TO FIGHT OR NOT TO FIGHT, THERE IS NO MIDDLE GROUND.

“You can’t beat people up and have them say I love you”.

Here is something for all of us who regard ourselves as Traditional Martial Artists training in a Traditional Martial Art to ponder.

This thought exercise is not pointing any fingers in any direction, but it is something that we should all at least think about.

This is not a new topic, and not just about Martial Arts, back in the late 1960s American comedian Murray Roman had a socially aware record album release called “You can’t beat people up and have them say I love you”.

The same question from a different direction.

“Q”. Do people who believe they are actively involved in improving themselves and evolving into a higher state of being, through the practice of an art such as Kung Fu, believe that violence is the answer to “ANY” question?

This is IMPORTANT.

If we ever find ourselves in trouble, it will be our inner selves that respond to this challenge.

If that inner self does not believe in violence why would it choose to use violence, why would it choose our training?

If you are one of FB community that end a post by wishing people peace and love, which is commendable, this action indicates that you hold yourself to high account, or are at the very least on that path.

If this is you, the chances of you using your training are somewhere “south of zero“.

Or it should be if you are working toward being that person.

In our modern “Social Media World” trendy Maxims are more often quoted than statements of genuine wisdom, maxims such as “an eye for an eye leaves the whole world blind’ sound fine and dandy until someone rapes your daughter, steals your truck or runs off with your dog.

Yet another FB favourite is “believe in Peace but prepare for War”.

These sentiments have no basis in reality.

If you believe in Peace you Believe in Peace, so why would you be preparing for war, only people who think that violence works prepare for war.

There is nothing wrong with believing that violence works.

But there is plenty wrong with claiming that you do not believe this and then practising how to use it.

Which of course is what the “believe in Peace but prepare for War” people are doing all the while talking of their wish for Peace.

Hypocrisy is not the path to enlightenment.

There are no sides to this discussion, so please do not take one, just think about it, and how you and your training relates to it.

We can train Kung Fu with no intention to use it, no foul there.

But whichever we choose we should be honest.

At the end of the day, we make our own choices, even if we would rather not admit it.

But did our inner self get the E-mail about not using our training if we get in trouble?

Train hard, think deep, choose wisely.

LOVE EVERYONE, BUT NEVER SELL YOUR SWORD. Just kidding.