MARTIAL_ARTS

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“In the Philippines there is something intriguing about the meditation practices like zen, yoga, tai chi… In times of sickness, especially when cure is remote or there is an absence of financial means to go to a doctor, alternative medicines and pranic healing becomes attractive.

“There is something new definitely that is infiltrating our country. Surely, this consciousness also is an issue now in your countries.”

It certainly is, though Sr. Epifania’s concern is greater, the Philippines being a Catholic nation. Note that she has included tai chi, along with yoga and Zen [which ARE meditation practices], as a MEDITATION system!

We will seek the opinion of others including Christians, as well as examine the February 3, 2003 Vatican Document “Jesus Christ, the Bearer of the Water of Life. A Christian Reflection on the ‘New Age’” to understand the origins and common worldview of some of the better known martial arts.

The Document*** records as New Age several of the techniques that George Thomas, India’s foremost tai chi exponent has majored in and adopted into the package that he offers, like Zen Buddhism, Transcendental Meditation, Polarity Therapy, Yoga, Acupuncture, Therapeutic Touch [or ‘Touch for Health], Mantras, the ‘exercises that lead to an experience of self-fulfillment or enlightenment’, Hypnosis, and the ‘holistic paradigm’ which it describes as ‘the greatest danger’.

Silva Mind Control is also New Age. The Document lists its founder Jose Silva as a New Age writer [n 4].

“The response from the New Age is unity through fusion. It claims to reconcile soul and body, female and male, … Yin and Yang”/ “Yin/Yang is a New Age symbol, to do with complementarity of contraries, especially masculine and feminine” [n 4.2, 7.1].

The Document deals in several places with the pre-Christian and New Age concept of universal life force energy. ***[Please see my 4-page summary of the Document, which was published in The Examiner, for details].

Martial artistes may perform seemingly superhuman feats such as board- breaking and splitting piles of stacked bricks down the centre with one firm downward chop with the edge of his [or her] hand, employing nothing more substantive than the shrill kiyai and human flesh. Disbelieving spectators assume that they have witnessed a demonstration of mind over matter accomplished by years of highly dedicated practice.

Few, if, any, realize that what they have just witnessed is a 5,000 year-old spiritual discipline designed to harmonize the body with the energy forces of the universe to achieve spiritual enlightenment. And few would suspect that such a display of physical and mental power could portend the possibility of demonic influence.

The obviously paranormal displays of power by an exponent of these arts have a Chinese name: noi cun.

The source of this power is said to be the cosmic or vital or etheric or universal energy chi [also written as qi or ch’i.]

One who has knowledge of the application of prana in yoga and the ki [Japanese] of reiki will understand that chi [the basis of the working of acupuncture, pranic healing etc.] is the same paranormal phenomenon.

While some senseis may conduct amazing demonstrations of chi power, the interest of most people in the martial arts is less exotic and is limited more to learning a system of self-defense through unarmed combat, attaining physical development, enhancing a macho image to others, or simply a pastime rather than attaining any sort of spiritual experience.

But the inherent presuppositions of pagan doctrine underlying the martial arts assures them that they may get something more than bargained for.

Bob Larson, ****in a 1977 four-page article titled ‘Martial Arts’ published by Bob Larson Ministries said, “Chi is widely known in the occult arts as the ‘life-energy-creative force of the universe’. The perceptive Christian knows it to be of demonic power.” ****[Further quotes from this article are identified thus].

World War II servicemen returning to the West in the mid 1940s from the Pacific area of military occupation brought back the hitherto relatively unknown forms of the martial arts to Europe and the United States.

Shortly, the Hong Kong movie industry churned out films such as ‘Five Fingers of Death’ and ‘Duel of the Iron Fist’ with martial arts themes. But it took Hong Kong born Bruce Lee to popularize this art form for the masses.

His 1972 movie ‘Kung Fu’ was turned into a successful TV series that spinned off magazines and T-shirts with an appeal far beyond board breaking. It was the first time in Hollywood history that a movie starring an Asian hero was a box office hit.

Lee, to whom kung fu was more than a physical practice, explored its spiritual depths until he met an untimely mysterious death. His American-born son followed in his steps and died in a shooting accident while on the production sets of a film with an occult theme.

David Carradine who took kung fu to TV ended up an LSD addict and an anarchist.

It is popularly believed that the martial arts are ‘made in Japan’, but the real history of these arts goes back to the dawn of civilization in India, and nearly five millennia in China where it developed more extensively. By the time of the Feudal States in the 8th century BC, kung fu was widely practiced. During the Boxer Rebellion of 1900 the martial arts were totally eliminated from mainland China.

In 1928 they were renamed War Arts and were restored to their former national pride of place.

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