Is it WRONG for Christians to be fans of the UFC?
by Jason
or many years I have been a fan of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) and some of my colleagues seem to find this to be in conflict with my Christianity. This is very unfortunate, especially since everyone whom I have heard speak out in opposition to the mixed martial arts (MMA) of the UFC are also fans of some other athletic sports. Fundamentally, theirs is a problem that arises when people sanctimoniously judge people and recklessly depart from sound exegesis of Scripture. There are always certain religious zealots who like to nitpick and disparage every little thing about others that they personally don’t like. They especially like to piously belittle things that people do for fun or entertainment. So let me be gracious to those who have such a wrong-headed way of thinking. I hope that my thoughts can not only challenge their misguided opinions but also their mean-spirited attitudes.
Think about it:
Is all violence sinful? Is all killing sinful? Is all war sinful? There is no scripture that would lead us to answer any of these questions in the affirmative. In fact, at times God himself has been “violent”, God has instructed people to kill, and God has ordained war. God has never and can never sin, so what’s up? Obviously, the important word in all three of those questions is the little word “all.” Yes there is sinful violence, killing, and war. But these activities are not always sinful.
Lets consider a few more questions:
Should no Christian physically defend himself or his family? Please don’t quote Matthew 5:39. Is “athletic competition” sinful? Are athletes participating in sinful actions just because they are participating in an athletic competition? Is boxing sinful? Is wrestling sinful? Should no Christian box or wrestle? Is fencing sinful: is not the intention of sword fighting to chop someone’s head off? Isn’t football more violent than wrestling, what about rugby? Just how spiritual is NASCAR, and do you find bumping a car’s rear bumper while driving over 200 miles per hour to be a bit violent?
Re-defining concepts to fit one’s own agenda:
I think there is a huge misunderstanding concerning the definition of “violence” and the nature of the UFC and MMA contests. It is almost like the crusade against spanking children that has been waged by certain psychiatrists and pastors. “It is violent and abusive to spank a child,” they say. Sure, some parents are violent and abusive, but does that mean that anyone and everyone who spanks their children are sinfully abusing their children?
Just having fun:
When I was growing up my brothers and I boxed each other with our dad as the referee. I played just about every sport offered in my high school, and I found football to be terrifically violent. These days I wrestle with my two boys, and it is getting more difficult for me to win. I have friends who were “Golden Glove” boxers in the Navy, I know guys who were NCAA champions in college wrestling, and I know Christians who wrestled for the USA in the Olympics.
Competition is not sinful violence:
Why do some Christian feel the need to twist the teachings of morality and self-control into theological convictions that frowns on athletic competition? Men and women compete all the time: mentally and physically. There is no sin in competition. In fact, athletic competition is a great way to learn moral disciplines.
I know what verse you are getting ready to send me in the comments section: Psalms 11:5 says, “The LORD trieth the righteous: but the wicked and him that loveth violence his soul hateth.” But don’t waste your time. That verse is not talking about MMA or the UFC. That verse is talking about criminal violence. This is “violence” as defined in the dictionary as the physical force exerted for the purpose of VIOLATING, damaging or abusing; crimes of violence. When violence is considered sin in the Bible, criminal motives are in play. A murderer is sinfully violent. A rapist is sinfully violent. A bully is sinfully violent. A man who loses his temper and self-control is sinful. No one gets arrested just for playing hockey, or competing in boxing, or fighting in MMA matches. Athletic competition can be aggressive even dangerous, but it is not criminal battery; no one is getting mugged.
The UFC competitors are individuals who are willingly participating in a sport. This is not a fight in a dark alley; this is a competition of skill and strength in a controlled environment surrounded by referees and judges. I repeat, no one is forced into the ring. This isn’t Rome, these aren’t slaves, and no one gets fed to lions or has to fall on a sword. Actually, many of these competitors are old friends and fellow athletes who shake hands before the match and hug afterwards.
