Why can't Jehovah's Witnesses play after-school sports?

Question

Listen! "it is expected" that you will have no extra-curricular activities outside of the Watchtower. Such activity is a "danger" and "worldly". Organized to Accomplish Our Ministry 1983, p. 133.

To play sports with children that are not Jehovah's Witnesses is definitely "unwholesome"! School and Jehovah's Witnesses, 1983, p.23.

You are reminded that involvement in after-school sports tie you down, requiring you to spend evenings and weekends playing on a school team. You are expected to be at the lectures at the Kingdom Hall. "Any recreation you take outside of school should not be with worldly youths." Watchtower, 9/1/64, p.535.

I know many JW's, and I'm afraid for them.

Cathy...are you going to try and say it matters WHEN this was said??? If the organization no longer holds this view,then say so....don't try to distract from the question by saying it's old. Or did you receive "new light" again??

I thouroughly question the motives on this. Sounds like a Jonestwon tactic.

To Jiam: I didn't ignore your answer. All I did was provide quotes from the Watchtower publication. Are you saying these aren't what the magazine has said?

By the way, Jiam...I NEVER thumbs down answers. From anyone.

To Hanna: 1st Cor. 15:33 originated as a greek proverb, first appearing in a play by Menander. Of course, the verse encourages us to watch what we do. We can be influenced by the way others around us act. However, is that a command to never speak to family members who leave the JW church, or to cause your children to live in fear of their friends because they're "evil". And that begs the question...from the JW perspective....who exactly is "evil"? Is it anyone who isn't a JW?
Lastly, the verse warns us that we can be influenced by others. NOWHERE does it state you should live in a way that makes you and your children afraid of the people around them.

Achtung, I'll repeat the question I asked of Hannah: Do you consider non JW's evil or unwholesome, or are you able to judge individuals on their own merit? Do you give blanket descriptions of entire people groups as "evil"?

JR....being unequally yoked with non-christians in marriage and business relationships is one thing. Isolating yourselves and living in fear and translating that fear to your kids is another. By the way, I find it interesting that former JW's say that this IS what they were told.

Answer 1

...When I was a Witness..You were not allowed to play after school sports.....They change what they TELL you to do with the seasons.....So since they were wrong and I wasn't allowed to play, can sue them now for mot being as athletic as I Would have been?

More importantly...You could not have organ transplants or vaccinations!

So if I am a lazy, fat non vaccinated couch potato with a bad heart, can I sue them....LOL

Answer 2

No, I don't know that you are telling the truth. I was a Witness in the 60s and 70s and I had none of those problems at all. Maybe you were given poor advice or you misinterpreted something. But your experience does not compare with mine at all. Maybe you had a complaining and faultfinding attitude back then, as you apparently do now.

Answer 3

First of all it's not just Jehovah's witnesses that try to help it's youths to avoid bad association. Many religions do, because it's a fact that youths pick up bad habits from others.

Answer 4

When did JW's be considered believers in Christ? Don't you have to believe in the I AM of the bible to be considered a believer? Believers worship Jesus. JW's do not. So, whether or not they should participate in sports with onon-believers is moot in my mind.

Answer 5

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Answer 6

It has to do with being around 'worldly' people. So as not it influence them in the wrong way.

A good kingdom hall will have lots of out door activity that kids can do. Week end get together and such.

Muslims parents want their kids to play with Muslim kids, same with Jewish and some catholics.

SO IT IS NOT WRONG THAT JW'S WANT THEIR KIDS WITH ONLY JW'S

Answer 7

Other than the obvious bad association. Being involved in sports is very time consuming. My nieces where in sports for a couple years. It was a every night thing, practice, games etc... I don't even know how they got their homework done.

It gets down to what is more important? A game or serving Jehovah. Can a person stay spiritually strong missing at least two meetings a week to go play a game?

My nieces haven't done sports in a year and a half and don't miss it at all. They get plenty of exercise with their friends.
Honestly, how many kids are good enough to become professional. The competition puts lots of stress on kids. My niece came home crying one night after a game, because the other team was so mean, and she was her teams star player.

Playing sports are good for those who don't have any other outlet or ways to make friends. A lot of it is parents trying to re-live their childhood. The game becomes no longer fun for the kids, but work.

Answer 8

J's W's are certainly Not the Only religious faith,
who censors who their children are associating w/.
From members of Christendom, to Jews, to Muslims,
even Scientology does this.
Sooo What's Your Point?


We can do x-tra curricular actitivies,
as long as it doesn't detract from the
more important things of life.
You take a very small portion of an article,
& post it here, as tho' this was the only words written.
No other 411 was printed w/ it ???.....
You take it out of context,
to try and make J's W's look, other than what they r.

All (caring/decent) Parents Are Concerned With Who Their Children Are Associating With.

Answer 9

First, it's telling that your newest quote is from 1983.

Second, why shouldn't a close religious community encourage its members to stay within that community? Do you have the same complaint against Orthodox Jews and other groups? Or are you just picking on JWs for some other reason?

What's surprised me is that JWs have never started their own schools so that this isn't an issue for them. We Jews certainly have our own schools and afterschool programs for those that want that type of environment for their children, so do Muslims and many Christian groups.

Edit:
I'm not a JW, I'm Jewish. Even if this is still current doctrine, I still don't have a problem with it as I went on to explain above.

Answer 10

At 1 Peter 2:21, we are taught that Christ left us a model to follow closely in his footsteps. That being said, I will also ask you a question. If you tell it to me, I also will tell you by what authority Jehovah's Witnesses act in this connection: The warning that disciples of Christ ought to be very careful of their association [1 Corinthians 15:33], was it from man or was it from God?


Hannah J Paul

Answer 11

Umm....WE CAN!!! I PLAY BASKETBALL! MY SISTER IS IN BAND!!!!! as long as it doesn't interfere with the meetings. Yea, get your facts straight dude. And i just looked up where this was "stated". Yeah, I'll spare you the embarrassment.

And i like how you just kinda ignored my answer. Maybe if you give it enough thumbs down you can hide it from others