Some observations

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Posted by KC Elbows on January 22, 2003 at 11:10:11:

It's become patently clear to me that the affiliated schools are the last hoorah for Kim, the non-affiliated are not only potentially better because of the fact that most of the non-affiliated schools are run by people who have also studied other arts, but are also more numerous and stabler because their profits are their own, and can be used to directly impact the schools, whereas the affiliated moos have to put big money into an international system that has yet to show any serious impact on the lack of martial skills among the moo. Not to mention that it's not international. It hasn't even been to Canada.

I've come to the conclusion that those martial artists who come from Chung Moo and Oom Yung schools will be the predominant force in this argument in the future, not Kim and his lieutenants. The same has happened with Temple Kung Fu: a large number of former instructors from that school have left and pointed out that, despite his claims, the so-called founder is not some sort of Dalai Lama, but just an ordinary Kenpo fighter, supposedly a decent one, but not anything more.

However, unlike Temple Kung Fu, the moos seem to be fairly staunch in their belief, whereas the TKF people are not quite so fanatical.

The same will happen with Kim. When the former higher belts from the moo finaly get tired of being crapped on by Kim's children, they'll start relating more real life stories, as has occured here.

There's a pic of Kim using a staff to do a sort of vaulting kick towards Forrest Troutner(sp?) on the yahoo groups page. It's just a pic of an ordinary martial artist and a friend making promo material. The kick is okay, but nothing more. He probably could have done better, which is probably why you don't see the pic much anymore. John Kim slopped it. Just like normal martial artists occassionaly do.

The fact is, if you like the moo, that's okay. If you like claiming to be above everyone else, you have to back your claims. The health claims don't match up to the fact that moo instructors get sick just like others, they have personal problems just like others, and they occassionally die, just like other people. John Kim cannot change this, because John Kim is just an ordinary martial artist whose skills have undoubtedly peaked long ago because he is unwilling to be part of a martial arts community and always be a student and always cross hands with others. He is not a healer in any comprehensive meaning of the word. Those who have followed him the longest have similar injuries, yet they do not generally spar. Strange, since most injuries from actual fighting arts should arise from contact training, and would not be likely to be the same injury in each practitioner. Perhaps there is some repetitive motion that is being conducted that is injurious to those practicing it.

In any case, the main org moo has reached the point where it has no real purpose except to keep a few individuals financially well off. If the moo is to have any sort of further history, it will come from the Rogues. In my opinion, it is more likely to become a sort of order as opposed to a style, as most of the rogues I have spoken with and the notable moos I've known all felt that the most important thing was being 'true', and so, the more they find truth without the obfuscations of John Kim, the more they will incorporate that truth in what they do and share with the others in their remnant of the line.

That is why the main org is in its twilight. Because truth is what their students are being told is the only currency to value. When they get passed the wooden nickle of the 'nine hour tong nan', they remember, and eventually the torrent of these rediculous lies breaks down their fanatacism, and they are left with nothing more than the search for the truth they thought was being handed to them.

And the truth is, Kim was an ordinary martial artist.

Next time you are ending class, look at the line. By right, I stand between your 1st degrees and your 2nd degrees. Such was the rank accorded to me. My old teacher, Tom McGee, and his top instructors, by right, would stand in various points at the front. Ulimately, no one told us to leave. No one said we had to go. Most of us probably fielded a whole bunch of conversations from members trying to convince us to return. We did not. There has often been the accusation that we are not letting old things go, that we 'can't get over' this time we experienced. I suggest that there are some things that one does not strive to 'get over'. There are people I have a responsibility to, and they are the ones you still see in that line at the end of class. Every member of that line is taught to look out for those beneath them.

Here, let me share a better example of a concept you're trying to get across on your website:

Chung Doe- those who will fight those on their right for the sake of those on their left in the line.


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