alexander should have committed errors in conduct from impetuosity or from wrath, and that he should have been induced to comport himself like the Persian monarchs to an immoderate degree, I do not think remarkable if we fairly consider both his youth and his uninterrupted career of good fortune. I do not think that even his tracing his origin to a god was a great error on Alexander's part, if it was not perhaps merely a device to induce his subjects to show him reverence. (Arrian 7b 29)
    In****
    Plutarch[edit]
    Life of Alexander (see Parallel Lives) and two orations On the Fortune or the Virtue of Alexander the Great (see Moralia), by the Greek historian and biographer Plutarch of Chaeronea in the second century, based largely
    on Aristobulus and especially Cleitarchus. Plutarch devotes a great deal of space to Alexander's drive and desire, and strives to determine how much of it was presaged in his youth. He also draws extensively on the work of Lysippus, Alexander's favourite sculptor, to provide what is probably the fullest and most accurate description of the conqueror's physical appearance.
    Diodorus[edit]
    Bibliotheca historica (Library of world history), written in Greek by the Sicilian historian Diodorus Siculus, from which Book 17 relates the conquests of Alexander, based almost entirely on Cleitarchus and Hieronymus of Cardia. It is the oldest surviving Greek source (1st century BC). Diodorus regarded Alexander like Caesar as a key historical figure and chronological marker.
    Curtius[edit]
    Historiae Alexandri Magni, a biography of Alexander in ten books, of which the last eight survive, by the Roman historian Quintus Curtius Rufus, written in the 1st century AD, and based largely on Cleitarchus through the mediation of Timagenes, with some material probably from Ptolemy. His work is fluidly written, but reveals ignorance of geography, chronology and technical military knowledge, focusing instead on character. According to Jona Lendering: ..the real subject was not Alexander, but the tyranny of Tiberius and Caligula. (It can be shown that Curtius Rufus' description of the trial of Philotas is based on an incident during the reign of Tiberius)...Curtius copies Cleitarchus' mistakes, although he is not an uncritical imitator.[3]
    Justin[edit]
    The Epitome of the Philippic History of Pompeius Trogus by Justin, is highly compressed version of an earlier history by Trogus, with the selections governed by Justin's desire to make moralistic points, rather than with an eye for the history itself.[1]

    Point being that because something was written a few decades after a persons death, is no reason to not take it as historically accurate.
    Psalms 144:1
    Praise be my Lord my Rock,
    He trains my hands for war, my fingers for battle !

  8. #1178
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    I can only speak for myself, but when I started doing serious research into Jesus I was agnostic at best and, I begrudgingly admit, I was hoping to nail that coffin shut.

    The reality is that when I saw the evidence and read the books and looked at it from a historical perspective I could not deny the evidence that Jesus existed.
    Psalms 144:1
    Praise be my Lord my Rock,
    He trains my hands for war, my fingers for battle !

  9. #1179
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    Quote Originally Posted by sanjuro_ronin View Post
    I can only speak for myself, but when I started doing serious research into Jesus I was agnostic at best and, I begrudgingly admit, I was hoping to nail that coffin shut.

    The reality is that when I saw the evidence and read the books and looked at it from a historical perspective I could not deny the evidence that Jesus existed.
    If presented with new data, it's no shame to change ones view.
    Kung Fu is good for you.

  10. #1180
    Quote Originally Posted by sanjuro_ronin View Post
    You should realize that anything written within 30-50 years of a person's death is considered extremely close in regards to ancient history.
    I would agree, had Tacitus tried to write a biography like the authors in your example. He was in fact reporting on a bunch of Roman slaves who caused trouble. We don't know how much background checking he did, if any. Also, there are other issues with Tacitus comment. His remarks are of great interest for those interested in early church history though.

  11. #1181
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    Pastor Thomas Richards

    There's a vid of the human interest local news story that this is based on, if you follow the link.

