Extreme fighting, a mix of boxing, kick boxing, and wrestling, has become one of the most popular sports today. I’ve never watched a match, though. I’ve just caught glimpses of it while turning the channel. From what I can tell,  it looks like the fighter’s major moves are rooted in the martial arts.

The sport attracts not just viewers, but a growing number of participants as well—men, women, boys, and girls. Some are Christians. I know a few of them. But should a Christian, child or adult, pursue extreme fighting?—Or, more to the point, get involved with any form of martial arts? Based on the little I’ve been told or have read about the martial arts’ discipline, it seems like a not so wise thing to be involved in.

Though the physical aspect of any form of martial arts can be considered good exercise, it’s the martial arts’ viewpoint that I find troubling. It teaches that the martial arts are a way of life; a life that integrates physical training with Zen or Buddhist philosophy.

That, then, gets into the spiritual; for Zen and Buddhism are false religions that rely on self-empowerment rather than God-empowerment. The concepts of these false religions were developed by unbelievers of the Christian faith. As such, it will do the Christian well to dwell on God’s Word.  “To the pure, all things are pure, but to those who are corrupted and do not believe, nothing is pure. In fact, both their minds and consciences are corrupted.” Titus 1: 15.

In other words, the teachings and advice that come from Buddhism, and other world religions, were developed not by God’s inspiration, but by mankind’s defiled, deceitful heart (scripture considers the heart and mind to be the same). Anytime a Christian allows foreign spiritual thinking to enter the mind, it gives satanic forces an opportunity to build a stronghold in the Christian’s life.
So I see it to be both a dangerous and an unnecessary chance-taking for the Christian to allow the mind to be open to the influences of the martial arts’ philosophy—merging the physical and spiritual. In this philosophy, the two go hand-in hand as one. It would be impossible for the Christian to separate them.

Let us not forget that in living our lives, and particularly in spiritual matters, we are instructed to not conform to the world. We are to worship God by presenting to Him those things that are acceptable and pleasing to Him. Religions outside of Christianity are not.

There are many other non-spiritual ways to develop stamina, flexibility, and self-defense moves that won’t compromise Christianity.