Physical fighting as a sport (ufc, mma etc) should christian be watching this stuff

Liked to get some thoughs on this and scriptures that would clarify if it;s right or not...

In Roman times; they saw blood sport as entertaining,
and watched as Christians were torn apart by hungry
beasts or slaughtered by "warriors".
Many Christians were martyred in this way.

Would Jesus watch blood sport?? Would HE be
entertained by such savagery?? NO, no, NO!!

I've thought about this quite often as well...

The rising popularity of UFC and the decline of the popularity of boxing shows that people want more brutality; more blood, more knockouts, more broken bones.

I remember I was at a Christian gathering of perhaps 15-20 people... and somebody said they were all going to another place to watch UFC; and asked who wanted to come along.

There were some very enthusiastic guys who wanted to go; while a number of people refused... a dividing line seemed to appear in the atmosphere, between those who thought it was okay for Christians to watch things like that, and others who were adamantly against it.

One elder Christian asked them why they wanted to watch 2 men beat each other to death. And then later talked to me about how he was converted at David Wilkerson's church in Times Square Church.

I personally know many who profess to be believers who enjoy watching these kinds of things... and yet do not see anything wrong with it. And it's hard to come up with the discernment of whether to say anything and risk becoming labeled as a legalist.

In studying Isaiah last year the end Is 33:15 seemed to me to relate to many forms of entertainment. Perhaps it is appropriate here too.

In context (NASB):
Isa 33:14 Sinners in Zion are terrified; Trembling has seized the godless. "Who among us can live with the consuming fire? Who among us can live with continual burning?"

Isa 33:15 He who walks righteously and speaks with sincerity, He who rejects unjust gain And shakes his hands so that they hold no bribe; He who stops his ears from hearing about bloodshed And shuts his eyes from looking upon evil;

Isa 33:16 He will dwell on the heights, His refuge will be the impregnable rock; His bread will be given {him,} His water will be sure.

Isa 33:17 Your eyes will see the King in His beauty; They will behold a far-distant land.

REJOICE! =)

My first thought is back to the coloseum 1900 years ago about, where for sport christians where feed to the lions, but also gladiators fought each others. It seem the same spirit that enjoys watching Gods children being devoured by beasts, seem to be satisfied also by two men beating and killing eachother.

now i know ufc is not to death and regulated by rules etc. But still i am thinking of what makes someone interested in that? what is the spirit behind it? what is it in our human nature that find violence so attracting? i am very doubtful it should be from God and for our enjoyment, a sort of recreation to get "excited" about. Some scripture that comes to mind is.

Finally, brethren, whatever things are [b]true[/b], whatever things are [b]noble[/b], whatever things are [b]just[/b], whatever things are [b]pure[/b], whatever things are [b]lovely[/b], whatever things are of [b]good report[/b], if there is any [b]virtue[/b] and if there is anything [b]praiseworthy[/b]-- meditate on these things. (Phi 4:8 NKJ)

I will set no wicked thing before mine eyes: I hate the work of them that turn aside; it shall not cleave to me. (Psa 101:3 KJV)

and this quote be one of the church fathers is worth of consideration.

[i]Is it right to look on what is disgraceful to do? how is it that the things that defile a man in going out of his mouth, are not regarded as doing so when they go in his eyes ands ears?

Tertullian[/i]

just my thoughts on this, i had a great interest in these things before i was saved, and after i felt i was to have nothing to do with that kind of thing any more.

Liked to get some thoughs on this and scriptures that would clarify if it;s right or not...

Here is the only thought you will ever need: Would Jesus go and sit and watch two men beat on each other? How often did he do that while on earth (or anything like it)?

I know you and most people on this forum have enough knowledge to answer this question correctly.

I shall play the role of the average 'born-again' western believer in response to...

Here is the only thought you will ever need: Would Jesus go and sit and watch two men beat on each other? How often did he do that while on earth (or anything like it)?

Don't judge me!

I am free under grace to do anything I want!

I'm saved so I can sin, it's okay, once saved always saved.

I don't think so. I don't believe it is really consistent with this verse:

[i]Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things.[/i]

no.Christian should not watch that because Jesus wouldn't.actually violence was partially the reason why God destroyed the earth with the flood. Gen.6:11-17.

The LORD tests the righteous and the wicked, and his soul hates him that loves violence. (Psalm 11:5)

It's one thing if somebody is playing a sport that is a little physical and involves some rough contact. It's quite another thing to participate in a sport that's only purpose is to beat another person up.

To say that UFC is edifying would be the same as saying that fornication is edifying. Everyone already quoted a good smattering of verses that I can only put my thumbs up to. Especially KingJimmy's quote.

