Skydiving/Parachuting. A disfellowship offense? (page 3)

They might hound you for it, as they would for bungee jumping (I heard that one plenty of times). Neither are dangerous if done correctly and you follow a competent instructor's instructions. In fact, the most dangerous part is the drive to the place where you skydive or bungee jump, and field circus is inherently more dangerous than either.

What might happen is that, after you get hounded or they give a part from the platform about it, anyone that does it after that would be disfellowshipped--for brazen conduct.

minimus

Years`ago at the elder school I went to, they said since it showed a person's willful lack of appreciation for life, it was a disfellowshipping offense.

blondie

Examples of "dangerous" activities not necessary for life: not mentioned here, hang gliding, balloning, bullfighting, running the bulls, mountaineering, underwater activities, race car driving, ice cliff climbing, rock climbing, whitewater rafting, (elevator surfing, tunneling, subway surfing, stair diving, bungee jumping, motorcycling, free climbing, base driving,

*** g70 3/22 p. 4 Do You Value Your Life? ***

In the search for thrills, some go to the extent of participating in ‘suicide’ games. One such is to drive cars at high speed directly at each other. Whoever swerves first is ‘chicken.’ Others play ‘Russian roulette,’ where one bullet is put into a revolver, its chamber rotated, and the trigger pulled.

Of course, few people play ‘chicken’ or ‘Russian roulette.’ But many persons come alarmingly close to it in their normal driving habits. Statistics show that the two major causes of death and injury in automobile accidents are: (1) Exceeding the speed limit; and (2) reckless driving. These account for a huge proportion of the more than 50,000 killed and several million injured each year in automobile accidents in the United States alone.

The word “sport” signifies, according to one dictionary, “diversion; recreation; pleasant pastime.” But would you regard activities that involve maiming and killing as pleasant recreation? Some “sports” involve just such a disregard for the value of life.

Boxing, or prize fighting, shows contempt for the gift of life. its purpose is to hurt, to render senseless one’s opponent. While this may seem to young persons a way to fame and fortune regardless of injuries incurred or inflicted, ask yourself: Of the many thousands who have been boxers over the years, how many can you name who won fame and fortune? Very few. But many are those who have been beaten senseless and maimed mentally as well as physically. Some have been killed as a direct result of blows in the ring.

In no way could this “sport” be considered showing respect for life.

Do you want someone to pound you with his fists until you are unconscious? Then should you do that to him if you value the gift of life?

Wrestling is considered a “safe” sport by many. Yet, the intent is to do, or give the appearance of doing, physical damage to another. And it often results in injury. In England, a famous wrestler who recently quit upon becoming one of Jehovah’s witnesses

Even more dangerous to life and limb are some other activities labeled as “sports.”

One such is automobile racing. Vehicles are pushed to the highest possible speeds. But accidents occur regularly as vehicles go out of control, their drivers being maimed or killed. In the Grand Prix of Italy one year, a famous international driver was killed when his racer vaulted off the track. But it did not end there. His car plunged into a mass of spectators and fifteen of them were killed, others being injured. And a racing car that plunged into spectators at Le Mans, France, killed 85 people!

Mountain climbing is a popular “sport” with many. By mountain climbing we do not refer to the hiking on safe trails engaged in by millions of people all over the world. We refer to the kind where ropes and pegs and other special equipment are needed, where mountain faces and icy peaks are scaled. One tragedy on Mount McKinley, North America’s highest peak, took the lives of seven out of a team of twelve climbers. After the disaster, one expert said: “It’s amazing more people haven’t been killed on McKinley when you consider 400 are killed in the Alps every summer.”

Additionally, in mountain climbing some come away with frozen fingers or toes that have to be amputated. Or due to a fall they may be confined to bed for weeks, even months, with broken limbs, perhaps being permanently disabled. Is this the way to increase one’s enjoyment of life? With the threat of serious injury or death ever present, would you say that this “sport” shows proper respect for the gift of life? Would it not be better to stay on safe trails and enjoy the majestic mountain creation of God year after year?

Tens of thousands participate in the “sport” of skydiving. They jump out of an airplane high in the air, fall free for a while at speeds in excess of 100 miles an hour, then pull the rip cord of their parachute. In one jump, eighteen sky divers were released at an altitude of 20,000 feet. Down they plummeted in a free fall at a speed of 125 miles an hour into a cloud cover at 4,000 feet. When they broke through this cloud cover, they found to their horror that they had been released over the wrong spot. They were above the angry waves of Lake Erie instead of being over a landing field. Sixteen out of the eighteen drowned. One of the two survivors stated: “I won’t jump again.”