    A Martial Arts Ministry in the Poconos
    By Brianna Strunk | bstrunk@pahomepage.com
    Published 07/07 2016 05:54PM Updated 07/07 2016 06:38PM

    TANNERSVILLE, MONROE COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU) - We all have talents and hobbies outside of our 9 to 5 jobs. But you may be surprised by what one Pastor in the Poconos can do.

    Pastor Thomas Richards leads St. Paul Lutheran Church in Tannersville. Church goers have come to know him over the last 36 years.

    "He is supportive, he's always available to bounce ideas off of. He offers encouragement, both to me and the groups. Those are qualities that are tough to find," says Matthew Bradley, Director of Music at St. Paul Lutheran Church.

    Richards grew up around his local church. At a young age, he got involved in his youth group and church choir.

    "It was really the center of my life," says Pastor Richards.

    He went to Lutheran college and became a minister. St. Paul's has become more than a Church, it's Pastor Richard's home.

    Richards says, "the people are very, very devoted to serving Christ."

    After Sunday service, Pastor Richard's takes off his collar and puts on his black belt.

    "I have what I'd call old warrior bones!" jokes Richards.

    The 67-year-old trades "Pastor Richards" for "Master Richards" several times a week. He goes from teaching about God to teaching Tang Soo Do, a Korean martial art.

    Richards says, "one of the things about this is there is always something new to learn."

    Richards holds class in the same building as Sunday service. His first run-in with martial arts started in the '60s when little Thomas Richards picked up a karate book and was fascinated.

    "This book was really really something. I said wow, if I ever get a chance I'm going to study martial arts. And all my friends said 'get out of here with that karate stuff, what are you kidding me?'" he adds.

    The thought settled into the back of his mind. Until years later, when he served as a psychiatric Chaplin.

    Richards explains, "and I was doing an intake interview one day and the perspective patient came across the desk and tried to attack me!"

    The Pastor joined a karate school and was hooked.

    He laughs, "as one of my students said to me, 'boy back in the day you must have been something'".

    Over time he earned rank after rank.

    "I just kept at it. And here 38 years later, still practicing," Richards says.

    Hundreds of students have come through his classes over the years from ages 4 to 75.

    He's climbed the ranks to a sixth degree black belt International Master.

    "I'm pleased with what I've been able to accomplish," Richards comments.

    But he says his greatest accomplishment is his students.

    "I've watched many younger kids come up through the ranks. I've seen a whole bunch of them reach black belt, it's been pretty amazing," says Amanda Cole, student.

    Inside St. Paul's, his students practice board breaking, sparring and stretching.

    "You know sometimes if I catch people slacking off... I get on them!" jokes Richards.

    Tang Soo Do is a defensive art.. That's why 7-year-old Jayden Batoon joined the class.

    "What if a bad guy comes into your house and he breaks in? How can you defend yourself without doing karate?!" says Batoon.

    But tang Soo Do isn't like it's portrayed in the movies.

    "We teach martial arts not to go out and hurt people but so we can defend ourselves and become better citizens of the world," says Cole.

    Pastor Richards says it's about character building, humility, respect, and integrity.

    "It's really exciting to see them learn Tang Soo Do but also get those values and go out and excel in various parts of life and that is a really neat thing," says Richards.

    Richard's roles as Master and Pastor aren't all that different after all.

    Bradley adds, "he gives all he can to this congregation then also through the karate he gives to the community."

    Pastor Richards says he practices his Tang Soo Do every morning, six days a week. He takes Sunday's off since it's the day of rest and you'll find him in Church.
    Gene Ching
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  12. #1182
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    Justin Wren

    Christian Fighter Does Mixed Martial Arts Bouts to Help Congo People
    BY MICHAEL GRYBOSKI , CHRISTIAN POST REPORTER
    Jun 6, 2017 | 4:06 PM

    A Mixed Martial Arts fighter who became a Christian about six years ago is using his skills as a professional fighter to help an impoverished Congo-based tribe.


    (Photo: Facebook/Fight for the Forgotten) Christian MMA fighter Justin Wren pictured with members of the Mbuti Pygmy people of the Congo.

