Capoeira

[D1CKER1]

Deleted

 

[Autumnleaf]

If its a martial art practiced by slaves I would question the effectiveness of it.

 

[fm107]

By what you have said, you have just backed up what your girlfriend has said. You have just proven your girlfriend right.

To make it easier for you, I'll explain with scriptures...

song forms with the regional dialect to create songs that glorified their homeland, deities, and future freedom.

Exodus 34:14
For thou shalt worship no other god: for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God:

God hates people worshiping other God's. You stated above the songs glorify deities. A Christian should run away from doing such things, lest they make God angry with them.

It is a grave sin to glorify deities.

being given to a newly "baptized" student of Capoeira.

Don't you think there is something wrong with that? Baptism for a Christian is a very special thing. These people are taking that and using it for their own twisted means.

Practicing capoeira involves many things that resemble voodooism.

These is practicing witchcraft, which is basically worshiping Satan himself.

Revelation 21:8
But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars--their place will be in the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death."

Capoeira practitioners, called capoeiristas, get enlightened by falling into trances, during which the spirits teach them movements.

Again, this is sorcery.

Galations 5:19
The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions

When they are entranced, they experience other dimensions of the universe and of their consciousness. Capoeira also involves witchcraft, chanting, and religious dancing.

Again, sorcery and worshiping dead God's through dancing.

God hates this. How can you participate in this and still claim to be a Christian?

When they reach the following "Playing with the Crystal Ball" stage, they can read the mind of the opponent.

Doesn't that in itself tell you that this is sorcery?

As a result, one gains peace, joy, and a keen awareness of one's environment.

True peace and joy come through knowing God and doing his will.

Participants start chanting prayers in unison, then eventually break out in executing capoeira movements.

Chanting prayers? Again, this is worshiping dead Gods.

and can almost be a type of religious belief.

That's no surprise given what was previously said.

However, in honest admittance, capoeira, with its association with chanting, trances, witchcraft, and voodoo, seems really spooky.

Because it's Satanic, listen to your girlfriend and stop these terrible sins.


You can always find a different defence sport such as Karate or whatever. I hope this helps and I hope you realise how wrong this is.

 

[D1CKER1]

I've tried other martial arts but they just dont do it for me..

 

[alan650]

I would also say you need to steer clear of this!

 

[Tenacious_Believer]

Have you tried Aikido or Tai Chi? Aikido and certain forms of Tai Chi focus on the redirection of violence over direct violence, if that's what you're looking for. Bagua also does this.

From your summary of capoeira's history, it is largely an unholy art. However, if you've found a way to learn it without doing all that, you should be ok. Doing things like using Christian music, and just not allowing yourself to go through the initiation and such will help to that end.
But if you can't practice it without

 

[Tenacious_Believer]

those things then don't practice it at all.

Sorry for the double post, my PSP can only do so much.

 

[xGodsGracex]

I've heard of it, (sorry didn't read all of your post). Have you not noticed -anything that has an even a remote African connection seem to attract the words, 'superstition', 'voodoo' and 'witchcraft'? :/

 

[Tenacious_Believer]

I've heard of it, (sorry didn't read all of your post). Have you not noticed -anything that has an even a remote African connection seem to attract the words, 'superstition', 'voodoo' and 'witchcraft'? :/

Blame Egypt. And, you know, the different forms of witchcraft being practiced.

But if you had read his post the whole way, you would see why we were associating Capoeira with witchcraft. Not because it's from Africa, but because much of it is wrapped up in witchcraft

 

[Avniel]

If its a martial art practiced by slaves I would question the effectiveness of it.

As a black man I would like to say one christian to another that statement was highly insultive.

 

[Avniel]

Also if one does an intense study of yoga they would be extremely turned off due to it's historical back ground

 

[Avniel]

Have you tried Aikido or Tai Chi? Aikido and certain forms of Tai Chi focus on the redirection of violence over direct violence, if that's what you're looking for. Bagua also does this.

From your summary of capoeira's history, it is largely an unholy art. However, if you've found a way to learn it without doing all that, you should be ok. Doing things like using Christian music, and just not allowing yourself to go through the initiation and such will help to that end.
But if you can't practice it without

Do an indepth historical study of tai chi

 

[xGodsGracex]

Blame Egypt. And, you know, the different forms of witchcraft being practiced.

But if you had read his post the whole way, you would see why we were associating Capoeira with witchcraft. Not because it's from Africa, but because much of it is wrapped up in witchcraft

Thanks Suppose I better read then lol ... ...

 

[Tenacious_Believer]

As a black man I would like to say one christian to another that statement was highly insultive.

Were there ever only black slaves?

And I'm pretty sure he was referring to the fact that, as they were slaves, they had to be captured or defeated or whatever.

I seriously doubt that he was trying to say that black people can't fight or however you interpreted it to find it offensive.

And as to the history of Tai Chi, if I find myself wishing to go out and study Tai Chi,

 

[Tenacious_Believer]

I will study the history of it. And if I find things that would not please God, I'll avoid those practices. And if doing that makes it impossible to learn the art, then I'd have to find a different one.

Which is exactly what I told the OP.

