Jehovah's Witnesses and UFC fights on television...

pr_capone

I am beginning to forget the exact rules and regulations concerning this type thing (thank goodness)... but Witnesses are not "allowed" to watch fighting such as boxing and UFC prize fighting, correct?

Thanks

Kansas District Overbeer

Mysterious

JWs would be told to abstain from this type of entertainment for its violent content.

pr_capone

That is what I thought.

I saw my old "best friend" and his wife at a bar today. The bar was exclusively showing the fight and they stayed for its entirety. When I walked past them, the wife turned her head away from me and my old buddy took a big drink from his glass.

LOL

I wonder if they were ignoring the apostate or whether they were concerned that I would notice and report them to their authorities.

:D

Kansas District Overbeer

Mysterious

Probably just didn't expect to see you there and were hoping to avoid any conversation with an apostate. Definitely questionnable that they were watching UFC and the bar scene is not really encouraged either iirc. I do love me some UFC though. :D

pr_capone

I think you are probably correct.

For fun, I took a picture of them on my phone. Not sure if I want to do anything with that as of yet... I can tell you this though. I certainly felt "stumbled" that an MS (probably an Elder by now) would have ben there at the bar watching a violent and bloody event such as a UFC fight.

LOL

Kansas District Overbeer

Satanus

'I took a picture of them on my phone.'

Haha. Oh, the jw hypocrisy. Even so, i generally feel sympathetic to dubs chumps like that. The outlets that they have for their frustrations and animal urges are few.

S

chrisjoel

thats freaking hilarious. U would think they would watch in the privacy of their own home. So they got balls. Theyll be on this board soon enough....long live UFC/MMA

Octarine Prince

Funny.

Don't play the JW game. Delete the picture. Let his conscience
and his wife's conscience condemn them.

If you think you are doing something wrong, it is wrong for you.

blondie

*** km 8/00 p. 4 par. 11 Are You Benefiting Yourself? ***When you hear a talk that includes Bible counsel on personal choices you make, do you sense that Jehovah is speaking directly to you? A brother felt that way. He said: "Recently at one meeting, there was a talk in which a brother discussed what forms of entertainment were proper for Christians and what forms were improper. I used to like to watch boxing on television. But after that meeting, I decided that this sport fell into the category of entertainment that would not be proper for Christians. So I don’t watch it anymore." Yes, though this brother had developed a fondness for something that is violent, he humbly responded to Jehovah’s leading.—Ps. 11:5.

The WTS uses weasel words and make it seem that it is a personal choice. Interestingly enough, if a jw were to become a boxer, I do believe that is a df'ing offense, and if a person wants to become a jw and is involved in boxing, are expected to quit.

*** w03 5/15 pp. 8-9 Before and After—Murky Past, Bright Future ***The transforming power of God’s word, as recorded in the Bible, is no less apparent today. For example, consider the case of a tall, strong man named Richard. Being hot-tempered, Richard would fight at the slightest provocation. His life was marred by violence. Richard even joined a boxing club. He trained hard and became heavyweight boxing champion of Westphalia, Germany. Richard also drank heavily and often got into brawls. On one such occasion, someone was killed, and Richard almost ended up in prison.

What about Richard’s marriage? "Before Heike and I studied the Bible," recalls Richard, "we each went our own way. Heike spent a lot of time with her girlfriends, while I enjoyed my hobbies—chiefly boxing, surfing, and diving."

When Richard and Heike started studying the Bible with Jehovah’s Witnesses, Richard was overwhelmed by the thought of having to make seemingly impossible changes in order to conform his life to the high standards set out in God’s Word. As he came to know Jehovah God better, however, Richard developed a strong desire to please him. Richard realized that God does not approve of lovers of violence or of those who exploit it for entertainment. "Anyone loving violence [Jehovah’s] soul certainly hates," Richard learned.—Psalm 11:5.

Moreover, the hope of living forever in a paradise on earth fascinated both Richard and Heike. They wanted to be there together! (Isaiah 65:21-23) The invitation "draw close to God, and he will draw close to you" deeply touched Richard. (James 4:8) He saw the value of heeding this inspired counsel: "Do not become envious of the man of violence, nor choose any of his ways. For the devious person is a detestable thing to Jehovah, but His intimacy is with the upright ones."—Proverbs 3:31, 32.