    Justin Wren, an MMA fighter whose record currently stands at 13 wins and 2 losses, explained at the 2017 Parenting Teens Summit on Tuesday that he uses his bouts to help fund and spread awareness for charity, specifically those benefitting the Pygmy people of Congo.

    Wren emphasized that unlike the bouts he fought before becoming a Christian, now that he uses his earnings to help better the lives of others in the Congo, there is greater meaning to the sport he has always enjoyed.

    "When I win, I get to give the win money, the bonus to drill more wells. And if I don't win, then I don't get that. So there is a lot more pressure," said Wren.

    "How cool would that be to be able to give? To fight and win, and say, I didn't just win a fight, but I actually won for them. I won so we could drill wells."

    Wren went on to detail some of the harsh treatment that the Congo Pygmy people face, as many consider them subhuman and often deny them basic humane services.

    The MMA fighter spoke about a disturbing practice by some local guerilla groups to eat Pygmies in order to gain strength, echoing the findings of a United Nations investigation in 2003.

    Wren's charity, Fight for the Forgotten, centers on helping to develop sustainable living for the Mbuti Pygmy people.

    There has been much debate about how compatible Christianity and professional fighting are. Adam Groza of Golden Gate Baptist Theological Seminary wrote a column for Baptist Press expressing his strong opinion against Christians partaking in MMA.

    "UFC and MMA amounts to violence porn, a term which has been applied to movies with wanton violence such as 'SAW,' where violence is not part of the plot, it is the attraction," wrote Groza.

    "Violence for violence's sake, as opposed to instrumental or redeeming violence, desensitizes the viewer to the graphic horror of watching two people pummel each other for the sake of entertainment. UFC and MMA offer exactly the kind of violence condemned in Psalm 11:5. Ezekiel 7:23 decries, 'the city is full of violence.' Why are Christians supporting violence in the city?"

    By contrast, Dave Hatfield of Victory Christian Fellowship, a ministry that does MMA outreach, told The Christian Post in a 2011 interview that it can be used as an evangelism tool for young men.

    "I believe God has given each one of us a divine desire to conquer and overcome ... that's why I believe guys are so into sports like football and MMA," reasoned Hatfield.

    "We use our MMA outreaches to tap into guys' natural desire to conquer and compete and point them to their Creator and the fact He has plans for them to become not only beloved sons, but also warriors for Him."

    Wren explained that he believed the MMA environment was a good place to be a witness, or as he put it, "be a light."

    "There can be some really cool things that happen in this sport and for people that won't ever step foot into a church. They won't step foot there, but we get to go there kind of have camouflage on and just encourage them," he said.

    Wren's comments were part of an online conference called the Parenting Teens Summit, which is being hosted by Axis Virtual and the Colson Center for Christian Worldview until June 15.

    "Faithful Christian authors & thought leaders will provide practical talks to help you parent your teens. Know their culture, develop their hearts, and connect the generations to build lifelong faith," noted the Summit's website.

    In addition to Wren, other notable speakers include Southern Baptist Convention's Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission President Russell Moore, apologist Ravi Zacharias, and best-selling author and theologian Timothy Keller.
    Interesting read. I like the Biblical citations.
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  13. #1183
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    Budokan Dojo

    I find the Christian takes on martial arts fascinating, especially because I've lost Christian students and classmates because of the ancestral altar at my first Kung Fu school.

    Spreading the Gospel through Martial Arts
    Posted: Thursday, January 11, 2018 2:32 pm
    Zach Buck



    The Ouachita Society of Martial Arts, also known as the Budokan Dojo has a slightly different take on the Eastern disciplines of martial arts.

    Owners William and Wendy Scott believe their religion should be reflected in all aspects of their lives, including their doJo. A point made evident by the cross hanging atop the main wall. Directly under the cross are pictures of Grand Masters and Masters alike, in descending order of respect levels. Included in the photos was ninth degree black-belt Grand Master and original founder of the school, Douglas Fay.

