Murphy101 Posted March 3, 2011 Share Posted March 3, 2011 Okay. I am Christian. Very much so actually. I just want to know who teaches an organized and quality martial arts program. No, I am not interested in my kid chanting bible verses as they kick or getting stickers for it. Just teach the cotton picking karate! Yes, I am a home schooler. No, that does not mean I am okay with your lackadaisical organizing/scheduling and unprofessional style. And no, I am not okay with crummy teaching or accepting mediocre efforts, just because you are supposedly a nice Christian. All of the above makes me feel scammed in the name of Jesus. Just because you add the word "Christian" does not mean I don't expect excellent instruction and for the class to stay on topic. Why, oh why, is this too much to ask for? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mommy22alyns Posted March 3, 2011 Share Posted March 3, 2011 I have no experience with karate, but you made some very good points. I've wondered often what Jesus would think of His name being used to promote so many businesses. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mimm Posted March 3, 2011 Share Posted March 3, 2011 Wow, never heard of a Christian martial arts program and it doesn't sound appealing. :) Can you go to a regular normal class? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pink Fairy Posted March 3, 2011 Share Posted March 3, 2011 We had this exact same problem with a "Christian" ballet school. Yes, there were verses from Proverbs painted on the walls, but the secular school we attend now provides better instruction and the virtue displayed by both the students and the teachers puts the "Christian" school to shame. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dolphin Posted March 3, 2011 Share Posted March 3, 2011 We don't go to a "Christian" Martial Arts school. We go to a Tae Kwon Do school run by a 5th degree black belt in TKD and 6th degree black belt in Hapkido. He happens to also be a Christian. He does not teach anything about religion. He teaches about respect; for oneself, ones teachers, and ones family. I would look for a straight martial arts class taught by someone who is walking the walk as well as talking the talk. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parrothead Posted March 3, 2011 Share Posted March 3, 2011 We've been to two different school due to moving. Neither one proclaimed to be a Christian MA school. Religion has never come up in any class at either school. To me some things aren't better just because they have Christian in tne name/mission statement. I want the best ballet instruction available. I don't care if the instructor is Jewish or gay or black or French. I want excellent ballet. Same with MA. I'm considering moving dd to yet another school for MA. The instruction seems to be going down hill at the current gym. I'm not moving dd because of the race, nationality, religion or creed of the instructor. And dd won't be going to the new instructor because of any of those reasons. I want dd to excel at MA if that is her goal. If to meet that goal she has to take instruction from a Buddhist monk to get the best instruction so be it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Murphy101 Posted March 3, 2011 Author Share Posted March 3, 2011 When I complain, I get the "its not important they do it perfect, just that they love Jesus and have fun." Um no. I don't expect perfection, but I expect to see solid progression and deepening of skills. They can love Jesus just fine regardless. It's not fun to pay or to take classes and suck at it bc o crummy instruction. They are there because they want to learn it and do well at it - that is what makes it fun. I'm trying to find just straight classes, but it's not as easy as you would think. Sigh. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HRAAB Posted March 3, 2011 Share Posted March 3, 2011 Christian karate? Really? I guess I shouldn't be surprised; there's a Christian bank down the road from me. My girls have all studied Shorin Ryu. The group they work with are affiliated with the International Karate League. I feel very fortunate that we found this group. They are a non-profit group: each student buys their own materials, pay enough to share the rent of the room where they meet (actually sometimes they meet at the park or someone's house). Traveling to competitions, of course, costs more, but all in all, it's been fairly reasonable. My biggest gripe was how expensive martial arts classes were. This group is very professional and quite close knit. It's been a great activity for my kids plus they have developed some great friendships through it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThatCyndiGirl Posted March 3, 2011 Share Posted March 3, 2011 I feel your pain. I was looking for a karate class for my son (before I found out that he had zero interest in such a thing!) and it was all "Judo for Jesus" and "Christian Karate". ugh. Just teach the subject! Believe me, as a kid who grew up in an overtly xian house (couldn't even say "pot luck" lest you give the devil any credit for it. We had to say "pot bless" and "angel eggs" instead of devilled eggs.) I can tell you that MANY, MANY kids end up rolling their eyes at the "OMG, we have to make EVERY SINGLE THING about religion or the kids will leave the church!" Well, guess what? Some kids still do and it's NOT because they didn't go to a religious karate class! There! That feels better! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snickerdoodle Posted March 3, 2011 Share Posted March 3, 2011 Wow. I never heard of such a thing. Is it common in the "bible belt" (for lack of a better term)? Judo for Jesus? Seriously? (asking honestly) What would Chuck Norris say? