Then and now - sports

larc

Earlier, I wrote, "then and now" on military service and dating practices

Onacruse and AlanF encouraged me to do this. I am 64, so I really do know the religion of the 40's and 50's.

I was in high school from 54 to 58. I played high school baseball for three of those four years. A JW friend of mine played high school basketball. Another JW friend of mine was on the track team.

Sports were not encouraged, but they were not discouraged either.

Dustin

Consider yourself lucky. Sports will always be a huge part of my life. Unfortunately a cult denied me the oppurtunity to do the one thing I was awesome at. When I was in highschool I used to run the mile in 4:17. That would have done real well at state. I probably could have gotten a scholarship to a college. But oh well, I was too busy serving God. Although I'm still pretty fast for my age. I can still run a 5:25 mile at 27 years old. It still is a very sore spot for me.

Dustin

confusedjw

I was in highschool I used to run the mile in 4:17.

That's amazing! You certainly would have gotten a scholarship with that and likely State records

Dustin

Confuedjw, that's why I'm still so angry. I really believed the lies I was being told, and thought God was happy that I was miserable not being able to do what I love. Do you know how fun it was to destroy the top track stars in gym class? I actually had three gym classes in one day my junior year. I ran the mile 3 times in the same day, and every time it got faster. But I guess that's the past, but I still have so much bitterness and hatred towards them for taking that away from me.

Dustin

confusedjw

No kidding Dustin. That cost you literally thousands of dollars as you would have gotten a full boat scholarship with that time,--------- I am sure. With proper training...well who knows.

While still active a JW friend told me that he had wished he let his son play baseball. It was on that day that I decided that sports was a conscience matter. A State Championship later..................it has been great for my son....

Sorry Dustin that really sucks - embrace your bitterness!

Dustin

It's that bitterness that is driving me this year in my training for my half marathon coming up. It's a big part of me. Talking to people who understand that really helps me. It's been a long road getting back to feeling normal after leaving that religion. I'll make sure I do good, and I'll let you know my time. The run is the second weekend in May.

Dustin

Carmel

One of my secret motives for choosing to leave the UUs was to play sports. Paid off with a scholarship, so guess I picked the right bingo card.

carmel

Whiskeyjack

Anybody know the "official" and "unofficial" org. stances on this today? It was extremely discouraged in my day (early eighties).

I had a younger sibling (early nineties) that did play high school rugby (my dad had decided it was better to keep him busy than hanging around with other kids in their local cong. We laugh because our father was so embittered by then with local elder cadre (the majority's "strange" lack of desire to discipline one of their own in regards to his sons' behaviour and the stink he was obliged to kick up right up to the DO level but that's another story) that once, he actually left a Sunday meeting ten minutes early to drive him a game (you'd have to know him to realize what unusual behaviour this was for him)!

Sorry for the run on sentences.

W.

Mulan

A boy in our congregation went to my high school, played basketball and baseball. Today he is a prominent elder in Oregon somewhere. I guess sports in school didn't taint him much.

That was about 1961 or 1962. Things were really different in JW land. I had friends from other congregations that were class officers, cheerleaders and participated fully in school activities. I did too, and was the class Historian, until I left school and got married.

Cygnus

I guess all I can add to this is that I probably could have played high school sports but I felt it was the wrong thing to do.

I remember, maybe 9 or 10 years ago when I was still a JW the circuit overseer said something from the platform about children going to school activities instead of being at the meeting. He was referring to a family that had their two little girls perform in a dance recital that coincided with a meeting night, and they chose the dance recital. Boy was the father mad at the CO and almost had to be restrained when he had words to say to that CO. (That CO, by the way, was a huge hockey fan and would play ice hockey with the local brothers when we rented out ice rinks for a couple of hours late at night on weekends.)

Then and now - sports

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