Yeah, I did. We would play soccer. But there wasn't ever a stable team through the whole of it: some stuck-up MS saying people in the opposing teams has to change sides so as not to foster the spirit of competition! Rubbish. If you were doing too well scoring goals he'll say you go downto defense, so it won't be like you were the centre of attention and get you some 'glory'. Nonsense; like we were at the kingdom hall. People got tired, and went to playing with regular, normal people.
Basketball and JW's
by lastcall 25 Replies latest jw friends
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Badger
They do take it seriously, and a good reason for this...
at least six brothers close to my age at my hometown congo wwould have played H.S. ball (any sport...myself, football and soccer), and this was our only slightly competitive outlet. Therefore, it was the only way to let off steam. If we had been allowed to play competitvely, we would have probably taken it easier and not been a serious with it..
I tried to organize soccer games with the Spanish congo that met in our hall. it was a blast. It was rough at first (teams were pretty much along congregational lines), but as we got to do it more regularly, it was more relaxed. The teams became more mixed, we always went to eat afterward, and really got along.
Then a C.O. visit...one sister (who didn't have any connection to the players whatsoever) complained. The C.O. said it could raise "Competitve spirits." I answered back, "If we as witnesses weren't competitive, then how do we justify competing fwith the world for the sheeplike ones in service?" Shortly after that, I stepped down.
Now I'm a soccer coach at our school. I look back at regret with not getting to play sports in school, but what can I do about it now? Just have as much fun as I can, I guess.
BTW: did you know the Bethel Gym has a restriction on dunking? Says it's the "spirit of the world." So when I temped and played, I crossed over a lot and finger rolled.
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amac
I always thought it odd that competition was frowned on at the congregational level, but at Bethel they have full on leagues with playoffs and everything for different sports that are played at the lunchtime hour.
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maxwell
Yeah I played basketball. Amazing how this happened all over. When I lived at home back in Tennessee, we played very competetively every winter. When I moved here to the DC Metro, there was a regular playing every Friday night in the winter. I was in a northern VA congregation at the time and we used to play with brothers from surrounding congregations and from DC and then once we had some come up from Richmond. Those brothers were very good players. We had a couple of elders in our cong. who were usually the better shooters and playmakers. The game got pretty heated at one point and one of our very own elders got pretty red in the face at one point. Yeah that's one thing I miss. I suppose I should find out where there's an open gym or community center in the area. There's a few outdoor courts around and I haven't really taken the time to go to them, however, I must admit that in the past playing with non-JW has been no more competetive than playing with JW.
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Oxnard Hamster
Yeah, the guy I studied with initially, before moving, constantly badgered me about playing basketball with the brothers. However, I politely declined because 1) I'm not interested in basketball. 2) I'm out of shape. 3) I heard bits and pieces from regulars that it gets pretty violent.
When I moved, a bunch of them got together and we just shoot baskets and played HORSE. They even allowed girls to play.
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Stacy Smith
A group of us girls got invited to basketball night a few times. They didn't expect us to want to play. I guess we were supposed to sit there and cheer for the turds. We wanted to play and they took it all serious and pushed us around. One guy elbowed me in the mouth and laughed about it, said if you can't take the heat get back IN the kitchen.
I told him that he'll die a virgin and left.
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Oxnard Hamster
Benjamin and Stacey - Wow. What a bunch of moronic assholes. If I would've saw that going on, I would've flattened one of them. I'm not very strong, but I am pretty heavy, and it would probably hurt if I sat on ya.
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Badger
Ben and Stacy (Hey, that could be an Ice Cream!):
I've also seen the same behavior...I also once invited all the young kids in the hall to a game, the kids only (ages 7-12). I chipped in (playing kind of a stooge...making bad shots, letting easy ones into the goal, letting the ball get stolen), and everyone was having fun. then the older ones showed up. I reminded them that this was kids only, and to watch themselves.
They didn't...it became Liverpool/Man U after that. the kids left, not having any more fun. I had a lot of apologizing to do to parents.
Just a theory...part of this behavior may be stemmed to the "all-the-same" delivery of the information from the FDS. almost no lit geared to the younger ones, no consideration for the women, everything is grown-man first, Kids have to sit through the same material adults do...everyone is the same in the eyes of the org...except we aren't.
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Stacy Smith
I think they're just a group of frustrated wannabe jocks who were never allowed to play sports and want to make sure that everyone knows they would have been a super star if they had. One time when I was there a really good player showed up and made them all look like asses. That was great.
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Oxnard Hamster
Kids have to sit through the same material adults do...everyone is the same in the eyes of the org...except we aren't.
Heh, and they always brag about how they don't "banish" kids off to Sunday School, where they would have more fun and learn more. What a bunch of baloney.