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Murphy101 Posted March 3, 2011 Author Share Posted March 3, 2011 Oh geez. Well we could eat our body weight in devilled eggs here. LOVE them! :) I have a couple boys that are interested in getting a black belt. Yes, I've explained there are many steps of hard work to get there. Lol. But my point is, they want it and serious about it, so that's what kind of class they want. We have gone to first free lessons from SIX places and so far are not impressed. Just frustrated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Murphy101 Posted March 3, 2011 Author Share Posted March 3, 2011 Wow. I never heard of such a thing. Is it common in the "bible belt" (for lack of a better term)? Judo for Jesus? Seriously? (asking honestly) What would Chuck Norris say? VERY common. It is actual the predominate here. Christian band/music lessons Christian ballet/dance Christian soccer Christian martial arts Christian auto repair You name it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sebastian (a lady) Posted March 3, 2011 Share Posted March 3, 2011 (edited) We have some martial arts experience and didn't find that standard schools contradicted our faith. Our kids have taken tae kwon do. In one place from a Korean master and in another from an American. Both school emphasized obedience and discipline. Neither promoted anything that resembled Buddhism or other Asian religions or philosophies. DH has taken karate, kwong nu (sp?), combat hapkido and tae kwon do. None of these emphasized meditation of religion. There was some in a wang chung class, but honestly, I thought the instructor there was more than a little egotistical and out in left field, so that probably doesn't reflect the art as much as the individual. Maybe the concern in some Christian quarters of what might be included in martial arts classes for kids is overblown. Or it might reflect martial arts classes from decades ago, but less what you find now, especially in schools that emphasize the sport and competition aspects. Why not just go find a nice reliable studio that isn't faith based? Update: I wanted to add that I think the world of the owner of our last school, Oahu Taekondo Center in Hawaii. It is one of the few activities the kids have been in where I thought ever better of the adults involved after a couple years. If we moved back there, putting the kids back in the studio would be one of the first things I'd do. Edited March 3, 2011 by Sebastian (a lady) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Murphy101 Posted March 3, 2011 Author Share Posted March 3, 2011 I'm trying to find one that isn't faith based! THAT is exactly my frustration.:) So far I have found two, but one is so far out of my league budget wise it might as well be in another country. The other is way at the other end of the spectrum and so insane competitive at all cost atmosphere, that it was almost like the martial arts had become their religion. Still looking... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nakia Posted March 3, 2011 Share Posted March 3, 2011 I live smack in the middle of the bible belt, and I've never heard of such a thing. Weird and ridiculous. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sebastian (a lady) Posted March 3, 2011 Share Posted March 3, 2011 I'm trying to find one that isn't faith based! THAT is exactly my frustration.:) So far I have found two, but one is so far out of my league budget wise it might as well be in another country. The other is way at the other end of the spectrum and so insane competitive at all cost atmosphere, that it was almost like the martial arts had become their religion. Still looking... Are you definitely looking for karate or would other MA work too? Maybe one route would be to go through one of the federations, like World Taekwondo Federation, and try to find something local. Do any rec centers or YMCAs in the area offer anything? As much as that isn't my preference, it might be an improvement over what you're getting now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dirty ethel rackham Posted March 3, 2011 Share Posted March 3, 2011 Well, we got scammed by a "Christian" mortgage lender. We locked in at a certain rate - the going rate at that time. We found out at the closing that he wasn't honoring his agreement and the loan was a half-point higher. What he did was illegal, but we were over a barrel. If we didn't close that day, we would have been in default on the contract to buy the house - the one we sought for 2 years. He also did several other underhanded things and always pulled out the "I'm a Christian so it must have been a misunderstanding" card. We refinanced a couple months later. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Truscifi Posted March 4, 2011 Share Posted March 4, 2011 Try expanding your search to other martial arts. I study at a mixed martial arts school (a real one, not one of the ones that teaches an 'mma' fighting style like on Ultimate Fighter) and we study kickboxing, kempo, arniz, and ju jitsu. There are also tons of other traditions that teach great fighting styles your kids would probably love. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MamaT Posted March 4, 2011 Share Posted March 4, 2011 I live smack in the middle of the bible belt, and I've never heard of such a thing. Weird and ridiculous. Yep, it's here Nakia. Andrew just started "Totally Christian Karate." :001_smile: We'll see how it goes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dm379 Posted March 4, 2011 Share Posted March 4, 2011 We've got it here too. Black Belts for Jesus. Unfortunately for my atheist family it is the only place in a half hour range. