Catholic in Karate?

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Catholicus19

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So I wanna do a martial art
I choise Karate because I guess it’s a martial art that don’t involve eastern spirituality
I researched in th Forum and I found that reply for smilar questions but I guess that don’t respond my doubt D: So is Karate fine for a catholic?

Reply found:
"The following links should help answer your question about practicing karate and yoga. If you have any further questions, please contact Catholic Answers directly.

Recommended Reading:

Can Catholics practice yoga?
Is Yoga contrary to our faith?
Is it possible to “baptize” yoga?
Learn to Discern: Christian or New Age?
___________"
 
JUST AN OPINION:

I prefer Krav Maga. No forms, no belts (for the most part) all practical, ages 8 - 80 can’t walk drag-'em and deadly.
 
When I was younger, I took Shotokan karate. That instructor turned it “christian” by making us memorize bible verses for belt exams. Essentially, karate does have some positive lessons to teach.

Like the poster above, I HIGHLY recommend Krav Maga, or if there is not one near you, then perhaps F.I.G.H.T… 👍

If it’s self defense, go KM, if you want the discipline aspect of it, then I’d say do karate. However, nothing saying you can’t do both! 😃

God bless you.
 
Karate and Yoga are vastly different things. Whereas Yoga is tied into Hinduism, Karate has little connection to religion.

There is sometimes discussion of Buddhist teaching from ancient Japan especially Zen, but you will not find religion taught or even discussed in classes.

Virtually every book I have ever seen on Karate has made no mention of religion. It is more interested in effective self defense and learning to control your breathing and your movement. Focusing on applying force at a given point to achieve what you want.

I trained for almost 15 years and hold a 2nd dan (degree) black belt and taught for a number of years. Religion was never an issue. Learning how not to clock yourself in the head with your nunchaku :nunchuk:or fall on your backside when kicking…now those things were important. 😃

The only Karate school that I know of that has any remote religious bent is a guy down the road who is a member of the local Calvary Chapel. 🤷 Even so, he’s pretty non-denominational about what he has to say.

Me? I find wisdom in the Bible in places like where the Psalmists (Psalm 144) says,
1] Blessed be the LORD, my rock,
who trains my hands for war,
and my fingers for battle;
2] my rock and my fortress,
my stronghold and my deliverer,
my shield and he in whom I take refuge,
who subdues the peoples under him.

and then where Our Lord Himself says to the apostles, (in Luke 22)
35] And he said to them, “When I sent you out with no purse or bag or sandals, did you lack anything?” They said, “Nothing.”
36] He said to them, “But now, let him who has a purse take it, and likewise a bag. And let him who has no sword sell his mantle and buy one.
37] For I tell you that this scripture must be fulfilled in me, `And he was reckoned with transgressors’; for what is written about me has its fulfilment.”
38] And they said, “Look, Lord, here are two swords.” And he said to them, “It is enough.”
 
And of course there have been lots of Japanese martyrs and saints! Ask them for advice! I am sure that they would love to help you.
 
As long as the school doesn’t integrate eastern or occult spirituality, it should be okay.

Ask the Holy Spirit to guide you. If you feel ill at ease with a particular school, keep looking.
 
Catholicus19 said:
So I wanna do a martial art
I choise Karate because I guess it’s a martial art that don’t involve eastern spirituality
I researched in th Forum and I found that reply for smilar questions but I guess that don’t respond my doubt D: So is Karate fine for a catholic?

Reply found:
"The following links should help answer your question about practicing karate and yoga. If you have any further questions, please contact Catholic Answers directly.

Recommended Reading:

Can Catholics practice yoga?
Is Yoga contrary to our faith?
Is it possible to “baptize” yoga?
Learn to Discern: Christian or New Age?
___________"
Click to expand...
Speaking as a former black belt in Tae Kwon Do, I found no religious issues with it - except for competition. Once I reached an upper level, full contact sparring was required, and the scoring of the sparring competition (at least at the time) favored (in order) - actual KO’s, TKO’s, and attacks that visibly displaced the body of the receiver (aka not just a head strike - but a head strike that knocks their head around, not just a solid body blow - but one that either doubles them over or knocks them back).

At that point, I decided competition wasn’t for me. Don’t get me wrong - I loved my classes and if I’d had an instructor more orientated to form competition (and I didn’t tear my ACL, and have 4 more kids) then I probably would still be doing it 😃 Nothing wrong with control or even vigorous sparring and learning self-defense. But (again, for me), full contact for competition purposes crossed the line.

Just wanted to mention that one aspect as something I did find (for me) to be at odds with Catholicism. Otherwise, no issues and some great benefits.
 
