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Sports Vs. Sabbath

This thread seeks to ask several questions about participating in sporting activities during the Sabbath...

1. The Qlympics is coming up, is Sabbath day participation ok?
2. Is it generally okay to participate in sporting activities during the Sabbath?
3. Is being a spectator of sporting activites wrong on the Sabbath?

What are your thoughts?

Edited: FarSeer on 12th Mar, 2004 - 12:33pm

Sabbath Vs Sports

This is a tough question. Dale Murphy was a very good professional baseball player. He had to play on Sunday because it was his job. When he retired from baseball, he was called to be the Boston, Massachusetts, Mission President, so it certainly wasn't held against him. Yet, we are counseled not to participate in sports on Sunday. BYU won't play any Sunday games, even tournaments. Seems like a mixed message to me.

Sports Vs. Sabbath Studies Doctrine Mormon

I think the answer is clear, we know we are not supposed to do any kind of activity on a Sunday and that includes Sports, no matter who they are and even if that's consider a 'job' because some of them are representing their countries, is a total personal decision, we should not look at other people or organizations to know whether is right or not. The Lord has said "Keep the Sabbath Day Holy".

Sabbath Vs Sports

Professional Athletes have no choice but to play on Sunday. Men like Dale Murphy and Danny Ainge have to answer to their employer and I'm sure if they refused to play on Sunday, they would have been shown the door. Granted, they have the option of selecting a different profession but they obviously had talents in Baseball and Basketball and we are supposed to develop our talents. Will an emergency room Doctor, or a policeman be condemmed for breaking the sabbath because they were at work, saving a life? Of cource not. I see no difference with the professional athlete.

I do see a difference with a group of friends getting together after their block meetings and heading to the park for a game of baseball or touch football.

In our home, we have had controversy over watching televised sports on Sunday. My wife has stated this is in violation of the Sabbath day. My son and I tend to disagree, as long as we are not overlooking home teaching, scripture study etc to watch.

Sabbath Vs Sports

Gaucho although I understand where you are coming from I am not sure your examples are good ones to prove your point. First of all you cannot compare an emergency service such as a doctor or policeman to an entertainment service. You also cannot say... its okay for Brother 'x' to play a game just because he has to answer to an employer while at the same time saying it would be wrong to watch that same player in the game on Sunday. Now I want to ask... what standard are we setting, why do we justify and make excuses to do other things? I am by far not a great observer of these things, but I at the same time want to know how members come up with these 'excuses'? I have never heard a Prophet proclaim anything about sports, but yes for employment on the Sabbath.

Sports Vs. Sabbath

The comparison between a professional athlete and an emergency room Dr is made on the basis that they are both performing a function relative to their profession and both require working on the Sabbath. I do not beleive because one of the professions is entertainment based is relative, it is still a man or a woman's job that they are doing to provide for their family. As was mentioned earlier, Dale Murphy was called to be a mission president after he finished his baseball career. He also spoke in a Priesthood session of General Conference at the height of his career, both of which seem to indicate the Brethren had no problem with him playing ball on Sunday. Danny Ainge was in the Bishopric of his ward while playing and coaching with the Phoenix Suns.

But I think we are fooling ourselves if we say since it's ok for them to play professionally, then its ok for a group of friends to get together and play softball on the Sabbath, or go skiing, or boating or whatever we want to do. The Sabbath day was given to man as a day to worship God. We just had Stake Conference last week and a member of the Stake Presidency spoke on the Sabbath day and said the way we treat the Sabbath is indictive of our commitment to God. He said we used to refer to it as the Holy Day of the Lord, then we changed it to the Sabbath, then just Sunday and now its just a day in the weekend. Most people today, including many LDS treat this day too lightly.

Sports Vs. Sabbath

I, too have had to work on the Sabbath at times. My job doesn't save lives, but it does provide my income. I do all I can to avoid working on Sunday, but there are times when I have no choice. I do not believe I am violating the Sabbath in those situations. The Pharasies would disagree, but isn't that the point.

I believe each individual needs to make their own decision about what is appropriate on the Sabbath. We are not to be commanded in all things. There are people who make career decisions based upon this. I have read of athletes who chose not to play professionally because they don't want to play on Sunday. That is a personal decision, but I think the Church has made it clear it hasn't taken the same position based upon how it has publicly viewed certain professional athlete members - Dale Murphy and Danny Ainge for example.

However, I also agree that playing professionally and organizing a pickup game with your friends are very different.

Now, what about participating in high school or college games on Sunday. If you play for a college other than BYU, you most likely will need to play on Sunday. If you don't, you are unlikely to progress to the point where you can play professionally. Is this any different than an intern working on Sunday or a medical student doing a work program on Sunday. In other words, the play is in order to better prepare for your chosen profession?

Sports Vs. Sabbath Mormon Doctrine Studies

Many people have to work on Sunday. Doctors, Police, Farmers (With animals to take care of and milk), and even Athletes. Working on Sunday (In any line of work) is different than playing recreational sports on Sunday. We have had many family outings where we may play outdoor sports together which I feel is fine to do as a family. If you leave your family on Sunday to get together with the "Guys" and play some ball - that is not right.

As far as watching sporting events on Sunday. When I was growing up our family use to alway watch games on TV on Sunday. We are all big sports fans and enjoyed watching the games together. Now, my children are not really into watching sports, so the TV stays off on Sunday, except for an occasional big game, supper bowl, etc.