Christian and following Zen?

[sensei8]

Zen is not a religion, in the same sense that Christianity is a religion. Therefore, there is no reason why Christianity and Zen cannot co-exist.

Christians are discovering that Zen meditation practices invigorate and deepen their prayer life and spiritual growth. Zen training is especially helpful to those seeking to integrate prayer with ministry or social action. The tensions which seem to exist between religious ideals and life "as it is" are dissolved by the practice of awareness both in sitting meditation and in daily life.

If Zen was a religion, then mixing Christianity and Zen would be an oxymoron. Besides, I don't want religion at all, no, I want a personal relationship with Christ.

So often do the laymen criticise the martial artist who is a Christian. The laymen thinks that martial arts teaches only how to kill/hurt/lame; that laymen knows nothing! The martial arts teaches peace.

My grandma, on my moms side, always told us kids..."If you don't like it, then don't do it, but if you love it, then do it by all means!"

[bushido_man96]

Chuck Norris wrote a pretty good book called Zen in The Martial Arts. Worth the read.

[Liver Punch]

Chuck Norris wrote a pretty good book called Zen in The Martial Arts. Worth the read.

Agreed. He discusses his dual belief in western and eastern religion. He does a dandy good job in explaining his beliefs and how they are complementary, not contradictory.

[wingedMonkey]

Been a while since a post in here but I must bring up that I had the same complexities due to being a catholic. I found the answer believe it or not in my College Senior level class of Geopolitical history...our professor brought up the fact that Buddhism is actually more of a way of life than belief in a deity. Even though many people around the world worship Buddha as a deity...he was just someone enlightened. So..you can be Buddhist and whatever else other belief as well..

[shimizu]

So as a Christian my church does not believe that I should follow the arts of Zen, but even the Lord says that we should honor all religions, how can we truly honor them without truly understanding them? IO have studies Zen Buddhism, Shinto, Taoism, Daoism, many other types of Christianity, and now my church believes that it is a sin to try to study Zen...

What are your beliefs on Martial artists and using Zen in their arts...whether you are Christian or not I want you input.

As a christian, you should be able to study the religion just like children study islam and judaism in school so I don't see what the problem is there. Of course, if - however - you are thinking of following the ways of that religion; that would be what your church is disallowing, i would think