BJJ and Christian Discipleship
1 month(s) ago • 3225 views • 89 replies
I have not recorded the complete Book of Revelations yet, but here is a snippet from Revelations, I did earlier, as more a dramatic poetry reading. It's scary material, and I attempt to give those passages, that feel. https://www.youtube.com/w[...]mp;index=6 |
Not to mention the influence that Christianity has had on Western Civilization regarding Philosophy, Art, Music, Law, etc is undeniable. From from the more ancient, to the more modern: https://www.youtube.com/w[...]rt_radio=1 |
I could post images of sculpture or painting, from Michaelangelo, or post a clip of Bach, or Beethoven's Ode To Joy, but then the extraterrestials on the site, might think that I was boasting on behalf of humanity... It all takes my breath quite away, though, I am filled with wonder, and amazed at those sights, and compositions, even from a far, let alone, when I am in their presence. And men are moved to be better than they are, in the strangest places, in the strangest ways: https://www.youtube.com/w[...]KHoVBK2EVE |
Mathematics and Geometry are merely the human interpretation of devine expression. The "language of God's creation." the universe. Faith, in my view is the Rosetta Stone which unlocks deeper meaning to the Maths. The fact that you see divinity in these things is proof of a "mustard seed" of faith. Blessings to you on your path, and may the divine meet you where you are. After all, it is a personal relationship, if we are truly in alignment with Christ's teachings. Sounds like you know yourself and have a solid pursuit of truth. The road less traveled can be the most rewarding. |
"Mathematics and Geometry are merely the human interpretation of devine expression. The "language of God's creation." the universe. Faith, in my view is the Rosetta Stone which unlocks deeper meaning to the Maths. The fact that you see divinity in these things is proof of a "mustard seed" of faith. Blessings to you on your path, and may the divine meet you where you are. After all, it is a personal relationship, if we are truly in alignment with Christ's teachings. Sounds like you know yourself and have a solid pursuit of truth. The road less traveled can be the most rewarding." No, more likely it means, for me, just what I said, and nothing more, nor less. What a line of verse that I write, or recite, might mean for you, is another matter. I was not confused about that moment for me, nor did I find it confusing. This goes back to my very early comment to the OP that people tend to find, what they are looking for, according to their own biases. |
Perhaps the famous testimony of Dee Snider to Congress regarding this phenomenon might help everyone better understand: https://www.youtube.com/w[...]0Vyr1TylTE |
In others news, dozens of turkeys walked by my dog and I this morning, on our walk. There is a slight chill in the air, and Floridians have put on their burquas. In other news, in Persia, they do so less, at the moment. I hope to meet none of you, on the battlefield, But would rather embrace you all, in Peace. I am a little concerned that we may be on the precipice of World War III, And our leaders, and our various peoples, may be listening to the wrong trickster gods, One of whose names’ is Glad of War. |
"An ember from my fire, Caught the wind, Up it went. Where it goes, I know not where." I appreciate the thought and experience you bring into these discussions. You clearly have a well developed worldview, and I respect the way you draw from so many different traditions and ideas when you explain your perspective. At the same time, I want to gently clarify how I’m reading your posts. A lot of what you’ve shared comes across as your personal philosophical framework rather than factual claims or consensus positions from psychology, theology, or history. That’s completely valid, we all speak from our own lens, but I think it helps the conversation to keep that distinction clear. I also want to say that your posts actually pushed me to look things up, read a bit more, and learn about ideas I wasn’t familiar with. Even when I didn’t necessarily agree, or didn’t have an opinion beforehand, I appreciated being exposed to different angles. That part of the exchange has been valuable to me. I wasn’t the original poster but I felt they were simply asking how believers see parallels between their faith and Jiu Jitsu: a personal reflection question, not a claim of authority or a universal statement. In the same way, your responses reflect your own interpretive approach, shaped by your background and experiences. They add an interesting angle, but I understand them as one perspective among many, not as definitive conclusions. For me, the value of the thread is hearing how different people connect their training with the things that matter to them. Some will approach that through faith, some through philosophy, some through psychology, and some through a mix of all of the above. I appreciate you sharing your viewpoint, and I’m glad we all can exchange perspectives in a way that stays open and respectful. |