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hedgehog Posted March 4, 2011 Share Posted March 4, 2011 Wow. I never heard of such a thing. Is it common in the "bible belt" (for lack of a better term)? Judo for Jesus? Seriously? (asking honestly) What would Chuck Norris say? :lol: hilarious!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hedgehog Posted March 4, 2011 Share Posted March 4, 2011 We don't go to a "Christian" Martial Arts school. We go to a Tae Kwon Do school run by a 5th degree black belt in TKD and 6th degree black belt in Hapkido. He happens to also be a Christian. He does not teach anything about religion. He teaches about respect; for oneself, ones teachers, and ones family. I would look for a straight martial arts class taught by someone who is walking the walk as well as talking the talk. :iagree: The ballet school DD11 goes to is run by a lady who I'm sure is in her 80's. She's nominally Christian but hasn't attended church for years. Her teaching is all about striving for excellence, and respect. Christianity doesn't come into it, and yet she, and her co-workers, show many of the attributes I want my dc surrounded with - patience, diligence, best effort, courtesy, kindness, attention to detail.. I could go on; you get the picture. The school is well known locally and we count it as one of our blessings. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jewellsmommy Posted March 4, 2011 Share Posted March 4, 2011 wow, I've never seen that before. There are lots of martial arts places around us but none, that I know of, advertise as a particular religion or affiliation. Now we do have christian sports leagues. But I agree, attaching the name of Jesus is not an excuse to do poor work; if anything it a reason that you should be providing services 10x better than everyone else or your just giving Jesus a bad name :glare:. That's how I would feel about it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
katilac Posted March 4, 2011 Share Posted March 4, 2011 Scammed in the Name of Jesus is a song just waiting to be written . . . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mergath Posted March 4, 2011 Share Posted March 4, 2011 Christian martial arts? Good grief. If I was a kid and a Christian nowadays, I think I'd get burned out on the whole institution and run as fast as I could in the other direction. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aubrey Posted March 4, 2011 Share Posted March 4, 2011 At some point, it gets worse: you're a *bad* Christian if you *don't* use these things--specifically, I'm thinking of Christian curricula. I don't see how grammar can be divided into Christian & secular, lol, but people just stare at me blankly as if its the last view of me before hell when I suggest that slapping a verse on the side of something wouldn't suddenly make it "Christian." Because honestly, the people in favor of this sort of thing would probably feel compelled to only drive these cars if that were to happen, so really--what was I thinking? Bad example! :lol: I was not hired for a job at a Christian school because of my stupid big mouth in saying some of the above, in more professional terms. But, I figured, how long would I really have been able to hide being THAT different anyway? Math is math. Karate is karate. What is that in Geometry--the commutative property? It's been too long. But you know what I mean. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrsMe Posted March 4, 2011 Share Posted March 4, 2011 Find ATA schools. Karate for Kids/Taekwondo for kids. They're all over the U.S. Ours is awesome! Life skills, character, has a completely organized classroom. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KnitWit Posted March 4, 2011 Share Posted March 4, 2011 I share your frustration, OP. And I agree with Aubrey. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThatCyndiGirl Posted March 4, 2011 Share Posted March 4, 2011 We aren't just in the Bible Belt. Martha used a word for it last week and now I can't remember how she said it, something like Protestant Belt or Evangelical Belt? That about sums it up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Murphy101 Posted March 4, 2011 Author Share Posted March 4, 2011 We aren't just in the Bible Belt. Martha used a word for it last week and now I can't remember how she said it, something like Protestant Belt or Evangelical Belt? That about sums it up. The buckle of the Protestant belt.;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LibraryLover Posted March 4, 2011 Share Posted March 4, 2011 Martha Martha Martha You sound like my mother. :001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mynyel Posted March 4, 2011 Share Posted March 4, 2011 Yep, it's here Nakia. Andrew just started "Totally Christian Karate." :001_smile: We'll see how it goes. Yes I have heard of it, my kids go as well! They love it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Little Nyssa Posted March 4, 2011 Share Posted March 4, 2011 Yes, I agree that we none of us should use the name of Jesus as an excuse for shoddy work. But, on the other hand, I am not well-versed in martial arts. I would like to explore them for DS when he is a little older, because I hear that these are valuable skills both for body and mind. But, I would want to make sure that there will be no chants or bowing to anything in such a way that it goes against our faith. (I have heard that there could be-- forgive me if I am ignorant!) So, if I saw the word "Christian" in the name, I would know there would not be any other religion taught. That would reassure me on that subject. I would still look for a good program and quality teachers though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unsinkable Posted March 4, 2011 Share Posted March 4, 2011 The buckle of the Protestant belt.;) That's funny. There is an area south of here that we call the Buckle of the Snow Belt. You can be driving along with relatively good weather then BAM! Can't see a foot in front of your car. