[I Am Korean]

Originally Posted by King of Fists

I think that a person can be an MMA fighter and a Christian as well (I don´t know about any other faiths, since Christianity is the only one I´ve ever followed) but they would have to give away most of their income once they become successful. That´s the hard part of the Christian faith that loses most people.

Also, as far as Christian faith is concerned, it talks negatively about praying openly in public so that´s a no go also. There may be a lot of fighters who claim they are Christians but few who really are

I think you are a moron.

[Herakles]

I'm a chrisitan and most of my friends that train and fight as well are christian. The way I look at it, its fun I'd I do it to compete and to win. Not to hurt someone.

[StillinKansas]

Originally Posted by King of Fists

I think that a person can be an MMA fighter and a Christian as well (I don´t know about any other faiths, since Christianity is the only one I´ve ever followed) but they would have to give away most of their income once they become successful. That´s the hard part of the Christian faith that loses most people.

Also, as far as Christian faith is concerned, it talks negatively about praying openly in public so that´s a no go also. There may be a lot of fighters who claim they are Christians but few who really are

Maybe it's best for you to keep your undeveloped understanding of Christianity to yourself--IOW, you're not helping the cause, friend...

[I Am Korean]

How has HB not caught wind of this thread. The man is a PALADIN.

[Rinksterk]

I think your religion and hobby is a different thing. I don't see how martial arts can be against christianity. I'm sure if you grab at straws you can justify anything.

[fightingrabbit]

Originally Posted by gonekimuraing

for the person who claimed to have read the article: there weren't any biblical passages taken out of context, friend, and "put on the full armor of God" doesn't mean "go kick some ass" or whatever you said . . that's not what i said at all . . . what i did say was that the bible positively uses sports/struggle ****phors to illustrate spiritual truths, and that since it does, it implicitly supports the validity and usefulness of sport in everyday life, and to understand everyday life . . . this was just one of *many* points i made in the article . . . but like i said: if it's not for you, okay

lol wait you wrote the article? you're really an english teacher? Then you should understand the concept of context very well. And yeah, i think you did take things out of context. Even the only guy that commented you said it. Maybe you just dont want to hear it i dunno.

Okay so anyways, you say you dont take verses out of context?

"Finally, Mixed Martial Arts is entertaining (at least to some), both to participate in and to watch. Paul said, “Whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is fair, whatever is pure, whatever is acceptable, whatever is commendable, if there is anything of excellence and if there is anything praiseworthy—keep thinking about these things” (Phil. 4:8). I hope it has been shown that MMA can be described by some of these words, and that it can—when understood and approached rightly—be a positive form of entertainment and sport, even for Christians or other people of faith."

This might be a longshot. But im pretty sure Gods idea of whatever is "true", "honorable", "fair", "pure", "acceptable" and "commendable" is the polar opposite of cage fighting. Just because YOU have this idea that MMA can be true, honorable, fair, pure, acceptable, commendable, doesnt mean God thinks that its so or ever will. You simply just took his words and used them to support your own beliefs, not his. And thats taking his words and meaning out of context.

Man dont be so blind! Okay this is a serious question and i want you to answer it with a yes or no question. If Jesus were alive and walking the earth in current day, do you think you'd ever see him sitting front row at a cage fighting event? Cheering on the fighters to beat each other to a bloody pulp? Well?? Or wait lemme guess. He'd only be cheering for the "Christian fighters" who have faith in him?

Do you see the holes in your logic here?

[Happy Boy]

Tried to read the article and found the writing style a bit off.

In short, in my view, I think with all things, its not so much what you do, its your reasons for doing it. So someone striving day and night to make money which they will then use for good and to help their fellow man, is not guilty of the sin of greed, whereas another man doing the exact same thing for the love of money and for selfishness, is guilty of that sin.

With regard to MMA, competing in a sport you are talented at and treating is as a sport and not an outlet for any sadistic tendencies or anything weird like that, or out of love of fame or money, but just as fun or a means to support yourself, can't see much wrong, but the same as before, if its a sin enabling activity or occupying a higher place than the Lord, its to be avoided.

As for thanking God after a fight for being safe, I dont the same at the end of every flight, dont see the problem.