 

[lutherangerman]

Maybe you could do your own idea of Capoeira. Based on the text you gave I would say your girlfriend is right, it would be bad. You see, I've had a similar problem with certain kinds of black metal. The music seems hauntingly beautiful at places, musically, but if you look at the lyrics a honest christian must admit it's not good for him. And it's not worth it to take risks ... they drive out the innocence from our life and only bring heartache. Personally I think it is ok to study paganism and even appreciate it to a degree because, well, people didn't have God and they needed to have a spirituality, and some of the ideas sometimes are even similar to christianity. Like the wiccan rede when it says we shall do no harm. But anyway, Christ has appeared and with Him God's love and good will for us, it is clear what God wants, and that includes leaving paganism. God bless, and much love from a christian brother!

 

[Objective_Selective]

If its a martial art practiced by slaves I would question the effectiveness of it.

What you believe about Capoeira is irrelevant. Capoeira originated as a martial art developed by enslaved individuals as a tool for liberation, expression and pride. As it is practiced today, it is no more or less martial than any other martial art available for mass consumption.

By what you have said, you have just backed up what your girlfriend has said. You have just proven your girlfriend right.

To make it easier for you, I'll explain with scriptures...



Exodus 34:14
For thou shalt worship no other god: for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God:

God hates people worshiping other God's. You stated above the songs glorify deities. A Christian should run away from doing such things, lest they make God angry with them.

It is a grave sin to glorify deities.



Don't you think there is something wrong with that? Baptism for a Christian is a very special thing. These people are taking that and using it for their own twisted means.



Again, this is sorcery.

Galations 5:19
The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions




Again, sorcery and worshiping dead God's through dancing.

God hates this. How can you participate in this and still claim to be a Christian?



Doesn't that in itself tell you that this is sorcery?



True peace and joy come through knowing God and doing his will.



Chanting prayers? Again, this is worshiping dead Gods.



That's no surprise given what was previously said.



Because it's Satanic, listen to your girlfriend and stop these terrible sins.


You can always find a different defence sport such as Karate or whatever. I hope this helps and I hope you realise how wrong this is.

There is absolutely no worship that takes place in Capoeira. Capoeira and the religion of the Church of Condomble are separate. Yes, some of the songs mention orixas from Condomble, but many also refer to God (..i.e..Deus) as we know Him (..Brazil is largely Catholic). Many of the songs mention neither, and have no religious context embedded within them despite using metaphor to deliver a message. The mention of an orixa or God does not make a practitioner a worshipper. That's about as silly as labeling a Christian a satanic follower because we speak/discuss/sing about Satan.

Baptism has Greek origins before Christ. The use of the term is only meant to imply an initiation into the art. Any religious significance must be determined by the context in which the word is used, not in the usage of the word itself.

The dance is not sorcery; the dance is JUST dance. It is cultural for people to dance. There is no chanting. You guys are reading information and misinterpreting what you have read to fit your agenda (..which I blame largely on the OP's source material).

 

[znr]

I listen to a lot of secular music, and sometimes when a song comes on that just does it for me, I turn the words into a song to God. I do it with heavy metal, funk and soul music in particular.

You can do the thing and and praise Jesus.

He seems to get a smile out of it when I turn secular music into praise songs.

Chaka Khan's "aint nobody"...great praise song.

 

[Objective_Selective]

From your summary of capoeira's history, it is largely an unholy art. However, if you've found a way to learn it without doing all that, you should be ok. Doing things like using Christian music, and just not allowing yourself to go through the initiation and such will help to that end.
But if you can't practice it without

I agree that the OP's research on Capoeira was done without due diligence. Nothing in Capoeira resembles voodoo. There are no trances or anything of the sort. The assertion actually made me laugh. I believe that the source of his information is the reason why so many of you are against its practice. He chose a really bad piece of information to present to this forum.

I've heard of it, (sorry didn't read all of your post). Have you not noticed -anything that has an even a remote African connection seem to attract the words, 'superstition', 'voodoo' and 'witchcraft'? :/

No he hasn't (..I train with the OP, have over 8 years experience - 3 of those years as an Instructor - and have been to Brazil with the OP on numerous occasions.)!


The bottom line is....

...that Capoeira is a martial art that incorporates dance, music and movement. It is NOT a religion despite the fact that some of the songs make religious references on occasion. Brazil, much like the U.S., is an amalgam of different cultures and belief systems, and sometimes people try to blend their religious beliefs within an activity. That doesn't make the activity itself religious.........only the people being referenced. FWIW, in 8 years of study and 3 trips to Brazil (..with a 4th scheduled for next year), I have NEVER even seen Condomble utilized within a Capoeira roda. It is something that I've only heard about being practiced by old generation Brazilians in the smaller communities.

 

[Avniel]

Were there ever only black slaves?

And I'm pretty sure he was referring to the fact that, as they were slaves, they had to be captured or defeated or whatever.

I seriously doubt that he was trying to say that black people can't fight or however you interpreted it to find it offensive.

And as to the history of Tai Chi, if I find myself wishing to go out and study Tai Chi,

I never said there were only black slaves......I really cant comprehend where you drew that from............? o_0

I never said it was offensive because he said blacks cant fight and I never said it was done on purpose..I simple said that I as a black christian man was offended.