Webber

Ok, so firstly, I'm a Buddhist myself, and I want to say that I think it would be better without religion. At the end of the day it's one more thing for people to argue about, although I will say that for christains etc... I can imagine it being nice to have belief in an after life, but I think that it would be better for everyone if it never exsisted.. like said previously, it's nothing against anyone's religion, I just think if it never exsisted in the first place it'd be better..

That's a very good point, I never thought about it like that. Thanks True fusion.. I guess it's just case that everyone is trying to create what they believe to be the best outcome, and I suppose there just isn't enough space/time for everyone to do the same, so in some cases a clash is going to happen.. Thanks mate that's a nice way to look at things...

Well at my school, there is about 1000 students, and my year is divided into a couple of groups.. you have a group of 'emo's.. (sorry to use the labels here guys...) and there's chavs, and there is the 't***' (sorta like immature chavs, they just try and look macho all the time), then there is the neutrals (either of any groups.. ) this is what I fall into. One of my mates happens to have long hair, and it's the t*** that cause the problems, because they can't except it. It seems so rediculous... they threaten him and try and fight him all the time because of this - it's stupid,and the school doesn't help out, they dont take it seriously and just dont generally care atall to be honest.. I'm just wondering if anyone else has the same sorta feeling... that groups clash and the school doesn't help.. I mean - groups are stupid... they'll all grow out of it sooner or later (one would hope anyway) but all the damage is done by then. I mean, because of my martial arts and weight lifting (much against my own free will) I have been looked upon as the 'tough guy'.. it's rediculous, but it's true.. no one will dare fight me because of this reputation others have made for me against my own will.. now I'm not going to complain, I'm happy with this, because I get on with everyone, and just dont have problems, so when I'm with this dude with long hair, there is no problems, but because he can't just sorta stay quiet and let it die down, because all the groups are in school, it gets worse and worse, the school doesn't see it doing this, and even when they do they dont care, and so it gets dragged into an out of school affair.. and then older guys get involved.. I mean - what ever happened to sorting out your own problems.. why can't these so called 'hard guys' - well if they really hate him that much because of his hair, then why dont they just fight him - because there cowards, and they opperate in groups (it makes them feel big - pathetic)... I dunno ... I just think it's rediculous.. just as a question to those of you that have already left school... when do the rest grow up?? I'm in yr 10... (almost yr11.. I'm 15 - in the us my next year will be graduation year), and there is a small group of the year (which I fall into) that doesn't get involved, we dont like the labels and we just do our own thing, and get on with it quietly.. which is cool - it's the way I like it, but in your experience.. when does all this childish front of looking tough or the labels and apperance end?? We've already got past that stage.. when do the rest follow? Any posts would be appreciated.. thanks guys.. Webber.

I dont honestly believe that anyone can actually enjoy having a blood test, or a needle stuck in them, but I do know that you can just not mind.. I dont perticually think - oh joy - a needle.. but it doesn't bother me too much to be honest, it's kinda strange aswell when they do blood tests, watching the little catridges fill up with your blood.. it's quite a weird thought.. but no I dont like the idea of needles... even though it doesn't bother me I think.. (and i think I speak for the majority) when I say that everyone dislikes needles...

Ok, well I've started a very contravershal (excuse my spelling) topic, and I wish first of all for nobody to loose them temper or for nobody to post any thing that will offend someone of another religion, it's not here to knock each other, I just would like to see how different religions feel about the world, and the other religions around them.. so let's have a nice, friendly, peaceful debate huh..?? Ok, so first of all, I'm a Tibetan Buddhist, urm - I'm a teen, I live in Great Britain.. So i'm fairly isolated, because very few others seem to be buddhists anyway, but especially not the tibetan variation. Unlike regular buddhism, I dont believe in complete no violence, I believe very strongly in the principle of self defence, but other than that, I dont believe that there is need for violence. I guess the reason I brought this up, is that in our school religious studies, the topic came up about abortion, and different stand points, and as always, Buddhism seems very nuetral, but what I dont understand why we all argue so much?? It seems such a strange concept.. religions all arguing and fighting -- there is no need for it in my opinion. The way I see it is that we all have one aim - we all have something that we want to do, and we do it because we believe it to be right .. so what does it matter what John down the road is doing.. or what people in the next town think?? I dont see why everyone seems to need to shout there views about and argue all the time, I know this is a really 'touchy' topic, and I'm trying my best not to offend anyway (hopefully no one has been offended), but I just dont see everyone can't just get on with what they believe in, and stop trying to make others see there way. Think of it like someone with music.. if they like 80's metal, and you want them to like R&B and you tie them to a chair and play the heaviest R&B you can find continuously, there not about to start liking it, but if you just leave them to get on with things, and introduce them to pieces of it bit by bit you have more chance of winning people over... I've never once preached about Buddhism, if anyone asks me a question, then i'll answer it, but I'll never try and make someone see from my point of view and I would like others to do the same.. So my hope is in a world that Catholics, Protestants, Muslims and Jews can all devote their lives togeather, follow their own principles and get on.. without fighting and debate and problems... So there it is, again I'm not knocking anyone's religion, and I'm not saying that God doesn't exsist or anything like that, i completely respect everyone's views, I just dont think it's right that religion, something that is supposed to bring us all togeather for the better of the man kind should cause so many problems around the world... so there we are.. I'll apoligise if I have offended anyway, it wasn't intentional.. So please, let the world know what you think on this delicate topic (not that I believe it should be)... Thanks

