Did you know that it is wrong to play Chess?

by Rod P 46 Replies latest jw friends

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  gumby

  Perhaps your bookstudy conductor had a special place in his heart for chess and that is why you discussed the article in detail.

  Exactly.

  Many times we here on this forum of certain actions by elders in a particular area that are different than what elders do in other area's. One thing must be remembered.............elders can be boneheads because many of them are eager beaver idiots, trying to play god....who many times go beyond what the society is suggesting.

  Some areas are very different than other area's as far as how elders vfiew things. Sometimes you have a very domineering PO who runs the show and when he doesn't approve of something (such as chess).....he'll let his pet peave ideas influence the actions of his fellow elders.

  Gumby
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  RunningMan

  I posted my opening remarks on this thread at 14:01, trying to remember an article from years ago. Then at 14:04 (3 minutes later) you post the precise article from Mar.1973 (32 years ago). You must've passed thru a time warp or wormhole or sumthin'. What's your secret?

  Well, you see, chess is like a ouiji board. All you have to do is play one game, and you automatically receive your own demon.
• 

  Rod P

  Oroborus21

  Well, Eduardo, I take your point. My thread title may be misleading. I went back to try and Edit in "It was then, but not now" but it won't accept the change.

  For my opening remarks, I described my recollections of the bookstudy, but did not give it a time reference. However, the very next post from Running Man had the very article, which referenced this to 1978. This may be missed by Newbies if they do not read it carefully.

  On the point of what we were studying, it was that Awake article from 1973. I don't think the bookstudy conductor was singling me out, or had a pet peeve about chess. It just happened to be what we were studying on a timely basis.

  I must apologize to anyone who I may have given a wrong impression to. I have been out of the Org. since 1966, so I had no idea the thinking had changed. That's why I did not think dating was an issue.

  It's scary to me that you cannot say anything about what the WBTS has said or teaches, because you never know when they are going to change their minds next. Thank you all for keeping me on the straight and narrow, and if the Newbies and Surfers read this whole thread they should get a more balanced view overall. Be assured, that I have absolutely no intention to misrepresent.

  Rod P.
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  Rod P

  I still find it interesting that at one time, it was OK to play chess. Then along comes 1973 and it's not OK to play chess. Then some time later it's OK to play chess. Kind of like Old Light - New Light - and then back to Old Light (which is New Light now). One of these days I'll figure out how Truth works!

  There's nothing in that Awake magazine article to suggest that it's OK to go ahead and play if you want to. Sounds to me pretty clearly that they were against chess. But yes, it still didn't get presented in the Watchtower and other book publications. In our lake of the woods, we took the advice of what was in the Awake magazine as the way the Society looked at things, and therefore felt compelled to follow the advice.

  Enough said.
• 

  Earnest

  ... in chess you have to be a fighter... This helps to explain why there are no topflight women chess players...

  http://www.kosteniuk.com/

  http://susanpolgar.com/polgarchess/index.jsp
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  Rod P

  Right on, Ernest!

  Kind of feels like this thread has a lot of "fighters" on it, doesn't it!

  This is also like the fields involving Math and Science. Traditionally it was thought that boys had a greater aptitude for these subjects than girls. Later, research demonstrated that it had a lot to do with the social stigma against girls being too "brainy". Also, there was a lot of resistance in terms of the career opportunities. Now the gender gap is rapidly closing, and it's turning into another one of those "Urban Myths" that boys are smarter than girls in those fields/subjects.

  Rod P.
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  RunningMan

  I think what happens, is that someone at the society comes up with a great idea. For example, analyze the game of chess to death and draw a ridiculous conclusion using specious reasoning.

  Well, the average dub reads this, knows it's bullshit, but grudgingly complies for a while. Eventually, the issue is pretty much forgotten and thereby ignored. The society never takes it off the books, because to do so would simply remind people about their mental fart. If anyone asks, the official answer can be: "well, that was a long time ago. It applied then, but hasn't been updated. Don't worry about it." The internet, however, has the great advantage of being able to put a spotlight on this idiocy for a long, long, time.

  It's kind of like, a few years ago, an overzealous District Overseer gave a talk about the evils of "The Simpsons". For a while, it became fashionable for JWs in my area to shun Homer. But, over time, people just gave up and forgot the stupid advice.
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  Robdar

  Hmmm. Must be "new darkness light". I belonged to the chess club in high school and never got in trouble for it. But then again, the club meetings never interferred with meeting nights.
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  Rod P

  Anybody ever hear of the game "Marshall"? The board is supposed to have two rows extended beyond the 64 squares on all four sides. This means two sets of black and two of white, and they meet in the middle. This also means you have to check-mate two kings. The game would involve 4 players, 2 on each team, playing against the other team. Also, the Queen piece is a Marshall, which can do all of the moves of a conventional Queen, but then also has the option of moving as a knight. At least that was how it was described to me those many years ago. I would love to get my hands on one of those board games! Know where??

  Rod P.
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  RunningMan

  I didn't realize the game was called marshall, but yes, I have played it. Neither my son or I liked the game. The Bishops suddenly became too powerful, since with one move you could get then free and attack the person next to you, whereas the rooks were plugged up. It also tends to throw off your chess instincts.