"I appreciate the thought and experience you bring into these discussions. You clearly have a well developed worldview, and I respect the way you draw from so many different traditions and ideas when you explain your perspective. At the same time, I want to gently clarify how I’m reading your posts. A lot of what you’ve shared comes across as your personal philosophical framework rather than factual claims or consensus positions from psychology, theology, or history. That’s completely valid, we all speak from our own lens, but I think it helps the conversation to keep that distinction clear. I also want to say that your posts actually pushed me to look things up, read a bit more, and learn about ideas I wasn’t familiar with. Even when I didn’t necessarily agree, or didn’t have an opinion beforehand, I appreciated being exposed to different angles. That part of the exchange has been valuable to me. I wasn’t the original poster but I felt they were simply asking how believers see parallels between their faith and Jiu Jitsu: a personal reflection question, not a claim of authority or a universal statement. In the same way, your responses reflect your own interpretive approach, shaped by your background and experiences. They add an interesting angle, but I understand them as one perspective among many, not as definitive conclusions. For me, the value of the thread is hearing how different people connect their training with the things that matter to them. Some will approach that through faith, some through philosophy, some through psychology, and some through a mix of all of the above. I appreciate you sharing your viewpoint, and I’m glad we all can exchange perspectives in a way that stays open and respectful." Exactly! |
"I appreciate the thought and experience you bring into these discussions. You clearly have a well developed worldview, and I respect the way you draw from so many different traditions and ideas when you explain your perspective. At the same time, I want to gently clarify how I’m reading your posts. A lot of what you’ve shared comes across as your personal philosophical framework rather than factual claims or consensus positions from psychology, theology, or history. That’s completely valid, we all speak from our own lens, but I think it helps the conversation to keep that distinction clear. I also want to say that your posts actually pushed me to look things up, read a bit more, and learn about ideas I wasn’t familiar with. Even when I didn’t necessarily agree, or didn’t have an opinion beforehand, I appreciated being exposed to different angles. That part of the exchange has been valuable to me. I wasn’t the original poster but I felt they were simply asking how believers see parallels between their faith and Jiu Jitsu: a personal reflection question, not a claim of authority or a universal statement. In the same way, your responses reflect your own interpretive approach, shaped by your background and experiences. They add an interesting angle, but I understand them as one perspective among many, not as definitive conclusions. For me, the value of the thread is hearing how different people connect their training with the things that matter to them. Some will approach that through faith, some through philosophy, some through psychology, and some through a mix of all of the above. I appreciate you sharing your viewpoint, and I’m glad we all can exchange perspectives in a way that stays open and respectful." Also a warning regarding the fragility of "consensus" or "popular" positions in any discipline as a poor surrogate for truth, let alone disciplines that are not sciences, such as "theology", or that are pseudo-sciences, such as "psychology". Neither psychology nor pastoral counseling do much better, nor much worse, than the other, in predicative reliability of human behaviors, nor therapeutically. Nor do FBI behavioral analysts do better than lay people, at guessing who is a criminal, who is not, nor who is going to commit a crime, and who is not. I remain, for competing methods, for that reason, and many others, especially regarding complex systems. And for very honest disclaimer, of limits, and not in small print, in those regards. The diviners who read the entrails of birds had authority in the consensus, or at least they did, in their day, but they don't seem to be very reliable, in their auguries, otherwise, and nor do ours, in theirs. Whether they wear priests robes, or white lab coats, if they are attempting to interpret things that cannot be measured objectively, nor in objective ways. As for me, I tend to view sciences as sciences, arts as arts, nonsense as nonsense, and literature from the perspective of literature. But, I have a simple brain, designed to count things. |
After all, disputing an orthodox position, can get you crucified, stoned, imprisoned, burned at the stake, and increasingly, are not people viewed with suspicion, if they say the wrong thing, or make the wrong joke, or object to the wrong politic? That much was true in the time of Christ, and now again, it seems to be becoming true again, across the world. |
