Or how everything seems the same….
I’m involved in martial arts. I’m involved in church. Here are similarities between the two and the way people interact with them. (MA stands for Martial Arts.) I’m sure with more thought this could be written more eloquently but it’s not intended to be eloquent or condemning as much as just fun to consider. Hopefully you can excuse that and enjoy.
In fact, insert any two other groups here and I’d be curious to know how it applies even across them. I would propose that it would.
Church Doubter=MA Doubter: Some people go but don’t really believe in what is being taught but they go because they feel obligated. In MA, some people go to class but don’t really believe in what’s being taught. They continue to go because they feel obligated
Church Believer=MA Believer: Some people go who are totally zealous. When they leave they continue to be totally zealous. Ditto for MA.
Church Foul=MA Foul: Some people will go for years to the same church, as long as they agree with everything, but at the first sign of trouble, the will raise up their ugliness and tear apart the church. Ditto in MA, which is at least one reason for all the variations, associations, etc. of the same styles.
Church Denominations=Budo Fu Jitsu Ryu Boxing—speaking of variations…what about the denominations? No seriously. Our way is right.Speaking of variations…my kung fu is better than your kung fu, karate, jiu jitsu, etc. No seriously. Our way is right. I’m so sure that I’m creating something new to prove it.
Church Method=Technique—Some are all about the method, what you do, how you do it. If you do this—you’ll get this. If you have enough faith, if you pray enough, if you do enough, if you focus on the things you need to do—you’ll eventually be cool. In MA, Some are all about techniques, solutions, absolutes. Do it and you will succeed.
Church “Happy”=The MA Show: Some are all about the appearances. Smile, dress up, say the right things, etc.Put on your pretty outfits, make a lot of noise, do things that look cool, etc.
Pastor is right=Sensei is right: Some people think the pastor/priest is the infallible truth or has a lock on it. They prefer to believe this even when shown otherwise. Ditto for the teacher. They prefer to believe this. In fact, it’s easier to be a sheep than a shepherd.
Church Simply Complicated=MA Simply Complicated: Some theology is overly simple, others are overly complex. Some MA practices are overly simple, others are overly complex.
Church Details=MA Details: Some focus on doctrine that is drawn from a verse here or there and in MA some practice esoteric methods which stretch the boundaries of reality because it may have worked one time, some where, according to their teachers, teachers, teacher—60 years ago.
Church Social=MA Social: For some church/MA is where they get their social fill for the week.
Church Fear=MA Fear: Some pastors/priests use hell as a method for scaring people into believing and listening to them. In MA some teachers use fear of rape, death, being bullied, as a method for scaring people into believing. People do this to themselves too. Way too much television news in their diet.
Church Revivals=MA Self-Defense Seminars: You leave both feeling like you’re good to go but can’t remember anything.
Church Jumpers=MA School Jumpers: Rather than stay anywhere long enough to learn anything of real depth, people move from church to church and style to style, thinking they’re learning good stuff but not realizing that they are shallow in skill. It could also be that once they realize it’s going to be harder than they are willing to do, they leave, whether to avoid accountability or to avoid putting in an effort.
Church Faith=MA Faith: Belief is the key. You need belief over everything else. Faith. Ditto in MA.
Church “Seeker”=MA Vagabond: The person who visits one time to see what the flaws are so they can decide if it will give them any value. Rarely do they find a place suitable. Anything could set them off.
Really, there’s so many more subtle correlations between the two that this list could go on and on. Hopefully you find it a little interesting. I know I did as I thought about it.
Later.
