Kyojitsu - Truth and Falsehood

Kyojitsu - The Art of Truth and Falsehood

I live in a city that has many "physics", "past life channeling masters", "numerologists", "maharishi", "crystal healing", "angel guides", and the most interesting - "telepathic healing" practitioners. It astonishes me that these people actually make a very good living off the gullible.

I've monitored local martial arts schools, and saw how some of the head Instructors suddenly became "Grandmasters" of their own art they created out of a hodgepodge of other martial arts. They also make a very comfortable living. I am also monitoring the numerous cults that have sprung up around where I live.

For many years, I've met men that claim to have been "U.S. Navy S.E.A.L. team members". I have never served in the military, but I am a certified S.C.U.B.A. diver, and bust these frauds by asking just a few questions about diving physiology, or specific questions about diving hardware. My favorite bust question is "What do you think about the Draeger?" Normally, they said it "was a good firearm, but it jammed when dirty".

The Draeger is a semi-closed circuit re-breather, not a firearm. Busted!

I worked with one braggart that told me he was a Marine Raider in Vietnam. He told me he always took point, and only used a rusty bayonet as his weapon. He then went on to tell me he had over three hundred confirmed kills. None of this could possibly be true, as it goes against military doctrine. Next, he told me that when he was not in the jungle, he flew "Wild Weasel" missions flying the F-105 Thunderchief. To explain what "Wild Weasel" missions are, these were attacks against SAM (surface to air missiles) sites. The F-105 was not in the Marine Corps inventory, but in the U.S. Air Force. Pilots (except for Marine Corps Av-1 Harrier pilots) do not train in small unit tactics, much less were allowed to go on combat jungle patrols). The Harrier was not deployed to Vietnam. Busted!

It is a slap in the face of any military veteran to make these downright lies up and tell others they are something they never were.

Not so long ago, I saw several people that were making claims that humans never actually landed on the moon. They were selling books, videos, etc. and did very well financially. The truth is, the gamma radiation found in the moon rocks could not possibly be artificially reproduced on Earth. Several reflective mirrors were left on the moon so that laser beams could be bounced back to research stations in order to precisely measure it's rotation. Even a good amateur telescope can find the LEM (lunar excursion module) in the Sea of Tranquility. Busted again.

I also like someone who claims to be an "UFO expert". "UFO" means unidentified flying object. How can you be an expert on something that can't be identified?

Buy a copy of "Black Belt" magazine, and see how many full page ads claiming to make you "unbeatable" and "invincible" you can find. My favorite claim is "learn to be able to deliver lightning fast lethal strikes, each more lethal than the first!"

Hmm, if the first blow is lethal, then why keep hitting your opponent?

Now we come to the ninja hype. There are so many claiming to ninja masters, grandmasters, etc., and just like snake oil salesmen, it amazes me how much money they earn from those who buy into their B.S.

Hatsumi Sensei said "no school owns the monopoly on truth". This is very profound. He also said "It's okay to call yourself a ninja. It just doesn't necessarily make it true".

I for one have never claimed to be a ninja to anyone. I'm not! I study both ninja arts and samurai arts, but am neither. I'm too big to be a ninja! I would respect someone who would just be honest and say that they just made up their ninjutsu. Take Mr. Frank Dux. When he was in a court of law, he was proven repeatedly to not be an honest person. Many of his claims were proven to be totally false. If you are a follower of Mr. Dux, then please reserve your anger with me and do a little research on what I just said. The entire transcripts are now a matter of public record.

I've even been able to e-mail some teachers claiming to teach "ninjitsu" (wrong spelling).

When I asked who their teachers were, some got very angry, and made excuses about how their art was "secret", yet they really lost it when I asked "Then why do you advertise, and maintain a website?" Beware of any school / dojo that requires you to sign a contact, BTW. This is what we in the martial arts community call a "McDojo". Put the dojo you are considering joining through this test first. Mr. Wayne Muromoto san wrote an excellent article everyone should read: "Are You in a Martial Arts Cult?"