Athletic boxing is not sinful. Athletic wrestling is not sinful. Athletic martial arts are not sinful. The UFC is sanctioned by the State Athletic Commission in such major states as California, New Jersey, Nevada, Florida & Louisiana. The Commission would not sanction a MMA competition if it were nothing but sheer raw violence. In fact, for many years the UFC could not get sanctioned because they did not have proper rules of sportsmanship. Now the Commission approves gloves, weight classes, time limited rounds, mandatory drug testing, no head butting or kicking to the downed opponent, no knees to the head of a downed opponent, no downward point of the elbow strikes, no strikes to the spine or the back of the head, no groin or throat strikes.
Many UFC members are college graduates, Olympic finalists, NCAA award winners, and business owners. Many of these men and women are strong Christians. Do you judge them all with your smugness? To deride their fans is to insult the athletes — athletes who probably know more about sacrifice and self-discipline than most of the pin-heads who vilify them.
Biblically speaking:
I had one commenter use Genesis 6:11 as a proof-text that the UFC is “violent and God hates it.” But I ask, did God really flood the earth in the days of Noah because everyone was playing sports?
Paul says that an elder should not be violent in 1 Timothy 3:3. Does anyone think that Paul has athletics in mind? Does anyone think that being a boxer disqualifies a person from pastoring a church? Is “don’t be a striker” really about sports and athletics? Of course, some say that “don’t commit murder” is about hunting, so I am prepared for someone to lash out at me in the comments section and tell me how deceived I am or emergent or just plain dense. Okay, maybe that last one is true. (Are all critics of the UFC celery-eating vegetarians?? Hmmm. I wonder.)
The Bible addresses many issues and activities, but no Biblical writer addressed the most popular and universal activity humans are involved in – athletics. WHY?? Because it is a game, a sport, a competition, a pass-time for most people. For others it is a decent source of income. It’s not government, family, church life, social law — its a game. In fact, the Apostle Paul was very fond of using athletic terms to illustrate the Christian walk. (1 Cor 9:24-27; Galatians 2:1-2; Galatians 5:7; 2 Timothy 4:7-8)
I was emailed years ago by a man who claimed that martial arts are demonic. He asked, “Why do you people promote such a bloody violent godless demonic thing as these fights based upon the occutlic (sic) martial arts, the art of war, the art of killing?” Demonic?? Occult?? Yes, some Christians believe that martial arts come from the pits of Hell. Ironically, these critics will lose their temper quicker than any disciplined athlete. And for these opinions of such a carper to be valid one would be forced to claim that David and his mighty men and Joshua the Lord’s conqueror of Canaan were all involved in demonic activities. One would have to claim that our military is steeped in the occult when our Marines learn martial arts as part of their training. And little kids trying to earn a black belt are worshiping the devil. One would be forced to claim that that it is sinful when college football teams use yoga stretches as part of their pre-workout routine. One would have to say that Christians who join the wrestling team at their college are actually joining a Church of Satan small group.
Can men never do anything aggressively? Maybe Jesus went too far when He turned over those tables in the temple? Could you imagine the Pharisees trying to define what is TOO violent in sports? We probably would not even be able to play rock/paper/scissors anymore.
Critics or Hypocrites?
I have read several Christian blogs that are critical of MMA and the UFC. Not that I would or you should, but I am sure if we dug into what they like to do there would be a way to twist it into something unbiblical. An argument can be made that golf is not a useful way to “redeem the time,” and vintage cars are a waste of money, and buying music supports a corrupt industry… it just never ends. Did you know that baseball is infested with illegal drugs and many football players have been seriously injured, or paralyzed, or worse? What is the most exciting part of a hockey game? Come on, be honest. And did you know that certain great theologians believed that using instruments in worship was sinful? Some people are just afraid of anything that is pleasing to the flesh. They have a “do not touch, do not taste” theology — a theology that Paul condemned as foolish (Col 2:20-23). Of course, the critics of MMA only find “sin” in what others enjoy. Their favorite pastime or entertainment is superior to everybody else’s, even sanctifying to their soul. Paleeze.
“Yes,” one may say snobbishly. “That’s the point. You find violence entertaining.” Oh, you got me. Guilty. By the way I also like those great shows on the Discovery Channel where animals attack. Of course, those shows aren’t nearly as entertaining as “COPS.” Come on! You know you turn up the volume when they sing, “What cha gonna do when they come for you… bad boys, bad boys…”
Why not?