Catholicus19 said:
So I wanna do a martial art
I choise Karate because I guess it’s a martial art that don’t involve eastern spirituality
I researched in th Forum and I found that reply for smilar questions but I guess that don’t respond my doubt D: So is Karate fine for a catholic?

Reply found:
"The following links should help answer your question about practicing karate and yoga. If you have any further questions, please contact Catholic Answers directly.

Recommended Reading:

Can Catholics practice yoga?
Is Yoga contrary to our faith?
Is it possible to “baptize” yoga?
Learn to Discern: Christian or New Age?
___________"
Click to expand...
Catholics are not forbidden to practice martial arts.
 
Gracie Jiu-Jitsu. Started by a bunch of Catholics in Brazil who obviously had no truck with non-Catholic family planning, because each branch of the family has, like, 32 sons. No eastern mysticism, just balance, leverage, and technique. Lots of fun.
 
CradleJourney said:
Speaking as a former black belt in Tae Kwon Do, I found no religious issues with it - except for competition.
Click to expand...
Both of my sons are also black belt in Tae Kwon Do (First Dan). Neither have progressed to full-contact tournament sport. My youngest son, however, is now a United States Marine, and has undergone a whole lot of full-contact training (which he has dominated, much of which he attributes to his Tae Kwon Do training).

Karate (meaning “open hand”) is a limited form of martial arts that, in its purest form, has no punches or kicks. It has no religious implications (with the possible exception that karate is very limited, and is thus possibly pacifist)
 
Hi Catholicus

In my youth I attended Karate classes, and it did lead me into exploring Zen Buddhism. I don’t actually regret that exploration, but I know some would be nervous of the links that sometimes exist between martial arts and yoga and Eastern religions.

Now not so youthful, I find it interesting to “join the dots” between different faiths, and the experience of Zen Buddhism was interesting in light with my interest in monastic spirituality.

I used to absolutely love the kata in karate. Unfortunately my reflexes and hand-eye co-ordination have never been brilliant so I was an utterly woeful practitioner of karate as a martial art. I was also the only person in class who had to go to hospital after training with foam nunchaku. I somehow managed to get the chain caught around my fingers - my training partner pulled the nunchaku away from me and bust a knuckle. I was always popular as a training partner - perhaps because I moved more slowly and predictably than a punch bag.
 
DavidFilmer said:
Karate (meaning “open hand”) is a limited form of martial arts that, in its purest form, has no punches or kicks. It has no religious implications (with the possible exception that karate is very limited, and is thus possibly pacifist)
Click to expand...
Sorry David, I don’t know where you got that information but it is far from factual.

The original kanji for Kara te never meant “open hand”. See this video on YT. The original characters stood for Chinese hand because the Okinawans picked up different Chinese martial arts from interaction and trade with China…
(Please Note: This uploaded content is no longer available.)

When the Japanese conquered Okinawa they made swords illegal and so the Okinawans began to use their Chinese skills and farm implements such as the nunchaku (a rice flail), sai (a small pitchfork), bo staff, jo staff, kama, (sickles) and tonfa (millstone handles) to defend themselves against the Japanese. It was even illegal to be caught training in karate in Okinawa in the 19th and early 20th centuries. This is all well documented in Master Gichin Funakolshi’s excellent book Karate-Do: My Way of Life. He is considered the father of karate, as it was his demonstration of the art in the early 1900s that got the art accepted and opened to the Japanese.

It was Master Funakoshi who actually changed the first character to the one for “empty” to reduce the inference of violence and encourage it as a “Do” or “way” to meditate and so enlighten oneself. This enlightenment is philosophical and meditative, but was never indicated to be religious, though that same “empty hand” concept did resound well with Japanese who were familiar with the philosophy of Zen in their culture.
http://0.tqn.com/d/japanese/1/0/X/Z/1/karate1.jpg

Keep in mind that though there are those who call themselves Zen Buddhists, these are Buddhists who have mingled the very austere and ascetic Zen philosophy into their religion, but they are not the same. Zen’s appeal in Japanese martial arts traditions and history are mostly because of the ascetic tough self discipline it encourages. Though it encourages meditation (kata are often spoken of as “moving meditations”), it is secular and martial in nature…not religious.
I hope this helps clear this up for you all.**http://www.amazon.com/Karate-Do-Way...UTF8&qid=1373006044&sr=8-1&keywords=funakoshi
**
 
I’ve been a student of traditional Japanese martial arts for 40 years. The only issue I ever encountered was the occasional student who objected to bowing. Bowing in martial arts is not worship, but an act of respect. The school I belong to is very traditional and Zen concepts is expressed. I found it to be very compatible with my faith. Martial arts is more about developing the self then fighting. Awareness of self in relationship to ones surroundings is a strong focus. I view my practice in this art as a gift from God and a real blessing in my life.
 
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