Preaching karate from my soapbox

Im trying to piece two different topics together...hopefully, it'll make sense when Im done.

Bruce Lee was noted, as a martial artist, for developing, or promoting a fighting style that was "no particular style". (I admit to very little research on this, so if Im wrong in my statements, feel free to comment on them). In essence, Bruce felt that each style thought that it was the ultimate and best fighting style. This arrogance made each styles practitioners blind to the weaknesses of thier art. Bruce proposed that the best "style" to fight with was "no style" at all. To take a literal interpretation.... this is a really dumb psoposition. How can you expect a person to effectively combat anyone, if they have no training at all? I wonder if Bruce meant to learn various styles, learn their strength, their weaknesses, and fight with ALL of them? This makes more sense. FOr example, I train in Tea Kwon Do. If I was to spar another TKD person, I feel that I am proficient. But I also know 'how' they will attack. What would happen if , when they came in with their round house kicks, I switched to leopard style kung fu, and bruised their leg from their ankle to thier knee? Or if they were to punch, and I twist them in a pretzel using jujitsu? They would not be prepared for it. But before I enacted MY technique, you could say that I " had no style". When I face my opponent, I do not face them as a karateka, or a TKD practicioner, or a jujitsu a student. Untill they attack, I am simple present at the show. How I react....which style I use to respond, depends on how they attack (physically as well as the level that they are commited to hurting me). It also depends on how badly I want to inflict "knowledge" on them. I wonder if Bruce had said " the best style is many styles"...if we'd have people boasting that they had the RIGHT combination of arts.

Now...to relate that to religion. I believe in God. I can appreciate the randomness that the universe has to offer, but can't escape the feeling that there is more to "it" than what we see. It is arrogant to think that a greater power than ourselves doesn't not exist. In the " what religion do I raise my son in" dilemma, the thought occured to me that religions are just like martial arts. Each has it's own "style", it's own rules, it's own traditions. Some are similar....others are very different. Each, however, tends to think that it is the RIGHT way...the ONLY way. A judo student may think "if you train in kung fu, you're going to lose the fight". Likewise, a baptist may think if you're a mormon, better not expect to enter heaven. It's arrogant. And really turns a lot of people away from choosing a religion. Prehaps the best thing for me to do is to use Bruce's approach. The best religion is.....you guessed...NO religion. Not to be a heathen, mind you. But rather to not accept any 1 religion as "omnipotent". each religion has some nice thing to offer......the Buddhists respect to life, the Hari Krishnas respect of whatever religion you want to follow, the Jehovas Witnesses insight into bringing multi-racial people together.....each has something "good " about it. On the other hand, each have some pretty funky shit they tack on. Like a really good intentioned Senate Bill, with a shitload of "pork" added to it, causing it to fail.

I think that I will approach my son's religiosity the same way I plan to approach his martial arts training. There is no ONE way of doing something. But you should be aware of how others are doing it. Effectiveness is not in the technique, but in the application. You don't ask the Kung FU Tiger to keep your car running...likewise, you don't make a prayer that you pick the right lottery numbers. The universe has better thing to worry about than you. Salvation is not a mystical afterlife event....but salvation comes in reflecting on what you did , at the end of a day, and knowing that you lived a good life, in that one day.....each day. Religions tell of a judgment that will come "someday". Most people could use some judging a lot earlier than "someday".

Now, to explain this someday soon to the inlaws and my mother....now THAT may require a small prayer to the infintitely busy cosmos!! I may not have all the answers..but I can definietly spot the wrong questions when I hear them.

ADDITIONAL INFO: The insurance people wouldn't budge from $770 for the wrecked truck. We accepted it. Not to fix it. The additional money will go directly to pay for the 1999 Caravan that the wife picked out. Im just hoping that my analysis of the repair is correct. Most of the repair cost was labor....and buying new parts, to return it to "new " condition. I should be able to buy after market parts, make it look much nicer then "new", and at a fraction of the cost. New left headlight and new turn signal lenses. Later, a new grill, new hood, new passenger fender. At first , it just has to be street legal...THEN I can worry about making it pretty.

Lance is much better......but today, I can't stop my nose from running.....and Im sneezing up a storm. It's more like allergies than a cold. My nose is raw from blowing it. But better me than this kids.

Logan is still going thru the terrrible 2's, but today was a very very good day for him. I took him shopping with me, and we had a blast. Only a few times of outburst from him, then he settled down.

Well.....it's 2:45am now. Think I'll go pop in my new Chronicles of Riddick dvd, and drift of to sleep. (that is, until Darth Lance needs to feed!!)

Night all....