Thread: Bowing
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Old 01-15-2002, 12:36 AM   #25
Chris Li
 
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Dojo: Aikido Sangenkai
Location: Honolulu, Hawaii
Join Date: Dec 2000
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Quote:
Originally posted by Edward
As a Christian from the Middle East, I can assure you that we have never heard of any problem with a Muslim not wanting to bow whatsover, and I have practiced MA for over 17 years.
As a non-Christian, non-Jew, non-Muslim with over 20 years in the martial arts I can assure you that I have definitely heard of problems with Muslims who did not want to bow. Also I had a student who was an orthodox Jew with the same problem. Because you haven't met them doesn't mean that they therefore do not exist.

Quote:

The misconception is about bowing in Islam and it's wrong because Muslims do have many signs of humility while talking to others which very much resemble bowing.
Whether it's a misconception or not is really a matter of religious faith. I have met any number of reasonable people who have problems with the bowing based on their faith. I choose not to interpret their religion for them.

Quote:

Most of the controversies I've read are about some fanatical Christians who want to follow both Old and New Testaments to the letter with all the contradictions they contain. This as about Christian arrogance, and non tolerance for other cultures and religions.
I do know some Christians who had problems with some aspects of Aikido, but never any that had specific problems with bowing.

Quote:
Aikido is a Japanese Martial Art, and hand-shaking, hugging, kissing...etc. are in my view ridiculous and embarassing. The only acceptable way is bowing. You have a problem with bowing, there are Western Martial Arts such as Boxing, Greco-Roman Wrestling, fencing...etc. No body's forcing you to take up Aikido, and your presence in Aikido is not so necessary that Japanese tradition should be modified for your sake.
I've spent over ten years training in Japan, and I've actually discussed this very issue with students of Morihei Ueshiba. Now, while I don't rule out the possibility that there are places with different policies, none of the dojo or teachers that I've trained with or are training with would have any problem at all with people eliminating the bow if the felt that it were in violation of their religious beliefs. Why be more Japanese than the Japanese themselves?

Best,

Chris

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