Is it immoral to watch the super bowl on Sunday?

[NaphtaliPress]

Interesting if sort of typical perspective given the source. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/26/magazine/is-it-immoral-to-watch-the-super-bowl.html?_r=0
And probably a typical set of negative responses. Is it 'immoral' to watch the Super Bowl? | On Air Videos | Fox News (not sure how long the clip will be available at the link)

Maybe if some of the recent concussion issues are addressed that removes some of the sixth commandment concerns (thou shalt not kill); but nothing can remove the first, second, third and fourth commandment issues (recall the rules for rightly understanding the 10 commandments). What is missing from the questioner and those dismissing it is any regard for the Lord of heaven and earth and the propriety He reserves to himself in one day out of seven.

1. Thou shalt have no other gods before me.

2. Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me; And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.

3. Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.

4. Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. 9 Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work: But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates: For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.

 

[clark thompson]

Anything can be immoral if it comes before God or His will. I known friends who may watch the super bowl but after evening service. Saturday is the Sabbath even though I worship on Sundays. Many people not have graven images at the homes during the super bowl. My friends will not be taking the Lord's name in vain while watching. On the other hand there are many who will miss church to watch the super bowl putting it before God. Many people will take the Lord's name in vain win their team messes up. The super bowl can b evil but can also be just fun and a time to fellowship. I used to go to a church service where we watched the super bowl and there was preaching during halftime, this had to end do to NFL's new restrictions, though.

 

[MLCOPE2]

Anything can be immoral if it comes before God or His will. I known friends who may watch the super bowl but after evening service. Saturday is the Sabbath even though I worship on Sundays. Many people not have graven images at the homes during the super bowl. My friends will not be taking the Lord's name in vain while watching. On the other hand there are many who will miss church to watch the super bowl putting it before God. Many people will take the Lord's name in vain win their team messes up. The super bowl can b evil but can also be just fun and a time to fellowship. I used to go to a church service where we watched the super bowl and there was preaching during halftime, this had to end do to NFL's new restrictions, though.

Where to begin...?

 

[Logan]

Interesting, like you said Chris, that in the video the issue didn't seem to be any consideration for Sunday, but just whether watching football in general was "immoral" (due to violence). I don't think Sabbath-keeping was ever a thought for any of the people in the video.

 

[NaphtaliPress]

Clark,
While some of what you say may be true, on the crucial matter you are wrong (the commandments in question may be broken many ways). Please review the board rules. PB does not allow advocacy of unconfessional positions. If you have questions then ask; but the below is simply rejecting the confessional position of the board. The Lord's day is the Christian Sabbath; the old Sabbath day has passed away and it has come in its place. See the relevant parts of the confessions etc. below.
Westminster Confession of Faith - The PuritanBoard
Westminster Larger Catechism - The PuritanBoard
The 1689 London Baptist Confession - The PuritanBoard

Anything can be immoral if it comes before God or His will. I known friends who may watch the super bowl but after evening service. Saturday is the Sabbath even though I worship on Sundays. Many people not have graven images at the homes during the super bowl. My friends will not be taking the Lord's name in vain while watching. On the other hand there are many who will miss church to watch the super bowl putting it before God. Many people will take the Lord's name in vain win their team messes up. The super bowl can b evil but can also be just fun and a time to fellowship. I used to go to a church service where we watched the super bowl and there was preaching during halftime, this had to end do to NFL's new restrictions, though.

 

[jandrusk]

Let's put things in perspective; God is only asking for 14.28% of your time for a given week. Is it too much to ask to refrain your doing your own pleasure on His day?

 

[Bill The Baptist]

If you record it with a DVR and watch it on Monday, you get the added bonus of being able to fast forward through all of the filth contained in the commercials/halftime show.

 

[jfschultz]

If you record it with a DVR and watch it on Monday, you get the added bonus of being able to fast forward through all of the filth contained in the commercials/halftime show.

I have to disagree. We too often stop at "Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy" and miss the full import of the fourth commandment. The Super Bowl (and other Sunday sports and entertainment) explicitly and clearly involve "thy stranger that is within thy gates" in many different roles between the field and your TV set.

4. Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. 9 Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work: But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates: For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.

 

[Bill The Baptist]

I have to disagree. We too often stop at "Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy" and miss the full import of the fourth commandment. The Super Bowl (and other Sunday sports and entertainment) explicitly and clearly involve "thy stranger that is within thy gates" in many different roles between the field and your TV set.

