Are you a Thug or a Warrior?!

[Dragn]

Sasori_te,

You think that the samurai code of bushido was only about following orders? That was just one part of it. I'm not saying all samurai were perfect examples of morality.Far from it. But the code of Bushido had a great influence on the creation of the Japanese martial arts. Read the books of any of the great Japanese masters .The message is very clear, the Budo Martial arts of Japan are very spiritual in nature.

If you study Goju and dont see anything beyond mere destructive fighting techniques then you are sadly missing the point.

Perhaps officers are over romantic.Then again perhaps the average infantryman has difficulty understanding higher ideals. I guess we just disagree.

[elbows_and_knees]

People may have there own defintion of a warrior thats fine but doesnt mean its correct. Only correct to you. So saying some one else isn't a worrior depends on your defintion but to some one elses deftion they are a warrior.

I see what you are saying, but technically, a made up definition is nothing more than an opinion.

If you study Goju and dont see anything beyond mere destructive fighting techniques then you are sadly missing the point.

not necessarily. As was stated earlier, you can get any other aspect from other things - spirituality from church, philosophy from reading and educating yourself, etc. If he only trains goju for fighting, there is nothing at all sad about that. It is after all a MARTIAL art first and foremost.

[Adonis]

True but dictionary definition then is some one who is exeprienced in battle.

[UseoForce]

Anyone see the new batman movie? There was a quote, it was something like this: "It is not who we are but what we do that defines us."

[elbows_and_knees]

True but dictionary definition then is some one who is exeprienced in battle.

which still excludes many people. This is the definition of battle:

2 : a combat between two persons

3 : a general encounter between armies, ships of war, or aircraft

However, that is not the webster definition... which dictionary did that come out of? Here's webster's definition of a warrior:

a man engaged or experienced in warfare

I saw "Batman Begins" the night it came out. Loved it.

[Adonis]

actually webster dictionary will define it as this.

warrior

a man engaged or experienced in warfare; broadly : a person engaged in some struggle or conflict

I got mine from another on line dictionary I don't remember it because I googled it at the time but I don't remmeber the source.

[White Warlock]

'broadly' you can paint across the whole of the world's populace the title of warrior, for we all essentially are engaged in some form of struggle or conflict throughout our lives.

Silly discussion, really, as it's not truly asking if you're a thug or a warrior, as much as it is asking whether you are a criminal, with violence possibly being the venue you choose to act in criminal fashion.

And touching upon the arguments posed in the original thread, if spiritual aspects are not associated with your training, it doesn't make you a thug. Granted, you are missing an element to your training that will develop 'you' more, and thus bring your mind and body closer together, but without 'spiritual' training tied to your combat training, you are not 'denied' the ability to obtain spiritual training elsewhere. Also, just because someone learns 'how to fight,' doesn't mean they suddenly abandon their values and start behaving like a criminal (which is, essentially, what a thug is).

So, all in all, it's a silly discussion.

[elbows_and_knees]

agreed.

[White Warlock]

Hehe, just noticed you were earlier on posing similar arguments EaK.

Also noticed you were having a discussion about 'fear of death,' or lack thereof. Good comments. Wanted to add that even though one may not be 'afraid' of death, there's still plenty to fear, such as the pain your loved ones would have to endure with your loss, the financial burdens you leave behind, fear of crippling injury as opposed to death, etc.

Not having a fear of death does not make one invulnerable. It merely increases the likelihood of acting foolishly, or without consideration for others (including loved ones).

[Adonis]

agree also about your points you made in the earilier post white warlock