by BU2B 36 Replies latest jw friends
I think Monopoly has caused more tension than chess ever did in my family!
I think it's one of those things although not out rightly banned, it is up to each family to decide if they can handle competition with each other without being a sore loser in the end.
A recent mag had an illustration showing an "approved" living room scene and what do you know? There on the coffee table was a chess game! That tells me its approved without them saying, its approved.
chess was never an issue, I learned about the AWake article of 73 here on the forum...
what was a bit questioned was risk, but even that, lots of JW played it in the early 90`s
I know lots of JW's that play chess and would (brazenly!) have a nice ornate chess board in their living room.
If you became a JW after those articles were published then I don't think people know about the older JW's view of chess.
It just goes to show what happens when you start to make rules for every little thing.
*** g96 9/22 p. 22 How Can I Have a Good Time? ***
What are some things you can do at a gathering—besides simply watching TV, listening to music, or conversing? “We usually plan the evening in advance,” says Sanchia. “We’ve played games or had someone play the piano, so we could sing songs together.” An African youth named Masene says: “We sometimes play cards, draughts [checkers], and chess.”
The testimony of these Christian youths makes one fact dramatically clear: You do not have to miss out on having a good time. Follow Bible principles. Be imaginative! Take healthy initiatives! You will find that you can enjoy yourself in ways that will build you up and not tear you down.
(I wonder how many elders gave up soccier or American football)
*** w04 5/1 p. 31 Ancient Sports and the Importance of Winning ***
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.”
In its right place, exercise can be enjoyable, and the apostle Paul did say that “bodily training is beneficial for a little.” (1 Timothy 4:7-10) When he spoke of the Greek games, however, Paul appropriately referred to them merely to illustrate the importance for Christians to have such qualities as self-control and endurance. The goal Paul was striving to attain, above all else, was that of receiving the God-given “crown” of everlasting life. (1 Corinthians 9:24-27; 1 Timothy 6:12) In that, he set an example for us.
There is no understanding on Chess. Just because the Awake had an article on something, does not make it an understanding. I mean, for real? Do people follow what is written on everything? I've never been one to care what the Awake said.
And because it has war strategies, does it make it bad? The bad part of war is that it destroys properties and civilians. Chess does not have those.
This 1996 Awake is about how JWS should choose entertainment....the article considers chess an acceptable choice at jw parties.
Yes.. they win you lose.
Yea I guess they have bigger fish to fry in 2014 what with Call of Duty, and GTA V and millions of free videos of internet porn on every cell phone to worry about lol.
On a more serious note, this subject should stress to everyone that the WT is EXTREMELY legalistic and meddling into other peoples affairs and what does not concern them. Can anyone think of ONE subject they have not made a rule or "guideline" for???
By the way, thanks Blondie for those quotes :)
