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Old 12-08-2007, 08:22 PM   #61
Erick Mead
 
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Dojo: Big Green Drum (W. Florida Aikikai)
Location: West Florida
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Re: Christianity and Aikido??

Quote:
Brian Dewey wrote: View Post
I can't believe I am partaking in thread necromancy (6 years old)...but here goes:
Some subjects qualify as "once and future threads" ...

Quote:
Brian Dewey wrote: View Post
This subject has/is also of interest for me, but for entirely different reasons. I come from the perspective of someone who spent several years in the seminary preparing for the Roman Catholic priesthood. In the end, I chose not to pursue that path as it ultimately was not a suitable lifestyle for me (i.e. that whole celibacy thing...I admit that I enjoy the company of women too much).
Samuel Johnson, whom I reacquainted myself with recently, once said that while marriage has many pains, celibacy has no pleasures.

Quote:
Brian Dewey wrote: View Post
From my experience, Catholics (even devout ones such as myself) usually don't have a problem with Aikido...even with it's most traditional and overtly Shinto aspects. Why? I think it is because Catholicism is very symbolical in its essence: sacraments, liturgy, saints, hierarchical clergy, etc. I can easily find several parallels between Catholicism and Aikido...far too much and too detailed to write here. They all compliment one another quite well and Aikido has become a devotional for me, with bokken and jo as rosaries.
Embrace your enemy while "turning the other cheek," and genuflect = Kokyunage, ... so pretty much, yeah ...

Quote:
Brian Dewey wrote: View Post
Evangelicals regard Aikido as an "eastern religion." Bowing is considered an idolatrous act, as is the presence of the shomen...which is regarded as a pagan shrine of false gods (Shinto kami) and a false messiah (O'Sensei).
Veneration and due homage in appreciation does not equal worship. Why do they not get that?

Cordially,

Erick Mead
一隻狗可久里馬房但他也不是馬的.
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