Hey.. well first of all let me say great topic, I think it's a nice idea.. Well my sports are martial arts - judo and karate... Unfortunatly there are very few good websites to promote them and support them, unlike an interactive football website where you feel involved, most judo websites are very outside experiences, as if your reading something you shouldn't be.. I wish there were better websites, more informal for the arts, but I do like photographs of judo in action, it gives me a thrill in my stomach and makes me want to join in, and the Chicago martial arts academy website does a very good job of making you want to join in.. Anyways that's my view.. thanks for the great topic, Webber...

Ok, so I want to know everyone's viewpoints on martial arts... What do you think? Is it a sport? Is it an art? Is it a thug's game?? Let me know what you think please..Ok so personally, I don't see how it could possibly be a thug's game, in all the time of training in both Karate and Judo I've never seen an essance of anything that we see in the papers being preformed by groups of youths (just to say I'm not targetting teens, I'm a teen myself.. but you know the dudes I mean), and to me it is an art, just like dance or anything else like that, I believe it requires exceptional concentration, control, self discipline and dedication. I dont think any of these 'thugs' would last a minute in this type of environment. However, I do see the contreversy (please excuse my spelling of that word) of these arts. Some people say that they are simply a blood sport, and why would you want to fight? Well let me say that I completely understand the viewpoint, but it is something you have to do to understand, the adraniline, the feeling inside -- it doesn't feel like your just fighting someone (which most certainlly isn't cool), it feels like something incredible, because your not just throwing punches, your doing something incredible, you going against every single possibility of your body, your doing something that you shouldn't be doing at your own will, your doing something that feels incredible, and like I said, I can't describe it, it's like trying to someone that has been blind since birth what the colour yellow looks like, I can't tell you what it feels like, you have to taste it for yourself, but after a round of Judo, I dont believe there are many people that would consider it to be a simple 'game' of punching your opponent.. I understand it as a sport, and I do compete (in judo anyway) as a sport's man, because I enjoy the thrill of it, but in my eye's it is more than that, to me it is a self defence first and foremost, but it is also more about personal development and courage. How ever, I do have a standpoint on Boxing.. (and any boxers please forgive me, because I know this is stereotypic, and this is obviously not true for all boxers), but I believe that to be a 'thugs' sport. I know it must require an element of skill.. but when you compare two guys swining 'punches' at one another, and then compare it to the strong, solid locked punches and round house kick's of Karate, well I dont see any comparrison, how ever.. having said that I will apoligise to any boxers now, because I know that it is not like that under the surface, and I know that it requires skill.. my biased view is probably based on the fact that in my town, the boxers are very slow witted thugs, that are always in fights, so I'll apoligise to the majority of the boxing community now... but I do believe that martial arts is a life long learning process of transforming yourself, and I would like you think of Martial arts (such as Karate, Judo, Kung Fu, Jujitsu) to be seperate from Boxing, Kick Boxing, Tia Boxing etc, because they have such different purposes and effects. In my opinion karate and judo require exceptional skill, persistance, dedication, determination, strength, endurance and passion, and so I dont think it can be classed atall as a thug's game... ** And on the subject of martial arts may I just clear up a little something... the iconic 'judo chop' isn't judo, because judo has very little hand work like that, it's Karate, and it's not a 'chop', it's a soto woki... ** Thanks everyone, I look forwards to your replies, wether you martial artists, boxers, sports men or observers...

Well my favourite sport... oh let me see.. it'd have to be I think most probably Judo, closely followed by Karate (you could argue that there not sports.. but that is an entirely different topic), and my least favourite would have to be.. urm... golf... (not that I have anything against golfers.. it's just that I am really, really bad at it..).... Nice idea for a topic as well mate... Webber..

I believe that sport should be anything that requires specific physical skills in a competetive environment. I dont think it'd be right to call say Formula 1 a sport, but a motor sport (as there reffered to in the uk... not sure about the us), well I can understand that, but I think you have a point when you say that there not sports. However, they must require a great deal of concentration and skill, and it can be quite demanding on the drivers physically, with the environment, and pressure of g's etc, so in all honesty, I would still call motoracing a sport... (not forgetting the fact that it is competetive).... Thanks guys.. Webber