Despite having a strong desire to change his ways, Richard realized that he could not do so in his own strength. He came to see the need to seek God’s help in prayer. He thus acted in harmony with Jesus’ words to His apostles: "Pray continually, that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit, of course, is eager, but the flesh is weak."—Matthew 26:41.

After learning how God views violence and fits of anger, there was no doubt in Richard’s mind that boxing was an unacceptable sport. With help from Jehovah and encouragement from those who studied the Bible with him, Richard broke away from violence. He gave up boxing and brawling and decided to improve his family life. "Learning the truth from the Bible has helped me to stop and think before I act," says Richard, who is now a mild-tempered overseer in one of the congregations of Jehovah’s Witnesses. He adds: "The principles of love and respect now guide me in my relationship with my wife and children. As a result, our family has drawn together."

*** w81 7/1 pp. 30-31 Questions From Readers

Can a dedicated and baptized Christian take up professional boxing and still remain in good standing with his congregation?If a Christian were to become a professional boxer, this would put him in conflict with God’s counsel. Let us consider some of that Biblical advice.

The Scriptures clearly show that dedicated Christians are to produce the fruitage of God’s holy spirit, which is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, kindness, goodness, faith, mildness and self-control. (Gal. 5:22, 23) Professional boxing flies in the face of all such fruitage. The Bible counsels us to be "peaceable with all men" and not to fight but to be "gentle toward all." (Rom. 12:18; 2 Tim. 2:24) Similarly, at James 3:18 we read that "the fruit of righteousness has its seed sown under peaceful conditions for those who are making peace." Moreover, we are told to ‘love our neighbors as ourselves’ and that love works no "evil," and therefore no harm or hurt, to one’s neighbor.—Rom. 13:9, 10.

Professional boxing cannot be considered simply an innocent sport. It is a well-known fact that boxers go into the ring with a strong urge to hurt their opponents. For the time being, they may even have a murderous feeling toward them. This spirit may be sensed by observers, as can often be seen from the way spectators react at a boxing match. Time and again they are heard shouting, "Kill him! Kill him!"

So it is no wonder that from time to time the press reports that a boxer has been mortally injured in the boxing ring. In boxing there is always the risk that one of the fighters might become a manslayer, and, as the apostle John states, "you know that no manslayer has everlasting life." (1 John 3:15) Bearing on this is the opinion of one veteran boxing official that boxing is "legalized murder" and should be prohibited by law. It has also been described as "assault with malicious intent." And still another sordid aspect of professional boxing is the kind of people involved in running the sport. Often it is in the control of the underworld criminal element.

In view of these facts, what should be the attitude of the congregation elders toward a dedicated and baptized Christian who takes up professional boxing? First, they would want to counsel such a brother in keeping with the Scriptural principles enunciated above. (Gal. 6:1) They should kindly, yet firmly, present the reasons why such boxing is not compatible with being a dedicated follower of Jesus Christ, the "Prince of Peace." (Isa. 9:6) They could show him that a Christian is to "do hard work, doing with his hands what is good work." Earning money as a professional boxer by battering a opponent in a boxing ring can hardly be termed "good work."—Eph. 4:28.

The individual should also be reminded that while professional boxing might provide him with a comfortable livelihood, Christians do not need to stoop to such means, for God’s Word assures us, at Hebrews 13:5, 6: "Let your manner of life be free of the love of money, while you are content with the present things. For he has said: ‘I will by no means leave you nor by any means forsake you.’ So that we may be of good courage and say: ‘Jehovah is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?’"

Therefore, such a person should be given a reasonable period of time to discontinue his unchristian profession or occupation. His failure to do so would mean that the elders would have no alternative but to exclude him from the congregation.—1 Cor. 5:11-13.

troubled mind

My son is in town visiting this weekend .He is staying with his witness cousin (my son is inactive but still believes ). He told me a group of his witness friends got together to watch the UFC fight Saturday night . He also told me that he went to a dinner with several young couples and one of the guys drank so much he passed out and then puked !

As some one else posted on this site there is a new breed of witnesses in this young generation .As long as they go out in service and make meetings they get away doing whatever else they want it seems.

And yet my husband and I are treated as if we are beneath them and get the cold shoulder from these same people just because we quit going .

Jehovah's Witnesses and UFC fights on television...

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