Last week I had a wonderful opportunity to go see my cousin fight in a MMA competition. I say wonderful because my cousin lives in West Palm Beach and it is very rare that I get to see him. Also, I am a big fan of unusual competitive sports, especially ones that have a greater risk of injury (e.g. Rodeo, and MMA). After watching my cousin win in the third round by tap-out due to a brutal arm-bar (he broke the guys arm). I was pumped to say the least. However, I do have a theological question that came out of this experience. I will just post the question with the hope that maybe some readers will make an attempt to answer the question or at least start some dialog. Should a Christian take part in a sport where the goal is to cause as much injury to your opponent as possible? {I am thinking specifically about the image of God.} Is it possible for a Christian to compete in this sport for the glory of God? I would like to throw something else out there, my buddy that graduated from RTS in Orlando told me there was a preaching professor there that fights in competitions much like this one.
What do you think?
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6 comments:
What's that prof's name? I want to take his preaching class! On a serious note, I don't see how mma is any different than boxing (as far as trying to injure your opponent i.e. going for a knockout). Therefore whatever conclusions a person comes up with for mma will be about boxing as well.
Great point. I guess I should have included that sport as well. What I am really going after is any sport where two men (or women) go toe to toe and attempt to bring harm to the other. So this would include boxing, karate (any variation), kick boxing, etc.
I know this is circumventing the question further, but it may do us well to consider, in conjunction with those who actually compete in these sports, whether or not it is plausible to watch MMA for the glory of God. Not that it is anywhere near the scope and immorality of the gladiatorial games, but the similarities in terms of violence=cheers is undeniable. Are we to cheer on intentional blood shed, and sometimes life altering injury - for the glory of God? I yield the floor to greater minds than mine... (which isn't saying much...lol)
Lawngospel, you make a great point, but I think you just widened the scope of this discussion. If we think in terms of violence=cheers, then we must add football into the mix. I will be the first to admit that I cheer when a middle linebacker (from my team) lays the lumber to an unsuspecting QB and sends him to the bench because of some sort of injury (of course I hope that he is only injured for this one game;). If we want to determine what it is about mma that is either bad or good then the answer to that question will inevitably bleed over into other activities (no pun intended).
ultimately, the goal of MMA is to bring harm to your opponent, while most people that compete in the sport would probably rather not injur their opponent, they do wish to hurt them enought to win with either a submission or knockout. However, the fighters do not compete out of aggression or hatred for their opponent, and many of the fights end with an embrace at the end because of the mutual respect that the competitiors have for one another. In this sense, I believe that MMA can very much glorify God. The athletes test themselves so much in a fight, and many fighters rely on God to help them make it through countless hours of dedicated hard work and training. I believe that if the fighter acts respectful and righteous when all of the violence is over then he is showing an attitude that God desires us to have, and that maybe some people will recognize the fighter's christian spirit, which in return may cause that person to seek righteousness themself. I believe that anything that is not sinful can be used to glorify Him, as long as the person doing it acts a light and let's God spirit show through their actions and attitude.
Noaholiver, I agree with much of what you say, there is much good that can come out of engaging with the various parts of our complex and dense (in a neutral not bad way) culture. In the Old Testament I think of David's great ability to fight, David's mighty men, Abram fighting for Lot, etc. Point being we are made with some application to violence-not all violence is bad, as was pointed out; and if we can use those skills which God has given us in a way that is not sinful, why would you not be able or allowed to do it? Frankly our culture's masculinity is becoming less and less like the Bible's 'version' and more and more like femininity -we could probably use a physical punch in the face every once in awhile... but maybe not - hopefully you get my point.
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