“Budo Inquisition”

 

By Dr. Ivica Zdravkovic

 

 

(Ed. Note: I am sure our dear readers are familiar with the stance taken by the GBI Club and its officials regarding articles. We will post any interesting Budo-related articles by independent authors, especially those which strongly represents a view held by many Budokas. This well-written article by Dr. Zdravkovic represents a view amongst some Budo practitioner, that is, a view of anti-elitism. Which will provide a nice counterbalance for the article written by our own Ben Haryo sensei which are posted here.

 

It is not our wish to offend any Budo group(s) or person(s) by posting these articles, because our Club Website is just a small forum where Budokas could present their view in article format. Any comments about these articles can be addressed directly to the author(s) of the articles, or to our Club email [email protected].

 

Without further additions, onwards to the article!)

 

I tried to ignore for years the most irritating elitism of a small group of people gathered on certain Internet forums (which I deliberately will not specify at the moment). I even tried to join those forums and share some of my views, soften them a bit and try to explain them about some positive evolution of martial arts which they obviously don't see or understand. It was mostly useless. I have recently been attacked by them (again) and described as a complete budo fraud. Needles to say that in the same "package" they accused and condemned everyone who does same or similar things like me, including organizations which I deeply respect and whose member I am - or I was, directly or indirectly. I will not list these organizations, but they can be checked on links of my website.

 

According to these members of self-proclaimed "Budo Inquisition", all the organizations where I belong (or have belonged) are doing baffling or bad budo, are not serious enough, do not have proper understanding of what budo is, or simply serve to "frauds" like me. According to them,  there is no such thing like gendai jujutsu (which disqualifies all the organizations like SBC, JJFS, JJIF, USJJF, MAIF, USMAF, AJA, AJJF, IMAF, ESJA, EBC, etc... - half of America and Europe - who are celebrating 100 years of such practice), there is no gendai kenjutsu, sport in Japanese sword arts (JSA) is the worst crime and has nothing to do with "real" (?) JSA, these things must not be taught by white people and headed by western organizations (eliminates any credibility to ISCA, ESCU, SBC, KIAI, BZIS, MAIF, etc...)

 

 

More - sport judo, karate and similar organizaations - especially those in "smaller" countries like in Serbia - do not do budo as it is supposed to be done, have little or no knowledge at all, and are basically just playing "silly games" with what is supposed to be a very serious activity (read: folklore performance of archaic traditions by physically incapable demonstrators in japanophille surroundings, with mandatory elements of nationalism, elitism and religious practice). This eliminates even organizations like JIF, WKF, ITKF, etc...

 

Since I really got my cup overfilled with such statements and accusations, I will make a small counterattack and produce some characteristic profiles of people who spread these nonsense:

 

1. Koryu God - usually a man (Caucasian) who is either living in Japan or frequently goes there. Practices some minor style which has total of 10 or 20 practitioners in whole world. Speaks officially on behalf of his Soke and style, although there are no ways of contacting his Soke (who does not speak English) through email, airmail, or any other way, except by going directly to Japan.

 

Often mentions some serious Japanese names of "authentic & legitimate" organizations where he belongs - or which he runs (blessed by his Soke). At the same time, no one can really check if these organizations really OFFICIALLY exist, where are they registered, who are other members, what are statute and/or bylaws, etc. They always cover behind what is once smartly described as "feudal democracy in budo organizations"! Even better, no one can check where all the money they take is going!

 

Koryu God usually speaks highly of his style, uses all sorts of irrelevant historical data to make it look more important and regularly neglects the fact that similar gendai arts exist for over a century. You can see his pictures in most traditional outfit with museum weapons, performing "authentic" kata in some Shinto shrines or on other appropriate stages.

 

There is no way to see proper translation of "secret scrolls" or other things these individuals use as proof of their superior heritage. If, by some chance someone dares to translate such documents (books, scrolls, or mokuroku - catalogue of techniques), Koryu God will persuade you it was done without proper knowledge of ancient  Japanese language.

 

If you have 10th Dan in some similar gendai art, and you manage to perform exactly the same kata which is performed on some rare video of this Koryu God or his Soke - it will still be a "terrible performance" and you will be exposed to all sorts of insults. There is absolutely NO WAY you can escape being called "fraud" or "copycat" - even if you had never claimed to do any koryu at all. You MUST be guilty: you may have learned some techniques in local kendo, judo, aikido or chanbara club - never mind! - since it all resembles the "heavenly-inspired style" of this Koryu God (and his Soke), you are guilty for "ripping off" their art and you are, by that logic - an imposter, ignorant fool who thinks is doing authentic arts of feudal samurai battlefield - while in fact you do ineffective surrogate created by other equally ignorant people. 

 

Finally, lets mention that this inheritor and guard of "authentic warrior arts" has absolutely no physical abilities to last even a minute in any decent kendo, judo or other sparring, performs flowery kata which are in 9 out of 10 cases created after all the wars in Japan were over,

and in general has as much abilities and chances for survival on some archaic battlefield as it has an average teenager who has never trained any budo at all. (Since teenager can at least run and not get a heart attack after a few minutes of climbing up the hill, to meet some

fictional "enemy troops"...).

