I became attached to the discipline of pure Bushido during my service in japan with the US Navy, of course I attended a Christian ministry at the same time. I have been a practicing Iaido-ka (martial swordsman) since 1986.
Many people, especially old enough to remember World War II, often equate Bushido with the Kamikaze and the crimes of the Imperial Army of Japan across Asia but that was Bushido seriously corrupted and perverted by the Imperial warloads and they certainly paid for their abuses in full measure.
In reality, besides the Christian Samurai who were Martyred for their belief in Christ, very few Samurai achieved purist Bushido in that they never drew their swords other than in required combat. It is actually a violation of the Bushido code to cut down another person, especially an unarmed peasent even if an offense no matter how slight was offered, unless in the absolute need of combat. Even dueling was forbidden unless it was strictly regullated.
The majority of Samurai were thugs, theives and abusers often masterless roamers of the country, or what were called Ronin. And most of these were the "young and dumb" tuffs who had no concept of what being samurai was.
Bushido is not a religion, another western misconception, but a way of living, a rigid codex of behavior in which a constant tennant is having a faith in a diety for without such how can one establish the other tennants of just living? Even the most famous Samurai, Myamoto Musashi, stated that any Samurai's first duy was to the Gods before others.
In many of their own writings, Samurai who were prominant in their times or had become monks often site worship and faith first in their advice to younger Samurai. They were instructed to pray daily, owing first and last to Gods, then to parents then to master then to clan then lastly thinking of self.
True Bushido frowned on drunkeness, carousing, loose living, spending without abandon, lavishness. There is much in purist Bushido that fits to a Christian life, which is why I addopted it to my own life.
Many people, especially old enough to remember World War II, often equate Bushido with the Kamikaze and the crimes of the Imperial Army of Japan across Asia but that was Bushido seriously corrupted and perverted by the Imperial warloads and they certainly paid for their abuses in full measure.
In reality, besides the Christian Samurai who were Martyred for their belief in Christ, very few Samurai achieved purist Bushido in that they never drew their swords other than in required combat. It is actually a violation of the Bushido code to cut down another person, especially an unarmed peasent even if an offense no matter how slight was offered, unless in the absolute need of combat. Even dueling was forbidden unless it was strictly regullated.
The majority of Samurai were thugs, theives and abusers often masterless roamers of the country, or what were called Ronin. And most of these were the "young and dumb" tuffs who had no concept of what being samurai was.
Bushido is not a religion, another western misconception, but a way of living, a rigid codex of behavior in which a constant tennant is having a faith in a diety for without such how can one establish the other tennants of just living? Even the most famous Samurai, Myamoto Musashi, stated that any Samurai's first duy was to the Gods before others.
In many of their own writings, Samurai who were prominant in their times or had become monks often site worship and faith first in their advice to younger Samurai. They were instructed to pray daily, owing first and last to Gods, then to parents then to master then to clan then lastly thinking of self.
True Bushido frowned on drunkeness, carousing, loose living, spending without abandon, lavishness. There is much in purist Bushido that fits to a Christian life, which is why I addopted it to my own life.