I am certainly not arguing the merits of Sabbath keeping, but if we follow this logic would we not also be forbidden to do business at any establishment that is open on Sunday? Even if we conducted this business on a different day?

 

[Scott1]

The fourth command violation is clear. The business of it, the entertainment and recreation aspect of it on the sabbath.

Other than that, I can't see any per se violation.

The concussion issue is a media agenda creation, a giant mining for clients by attorneys and government, etc. paid for by those watching on the sabbath....

 

[jfschultz]

I have to disagree. We too often stop at "Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy" and miss the full import of the fourth commandment. The Super Bowl (and other Sunday sports and entertainment) explicitly and clearly involve "thy stranger that is within thy gates" in many different roles between the field and your TV set.

I am certainly not arguing the merits of Sabbath keeping, but if we follow this logic would we not also be forbidden to do business at any establishment that is open on Sunday? Even if we conducted this business on a different day?

In Nehemiah 13 the gates were closed to keep outsiders from selling in Jerusalem on the Sabbath, but I don't see anything about prohibiting patronizing those outsiders on the other days of the week.

 

[OPC'n]

So it would be against the Sabbath to record a football game to watch later because they actually played on Sunday? I can see how this would be true…..one contributes to them working on Sundays by watching on a Monday what they did on a Sunday, but I'm not sure it's accurate. Would like several ppl's opinion on this if possible.

 

[jandrusk]

So it would be against the Sabbath to record a football game to watch later because they actually played on Sunday? I can see how this would be true…..one contributes to them working on Sundays by watching on a Monday what they did on a Sunday, but I'm not sure it's accurate. Would like several ppl's opinion on this if possible.

I think for the scenario that you presented the players would be in violation of the breaking the Lord's day, but not the person who views it on Monday. I could see your point on contributing to them playing on Sunday, but I"m not sure it would be breaking the commandment. I guess a similar situation would be if you eat in a public place on Sunday; you are not cooking, but you are contributing to those working on the Lord's day.

 

[Edward]

If you record it with a DVR and watch it on Monday, you get the added bonus of being able to fast forward through all of the filth contained in the commercials/halftime show.

Some of the commercials are better than the game. I usually dig them out on the internet later in the week for viewing.

 

[Bill The Baptist]

If you record it with a DVR and watch it on Monday, you get the added bonus of being able to fast forward through all of the filth contained in the commercials/halftime show.

Some of the commercials are better than the game. I usually dig them out on the internet later in the week for viewing.

I will submit that some of them are quite good, but I still have the memory of the one where the nerd is grotesquely kissing the model in my head from last year.

 

[SRoper]

"The Sabbath's not a day for playing football, is it?"

 

[rookie]

As I see it, it's clear there's a point on where we're trying to see how many angels we can fit on a pin head (illustration to demonstrate where we stop in our grace/liberty/legalism).
While I fully agree that we must honor the Lord on the Sabbath, how many of us actually do this for the entire 24 hr period? I know I haven't. There are some Sundays I go to church after preparing during the week for the service and am deeply touched by the sermons/worship and when I get home, we do our light Sunday cooking (not due to commandments, but due to neither of us wanting a big meal) and we take our afternoon nap.

But how often, when I get home, have I promised myself I would read in scripture for hours in the afternoon, do I get distracted by almost anything under the sun. I think Calvin was the one that quoted "if we truly understood grace, we would live as if there were no commandments" (If I'm mistaken, I apologize).

I remember a bit ago, I asked what we listened to while working out, and I loved the honest answers that were given about rock, rap, Christian rock, podcasts, gym music and some listened to nothing. Yet we turn around with the Superbowl and claim it's bad (some of us).

I find it very interesting, on how all of us (myself very guilty of this) will justify things when it's things we enjoy (big football fans will PVR it, or watch it directly), I am a hockey fan, and watch many games. Others may be car fans and spend much time on their car and the list goes on.

We fall short on so many levels of keeping any of the commandments. Christ said that if we broke one, we break them all.

Just a quick note, this post is NOT intended to offend, or point the finger. I was simply reading through all the posts, since I myself plan on watching the bowl as well, and was a bit torn on how/when. Then it hit me, I sin every single day in my head with things that no one knows about, but when it's something someone else can see, I try to walk upright.

