# Is it immoral to watch the super bowl on Sunday?



## NaphtaliPress (Jan 28, 2014)

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.


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## clark thompson (Jan 29, 2014)

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.


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## MLCOPE2 (Jan 29, 2014)

clark thompson said:


> 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...?


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## Logan (Jan 29, 2014)

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.


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## NaphtaliPress (Jan 29, 2014)

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


clark thompson said:


> 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.


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## jandrusk (Jan 29, 2014)

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?


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## Bill The Baptist (Jan 29, 2014)

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.


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## jfschultz (Jan 29, 2014)

Bill The Baptist said:


> 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.


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## Bill The Baptist (Jan 29, 2014)

jfschultz said:


> 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?


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## Scott1 (Jan 29, 2014)

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....


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## jfschultz (Jan 29, 2014)

Bill The Baptist said:


> jfschultz said:
> 
> 
> > 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.
> ...



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.


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## OPC'n (Jan 29, 2014)

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.


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## jandrusk (Jan 29, 2014)

OPC'n said:


> 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.


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## Edward (Jan 29, 2014)

Bill The Baptist said:


> 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.


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## Bill The Baptist (Jan 29, 2014)

Edward said:


> Bill The Baptist said:
> 
> 
> > 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 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.


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## SRoper (Jan 29, 2014)

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


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## rookie (Jan 30, 2014)

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.


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## NaphtaliPress (Jan 30, 2014)

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.


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## AThornquist (Jan 30, 2014)

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.


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## Backwoods Presbyterian (Jan 30, 2014)

AThornquist said:


> 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.


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## stephen2 (Jan 30, 2014)

> 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.


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## NaphtaliPress (Jan 30, 2014)

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.


AThornquist said:


> 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.


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## Reformed Covenanter (Jan 30, 2014)

AThornquist said:


> 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.


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## arapahoepark (Jan 30, 2014)

Edward said:


> Bill The Baptist said:
> 
> 
> > 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.
> ...


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


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## Free Christian (Jan 30, 2014)

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.


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## ZackF (Jan 30, 2014)

OPC'n said:


> 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.


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## Edward (Jan 30, 2014)

arap said:


> 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.


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## AThornquist (Jan 30, 2014)

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


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## NaphtaliPress (Jan 30, 2014)

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


AThornquist said:


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


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## Tyrese (Jan 30, 2014)

Backwoods Presbyterian said:


> AThornquist said:
> 
> 
> > 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.


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## NaphtaliPress (Jan 30, 2014)

Why are you confused; about the use of the medium? Otherwise what we aim to talk about here online on Lord's days is not different from what folks should aim to talk about with others face to face.


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## Tyrese (Jan 30, 2014)

NaphtaliPress said:


> Why are you confused; about the use of the medium? Otherwise what we aim to talk about here online on Lord's days is not different from what folks should aim to talk about with others face to face.



Does using the Internet require anyone else to work?


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## NaphtaliPress (Jan 30, 2014)

I dunno; does using lights, refrigeration, etc.? At some point we draw a line of minimal use of the things that modern advancement brings us. Should we not read the Word when it gets dark on Lord's day evenings; or try to read by candlelight? The board management has determined to keep the board up but to restrict conversation to those forums amenable to Lord's day profit. Those that think that is wrong don't get online. Those that do get online have a place to converse that is trying to take the Lord's day seriously. And how in the world is that kind of struggle with Lord's day keeping in this modern age equate to simply kicking back and watching "the big event" for several hours on the TV?


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## Tyrese (Jan 30, 2014)

NaphtaliPress said:


> I dunno; does using lights, refrigeration, etc.? At some point we draw a line of minimal use of the things that modern advancement brings us. Should we not read the Word when it gets dark on Lord's day evenings; or try to read by candlelight? The board management has determined to keep the board up but to restrict conversation to those forums amenable to Lord's day profit. Those that think that is wrong don't get online. Those that do get online have a place to converse that is trying to take the Lord's day seriously. And how in the world is that kind of struggle with Lord's day keeping in this modern age equate to simply kicking back and watching "the big event" for several hours on the TV?



I agree with what your saying in part. I'm not going to say your mixing apples in oranges here as I'm already sure your going to disagree. The problem with part of your post is that you are setting the church against what we do at home. Does our churches need electricity? Does our homes need electricity? I think you would agree that they do. I believe this is a issue of necessity. Do we need the Internet? No we don't. Not to put convictions on another, but you can't avoid the fact that we have ISP's who are working for us to allow a comfy Internet experience, especially when something goes wrong. We also pay to keep the internet going. Sure we pay for electricity, but again there's things we have to have and there are things we don't need. I agree with you that we shouldn't be watching the Super Bowl, but what some of you are missing is that theirs Sabbatarians using the same arguments you guys are using to do other things, to support their Super Bowl parties. People will say things like "well because I'm doing this, it's ok to do that".