"I appreciate the thought and experience you bring into these discussions. You clearly have a well developed worldview, and I respect the way you draw from so many different traditions and ideas when you explain your perspective. At the same time, I want to gently clarify how I’m reading your posts. A lot of what you’ve shared comes across as your personal philosophical framework rather than factual claims or consensus positions from psychology, theology, or history. That’s completely valid, we all speak from our own lens, but I think it helps the conversation to keep that distinction clear. I also want to say that your posts actually pushed me to look things up, read a bit more, and learn about ideas I wasn’t familiar with. Even when I didn’t necessarily agree, or didn’t have an opinion beforehand, I appreciated being exposed to different angles. That part of the exchange has been valuable to me. I wasn’t the original poster but I felt they were simply asking how believers see parallels between their faith and Jiu Jitsu: a personal reflection question, not a claim of authority or a universal statement. In the same way, your responses reflect your own interpretive approach, shaped by your background and experiences. They add an interesting angle, but I understand them as one perspective among many, not as definitive conclusions. For me, the value of the thread is hearing how different people connect their training with the things that matter to them. Some will approach that through faith, some through philosophy, some through psychology, and some through a mix of all of the above. I appreciate you sharing your viewpoint, and I’m glad we all can exchange perspectives in a way that stays open and respectful." Put another way, there is a difference between a teacher who encourages critical thinking, and one who attempts to tell others what to think. I am the first by profession, and one who distrusts the second, generally. The first teaches people to question, even their own authority, and the second, generally discourages the same. |
For some interesting reading: Rosenhan, D. L. (1973). On Being Sane in Insane Places. Science Journal, Vol. 179, Issue 4070 If trained Psychologists cannot tell when subjects fake mental illness, let alone are not mentally ill, Then what chances have lay people, at detecting therapists, gurus, and ministers, that are not full of shit, or incompetent, or predatory? Humans are great liars, and lie best of all, to themselves, as it pleases them. Especially when monies change hands, or favors are traded. |
"I'm thirsty", said the King. And he was. None could quench his thirst. Even though he was the King, He suffered. He could find no water, That satisfied his thirst. There was no cup, That satisfied him. He became covered in sores. He became blind, Lame, slow of speech. All cursed and despised him. A Fool, and a beggar, Seeing that wretch's distress, Instead of joining the righteous, In condemning him, The Fool took a cup, From the gutter. Seemingly discarded, Very humble, The Fool filled it, with water, From the filthy pauper's well. The Fool gave it to him, to drink, As no one else would approach the leper. The King drank, And his wounds, Were healed. His thirst, For the first time, In as long as he remembered, Was gone He was not alone, He realized, He had never been alone, He carried the suffering of the World. He looked for the beggar, But the beggar was gone, So was the cup, So was the well. He was again, a King. But never so poor. He spent the rest of his life, Acting like that Fool, and a beggar. Offering kindness, Looking for his savior. |
I don't know about you all, But I read a bunch of nasty stuff today. Had some conversations with survivors of sexual abuse, Woof... And, I like to play some music , whirl like a dervish, and forget that evil subject for just some moments, as a break from it. https://www.youtube.com/w[...]BjPAqmnvGA |
"Plot twist: He hadn't." Indeed. I did not expect multiple sex scandals across huge networks, to come in rapid fire, when I formerly made that comment. Nor, to spend the day listening to the sad stories of people that I love, Who have survived similar predations, sometimes from their own parents. I am sure a lot people, in our community are experiencing the same, right now. Meanwhile, I spend a fair amount of my day asking my students to stay calm And be restrained regarding the Civil strife issues, and not escalate things. I am rooting for all of you, and myself, and my own, as well. Sometimes it seems like it is one fire, after another, and the whole world is on fire. |
I will give you an example. Yesterday, I persuaded a friend of mine, who is a trained fighter, To stop seizing the hats off of random people, if the hat had a certain political slogan, And then refusing to give the hats back. In a State, where most people, walking around, are armed. Remember, that discussion we had, about contagious fire...? And, I know, some of you are living in literal war theaters, right now. It's crazy times, all over. |