The last point, if we shy away from the Super Bowl (or NHL playoffs, MLB, NBA or whatever) because of the industry, may I suggest never taking another pharmaceutical pill, since most companies are geared to keep you just alive enough so they can sell you another one. Don't watch the Olympics, since there are more children trafficked during those events than the rest of the year combined due to the population involved in trafficking knowing the crowds are too big to get caught. And the list goes on and on and on...

I really hope this post doesn't come across as sour, since I was mainly speaking to myself because I do it all the time, and figured if I do it, someone else might be thinking about it as well.

 

[NaphtaliPress]

If the Reformed position in the confessions is right (and it is) then we know at minimum we should not watch the game on the Lord's day. That was the topic of the OP (if I do say so myself). If some of you want to explore these other lines, feel free to start other threads.

 

[AThornquist]

My favorite is when someone is staunchly against watching football on Sunday and yet finds the PB entertaining and interesting and has no problem reading it on Sunday.

 

[Backwoods Presbyterian]

My favorite is when someone is staunchly against watching football on Sunday and yet finds the PB entertaining and interesting and has no problem reading it on Sunday.

 

[stephen2]

My favorite is when someone is staunchly against watching football on Sunday and yet finds the PB entertaining and interesting and has no problem reading it on Sunday.

For reasons of my own I simply don't use internet on Sunday's but I think Benjamin is exactly right... see picture of the apple and the orange.

 

[NaphtaliPress]

Favorite what? Those who don't think even accessing online during the Lord's day is appropriate, don't. For those that do, as you know, the board is set up that on Lord's days the forums open for posting are for discussions appropriate to the day. That being said, at worst, if it is an inconsistency to have the board open for appropriate Lord's day communication, conference and discussion, ie stuff that one would do face to face, that in no way justifies spending hours watching the super bowl on the Lord's day.

My favorite is when someone is staunchly against watching football on Sunday and yet finds the PB entertaining and interesting and has no problem reading it on Sunday.

 

[Reformed Covenanter]

My favorite is when someone is staunchly against watching football on Sunday and yet finds the PB entertaining and interesting and has no problem reading it on Sunday.

Reading or participating in discussions about overtly religious matters is hardly comparable to spending hours watching sports. Hence Ben's posting of the apple and orange. Do you think praying or reading religious literature is on a par with watching sporting events? If not, then I respectfully suggest that the point you are trying to make is invalid.

 

[arapahoepark]

If you record it with a DVR and watch it on Monday, you get the added bonus of being able to fast forward through all of the filth contained in the commercials/halftime show.

Some of the commercials are better than the game. I usually dig them out on the internet later in the week for viewing.

Guess you haven't seen the last couple years. They have gotten lamer and lamer.

 

[Free Christian]

I access this site on Sundays. I communicate with Christians. I don't see any difference bar the medium used to phoning up a Christian on Sunday to talk about things pertaining to God. If one were to cut out everything on Sundays then the church would turn off its heating, lighting or aircon system too as that is using electricity generated on Sundays and maintained by workers on Sundays. In fact going by that we should not use any power at all on Sundays. Those who say it may be wrong to access here on Sundays do they use electricity on Sundays? Just wondering.

 

[ZackF]

So it would be against the Sabbath to record a football game to watch later because they actually played on Sunday? I can see how this would be true…..one contributes to them working on Sundays by watching on a Monday what they did on a Sunday, but I'm not sure it's accurate. Would like several ppl's opinion on this if possible.

If that were the case better not watch any movie nor tv show ever. I am sure some casting, crew traveling, scenes shot, editing done and so forth was on a Sunday.

 

[Edward]

Guess you haven't seen the last couple years. They have gotten lamer and lamer.

Now that you mention it, I don't think I found the website last year that had them collected. I may have found one or two individual ads.

 

[AThornquist]

It was a lighthearted comment, but I do love me some fruit!

 

[NaphtaliPress]

Are you saying what you said had no meaning and no point? It sure doesn't read that way.

It was a lighthearted comment, but I do love me some fruit!

 

[Tyrese]

My favorite is when someone is staunchly against watching football on Sunday and yet finds the PB entertaining and interesting and has no problem reading it on Sunday.

I'm confused, how is this mixing apples and oranges? Is this not a Sabbath issue? It's really difficult to convince others that they are to keep Sabbath when we're picking and choosing what things we should and should not do. I think many people are looking for consistency. I also think watching the Super Bowl (like many OTHER things) is going against the 4th commandment.