Is it so?

[RichardZ]

Did you post that twice?

So, are we to take the word "warrior", which has the basis of "war", the same way we take the term "martial" off the basis of martial arts...Interesting

[bushido_man96]

Martial Arts = "war" arts.

Warrior = uses "war" arts in his trade.

[RichardZ]

Of course.

So a martial artist is likewise to a warrior?

[sensei8]

Of course.

So a martial artist is likewise to a warrior?

Without me getting all tied up in semantics, which I can from time to time. I'm a martial artist, first and formost and forever, but, I'm not a warrior!

I'm a warrior, but, with God's help, it's in fighting the good fight of faith. I'm a warrior; Onward Christian Soldier!

[RichardZ]

Interesting that there is mention of religious warriors. As there were/are many wars started in the name of religion, or such stimulated by, warrior may be antithetical to many religious ideals.

[tonydee]

Good topic... sorry I've only just noticed it.

I don't consider myself a warrior. It's a bit arbitrary of me, but I think of a warrior as someone who deliberately shapes their political environment - their nation's extent and future - through deliberate acts of war/defense. In some senses, soldiers who aren't driven by those political decisions and motives but just go to fight seem other than warriors to me. Still, that's perhaps a kind of romantic idea that there should be something differentiating warrior from plain old professional soldier / fighter.

In a non-military martial arts context, the closest I can think of to warrior would be those who seek to fight at or beyond the limits of their ability, travelling in search of greater and greater challenge, in a pretty raw style and against differing opponents, retaining a sense of ritual, formality, respect, accepting real chance of injury and driven by a belief that the knowledge and experience of each challenge is worth any injury or death, not seeking "glory" as in competition points or trophies. People like Mas Oyama and Ueshiba were warriors in this sense (the latter also in a military sense).

Cheers,

Tony

[bushido_man96]

Of course.

So a martial artist is likewise to a warrior?

No, not necessarily. I think that many of us study the Martial Arts with the idea of never having to use it for that purpose. Then there are those who know they will use it as such, and study accordingly.

Look at it this way....being a trap shooter doesn't make you a sniper. But, it does mean you can shoot.

[RichardZ]

No, not necessarily. I think that many of us study the Martial Arts with the idea of never having to use it for that purpose. Then there are those who know they will use it as such, and study accordingly.

Look at it this way....being a trap shooter doesn't make you a sniper. But, it does mean you can shoot.

Great. So, being a trap shooter or sniper, doesnt mean you can hunt either.

[sensei8]

No, not necessarily. I think that many of us study the Martial Arts with the idea of never having to use it for that purpose. Then there are those who know they will use it as such, and study accordingly.

Look at it this way....being a trap shooter doesn't make you a sniper. But, it does mean you can shoot.

Great. So, being a trap shooter or sniper, doesnt mean you can hunt either.

But, it doesn't mean that you can't. Being familiar/trained, to shoot a gun in this example, would give an edge over someone who isn't familiar/trained at all. Aquiring the training is only half/part of the solution!

Ok, I'll go back to my corner!

[WireFrame]

Depends on the person's lifestyle. I know many excellent and terrifying Karatekas, some even national competition champions. But there's only one sensei I'd describe as an actuall "warrior".

This is because the man doesn't just live and breathe karate every day, but he also lives and breathes self defence, and develops his own techniques that suit his body and even has recently developed a small and simple hand weapon that, if used, would make some of his favourite attacks (and by that I mean mainly throat and eye as targets) literally fatal.

Obviously he wouldn't make use of anything he has needlessly, but I know he would if it was a "them or me" situation. He's a really nice man, a gentleman, but is totally committed to perfecting every element of himself and his art, which extends beyond his style. That is why this man is the only man I could refer to as warrior.