Christians and Martial Arts

[Zaine]

Christians do say turn the other cheek, however they should not be push overs.

Some Christians believe that martial arts is toying with the Devil, however this is nonesense.

With that being said, karate is a way of life and not a sport.

I'm not sure how God would feel about that.

Remember that, for Christians, God is in everything that we do. Also, the bible doesn't necessarily shy away from war. There is a verse in Psalms that reads "He trains my hands for battle; my arms can bend a bow of bronze." So while Christianity preaches peace and love, it doesn't preach indifference towards violence and standing by when we could defend ourselves/save a life. Finally, the turn the cheek passage is about defiance, it wasn't to show submission.

[vantheman]

As I alluded to on an earlier reply, Christians promote peace up to the point where your own life is threatened. In addition to loving our neighbor, we are stewards of our own bodies. When it's between two individuals' right to life, the innocent, just one's right trumps the unjust aggressor's right.

[Titanium]

As I alluded to on an earlier reply, Christians promote peace up to the point where your own life is threatened. In addition to loving our neighbor, we are stewards of our own bodies. When it's between two individuals' right to life, the innocent, just one's right trumps the unjust aggressor's right.

Yes, I believe you're correct.

Love thy neighbour - a fundamental lesson in Christianity.

[italian_guy]

Read Judges 5:23-27

It'll give your a little perspective on this matter.

Jesus was talking about the insult of being slapped, if he were talking about true violence, he would have told the soldier to turn the other ear.

I think you've a good point here. Slapping is not meant to hurt but to mortify (btw actually no martial art teaches to slap because slapping is an inefficient way to hurt). So the sentence states not to resist to humiliations, but when you are personally attacked or you see somebody harmless being attacked... this is definitely another story.

[Alan Armstrong]

"Turning the other cheek" is up for interpretation.

My interpretation is, on the contrary "A cheek for a cheek" or an "Eye for an Eye" would be talking about taking revenge.

Problem with this, is that with this methodology, society as we know it, would change to become a vengeful one.

The best form of revenge, is to be successful; this is another way to turn the other cheek, by doing the opposite of doing something right in the situations that doing wrong feels right, but is temporary or short lived satisfaction.

Yet with the being successful approach, it has its satisfaction without harming anyone or anything.

Know it or not, we create our enemies, due to being ignorant or unaware to the many facets of rivalry.

Apologies and saying sorry can end many conflicts, it is for some, a very difficult thing to do.

[LLLEARNER]

The way I have heard "turn the other cheek" interpreted is more of a response to insult rather than an attack. A Roman would not have punched a slave or other considered less than a Roman. They would have slapped them. At least that is what I have read.

A punch would have been the cultural acknowledgement of equality. A back-handed slap with the right hand would land on the right cheek.

As far as defense of self or others, Christ told his disciples to "sell their cloak if they did not have a sword". At that point he was sending them into the world to preach and knew how dangerous traveling was.