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Dear Brothers and Sisters,  my heart has not been so heavy since we had to walk away from my home church.  I won't go into all the nasty details, but a little background is that we got our son started in karate a little over four years ago to help him break out of his shell.  We didn't know anything about karate, differences in style, etc., a place that was reasonably priced opened up near us.  Well, in six months it closed, our son was enjoying it so we started going to the main dojo almost 30 miles away.  We went there faithfully.  I would say that in the three and a half years we only missed two classes.  My husband even went out and helped with various repairs to the building when they were needed.  Last May we opened a dojo closer to our home with the sensei who had been teaching at the main dojo.  That sensei and the grandmaster recently had a falling out.  In all reality, the grandmaster was out of line.  Recently we had been seeing a change in behavior and personality in the grandmaster.  Lately if you disagree with him over the slightest thing you are now "the enemy."  Anyway, he kicked our sensei out of the organization and then contacted my hubby.  We prayed about it, and with the unstable atmosphere now in the organization we felt it was best to walk away.  In the last year there has been a continual string of drama.  Hubby wanted to try to leave amicably, but that was not to be.  He met with the grandmaster last Tuesday evening and he was trying his best to be intimidating, threatening to sue, etc. if we continued to operate our dojo, threatening to include our son in the lawsuit, etc.  Hubby and I both feel they were empty threats, he has no grounds because he had no money into our dojo, but it was all very upsetting.  I've been an emotional mess since then.  I know we did the right thing.  It just hurts that someone who you considered a friend and who claims to be a Christian, would behave in such a way.  I am praying that I can get into my studies today and hopefully get myself back to an even keel.

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Please take this in a good spirit, as that is what it is meant in. It isn't personal in any way.

I don't believe that Asian martial arts are something a follower of Christ ought to be involved in. For instance, the term 'Sensei' means 'Master' or "teacher" in Japanese, something the Bible tells us we should call no one but the Lord. The habit of bowing to them and one another is not merely respect of a person, but respect for the god that is said to dwell inside each person, (not the God of the Bible). Many of the movements and trappings are directly related to Eastern religion, not just fighting styles, much as Yoga is purely based upon worship, each movement and pose being an act of worship in itself. 

Of course, this is something you need to look at yourself and make a decision-I don't seek to judge you in any way, just, as a former martial arts student myself, I know well that it comes as a package deal with certain aspects of Eastern mysticism.  Maybe the Lord is using this situation to allow you a moment to step back and look at it from a fresh perspective.  

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Even it is was hard emotionally at the time, it seems that you did the right thing in walking away and your husband did the right thing in trying make the break amicable. It also seems that you are in the right in the business end of the deal. I would conclude the whole thing permanently and get out of the dojo business. If worse comes to worse, get a lawyer.

May God give you wisdom in knowing how to deal with the situation and peace in your heart to overcome the emotional strain.

 

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When we do what is right, even when it is hard and/or brings about animosity from others, God will  undertake. Trust Him and God will bless - and all three of you will grow in the Lord. Think of the good example you and your husband have set for your son: severing ties that need to be severed, going through a storm and trusting the Lord.  

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thank you all for your prayers.  the emotional strain doesn't come from the uncertainty of what might happen, but that someone who was a "friend" and claimed to be a "Christian brother" could be so ugly and hateful.  fortunately hubby and I had a quiet evening last night and we found youtube videos of people exploring old abandoned structures.  hubby, as a carpenter, loves old buildings, especially those with woodwork.  of course I wanted to smack some of the people because they know nothing about buildings or the eras some of those houses were from.  one guy toured a Victorian house and he was going through pointing out there was a fireplace in every room, like he couldn't imagine why they had all those fireplaces.  then, there was one or two boards on the edge of the porch that was rotting and the guy says that the place has one foot in the grave and will have to be torn down soon and we're like, What???  that house was in very good shape.  *smh*  Anyway, feeling much better today.  bless you all!

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6 hours ago, trapperhoney said:

thank you all for your prayers.  the emotional strain doesn't come from the uncertainty of what might happen, but that someone who was a "friend" and claimed to be a "Christian brother" could be so ugly and hateful.  fortunately hubby and I had a quiet evening last night and we found youtube videos of people exploring old abandoned structures.  hubby, as a carpenter, loves old buildings, especially those with woodwork.  of course I wanted to smack some of the people because they know nothing about buildings or the eras some of those houses were from.  one guy toured a Victorian house and he was going through pointing out there was a fireplace in every room, like he couldn't imagine why they had all those fireplaces.  then, there was one or two boards on the edge of the porch that was rotting and the guy says that the place has one foot in the grave and will have to be torn down soon and we're like, What???  that house was in very good shape.  *smh*  Anyway, feeling much better today.  bless you all!

Good to hear!

When I was younger I used to drive around the back roads and look for old abandoned houses. They were fun to walk through, find some unique structures or layouts, imagine how they once looked. Relaxing and entertaining at the same time.

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54 minutes ago, John81 said:

Good to hear!

When I was younger I used to drive around the back roads and look for old abandoned houses. They were fun to walk through, find some unique structures or layouts, imagine how they once looked. Relaxing and entertaining at the same time.

sounds fun!  now hubby wants me to look for abandoned places in WV we can go check out :D

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