Martial arts are many things to many people, but it does better without hype, or bizarre claims of mysticism. Too many people are prepared to believe the impossible rather than examine the truth.

The art of ninjutsu carries with it a large degree of mysticism. When studied, it reveals itself to be a martial art very well suited to the real world. Those that have perverted the true essence in order to make a lot of money dilute the purity of what it really is. This makes it very difficult for those who are true practitioners to be taken seriously.

At one job interview, I was told I didn't have to lie on my resume with all my impossible claims. There was no way I could possibly be a published author, cartoonist, poet, Scuba diver, martial artist, archer, licensed instructor, etc. I always carry a box full of my credentials, certifications, publications, and awards to job interviews. I asked one interviewer why he automatically presumed I was a phony. He told me "We've had so many applicants claiming to be ninja Grandmasters, and ex Navy SEALs, that when we checked out their background it turned out to be false. So of course we thought you were lying, too". This is the taint that rubs off on legitimate instructors.

I've always been eager to learn as much as possible in my life. I recommend a healthy amount of skepticism. Ernst Sthulinger once said "The path to belief is short and easy. The path to knowledge is long and hard". I have chosen the latter.

I have also developed a strong dislike for frauds and fakes. This is one of the many reasons that Harry Houdini (real name Ehrich Weiss) is one of my personal heroes. Houdini was a master of showmanship and deception. Much of his talent was shear skill, as his legendary skills in the arts of escape. He was a great entertainer, but took great efforts to exposing frauds that were playing on the hopes of families in grief over the loss of a loved one in order to get their money. These were known as "spiritualists", and Houdini did such an incredible job of showing the public how these scam artists bilked the public for evil gain, he became the scourge of them and received many death threats.

This might give you some sense of what goes on inside the mind of a sociopath and pathological liar. These are genuinely dangerous individuals. The most misunderstood aspect of ninjutsu is "kyojitsu", which means the manipulation of truth and falsehood. To some, this appears to be an evil undertaking. The ninja knew that in order to survive attacks from evil people, it took much more than a worthy sword and martial prowess. Careful study and examination of the ways and methods of manipulation for evil gains by despicable people enabled the ninja to see through people's motives and intent.

If you've ever read any of the classic works of literature, such as "King Arthur, and his Noble Knights of the Round Table", you can see that even the most noble and brave warriors were easily sent to their destruction by forces unknown and unseen to them. Read "Othello" by William Shakespeare. A great King is destroyed by his belief in lies, and he pays a hefty price. Sound familiar?

Fudo Myu, one of the five guardian deities of Japan, holds in his upraised right hand a sword of ultimate truth. In his lowered left hand, he holds a coiled rope to bind up evil using trickery and deception.

Belief and faith are good things in appropriate amounts. Knowledge based on facts is much better. How many advertisements do you read in a magazine or see on television for a new prescription "wonder" drug? I've read many that disclaim that the causes of the mentioned disease are not known and that this drug may or may not be effective. The listings of the possible side effects are almost always shocking, i.e. "may cause uncontrollable, explosive bloody diarrhea" is one of my favorites. In this crazy world, there are legions of individuals and groups that are trying to get you to think the way they want you to. Often, it is enforced by ridicule and belittlement. Whether it is for financial gain, or it's to gather votes for a political position, your belief system is under attack on a daily basis.

There is a Jewish proverb I really like - "Think with your heart, and you are a fool. Think with your head and you are a King". I hope my little article helps you to better understand the art of Kyojitsu.

Included are links to people that I share opinions with, and sites that challenge and expose the absurd, the frauds and scammers.

The Amazing Randi Skeptics Ring Internet Frauds FBI Internet Scambusters Scambusters Hoax Slayer Quatloos Snopes Urban Legends

The Skeleton Closet