I used to like UFC when I was in a backsliden state in my heart, and I recently took it as confirmation of the Spirits work in my life when I heard a Pastor a few months ago talking about how he loved watching UFC and my heart sunk with grief and agony, and I had not even formulated some thought or even considered UFC since the last time I watched it, it just simply was the response of my spirit to what seemed so wrong. I had a hard time with hearing this from a pulpit.

It is interesting. I was visiting an unsaved friend and their family not too long ago. As I walked in they had the TV on and they were watching UFC. Having never watched it before, as I lingered in the living room with my friend and their family, I must say, I was absolutely grieved in doing so. It amazes me how DEATH is written on everything that is of this world. Yet, my friend and their family found such excitement in this "sport." And these people are educated and refined! They are upper class and have good jobs! Yet they shouted with joy as another man jumped on another and pounded him in the face with his fists! DEATH!

It is amazing what the world will fill itself up on when it cannot fill itself up on God.

It is beyond my scope of comprehension how another human being will find it a source of pleasure to see another person being beat up! Even if it is faked or for sport.

ginnyrose

I'm glad were pretty much all on the same page or (book) on this one. Thanks for the replies.

Considering the different perspective Jesus gave on flesh and blood adultery compared to lusting after a woman, I wonder how some congregational meetings would look to Him.

Just a thought I had as I had posted a view from a balcony on the thread Fight of the Decade. That story wasn't quite what you were focusing on so I didn't put it here. Just an interesting coincidence.

The LORD tests the righteous and the wicked, and his soul hates him that loves violence. (Psalm 11:5)

This verse that Jimmy posted is one that stood out to me also a while back. I had been making cards to distribute with only passages from the Bible on them, and some art work. This was one passage that I had felt to print(Psalm 11:4-7)

I was handing them out to people and asking them about some of the movies that were being advertised at the time.

It seems to me that one of the last stages of degenerancy for a society is when lust expands to lust for blood.

Some time ago, and I forget their name off hand, but a secular poet once said: Violence is the new pornography. Of course, she didn't anticipate the advent of the internet and what it did to revolutionize pornography, but I think she does have a very valid point just the same.

Hi everyone,

After continuing to meditate on these things this morning, I wanted to share some more things with you all. The growing [b]love for violence[/b] in our society is something that I've thought much about.

I remembered this morning the Psalm that says the wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God. And then I thought that this word translated hell has the meaning of or is sometimes translated the grave. That is speaks of death.

I thought that if a people reject the wisdom from God for expediency, or whatever else, that the end result is to love death(Proverbs 8:1,36).

I remembered how it is written in the scriptures that the life is in the blood, and I thought that those who lust for blood lust for death; the life is in the blood while it is in the body, but [b]to desire[/b] to shed blood is to desire death.

I remember not long ago I spoke with someone on the street that was soliciting donations for children that were poor. I stopped to talk to him and learned a little about him and how he came to do that.

His motive was not religous, but that he wanted to do good and help others. We parted nicely and not long after I saw him again. We were talking this time about being good and what it means and he noticed someone coming down the street. He recognised him as a celebrity: it was one of these people from this [i]ultimate fighting championship[/i] as this fight was happening in town on that weekened.

After he told me who it was, I asked him if it could be possible for people to be good, and love violence like that? How could that be? How could someone be good and love to watch such a thing?

When I moved here, I took a job in a warehouse at a clothing store. The store sold all of the most popular clothing. I remember being more and more disturbed by the clothing I saw coming in, as so much of it had a recurring theme: it was death, or the symbols of death, skulls, or skeletons, or peirced hearts with skulls and skeletons wearing a crown. It almost seemed ubiqutous.

I'll tell you a somewhat ironic story.

This week I was on the subway, and some women across from me were talking loudly and cursing. A man sitting next to them spoke up and said something to them about it. He told them how he did not curse himself. I listened for a while and they began to talk about how they grew up and different ethnic people they had to fight to get where they were going. As he went on he made a statement that I thought was ironic - he said that his life was pure.

I thought it was ironic, because probably the first thing that I noticed about him when he sat down was the jacket that was wearing. The most noticable thing of the jacket was a large bejewled skull, wearing a crown, with a cigarete hanging out of its mouth.

Of the human creatures that God made, we have all known that, as far as nature is concerned, women are supposed to be more nurturing, more delicate, more caring and gentle.

But do you know that it is becoming common for young girls to fight each other? This weekend on the bus a group of young girls were talking about the fights they were in recently and eveything like that.

And the movies and the entertainment of this culture? It is enough to become sick just to look at an advertisement for some of these movies. It is one word: DEMONIC.

And it is what the people of our society are feeding on every day.