 

2. Informed Layman - does not train same nor similar arts or sports, but "reads a lot", spends hours, days and months behind his monitor,  and knows what is "truth" and what is not. Usually very young (no more than 20 or 25), but already "experienced" on these forums, with several hundreds or even thousands of "smart posts". Mostly makes his posts right after the Koryu God, with following typical content: "I agree", "I was just about to tell the same", "Yeah, you're right, this guy sucks!", etc.

 

Informed Layman is usually completely uninformed about most of the organizations that gather gendai arts and sports, usually has never even seen any of people or organizations he is criticizing, and would not be able to differ lousy from superior techniques in a million years, unless they are "explained" by Koryu God - whose opinion he highly respects and trusts it like an ultimate dogma.

 

Informed Layman is also full of bitter jokes and "subtle" insults, and thus he cures himself from all sorts of frustrations, which provoked him in the first place to participate in discussions about the things which he absolutely doesn't know and are not of his concern.

 

Informed Layman will often quote "classical" budo scholars, to tell you some trivial definitions, which he understood most literally and holds on to them, despite the fact that most of such definitions are outdated for decades. He is easily recognized for he practically never comments your posts, he does not even read them, and will never send you a personal message or email, since he cannot communicate without support from Koryu God. When alone, he is absolutely helpless to defend any of "his" opinions and superficial claims. 

 

3. Gendai Expert - mostly comes from judo, kendo or aikido background. Denies any legitimacy to gendai "jutsu" arts and sports. Loves to think that his budo "art" is also a form of koryu - but carefully watches not to step on any toes of Koryu God and his Soke.

 

Frequently even knows Koryu God personally - having trained with him in some kendo club or similar place. These people are always connected, and they mostly come from same country.

 

You will hardly ever find a Frenchman on their forums, or anyone from organizations like those mentioned on the beginning of this article. Such people simply don't even care.

 

It is obvious after only a few posts that these Budo Inquisition members make a very coherent group. They don't have anything smart to talk about - since they all "share" same opinions. That is a result of their constant hanging together on their beloved forum - where they spend more time than with their families or in their clubs. So, while they don't have anything new to say to each other (speaks enough of their "active" life in budo), they can hardly wait for some "stray cat" to walk into their trap.

 

Gendai Expert believes strongly there are only two organizations that are legitimate when it comes to his arts (and related arts): organization to which he belongs and some koryu group ("organization") which reanimates koryu from which his gendai has emerged. All the rest are frauds or are just playing games.

 

Very concerned about the "decline" of martial arts, would gladly forbid all the others to even think of budo, less to organize in associations or to have their independent grading commissions. Respects Japanese sensei and organization only when it suits him.

 

Same as previous profiles, he believes only Japanese-based or Japanese-headed organizations are competent enough to create policies of budo. However, if there is such organization which disseminates grades and knowledge in a more liberate way than it is approved by this Gendai Expert, he will instantly put such organization on his "black list". He hates the fact that some people do something as equally good as his art, but are independent in their organization.

 

Likes the idea of absolute global control over millions of budo practitioners from one country (Japan), or even better, from one single organization. Hates "innovations". Believes he and rare people only really understand the "message" sent to the world by the creator of his system. Deeply believes there is a very profound and complex metaphysics within body arts that he does. Insists that budo arts improve moral character of people who practice them, but constantly proves just the opposite, by uncontrollable insults and offensive attitude towards all who don't share his Expert opinion.

 

 

4. Phantom - has no clear public profile, nobody knows where he is from or what he trains. Appears now and then, usually only when there is a big "witch hunt" going on and someone is already "condemned" by their inquisitional "community".  One of those anonymous faceless mentally deranged persons who simply likes to throw stones on others. Considered valuable audience by Koryu God and Gendai Expert. Not so "informed" like Informed Layman, but contributes to the cause.

 

I wish you good luck if you face these people. Then again - did any good luck help all those poor souls who suffered from similar medieval Inquisition? No.

 

So, you better avoid them. Unless you meet them outside their digital world, in which case I gladly recommend what a good friend of mine once told me: don't argue, just beat the s*** out of them. In dojo. On a tournament. Wherever normal people prove their abilities, skills and knowledge.

 

That might help... Or maybe not?

 

 

Dr. Ivica Zdravkovic is a doctor of medicine (specialize in family medicine) who has been a lifelong practitioner of Budo, starting with Judo and Karate in the late 70s. He holds important positions on several Budo organizations. Amongst others, he is a representative of Tanabe Tetsundo sensei (founder of Chanbarra) for Serbia. He holds many ranks in Budo, some of them are 4^th Dan in Chanbarra under Tanabe sensei, 5^th Dan in Jujutsu and Kenjutsu under Martial Arts International Federation (certified by Bruce Bethers sensei & George Anderson sensei of JJIF), and 5^th Dan in Jujutsu under Arnold Davies sensei (student of Abe Kenshiro sensei). He could be reached at [email protected].