Therefore, the person who wants to live in God’s incoming new order will not endanger his life by engaging in activities just for ‘kicks’ or ‘thrills.’ He will appreciate that he needs to serve God to receive the reward of eternal life: “He that does the will of God remains forever.” (1 John 2:17) He realizes that he cannot serve God very well if he is maimed. And he cannot serve God at all if he is killed in some unnecessary activity.

Do you value your life? Do you want eternal life when paradise is restored to the earth? Then appreciate that the Giver of life, the One who is the Giver of eternal life, Jehovah God, should get first claim on your health and life. (Acts 17:24, 25; Rom. 6:23) Thus, value your life. Preserve it to the best of your ability. Appreciate that God holds you accountable for how you use the precious gift of life.

*** g92 4/8 p. 11 Motorcycles—How Dangerous Are They? ***

‘Should I Ride a Motorcycle?’So weigh these aspects of appeal and safety against each other when you consider riding a motorcycle. And if you are a Christian who values a clean conscience and respects the Bible, there are also some scriptures you will want to consider.

Proverbs 6:16, 17, for example, lists seven things that are detestable to Jehovah. One of them is “hands that are shedding innocent blood.” A law given to the ancient nation of Israel tells us more about Jehovah’s viewpoint on shedding innocent blood. The law states: “If a bull was formerly in the habit of goring and warning was served on its owner but he would not keep it under guard, and it did put a man or a woman to death, the bull is to be stoned and also its owner is to be put to death.” (Exodus 21:29) In other words, we are accountable for our possessions.

So if you have in mind getting a motorcycle, how will you handle it and what type will you choose? One of the powerful, potentially dangerous bikes that are designed for high-speed performance and that are often involved in fatal accidents? If so, will you be free of bloodguilt if you are involved in an accident? Even if you do not harm others, what about your own life? Will you show respect for the gift of life if you speed around dangerous corners just for the thrill of it?

(So don't these points apply to trucks and cars?)

This principle also applies to the maintenance of your motorcycle if you have one or obtain one. Your motorcycle can turn into a ‘goring bull,’ so to speak, if you do not keep the brakes in order. Additionally, each time before riding the motorcycle, you should make chain and engine checks. And how about being a nuisance to neighbors by reckless driving and loud noise?

True, if you are a motorcycle enthusiast, you may love the sound of the bike’s engine, but not everyone shares those sentiments. In fact, to some people the sound is so upsetting that they have been known to react violently. One irate man in Japan, reports the newspaper Nara Shimbun, threw a piece of lumber at a passing motorcycle. The rider, a 16-year-old motorcycle-gang member, died. Another person, stated the newspaper Asahi Shimbun, stretched a rope across a route frequented by bike gangs. The rope caught the neck of a young cyclist, who was strangled to death. And when the newspaper invited its readers to say how they felt about motorcycle-noise pollution, some readers sympathized with the ones who took those actions against the motorcyclists.

Of course, the Bible condemns such violent actions. But on the other hand, motorcyclists should not provoke others by cruising through residential areas on motorcycles that do not have mufflers, as motorcycle gangs sometimes do. After all, we should want to live up to the law that Jesus Christ gave his followers: “You must love your neighbor as yourself.”—Matthew 22:39.

wasblind

It's much safer to go door to door than skydive

stealthmode-brazil

blondie, interestingly, in the article you brought up, when talking about skydiving and other sports, they say it's a "sport" (in quotes). As if it were a "pseudo-sport".

steve2

The most dangerous "sport" is Questioning the Governing Body's Authority. It is such an extreme sport people have been known to lose their place in their congregations and treated as though dead. You have been warned, Brother!

prologos

A noisy motorcycle is a safer motorcycle,

The might not see you (a major cause of collissions) but they can hear you.

wear blinking Christmas decorations* while you bike. catch their attention.

The irony: youth are wiiling to squander 70 years for a cheap thrill,

70 year olds might tremble at a 3 ft fall, that could shorten their life by 2 years.

talk about golden( valued) years.

* a cartoon suggestion from a prominent Bike manufacturers' handbook.

L3G

This is not as official as the erudite blondie's always excellent research, but worth relating. Years ago a bro. was skydiving and the local BOE ganged up on the poor guy, telling him it was wrong. When the circuit overseer came round, they complained to him about this bro. The CO met with him, and since the CO had been in the airborne before coming into the truth, he went skydiving with the bro.!

Of course, this was years ago, before the more current stress on abject obedience in everything, so it prob. would not happen today. Still, I thought I should relate the real-life account. This account was reported to me by an old, retired CO. I certainly believe it since he confided many such things to me & was always reliable.

respectful_observer

It's not a DF-ing offense. I once had my C.O. tell me that he skydives occassionally. He told me "if you decide to go, just be sure you don't go around telling everyone. It only becomes an issue if someone is stumbled by it."

Skydiving/Parachuting. A disfellowship offense?

Cold Steel

WTWizard