Rules Created by the Body of Elders and an Off Topic Question (page 2)

blondie

I know of several elders who have season tickets to several sports in the area and make a big deal of taking other brothers to these events, including the CO.

I guess it is only attending high school events that are "dangerous" to the spirituality of young JWs and that adult JWs can handle it.

What about watching sports on TV or at a sports bar?

Recently, the WTS did compare sports to the Roman games in the Colesseum (sp?).

*** w02 8/15 p. 29 Do You Remember? ***

The violent and deadly gladiatorial events of the Roman Empire have been compared to what modern spectator sports?
A recent exhibit in the Colosseum in Rome, Italy, suggested modern parallels by including video clips of bullfighting, professional boxing, auto and motorcycle races, and spectator fights at other modern sports events. Early Christians took to heart that Jehovah does not love violence or violent ones, and neither should Christians today. (Psalm 11:5)—6/15, page 29.

BlackSwan of Memphis

	Mar 29, 2006
	In our small town Football is like a religion , huge emphasis . Several Elders never missed a friday night game .(meeting was thurs. night ) My own hubby never missed a game . But our own kids were suppose to reject any idea of participation. How hypocritical....and the kids notice they are not stupid .

Mar 29, 2006

I know of several elders who have season tickets to several sports in the area and make a big deal of taking other brothers to these events, including the CO.
I guess it is only attending high school events that are "dangerous" to the spirituality of young JWs and that adult JWs can handle it.
What about watching sports on TV or at a sports bar?

Good points. I hadn't thought about it like that. I know in our area (Detroit) hockey is Huge. (football and baseball not as much lol) And yeah, people make a huge deal over these sports. Double standards? meagan

Clam

We would often have football matches (soccer in American) against other Congos™. Do you think sports will be evident in the New World™??

BlackSwan of Memphis

Clam:

hm, broken bones, bloody noses, fighting etc. (I'm thinking of american hockey Red Wings style as I write this)

Is that possible in the new order? We'll have to wait and see.

meagan

AuldSoul

Our BOE would put the smackdown on anyone who went out for sports unless they were from a mixed religion household and one parent wanted them to go out for sports. However, they would not use someone who played team sports for any "privileges." OH, how I wanted to play sports!

Respectfully,
AuldSoul

fleaman uk

Clam

Wonder if i played against you(or even with you!!Ive discovered a very small world on here!!)

We had 5-a-side tournaments and everything down here.Used to really enjoy my footie.

shadow

Homecoming queen?

(Esther 2:17-18) 17

And the king came to love Esther more than all the other women, so that she gained more favor and loving-kindness before him than all the other virgins. And he proceeded to put the royal headdress upon her head and make her queen instead of Vash´ti. 18 And the king went on to hold a great banquet for all his princes and his servants, the banquet of Esther; and an amnesty for the jurisdictional districts he granted, and he kept giving presents according to the means of the king.

Hero worship?

(Esther 6:11) 11

And Ha´man proceeded to take the apparel and the horse and clothe Mor´de·cai and make him ride in the public square of the city and call out before him: "This is how it is done to the man in whose honor the king himself has taken a delight."

general

When I was in High School I did Track and Field, which I excelled at. I did the 200 m, 400 m, 4X200 m relay and the 55 m in Indoor track. In Outdoor Track I did the 100 m, 400 m, 4X100 m relay and sometimes the 200 m...When I first joined Organized sports in my sophomore year of High School it caused a big uproar in the congregation as it was a seen of blatant disrespect of congregational rules that had been instituted by the local body of elders.

Of course, unable to think for themselves like the mindless drones that the elders are, they relied upon publications of the Watchtower and Tract Society to support their directives. I remember being talked to by a few elders who tried to get me to stop doing Track and Field....OF COURSE I stood my ground especially when your one of the TOP 4 runners in the league and in the TOP Ten in the state.

They pulled out a bunch of young people ask articles pertaining to organized sports, which are nothing more than the society's opinion. Of course they always alluded to scriptures such as " being no part of the world and he that loves the world is constituting himself as enemy of God," and " Bad associations spoil useful habits." Once they quoted those scriputres they woud proceed to support their assertions by citing biblical examples such as Dinah who associated with the Cannanknights and got screwed by Shechem...blah blah...

After they had made their opening statements... I proceeded to ask them "yet do we not have to live in the world until God Destroy's this wicked system of things?"

The Elders replied, " Yes"

Me: " Do you not agree with me that a high school diploma does not carry as much weight in the job market as it once did?"

Elders: " Yes your right."

Me: " Don't we need to find a job to support ourselves so we can serve Jehovah...now tell me is becoming a janitor or window washer going to cut it in a world where necessity goods are subject to the constant forces of inflation?? Now I am of the opinion if one has a good paying job they will have more resources that they can devote to serving Jehovah...they can help the congregation more...Now the gateway to obtaining more resources is usually via a college degree...and doing track will make me more competitive during the admission process...as opposed to having only my grades for the admission officers to judge me by. Today's colleges want to see a well rounded person...Now the articles you have presented to me are nothing more than the organizations opinion and nowhere in the bible does it say I can't play organized sports....I am not sinning in the eyes of God..

Elders: " Well you stumbling some"

Me: " Well, maybe you should counsel them not to be so sensitive and to be focuse on their own spiritual advancement. Are we done? Because I am not going to stop playing organized sports

Elders = Speechless

LOL

General

Jim_TX

Well this certainly touches a sore spot with me...

When I was a lad, my older sisters were in High School - and they were learning folk dances during P.E. (Physical Education). Note: for some odd reason - they only did the dances with the girls - and not the boys.

Anyway - they decided to rent a party hall - and had a 'square dance' party. For those not in the U.S. ... Virginia reel, square dance, etc. All dances were at 'arms length'.

All who attended... close to 100 - had a grand time. They got wore out too.

It was so successful - and we got such positive feedback that my mom decided to do it again.

In step the 'elders' - although in them days they weren't called that... not sure whut their titles were.

There was this one elder in particular that was against any 'fun' - and he convinced the other two that they should all unite against my mom and older sisters. They got called in ('on the carpet' was the phrase my mom and sisters used), and were told that they couldn't hold these gatherings.

No scriptural reasons... no 'the society sez'... just 'don't do it'.

My mom and sisters got out the 'bound volumes', did their research - and wrote the 'society' in Brooklyn a letter asking if it was okay - quoting the literature, of course.

They got a letter back (I think it was a 2-pager), saying that it was okay - within their guidelines - that she was following.

Well... my mom 'called a meetin' with the elders. Let them read the letter, too. Their faces were red - boiling they were.

Ya know... even after that... they were STILL trying to shut her down.

The next dance that she held was boycotted by most... we figure the word went out to not go - or else.

So ... yeah! The local elders DID make up their own 'rules'.

Regards,

Jim TX

lilybird

In our congregation in the late 1970's, an elder who ran his own business and drove a cadillac had his kids in organized sports. His son played on the house league baseball team and his daughter was in the skating program. I remember it was discouraged at that time by the society, but no one said anything to him.He was a big donater to the hall.. and pretty much did what he pleased.. while remaining an elder.. It seems that the average JW struggling to make ends meet must tow the line,, but if you have money.. you can do whatever you like.. as long as you put on appearances at the hall..He was also creepy because he would look the young sisters up and down as they went up the stairs to the KH.

Rules Created by the Body of Elders and an Off Topic Question

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