Martial arts, what does the Bible say?

So many people come to me asking: “What does the Bible say regarding karate and martial arts?” or “What do you think, how God feels about karate?”

 Let us have a look at the martial arts, specifically karate!

 It is written in Isaiah 2:5 & 6 “O house of Jacob, come ye, and let us walk in the light of the LORD. Therefore thou hast forsaken thy people the house of Jacob, because they be replenished from the east …” and in Luke 6:43 & 44 Jesus says: “For a good tree bringeth not forth corrupt fruit; neither doth a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. For every tree is known by his own fruit. For of thorns men do not gather figs, nor of a bramble bush gather they grapes.”

So, let us have a look at the karate tree and its roots:

Karate-do means: The way of the open hand. The Bible says in John 14:6 that there is no other way than Jesus Christ “Jesus saith unto him, I AM THE WAY, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.”

Kung Fu and other doctrines were developed by one Bodhidharma, an Indian Zen Buddhist in the sixth century AC, in the Song Shan Shaolin temple in northern China.

Bodhidharma taught his monks self defense by using his techniques, which included personal meditation and exercises. He developed katas (a series of exercises compiled in a certain form) as a tool to meditation. The Bible states that we must only meditate on God’s word. Psalm 1:2 “But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.” He combines the doctrines of Zen Buddhism (idolatry) with the martial arts. Psalm 96:5 says: “For all the gods of the nations are IDOLS: but the LORD made the heavens.”  Zen Buddhism is idol worship and definitely not from God!

Gichen Funakoshi was trained in Japan in the Shaolin temple martial arts. During 1917 he held his first public demonstration of karate-do. (In China “karate-do is known as Shotokan.) Funakoshi is recognized as the “father of karate-do”.

The dojo, where there is exercised, means “THE PLACE OF THE WAY”

Karate-do is still knows as ”moving Zen”. The base is nothing else than Zen Buddhism and its doctrines. Zen believes that there is no “external” God but that man is god and must discover this truth by disciplining his brain.

“Ki”-power is seen in Taoism as a supernatural power flowing through all and sustains life. Jesus said in John 7:38 & 39: “He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive ….” In karate the “KIAI” is used to activate a person’s “inner power”. This is nothing else than calling upon certain evil spirits from Satan!

Karate as sport – Karate did not develop from the sport, but the sport developed from Karate-do. The roots of karate as sport remain in Zen Buddhism and its doctrines. How can the fruit from these roots be good? Mathew 12:33 “Either make the tree good, and his fruit good; or else make the tree corrupt, and his fruit corrupt: for the tree is known by his fruit.”

Karate is seen by its students as a way of life. It requires dedication and this dedication leads to a lifestyle. It is written in Romans 1:17: “For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.” The practice of karate teaches its students to live by an Eastern way of religion and not that of God.

Karate teaches its students that it is one of various ways leading to the LIFE. Jesus says in John 14:6 “… I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.”

In karate students starts with a white belt (purity and light) and ends with a black belt (darkness and obscurity). Is this a sign of positive growth? Look at it in the light of Jesus’ words in John 12:36 “While ye have light, believe in the light, that ye may be the children of light. …”

Students bow down before the “sensei” or teacher and in some cases before a statue or “idol”. God states in 2 Kings 17:36 “But the LORD, … him shall ye fear, and him shall ye worship, …” and in Jeremiah 25:6 “And go not after other gods to serve them, and to worship them, and provoke me not to anger with the works of your hands; …” Hands hitting, hurting and breaking objects provokes God.

Usually the logo of karate is either a dragon or the Yin/Yang symbol. According to Revelation 12:9 “And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.” A symbol of a dragon is the symbol of Satan.  The Yin/Yang symbol refers to the unification of opposites. There is good in every evil, even in Satan, and evil in every good, even in God. This symbol is carried on the heart. So to who or what does the student submit his heart?

Another argument used by many to practice karate or allowing their children to practice is self defense. Again, let us have a look at what is written in the Bible. Jesus says in Luke 6:29: “And unto him that smiteth thee on the one cheek offer also the other; and him that taketh away thy cloke forbid not to take thy coat also”  and in Psalm 91:11 & 12 “For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways. They shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone.”  If we really want to do something in our or our children’s defense and safety, why do we not call upon our heavenly Father and His word! Why do we turn to that what comes from Eastern religions that is definitely not from God? Why do we not trust God in everything, our safety included?

Remember, there are only two kingdoms on earth. The Kingdom of Light and the kingdom of darkness. If I am disobedient to the Kingdom of Light then I am obedient to the kingdom of darkness. Being obedient to the kingdom of darkness will open doors of darkness in my and my family’s lives.

Sources:

Die Ontmaskering van Karate – Gerhard van der Hoven

Martial Arts & Yoga – Brenda Skyrme


cobus van heerden (cvh@oicb.co.za)
Geplaas met toestemming.