i was always told that chess was a war game and could not be played. i have since taught myself how to play.
what sports are frownd upon by the WT
by rockmehardplace 11 Replies latest jw friends
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undercover
Yea, some congregations were stricter than others when it came to the violence or physical aspect of a sport.
Every fall for several years we got together and played football on weekends. We played tackle one year but I remember getting clobbered on one play and blacking out. Another brother broke his leg. After that, we were "counseled", so we played tag from there on out.
During the colder, winter months and into spring, we rented a local school gym and played pick-up basketball games. We had so many brothers show up, we had multiple teams with the winner staying up and losers sitting until it rotated back to their turn. But it turned ugly one game when two excessively competitive brothers got in a fight after a hard foul. After that, attendance dwindled due to the elders investigating the situation until we couldn't even get 3 on 3 anymore.
But actually, it's not the violence or danger of a sport that prompts warnings...it's the time factor. It was the time it took away from "spiritual" things. They don't want their employees pursuing any activity that keeps them from selling magazines or sheparding harrassing the flock. Pioneers, MSs and elders bore the brunt of this as they were to set the example of the other publishers to not let "worldly" activities take too much importance.
An example of how brothers were counseled on sports not generally known as violent:
I knew two brothers who were excellent tennis players. They played every chance they got. And they used to get quite competitive and would hate losing. They got counseled for spending too much time pursuing this hobby instead of pursuing increasing their service hours. A side counsel was that they were too competitive. They were told to play without keeping score to keep the "proper" perspective.
Other brothers were avid golfers. They took lessons, played 9 holes in the evenings to practice and lived to play golf after service on Saturdays. Of course, over time, they too were counseled for allowing this activity to take too much importance in their lives.
Yet despite all these examples, dubs still manage to get together for pick-up basketball and football, golf and attend professional sporting events. I know of JW golf tournaments, complete with trophies, closest to pin contests, etc.
When it comes to sports and blue collar dubs, they're going to find a way to get their fix, whether they partake in the sport itself or spend time watching game after game on TV. Just another example of cognitive dissonance. They know they're supposed to shun these things and they can qoute the Society's stance on it, but yet they'll be wrapped up in it just as much as anyone else in the "world".