    One thing that makes is particular dojo stand out is the unusual cross of eastern and western philosophies. The Kancho or ‘Master Teacher’ William Scott said his beliefs and the martial arts instruction have the same basic principles of peace, self- discipline and love of the fellow man,which he derives from Christianity. Included in the tests for achieving each belt the students are required to memorize certain passages of scripture. The class closes every practice or training session with a group prayer, led by Scott himself.

    Another facet that sets the OSMA apart from other ‘traditional’ dojos is the multi-discipline training they do including, kung fu, Karate and ju jitsu. They offer a total of five different forms of marshal arts training, some of which are offered individually. They also offer women’s self-defense classes and even have them free of charge for anyone who can’t afford it.

    “I opened this dojo to help the community and the people in it. I truly believe that martial arts can make a difference, a person can learn to defend themselves but they also learn respect and self-discipline that makes them a better member of the community,” said Scott. He also mentioned that his classes were also offered free of charge to all police officers. “I respect what they do and they should definitely know how to defend themselves.”

    The training at OSMA is driven by real world application, as opposed to competition style which is very rule based. This may have something to do with the reason Kancho Scott got his start in martial arts.

    Growing up in the south side of Chicago he used to walk through three or four gang territories to get to school. “That’s where I learned the best form of self-defense is running”. said Scott with a chuckle.

    “I’d get beat up, get my lunch and lunch money taken from me. Then my godfather took me to see a double feature, Bruce Lee and Billy Jack. I mentioned to him I wanted to do that and he took me to my first class. I was hooked instantly.”

    From the start all of his training was intended for real life application.

    Not found in the OSMA helmets and pads. The only protection from the strikes and floor, which they are repeatedly thrown to, is their gees and paper-thin training mats.

    Scott said a strong bond that has been created between himself and his students. During the recent cold snap one of the members of the society's pipes froze, and burst and the OSMA family responded.

    “He sent out a text to his family (the members of the dojo), and within 20 minutes ten people were there to help him out. We are all a family here, we show up to each other kids birthday parties and life events,” said Scott about the dedication his students have to each other. Further proving the point of their family orientation, there are three cribs among the heavy bags and training mats and children are welcome to accompany their parents to class.

    Overall the school offers more than training in self-defense and how to throw your opponent to the ground. While these are two very key components in what OSMA does, that is not their main focus.

    Their motto is "building modern samurai through iron discipline." Scott said the code of the samurai was to serve and that's exactly the sort of characteristics and behavior he attempts to instill in his students.

    Dojo rules are also applied to the rest of the students' ives, including no public drunkenness and respecting law enforcement officers.

    "We are here to serve the community," said Scott "I expect my students to carry themselves accordingly, which they do," he said glowing with pride.

    thread: Martial Arts & Religion
    thread: Any Christian Martial Arts Schools?
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  14. #1184
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    The Lighthouse on the Rock Assemblies of God Church Dojang

    I'm bummed that the photo link is broken.

    Pastor teaches martial arts discipline
    By Theresa Java Free Press Staff
    September 5, 2018
    Theresa Java/Free Press

    Theresa Java/Free Press Randy Rapozo Jr. takes takes his turn kicking the shield.

    KEY LARGO — Pastor Eric Fisher directed about a half dozen children last Thursday to do hamstring stretches before they took turns delivering roundhouse kicks to a padded strike shield.

    The Lighthouse on the Rock Assemblies of God Church transforms into a pocket-size dojang three times a week for both kids and adults interested in learning self-defense with a focus on Tang Soo Do, a Korean martial art that borrows fighting principles from karate and teaches respect. Fisher, the church’s lead pastor, easily transitions into sonsaeng, the Korean equivalent of sensei.

    The Tang So Do tradition might best be recognized in the work of well-known martial artist and actor Chuck Norris, who showcased his master skills in “Walker, Texas Ranger,” a TV series that ran through the 1990s.

    Students need not be a part of the church congregation to attend the classes, and most aren’t, according to Fisher.