If two Christians want to get in a ring and grapple, why not? What sin is committed? I say that the sporting event is not a sin. Now, it is true that tempers may flair and athletes may sin while engaged in competition (e.g. Mike Tyson) but that does not mean the sport is morally wrong or that its athletes and fans are less spiritual than you. In fact, one may learn a lot about himself (i.e. his temper, his attitude and his self-discipline) as he engages in athletic competitions such as martial arts. One may even learn about sportsmanship and forgiveness when gets beat fair and square.
Hoping against hope:
I hope these questions and thoughts help you form your own conclusions and convictions about MMA based on Scripture and sound reasoning. If you prefer to play chess over catching a football, well I have no problem with that. But don’t belittle us football fans. And if you like to find your “tranquil place” while listening to Bach rather than smoking a fine cigar, fine. If you have never watched a UFC match but TiVo the playoffs of your favorite athletics, just don’t act like you holier-than-thou. Such pretension exposes fundamental problems in one’s character. Furthermore, it is mean-spirited and silly. I tell you what, why don’t you meet me at the gym tomorrow and lets work off some of that pent-up aggression, burn a few calories, and move some your other body parts besides your fingers on a keyboard. And yes, some of you probably need to get in the octagon for about 5 minutes and settle some issues the old fashion way.
Whatever the case, be a good sport. Nobody likes whiners.
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Jason Robertson is a husband and a father and a pastor. He is dedicated to leading and equipping his the Church with God’s word and biblical theology for life ministry, using a combination of pastoral, church planting and evangelism experience. He holds a Master of Divinity from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. He is experienced in church planting, evangelism, missions, and the training of pastors and Bible teachers.
Jason has been preaching the gospel since 1985, serving the first ten years of ministry as a Southern Baptist itinerant evangelist out of Milldale Baptist Church in Zachary, LA which ordained him in 1993. He has preached in hundreds of churches in over 30 States and 4 countries. He planted churches in Siberia, Russia in the summers of 1993 and 1994. He founded Murrieta Valley Church in California, which he planted in cooperation with the SBC NAMB in 2001. He also teaches ministry students at California Baptist University.
You can hear his sermons and read his manuscripts on sermonaudio.com. Just follow the link to "sermons" at the top of this page.
BTW, TruthStands should have been my username before, I don’t know how it changed to gabriel and rachel.
- Gabriel
I train MMA 8 hours a week and am a graduating Theology student from CalBaptist, so I know boith sides of this. I find that the violence arguement is mood point because no one is getting violated. They are willful participants and they are totally aware of what happens in competitive fighting.
two: regardless of what it may look like to the untrained eye, fighting is very hard and it is a skill that takes a lifetime to master and it is always changing and becoming more specialized (ground, striking, combination, wepons etc..) If you think you know so much about it and its not a skill then come down to the gym and I will show you how much you don’t know about defending yourself or those around you.
Three: Its physical competition between people who know what they are doing and the liability. people opposed to competitive fighting of any kind fail to realize that these people had to fight at the ameture level first. They train meny times a week for several hours at a time. They aren’t people off the atreet forced to fight champions. But like in football it looks abd when a team or person is getting owned up by a superrior fighter or team. You know how it feels to watch a team get blown out. its painful. moreso when it is a supperior fighter laying it on a guy who didn’t rise to the level at which he is competing; it looks bad. But he knew what he was doing and I can almost garantee that he would kill you, though this other guy is killing him so to speek.
Forth: The kind of people my gym is reaching would never step foot in your church or talk to you but if you could spar a little or had some knowledge of the sport even, you would have a connection with them to talk. people are getting saved at 77church and 77MMA gym so check it out
fish,
Responding to your points:
1) Willful participation doesn’t justify anything. Two people willfully participated in a duel, but did that make it right, or sport for that matter?
2) I just want to say that I don’t disagree about the skill issue. Of course it takes skill to do all that stuff. But skill is not a justification for sporting. Being a gladiator took great skill to stay alive. But that didn’t make it a legitimate sport.
