Mr. Falcon Asks......What's so bad about boxing?

by Mr. Falcon 56 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

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  Mr. Falcon

  I love boxing. It kicks arse all over the place. Although it has lost some of it's prior glory and has waaaay too many classes that are televised and billed as "main events", it's still better than MMA (sorry to any MMA fans; I actually don't mind UFC, I'm just saying that I prefer traditional boxing).

  Anywho, what is the deal with JWs hating on boxing? I even heard that you can be in big trouble if it was found out that you watch boxing. Now if this is the case, then why do JWs at times use boxing illustrations, likening our spiritual battle to how a fighter must prepare and train. (Or am I the only one who's ever heard of this?) I've had at least 2 CO's who go up there and give talks where they make some illustration pertaining to the ministry where they mention how they "used" to enjoy boxing when they were younger. They are always careful to state how this was when they were "younger" and now they have the peace of Christ. And didn't Paul write something about likening our spiritual warfare to boxing or fighting or something?

  Give a shout out if you think boxing is awesome and this is just another thing that JWs blow out of proportion.

  Also let me hear if you've ever gotten to Tyson, let alone beat him. I never got to Mike because Mr. Sandman always made short work of me.
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  Morbidzbaby

  OMG...low-bit graphics...total flashback lol.

  I like certain "fight sports"...not a huge fan of boxing, but any violent sport (even football) is considered a no-no.

  I remember when one of the recent books came out...can't remember if it was the Draw Close or not, but it mentioned watching sports in which the "players" dress up for protection much like gladiators in ancient Rome and how it wasn't something suitable for Christians to enjoy as entertainment. Now, my mind went to football. And of course, they didn't come right out and say "Don't you dare watch football". It was more of the same pandering around the subject and twisting your brain into a pretzel so that you think the way they do.
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  J. Hofer

  according to the new elder's book, boxing is alright, as long as you don't win (i.e: boxing for money).

  losing a box fight goes well with first christian arena parties, in other words, suffering for christ.
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  dgp

  I don't think boxing is bad on religious grounds. I think it's not humane to have two men beat each other for money, particularly in view of the effects that has on them later in life.

  A certain cartoonist said once that "boxing is the favorite sport of Christians".

  The Wikipedia states the following as medical concerns:

  Medical concerns

  See also: The distance (boxing)#Criticisms of distance limit

  Knocking a person unconscious or even causing concussion may cause permanent brain damage. [ 28 ] There is no clear division between the force required to knock a person out and the force likely to kill a person. Since 1980, more than 200 amateur boxers, professional boxers and Toughman fighters have died as the result of ring or training injuries. [ 29 ] Thus, in 1983, the Journal of the American Medical Association called for a ban on boxing. The editor, Dr. George Lundberg, called boxing an "obscenity" that "should not be sanctioned by any civilized society." [ 30 ] Since then, the British, [ 31 ] Canadian [ 32 ] and Australian [ 33 ] Medical Associations also have called for bans on boxing.

  Supporters of the ban state that boxing is the only sport where hurting the other athlete is the goal. Dr. Bill O'Neill, boxing spokesman for the British Medical Association, has supported the BMA's proposed ban on boxing: "It is the only sport where the intention is to inflict serious injury on your opponent, and we feel that we must have a total ban on boxing." [ 34 ] In 2007, one study of amateur boxers showed that protective headgear did not prevent brain damage, [ 35 ] and another found that amateur boxers faced a high risk of brain damage. [ 36 ]

  In 1997, the American Association of Professional Ringside Physicians was established to create medical protocols through research and education to prevent injuries in boxing. [ 37 ] [ 38 ]

  Professional boxing is forbidden in Norway, Iceland, Cuba, Iran and North Korea. It was banned in Sweden until 2007 [ 39 ] when the ban was lifted but strict restrictions, including four three-minute rounds for fights, were imposed. [citation needed]

  It's interesting that professional boxing is banned in Cuba. They have world-class amateur boxers. I suppose the reason is that professional boxing tends to be a very "capitalistic" activity.
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  palmtree67

  I can't watch boxing or UFC.

  It makes me cry.
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  Pika_Chu

  What's bad about boxing? It's too much fun, so you're not allowed to watch it. Fun is wrong.
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  undercover

  Boxing is a DFing offense. Watching it isn't but I've heard talks given that "strongly suggested" that a Christian would not watch such violence. If it's DFing to participate then it has to be an issue to watch, per the speakers.

  I think the deal with boxing was that it was violence for violence sake. The goal was to knock the other guy out. Other sports could be coined "violent" but the goal of the game was to score points, not hurt the opponent (on record that is). But of course, some elders deemed any sport that could have a violent connotation, such as American football, rugby, hockey and championship tiddlywinks as violent and was to be avoided by true sissy Christians.
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  miseryloveselders

  I love boxing too, would have loved to try my hands at it, and I still shadow box for exercise purposes. To keep it real with you, it is violence though right? Psalms 11:5 is ringing in my head like a cowbell. "The Lord examines the righteous, but the wicked and anyone loving violence his soul hates." Not to mention, beating each other's brains out for entertainment doesn't excactly jibe with Christian love and all that jazz. I kind of lump boxers who talk about Jesus within the same group I throw rappers with violent and misogynistic rhymes yet wear diamond encrusted crosses, and hypocritical fundamentalist war mongers such as George W, and General William G. Boykin. Plus, what do sports like this say about us as people? Are we really that far removed from the gladiator days in the Roman empire? What message do sports like Boxing, and MMA send to our young people?

  

  Granted the argument can be made that its curious that The Lord doesn't like violence, yet at the same time is preparing to unleash the biggest slaughter in the history of man if you believe in that doctrine. Also, God's chose people were pretty darn brutal when it came to their neighbors.
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  unshackled

  Falcon, big boxing fan here. Bragging first: I beat Tyson 3 or 4 times as a kid, back when my reflexes were still kickass. Was a matter of memorizing his patterns and reacting at exactly the right moment. Wasn't much room for error. Dug out the ol' Nintendo years later and couldn't come close.

  I don't recall hearing too much about 'boxing is bad' while a JW. Think it was my father, a devout elder, that got me into it...though unintentionally I'm sure. Remember him watching Ali fights, and vividly remember watching Sugar Ray Leonard vs. Hagler. Though wasn't something he broadcasted, kinda one of those secret pleasures. Like drinking.

  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tbr7Q1hklLk
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  miseryloveselders

  I don't recall hearing too much about 'boxing is bad' while a JW. Think it was my father, a devout elder, that got me into it...though unintentionally I'm sure. Remember him watching Ali fights, and vividly remember watching Sugar Ray Leonard vs. Hagler. Though wasn't something he broadcasted, kinda one of those secret pleasures. Like drinking.

  Hagler was robbed right?!?!? I still get angry over that fight till this day. When Tyson was at his prime, I remember going to JW boxing parties. Brothers would have all kind of food, and brew, kids playing, it was great back then, some very good memories. I can't remember when, but somewhere around when Tyson got knocked out for the first time, right around then the WT must have put out some magazine, or sent some letter, because the parties stopped at that point., Boxing still had some popular folks even after Mike's fall from grace, so there was no reason for the gatherings to stop. I can only imagine, the orders came from up high that boxing is a no-no for JWs.