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Old 06-11-2006, 07:15 AM   #39
Kevin Leavitt
 
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Dojo: Team Combat USA
Location: Olympia, Washington
Join Date: Jul 2002
Posts: 4,376
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Re: Aikido, the military and fighting

Neil,

What is the sprititual function of a screwdriver or hammer? It might have some fancy slogan on the side of it saying "tempered" or "quality guaranteed", or "always faithful". It describes the characteristics, and values that the company that built it hopes that it will endure and exude in the use of it.

When it comes down to it, it is simply a tool for turning screws or banging nails. It has a purpose, a very specific and narrow purpose.

Now, in the hands of the user, it might be used to build a church, it might be used to build a well in Africa, or serve any number of greater purposes, but it in itself has no purpose.

Soldiers and militaries are the same thing. Tools to serve a purpose. That is what I mean about not having a spiritual purpose. He mission of a miitary is not to serve for the spiritual needs and growth of people.

That said, soldiers are people and most modern armies recognize individualism and the need to appeal to a "higher purpose" in order to maintain good order and discipline and focus on mission.

We have values, ethics, and codes, but in the end the goal is to serve the state that we represent and have sworn allegiance to.

The state and the people it represents may have a "higher calling" or may be fighting for religious reasons, etc, but that is the purpose of the state, and not the military.
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