3) Your third point is the same as your first point.
4) Frequenting bars (and drinking it up) would certainly reach people the church isn’t reaching. I’m not equating MMA to bar hopping, but merely comparing the idea of evangelism methodology. The idea of needing a “connection” is a concept that has no biblical grounds. Paul didn’t make connections on a personal basis with those to whom he preached. We are all “connected” by the fact that we are all humans and have the same fears/struggles/sins/etc. Perhaps there is another way to evangalize people.
Listen folks, I’m not going to claim to have all the answers, or be dogmatic. I’m just waiting for someone to give biblical grounds for this sport. It also seems like there is a difference between those who participate, and those who spectate.
The spectators seem to like it because they can feel “manly” while watching someone else do the work. Somehow enjoying fighting and bloodshed is the factor determining your level of masculinity.
The fighers seem to be more mature and take this as a serious sport, which I can respect.
Fish,
Thanks for the inside look. I played football in high school yet always had the greatest respect for the wrestlers because of the all consuming intensity of their training. I can only imagine how grueling MMA training must be.
Truthstands,
1) I don’t believe there is enough in the above posts to support any sort of accusation against Jason.
2) At least you qualified your yes.
3) I think a better definition of proof-text would be when someone uses a text and you don’t agree with their conclusion. I think you summed up your texts by saying they are “sports agnostic.” I can agree with that.
4) Thanks for your candor.
No doubt there are many in churches that know more sports statistics (as a hobby) than they know Scripture. Thanks for your challenge from 1 John. Very important to look at all areas of life with that in mind.
You said you “have been thinking of it in my own life.” It seemed to me that you were taking what you have been struggling with and trying to make a rule for the Church. Perhaps I was reading a bit much in your posts. To be honest, I had been on some new medication for about six weeks which left me extraordinarily aggressive (thus I discontinued using it but it’s still working its way out of my system). Who knows, I may read all this in a month or so and wonder who was posting under my name.
I’m not going to post any for a few weeks until my head is clear. That way I can be sure I’m not reading more that is actually printed.
One more post.
Truthstands,
Responding to your comments to my brother Fish:
1-3) You’re tripping. I think you’re waiting for someone to give you chapter and verse that says MMA is OK. That’s not going to happen. Can you justify driving a car? People get killed by them every day. Everyone knows it could happen to them. Crashes can be pretty violent. I’ve seen flesh rip open from the impact. Are you going to declare driving automobiles a legitimate form of transportation. Chapter and verse Truthstands? I think you’re far better off being a sports agnostic rather than picketing your local elementary school trying to get them to stop playing kickball.
4) Where were you when Paul was writing Scripture? How did we ever get the New Testament without you. How do you suggest Fish, or anyone else, reach people in MMA gyms that don’t go to church. Who’s going to reach them? You? Fish is where they are. He seems to be doing the work of an evangelist. For this you dis him?
Perhaps you need to get off your chair of pontification and go to a gym.
I must say, after reading some of the garbage that gets slung at Jason I have more respect for him now than ever. I don’t see how he doesn’t bust a vessel all over the net.
Even though this is old and still open, I have to throw my proverbial two cents in:
For the nay-sayers – How do you interpret Psalm 18:1 and the entire Psalm in its context.
What do you do with the book of Joshua?
What do you do with US Armed Forces? What do you do with the Police, Sheriff, Highway Patrol, FBI and CIA all need to disband under this current logic by the way?
We certainly don’t understand our bibles on the issue of war and violence. Nor the current military. Basic training/boot camp teaches our soldiers to kill or be killed.
I’m not a fan of CRI, but the Christian Research Journal did a bit on Martial Arts and the Occult, and I know Raul Ries might be an arminian but he articulated years ago that all martial arts/artist aren’t practicing occultist.
I certainly didn’t.
My only real struggle with MMA/UFC is why the ring girls have to parade around out there.
It would seem that all those in opposition to the entire MMA/UFC situation would have moved beyond the fighting issues and tackled the lust issue head on.
We can agree to disagree as shown in many of the comments, but I think people are shocked to see that this isn’t staged fighting like “WWE Wrestling”. And that its in cages.