[fightingrabbit]

Originally Posted by Happy Boy

Tried to read the article and found the writing style a bit off.

In short, in my view, I think with all things, its not so much what you do, its your reasons for doing it. So someone striving day and night to make money which they will then use for good and to help their fellow man, is not guilty of the sin of greed, whereas another man doing the exact same thing for the love of money and for selfishness, is guilty of that sin.

With regard to MMA, competing in a sport you are talented at and treating is as a sport and not an outlet for any sadistic tendencies or anything weird like that, or out of love of fame or money, but just as fun or a means to support yourself, can't see much wrong, but the same as before, if its a sin enabling activity or occupying a higher place than the Lord, its to be avoided.

As for thanking God after a fight for being safe, I dont the same at the end of every flight, dont see the problem.

qft. my thoughts exactly.

[Phaedrus]

Does MMA mix with Christianity?

For some Christians it does, and for others it does not. I think it depends on one's own conception of Christianity.

I don't think that the scriptures are going to give Christians one unified answer upon this question. People who are opposed to MMA will cite scriptures too.

Personally, it's of no matter to me. I think it's perfectly fine to be a mixed martial artist and a Christian. I certainly don't see or hear God making any complaints about it...

[gonekimuraing]

Originally Posted by fightingrabbit

lol wait you wrote the article? you're really an english teacher? Then you should understand the concept of context very well. And yeah, i think you did take things out of context. Even the only guy that commented you said it. Maybe you just dont want to hear it i dunno.

Okay so anyways, you say you dont take verses out of context?

"Finally, Mixed Martial Arts is entertaining (at least to some), both to participate in and to watch. Paul said, “Whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is fair, whatever is pure, whatever is acceptable, whatever is commendable, if there is anything of excellence and if there is anything praiseworthy—keep thinking about these things” (Phil. 4:8). I hope it has been shown that MMA can be described by some of these words, and that it can—when understood and approached rightly—be a positive form of entertainment and sport, even for Christians or other people of faith."

This might be a longshot. But im pretty sure Gods idea of whatever is "true", "honorable", "fair", "pure", "acceptable" and "commendable" is the polar opposite of cage fighting. Just because YOU have this idea that MMA can be true, honorable, fair, pure, acceptable, commendable, doesnt mean God thinks that its so or ever will. You simply just took his words and used them to support your own beliefs, not his. And thats taking his words and meaning out of context.

Man dont be so blind! Okay this is a serious question and i want you to answer it with a yes or no question. If Jesus were alive and walking the earth in current day, do you think you'd ever see him sitting front row at a cage fighting event? Cheering on the fighters to beat each other to a bloody pulp? Well?? Or wait lemme guess. He'd only be cheering for the "Christian fighters" who have faith in him?

Do you see the holes in your logic here?

well, let's not take a lot of time with this, man . . if you're not convinced by the article, cool, let it go . . . as for "the guy who commented [commended?] you said it:" so? and i don't even recall the post you're referencing here . . .

i notice that you've left off what i said in my last post re: the bible using sport as positive illustration, etc., and now you've brought up another verse that's supposedly taken out of context . . the one about "whatever is fair, pure, etc." . . i'll give you this: using that verse was the only *kind-of* contextual long-shot that i made in the article . . that being said, since the article specifically deals with the questions of whether mma is "fair" "pure" "acceptable" and "praiseworthy," and answers those questions with a "yes," it seemed like a good verse to end with . . if you disagree, cool . . if you think that's out of context, when the exact words paul used are the exact concepts i was looking at, cool, forget that example then . . the thing is: the whole main idea of the article still stands . . let's keep our eye on the ball

as for jesus being into modern day cage fighting . . this just shows that you really don't know what i'm here talking about at all, and makes me wonder whether you read the article very closely . . . i'm *not* saying jesus loves mma, would be a fan, certainly not that he'd help certain fighters win, etc. (that last bit has been brought up *lots* here, but is never what i was talking about . . . jesus lived on earth a *long* time ago, and in my view, had something very specific he was about, and it didn't have much to do with culture-specific pastimes . . . my article is about one thing: can a christian (or a "spiritual person," perhaps of another faith) ethically be into mma? . . that's it . . . my answer was "yes, and more" . . that's it . . .

move on