Should JWs be watching the the Olympics?

darkspilver

From the Awake 8 November 1994, page 26

The Olympic Religious Mix
The Olympic Games are rooted in Greek religion. They were born as a religious festival to honor Zeus, supreme among the Greek gods. Various features of the modern Games have an aura of religiousness: solemn rituals for the Olympic flag, the “sacred” flame, and the Olympic oath. The nearly 100-year-old Greek hymn sung at the opening of the Games was translated into Norwegian for the opening ceremony in Lillehammer. This Olympic hymn has strong religious overtones. It is understood to be a hymn to Zeus. The lyric includes the following statements: “Immortal spirit of antiquity,/Father of the true, beautiful and good,/Descend, appear, shed over us thy light/ . . . Give life and animation to those noble games!/ . . . All nations throng to adore thee,/Oh immortal spirit of antiquity!”
The Norwegian Lutheran Church, through its own Olympic Committee, arranged for an extensive music and religious program. All major church organizations were represented in a large interfaith project. The official Olympic chaplain and an international and ecumenical clergy team were available in the Olympic Village at Lillehammer

https://www.jehovahs-witness.com/topic/5962523979284480/how-much-do-olympics-athletes-earn-when-they-bring-home-medal?page=2#/6075546312114176

Link to image below

Are you trying to score a cheap point here or are you serious? If you are serious, it's a lost cause. Plenty of JWs I know are avid fans of 'their country' even if they hide it a bit. And don't get me going on the everlasting controversy over the Williams sisters! Even though I am still a sort of active Witness I snuck a look at how my 'native' country is doing at the Games. I am not nationalistic (that was sucked out of me over many yrs of being a JW) but some form of interest in how my homeland is doing still remains. Could be something to do with how my countrymen and women usually go down in flames as plucky losers. It's complicated.

Crabby

Hell no every country has a flag.................

darkspilver

Are you trying to score a cheap point here or are you serious?

No not me sir

It was James Mixon, honest!

That's why I linked to JM's post:

https://www.jehovahs-witness.com/topic/5962523979284480/how-much-do-olympics-athletes-earn-when-they-bring-home-medal?page=2#/6075546312114176

New day

Anyway, to me the point is that plenty of JWs follow the Olympics, their own national football, rugby and other teams. So really us JWs are just like everyone else in this way, but we are too gutless to admit it!

blondie

The WTS has said that football is like the gladiator games and jws should not watch them...but I know many elders who do, have season tickets, and a special viewing room in their home with the colors and pictures of their team.

So why

*** w04 5/1 p.31

The religious nature of the games was one reason for first-century Christians to shun them, for “what agreement does God’s temple have with idols?” (2 Corinthians 6:14, 16) What of sports today?

Obviously, modern sports do not honor pagan gods. Yet, is it not true that some sports are surrounded by a near-religious fervor, comparable to that which existed among the ancients? Moreover, as reports over the last few years have shown, in order to win, some athletes have been willing to take performance-enhancing drugs that endanger their health and even their lives.

For Christians, physical achievement is of very limited worth. Spiritual qualities of “the secret person of the heart” are what make us beautiful in God’s eyes. (1 Peter 3:3, 4) We recognize that not all who take part in sports today have a fierce competitive spirit, but many do. Will association with them help us to follow the Scriptural exhortation to ‘do nothing out of contentiousness, or out of egotism, but to have lowliness of mind?’ Or will such association not result in “enmities, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, contentions, divisions”?—Philippians 2:3; Galatians 5:19-21.

Many modern contact sports have a potential for violence. Anyone attracted to such sports does well to remember the words of Psalm 11:5: “Jehovah himself examines the righteous one as well as the wicked one, and anyone loving violence His soul certainly hates.”

Why is it that in this area jws (especially elders) have Super Bowl parties (American football), with food, alcoholic drink, big tvs, and “riotous celebrating,” and “team” fervor (no international fervor for soccer though it’s growing). I know elders who have season tickets and “make friends” with their unrighteous riches and it does not involve God of Jesus.

http://www.jsonline.com/features/homeandgarden/man-caves-are-stuffed-with-emblems-of-states-favorite-team-packers-v52qhm3-133507353.htmlwould the Olympics be any better.

James Mixon

Thanks darkspilver, blame it on me "It was James, honest. LOL

Good find on the Nov. 8th Awake.

darkspilver

Hey James Mixon

Thanks darkspilver, blame it on me "It was James, honest. LOL
Good find on the Nov. 8th Awake.

haha, thanks - you're cool

WTWizard

Anything that is entertaining or that helps people prepare for a real crisis or with their soul is banned. The Olympics, while a distraction against the hyperinflation that is coming, is entertaining and if you wish to watch it, you should be able to. You can always check the silver price during the commercials--one commercial break is long enough to order whatever silver you need, and then you can enjoy the rest of the program.

So what if it is nationalist? That is how nations survive--by being nationalists. Races and nations that do not fight to remain separate soon become extinct or enslaved. As for the Olympics, there is nothing nationalist about it--aside the pride that the participants get if they win or honorably lose. I always thought, as a jokehovian witless, that the Olympics were simply a way to have war without combat. Figure skating, skiing, gymnastics, and running were all supposed to be war without the shooting. Bunk--if you find it entertaining to watch people participate in competitive sports, whether brute strength or technical, by all means do it. And there is nothing wrong with cheering for your home country, so long as they play clean (I find it reprehensible for athletes or nations to cheat, usually by using drugs to enhance performance). Better to lose honorably than to win dirty.

RubaDub

Some of the Olympic Sports certainly have roots in Greek religions and culture.

That's why my conscience allows me to only watch non-Greek based events such Womens Beach Volleyball.

Rub a Dub

Should JWs be watching the the Olympics?

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