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rhonda in TX Posted March 4, 2011 Share Posted March 4, 2011 I am a strong Christian. I come from a family of strong Christians. However, I was always taught by my father to be wary of doing business with people just because they're Christians. It may sound cynical, but has often turned out to be good advice. Oh, and I have never heard of Christian martial arts. Good grief. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Murphy101 Posted March 4, 2011 Author Share Posted March 4, 2011 (edited) But, I would want to make sure that there will be no chants or bowing to anything in such a way that it goes against our faith. (I have heard that there could be-- forgive me if I am ignorant!) So, if I saw the word "Christian" in the name, I would know there would not be any other religion taught. That would reassure me on that subject. I would still look for a good program and quality teachers though. But Christians don't all have the same religion. There can be a HUGE disparity in what they believe. For example. A conversation during a hair appt a few weeks ago. Stylist is lamenting family connections due to differing beliefs. I sure get that. Then she comments on her satanic atheist neighbor and I'm like :001_huh:. That makes no sense. Satanist sure do believe in God and Satan, so they can't also be atheist. And of course i cant keep my mouth shut and say so. And she says well she calls herself a Wiccan. I'm like, oh well that isn't satanist or atheist. That is pagan dear. And she says oh no, anyone who isn't worshipping god is worshipping Satan. Me, er...:001_huh: I don't quite think so... And she says, oh yes this is satan's world and he rules here. That's why we have rain when we want a sunny day and why we catch colds and all other kinds of bad stuff. That's just what I tell my little girl when she asks why god is doing those things. I tell her God doesn't do it, Satan does. And I'm just...:blink: that anyone would think telling a little kid that Satan rules the world and makes it rain would be more comforting than God doing it. And :ohmy: at the Mack truck holes in her lack of theological reasoning and the lumping of anyone who believes different from her with satanist. (ETA: I dropped the conversation at that point with the suggestion that she needs to read some Thomas Aquinas. She didn't know who he was. Sigh) So. Prime example of how an otherwise very nice christian person, who I actually like btw despite the eye twitching she induced in me, is not someone I want espousing their religion to my kids, tyvm. Now. All that aside. I am perfectly fine with a Christian instructor. My issue is that I am paying for an hour of martial arts. Not 45 minutes of martial arts and 15 minutes of proverbs drills or whatever. My boys are old enough that if the instructor told them Satan made it rain that day, they give the same :001_huh: look and move on. If they were younger, I'd obviously have a bigger issue there, but I'm just looking for my older boys. Edited March 4, 2011 by Martha Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scuff Posted March 4, 2011 Share Posted March 4, 2011 People are imperfect, whether christian or not. We have had a terrible experience with "christian" businessman who thought we should roll over and take his shoddy work destroying our house because we're christian and should forgive. We've also had terrivble experiences with people who weren't christian. And good experiences with both. Quit the class if it's not providing what you need. Hope you're able to find something better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sheila in OK Posted March 4, 2011 Share Posted March 4, 2011 That's the thing. If you are wanting more 'serious' martial arts, you are going to have to pay for it. At least that is what I have found when my ds thought he wanted to learn karate a while back. It was WAY out of our price range so we moved on to other things. Have you checked into any of the local YMCA's or anything like that? I'm trying to find one that isn't faith based! THAT is exactly my frustration.:) So far I have found two, but one is so far out of my league budget wise it might as well be in another country. The other is way at the other end of the spectrum and so insane competitive at all cost atmosphere, that it was almost like the martial arts had become their religion. Still looking... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amey311 Posted March 4, 2011 Share Posted March 4, 2011 Believe me, as a kid who grew up in an overtly xian house (couldn't even say "pot luck" lest you give the devil any credit for it. We had to say "pot bless" and "angel eggs" instead of devilled eggs.) I can tell you that MANY, MANY kids end up rolling their eyes at the "OMG, we have to make EVERY SINGLE THING about religion or the kids will leave the church!" There was a family in my hometown that answered the phone "Heaven High!" (rather then "hell-low"). :tongue_smilie: Converting souls one by one thru bad puns, apparently. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mommy22alyns Posted March 4, 2011 Share Posted March 4, 2011 Oh, and I have never heard of Christian martial arts. Good grief. We have Christian lawn service here. Seriously. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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