Martial Arts Is Not Religion, An Instructor Is Not A God

[Gerry Seymour]

I hear ya, brother. I ran a well attended, busy dojo in the city, lots of hard core city kids and young men. One of the first things they learned were the rules, of which there were many.

One of the first rules - "Your First Amendment Rights end when you walk in that door. There will be no talking of religion or politics in this dojo, except by me when I say there is no talking of religion or politics in this dojo. Save it for upstairs over coffee, or next door over a beer, and please be ladies or gentleman if/when you do discuss it. But not here, not ever. Not one word. Any questions?"

There weren't many questions.

If I ever get around to having a school (or even a program again), I think I'm going to memorize that short speech.

 

[Kung Fu Wang]

There will be no talking of religion or politics in this dojo, .

Many years ago, when I opened my MA school, a group of black panther guys wanted to have a group lesson. Their requirement was no other people would be allowed. They did offer good money for the class. Next day a FBI agent came to my school and asked for the student's name and address. I didn't want to get involve with politics, I turned down the group lesson for the black panther group.

 

[Gerry Seymour]

I never got the memo that we were now allowed to discuss religion here.

But the question really is, is God a Democrat, a Republican, what?

I heard he’s pissed. And I hear he has silly string.

Y’all been warned.

 

[Gerry Seymour]

No religion bashing....got it.

And no political bashing, either, got it.

But it’s okay to bash the hell out of each other’s Martial opinions and each other in general....got it.

May the daughter of a Republican Buddhist father and a Democratic Scientologist mother grow up to be an Independent Jehovas Witness who licks the burning bush of all no contact cult leaders everywhere.

So it is written....

Isn't bashing each other what martial arts is all about? I mean, wasn't that what I was paying for?

 

[dvcochran]

Isn't bashing each other what martial arts is all about? I mean, wasn't that what I was paying for?

Definitely feels that way sometimes.
Hmm, being bashed by others, of self bashing, which is worse?

 

[Gerry Seymour]

Definitely feels that way sometimes.
Hmm, being bashed by others, of self bashing, which is worse?

At least with self-bashing, you can get in some good shots!

 

[Buka]

At least with self-bashing, you can get in some good shots!

I don't know how true it is, but I heard if you do too much self bashing you can go blind.

 

[Flying Crane]

I don't know how true it is, but I heard if you do too much self bashing you can go blind.

Rumor is proven to be false.

Or “too much” is an undeterminable quantity.

 

[Buka]

I used to work for a very politically correct department, during a very politically correct time, in a very politically correct city.

I had a buddy of mine make a bumper sticker for me. It was a color photo of Cardinal Bernard Law at the altar in his royal Cardinal garb with the cool, tall Cardinal hat, his arms wide, his palms turned heavenward.

My buddy superimposed a photo of jar of KY jelly in the Cardinals palm. The printing under the photo was in nice, bold print. It said,
Cardinal Bernie Law, keeper of the Holy lubricant.

I had a trainers spot in the underground parking garage.

My supervisors called me into the office about a week after I had put the sticker on. They said, "Ya, that's got to go. Too inflammatory, too rude. Unacceptable, we can't have it."

I replied, "Hmmm, so let's see if I understand. You bury us with Constitutional Law when we're in the Academy, then even more of it once we start training in-house. And now you want me to step back from my right of free speech? And before you answer.....how do you know I wasn't one of the many hundreds here in Boston that were sexually abused by this criminal sex ring?. You guys feel good going down this road, do ya?"

God, I was such a pain in the ****.

They said, "Give us a minute" and left the room for a few minutes. When they returned they said, "How about this. Will you agree to back into your parking space?"

I let them off the hook and agreed to do that. All the guys wanted me to put another bumper sticker on the front bumper, but I didn't. Looking back, I wish I had.

Our opinions are based on the information we have and our own personal experience. I grew up in Boston.
Home of the Holy Pedophile Club. In the name of the faddah, the son.....somebody stop me!