What sports are considered violent and forbidden by Jehovah?

by jwbloodline 67 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

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  jwbloodline

  I'm a bible student and the i've been told that this issue depends on my conscience..

  I am a jiu jitsu student and have been for a 4 years. IT's more of a sport. Like wrestling (submission wrestling) I can easly us it to

  defend myself on the street if i ever needed to but it's more of a sport.

  Brazilian Jiu Jitus is the main martial art used in the ultimate fighting championships, but in that comp, strikes are added.

  Jiu Jitsu by itself has not punches or strikes just submissions and winner taps. Is that bad? I love the sport and don't want to give it up.

  CAn someone give me an opinion?
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  Happy Guy :)

  You may want to know that most people who post here are ex Jehovah's Witnesses. Their view on what is or should be acceptable may very well differ from what the Watchtower Corp. considers acceptable. That is not to say that some can't give you an explanation of what WT expects because many here are exceptionally competant at that.
  

  One problem with this subject is that many people feel that Watchtower is often ambiguous so as to avoid being pinned own on certain issues (for whatever reason - legal or otherwise) and it may very well become a matter of interpretaion with issues like the one you have presented.

  I have heard some discuss the concept of "competitve sports" being considered bad while I have also heard others comment on "contact sports" being bad.

  My opinion is that any worldly association is considered bad by the JWs and therefor the acceptable standard would be whether or not the sport is involving group participation with non Jehovah's Witnesses. Since that is generally discouraged, I suggest that would be the standard by which a JW's conduct would be judged by their peers regarding the isssue of involvement in sports.

  Perhaps there are some others posters here who can provide quotes from Watchtower Corp. publications which will discuss this topic.
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  Joyzabel

  Welcome jwbloodline.

  "I'm a bible student"

  ummmmm..........

  welcome.
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  RunningMan

  Well, according to the good old Watchtower, Chess is very violent and is not for christians:

  The extreme fascination of chess can result in its consuming large amounts of one's time and attention to the exclusion of more important matters, apparently a reason Huss regretted having played the game. Also, in playing it there is the danger of "stirring up competition with one another," even developing hostility toward another, something the Bible warns Christians to avoid doing.

  Then, too, grown-ups may not consider it proper for children to play with war toys, or at games of a military nature. Is it consistent, then, that they play a game noted to be, in the opinion of some, an "intellectualized equivalent of the maneuvers enacted by little boys with toy soldiers"? What effect does playing chess really have upon one? Is it a wholesome effect?? (AW 03/22/73 P13-14)
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  blondie

  Boxing

  Hang-gliding

  Racing (cars, motorbikes, etc., etc)

  Karate, jijutsu, or related "sports" the WTS considers to have a pagan religious background, even TaiChi is forbidden if the elder in question is savvy to the background

  ***

  g95 9/22 pp. 12-13 Should I Learn Self-Defense? ***

  There is a greater danger, however, in learning the martial arts. The Economist magazine recently reported: "Most, if not all, of the martial arts are inextricably linked to the three main East Asian religions, Buddhism, Taoism and Confucianism." Another source adds: "Everything done in karate?every movement, every feeling?can be traced to some principle of Zen." Zen is a sect of Buddhism that emphasizes religious meditation. These religious roots pose a serious problem for Christians in view of the Bible?s words at 2 Corinthians 6:17: "?Therefore get out from among [false worshipers], and separate yourselves,? says Jehovah, ?and quit touching the unclean thing.?"

  Parachuting

  This is not an all inclusive list. JWs will tell you it is up to "your conscience" as they manipulate you into doing that they want.

  Any recreation that puts your life at risk for recreational reason (per the WTS)

  ***

  g94 7/8 Thrill Sports?Should I Take a Chance? ***

  After researching matters thoroughly?and talking things over with your parents?it may well be concluded that you would be better-off steering clear of extreme thrill sports. Your parents may prefer that you pursue activities that seem to be less inherently life threatening, such as bicycling, skating, skiing, and snorkeling, to name a few. Of course, even relatively safe activities can be dangerous if proper precautions are not taken.

  This happened to a small group of Christian youths who decided to go for a hike. They veered off the trail and began climbing a narrow edge on a steep cliff. Before long they found themselves virtually trapped, unable to go safely either forward or backward. The youth leading the group then heard a sudden noise. Two of his companions had fallen to their death. How tragic!

  "Bungee jumping" is a sport in which jumpers, attached to a long elastic cord called a bungee, leap from bridges, cranes, and even hot-air balloons. This allows for a virtual free-fall before the cord stretches tight, halting the plunge.

  And especially is any activity wrong if it takes time away from attending 5 hours of JW meetings and the unwritten rule of 10 hours a month preaching quota.

  Blondie
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  AK - Jeff

  When we lived in texas (circa 1982) - on brother - a real kiss the CO's a** type, said that he was told (by the CO I think it was) that to even invite others to his home to watch football might be considered a reason to be deleted as a servant - do to the violence....

  Jeff
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  BroBennett

  Most sports players that become popular are worshiped so the sports a jw can join are limited. The Watchtower does provide some guadelines but like most topics, the conscience would choose what is an acceptable sport for the young and older Christian.

  The main issue would be fellowshipping with coaches and teamates that need pumped up before each game, and some people still get hurt much like the gladiator sports of Bible times. Football has many injuries along with many other sports available in high school. Many young people need to go to the chiropractor just to get back to normal.

  What sports are considered violent? How about looking at the news these days with the recent attitudes players have with drug abuse and fits of anger. That might give you a clue on what kinds of sports to avoid.
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  RunningMan

  Sometimes games and practices are held on meeting nights, so it would not be appropriate for a christian to miss any of the sales meetings due to sporting events. As well, many teams are named after animals, which would be a form of animal worship. And of course, almost all of the players will be destroyed at Armagedon, because they are not Witnesses, and we wouldn't want to associate with these unwholesome ones who are marked for destruction.

  At least, that's pretty much why I couldn't play hockey in grade 2, anyway.
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  Elsewhere

  Don't forget about Chess!!!
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  under74

  Welcome JWB-
  Well, we were allowed to play sports on our own but not as part of a school or other organized group. All the JWs I knew watched sports on tv and it was okay to go to sporting events.
  
  But uh, yeah...welcome to you too, Brother Bennett...I don't think sports cause violence. You can draw correlations where ever you want to, doesn't mean it's a cause.
  
  By the way, I'm going to reiterate what some other people have posted, this forum is mostly comprised of X-Jehovah's Witnesses....nice interception BroBennett.