Why is it that in most Mormon families it is okay to watch the news on Sundays with its inevitable depictions of murder and mayhem, while football games are forbidden?
Not bashing, I'm just truly curious. No one seems to have a concrete answer.
2007-12-19 09:12:55 · 25 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Me, being a "Mormon", do not watch the news nor any sports games on Sundays (and being an avid hockey fan, it can be tempting at times.) Until I got married, I didn't watch TV at all on Sundays; but now I compromise and will watch a family type show with my family.
To answer your question, it boils down to one of three thoughts: ignorance (ie new member), rationalization or different interpretation. Ignorance and rationalization are self-explanatory. As for different interpretation: the commandment is to keep the Sabbath Day holy; for me, that means keeping focused on God and family; thus leaving the temporal world to itself, including TV. For others, they may not see TV as a bad thing on the whole. And there are also those who might believe that spectator sports take away from the Sabbath Day observance by purchasing tickets and taking time and energy away from the family/God; but watching the news doesn't because people aren't actively participating in it.
I don't know if any of this makes sense; nonetheless I hope it helps.
2007-12-19 12:24:39 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
I know a lot of Mormon families that don't watch any TV on Sunday's and others who watch TV like it was any other day. My point is that it depends on the family. I think we're all on the TV watching on Sunday's continuum and some of us (Mormons) are just closer to the perceived ideal (of no TV on Sundays) than others. We're all just doing our best. Some think that there is a difference between watching the news and watching football because football provides a source of entertainment while news is current events. Although I agree that the news is usually much more violent than football ever thought about being. I personally don't watch the news all that frequently (Sundays or any other day), but I do watch TV on Sundays. I try not to watch anything that is "Live" - in my warped mind it's less bad to watch a PBS show or a movie, or a rerun than it is to watch something Live because the people doing the Live show are actually having to work on Sundays which we (Mormons) try not to do (we are advised to spend Sunday with the Lord and our family).
2007-12-19 09:52:01 · answer #2 · answered by Tonya in TX - Duck 6 · 3⤊ 0⤋
the snow is not outrageous right now. at least not in the city.
my friend was told she was going to hell by one of the Sunday school ladies in the church because she watches sports on Sunday. Thank goodness not all Mormons are that crazy.
oh and there is no way to know if the news is going to have any murders on that day so this seems a little redundant.
2007-12-19 09:16:51 · answer #3 · answered by alana 5 · 3⤊ 1⤋
You are confused. Mormons do not prohibit the watching of football on Sunday. In fact, many Mormon families will actually get together and play a game themselves.
2007-12-19 09:24:30 · answer #4 · answered by Rance D 5 · 1⤊ 2⤋
Good question, what could be more all American and Christian the a good sporting event. I will watch to find if anyone can answer, it I am curios about this now also. I have read about the Mormon religion and what I have read did not mention this. What I did read was a bit shocking.
2007-12-19 09:18:37 · answer #5 · answered by Jethro Bodine 3 · 2⤊ 1⤋
Because they like to make up their own rules and have nothing to back them by. Sunday is supposed to be a day of rest. No working, shopping, swimming, etc. They are supposed to go to church and then come home and be a family. Which usually means sitting on the couch watching movies about Joseph Smith. I grew up in the Mesa, AZ where 9 out of 10 people are Mormon. Nothing they ever did made sense. If I would challenge one of my friends about something, they would just get mad and not answer me. Don't get me wrong, 99% of my friends are mormon and I love them, but that doesn't mean I understand their spiritual beliefs.
2007-12-19 09:18:05 · answer #6 · answered by JoliCart 3 · 2⤊ 4⤋
I believe that the news is just to keep them up to date with the things that are going on in this world. Football is more for your own personal enjoyment, but the news is good to keep you in the loop of things around the world.
2007-12-19 09:17:40 · answer #7 · answered by E. Gonzalez 1 · 3⤊ 0⤋
I don't watch the news or football on Sunday.
There are 13 million of us and I don't know what "most" Mormons do and frankly neither do you.
2007-12-19 09:17:46 · answer #8 · answered by LDS girl 5 · 7⤊ 1⤋
It's not forbidden to watch football on Sunday. Where did you come up with that? My dad used to call Sunday football games the "Steve Young fireside".
I personally watch neither on Sundays but my hubby does watch football and other sports whenever they are on.
EDIT: We believe in keeping the Sabbath day holy but that is up for personal interpretation. We try not to work, shop, go out to eat, etc on sundays but even those things are not "forbidden". It is up to each member both personally and in their families to decide what is and is not appropriate for Sundays. There is no punishment nor does anyone ever ask you if you are or are not keeping the sabbath day holy.
2007-12-19 09:16:09 · answer #9 · answered by gumby 7 · 9⤊ 3⤋
The Sabbath was made for man; man was not made for the Sabbath. The most important thing is to spend the day refreshing body and soul. How we do that is up to each family.
2007-12-19 09:53:35 · answer #10 · answered by Isolde 7 · 3⤊ 0⤋