    “This is for the whole community,” he said. “It’s a way for people to practice courage, honor and perseverance. It’s based on principles that teach kids to be accountable, to do what they say they’re going to do — to help out mom and dad a little more. Martial arts gives people self-confidence.”

    Fisher said his classes also incorporate taekwondo, boxing, grappling and arnis, the Filipino martial arts using a baton.

    The little church has an arsenal of wood boards, a life-size grappling dummy to spar and wrestle with, a kickboxing bag, batons, bow staffs and more to be used for student practice.

    Last week, the rapt students tiptoed their way through target circles on the mat before blocking Fisher’s sparring pool noodle and dropkicking a shield held by Fisher’s son, Zach.

    “There’s varying levels of student attention spans,” Fisher said. “Some have short-bursts here and there but this is a Crock-Pot approach rather than cooking with a microwave. Some kids will come and go, but the true way takes perseverance.”

    The classes are offered to ages 6 and up, but Fisher said that it is determined on a case-by-case basis. Younger ones attending with older siblings are often invited to participate.

    “It’s funny to see when the younger sibling pays more attention,” said Fisher’s wife, Janeen. “They come and stand in the back and they’re as young as 3 to 4 years old, and they pay attention and are really good at it.”

    Fisher learned the art about six years ago the same way he teaches his students now.

    “It’s a tiered discipline or system. Everything is earned, belt-by-belt,” he said.

    The adult classes run in six- or eight-week sessions, focusing on a different skill each session. Anyone can join at any time and be able to jump in, according to Janeen.

    The group will do exercises in being alert to surroundings then go on to cover quick deflective sequences.

    “People need to first be comfortable saying something when their personal space is being invaded and then defend themselves,” Fisher said. “We have exercises where I’ll block the exit and approach them. They have to find a way out and that may be with body language and by using hand gestures that appear defenseless but aren’t.”

    “Teaching self-defense is a pressure test to help people identify situations that they’re not comfortable with and how to respond to them.”

    Enrolling students should wear comfortable clothing, and set short- and longterm discipline goals

    Lighthouse on the Rock offers its classes based on donations. Its youth martial arts classes are 5:30 p.m. Monday and Thursday, and at 11 a.m. Saturday, following a 10:15 a.m. adult self-defense class for ages 13 and up. The church is located at 99.3, oceanside. For more information, call Fisher at 305-451-6212 or visit lighthousekeylargo.com.

    tjava@keysnews.com
    THREADS
    Martial Arts & Religion
    Any Christian Martial Arts Schools?
    Gene Ching
    Publisher www.KungFuMagazine.com
    Author of Shaolin Trips
    Support our forum by getting your gear at MartialArtSmart

  15. #1185
    Join Date
    Jan 1970
    Location
    Fremont, CA, U.S.A.
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    47,946

    The Combat Team

    There's a news vid behind the link. Anyone ever see this group before?

    Ministry uses martial arts to appeal to audiences
    By: Adam Sherwinski
    Posted: Jan 25, 2019 10:36 PM CST
    Updated: Jan 25, 2019 10:36 PM CST

    An organization uses martial arts to reach out to their audience tonight in Carterville.

    The Combat Team is a ministry that travels across the globe breaking bricks and performing karate skills. When breaking a board, the martial artist must look beyond the object and use it as an analogy on how we can look beyond our problems in our lives with help from God.

    Members of the group also tie in their testimonies on how God has help them in their lives. The founder of The Combat Team says that he enjoys entertaining the crowd while spreading their message about Jesus.

    "We get to come out here. And we get to do some karate. And then we get to love on the people. You know, after we are done, we see them, give them high fives, hugs. It's about just sharing God's word and then loving on people,” says Brian Bryan, CEO of the Combat Team.

    The Combat Team will be performing again tomorrow night at 7 at the Carterville Community Center.
    Gene Ching
    Publisher www.KungFuMagazine.com
    Author of Shaolin Trips
    Support our forum by getting your gear at MartialArtSmart

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