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## Clark-Tillian (Jan 31, 2014)

Clearly, the answer is yes. Furthermore, and this is just my own experience, I used to watch and follow pro and collegiate sports like a madman. From kindergarten until about a decade ago. I did some basic multiplication and when I got to roughly 10,000 hours of viewing the room began to spin, metaphorically. Growing up in the NYC metro area there was no shortage of teams etc. I can honestly say I could care less about any of it anymore. Okay, my beloved Yankees a wee bit! I'm not saying watching sports on the other 6 days is inherently sinful. But personally, I praise YHWH for removing that weight of obsession from my weary shoulders. But again to reiterate my response to the OP---YES.


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## Herald (Jan 31, 2014)

I used to be a rabid follower of the NFL; the New York Giants specifically. I used to struggle with the question of whether I could watch NFL games on the Lord's Day. My struggle is not much of a struggle these days. As I come to better understand the Lord's Day, and delight in it, not watching the NFL on Sunday is almost a non-issue. I am a passionate New York Mets fan, so I do face this issue with MLB. But it is not too hard just to tune out baseball on the Lord's Day. Why? Because I genuinely enjoy the things of the Lord on His day. I know that is not a theological argument, but it is the result of sound theology.


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## Scott1 (Jan 31, 2014)

While we are right in applying the fourth commandment to recreating and working on the sabbath, let's not imply that football or the Super Bowl itself is somehow immoral.

We may have "outgrown" it, not be interested in it, not like all the hype (or only like the commercials), etc. but let's be clear about the commandment issues at stake.

What's wrong is our seeking entertainment/recreation on the Lord's Day, and all the business, work that goes on promoting this for the Lord's Day.

I would even say recording it to watch on another day is a violation of command four because we are indirectly encouraging the violation, hindering others from keeping the sabbath, causing others to stumble, etc.

While certain elements of media and culture are now condemning the sport, it's not on the basis of biblical moral authority. And we ought not mix the two here.


> Westminster Confession of Faith
> Chapter XXI
> Of Religious Worship and the Sabbath Day
> 
> ...


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## NaphtaliPress (Jan 31, 2014)

Josh brings us back to the point. If someone wants to argue that somehow the internet is different than other services that are on all the time and should be off/unplugged on Lord's days, rather than simply prudent and appropriate use, then that may make for a separate thread discussion. Ditto on the question of the morality of rough sports.


> All the what-ifs matter not as to what our duty is. *IF*_, _in some way using the internet -which is not so clearly and easily understood, particularly in light of the many things which are works of necessity and mercy (hospitals, etc.) require the use of the internet (for communication, etc.); ergo, it follows a little may go a long way, and the ISP providing that is not limited to helping only a hospital, yada yada yada- is inherently wrong on the sabbath day, then we should amend our ways. That may be the case? What does it have to do with whether it is appropriate to pay men systematically to violate the sabbath day, and violate it ourselves by watching them violate it? Nothing. It has nothing to do with that. The Lord is clear that we should remove our feet from His property, the sabbath day. How is it that we trample it? Doing our own pleasures. Thinking our own thoughts. So on, so forth. It is *especially* His Day. We do not have the right to take His time and do with it what we will, unless what we will is that which He wills. The difficulty of doing our duty, or knowing our duty, never negates the fact that is a duty, and we are called to obey it. Watching men at play, and often brutally at play, and doing this for their income, and our watching it for our entertainment's sake during God's Holy Time, is most certainly not appropriate on the Lord's Day, because those men -just like every other man in the world- are bound to take up those labors which God commands on His Day. No one is exempt. God, as sabbath keeper _par excellence_, rested one day in seven, as an example, and He is not even _bound_ by such; how much more, then, ought we, His creatures, throw aside our lust for our own pleasures and recreation , for one day to honor Him all the day?


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## Scott1 (Feb 2, 2014)

Having been invited to an annual Super Bowl party this evening (Lord's Day evening) as in the past, I declined. Invited by Christians, thanking them for the invite but explaining I just don't do it on the Sabbath.

There was a time when I might justify it "after sundown" on the sabbath.

But no more.

It has nothing to do with football being immoral in itself, I would likely go, and enjoy it were it on another day of the week.

But, I have something much better to look forward to....
evening worship and fellowship!


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## kvanlaan (Feb 2, 2014)

Just looking at the bulletin a minute, I wonder who would even choose to watch large, overpaid men pummel each other when you could hear our student pastor preach on "Life Through the Death of the Lamb" from Exodus. _And_ no crappy half-time show. Christ in the Old Testament - now that's something to get excited about!


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## JML (Feb 2, 2014)

kvanlaan said:


> I wonder who would even choose to watch large, overpaid men pummel each other



The first time my oldest daughter saw a football game (on a Saturday), she said "why do those men keep running into each other and falling down." I think she was 4 at the time. It is funny to hear what others who are not familiar with the sport see when they watch it (especially little kids).


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## Backwoods Presbyterian (Feb 2, 2014)

A lot of churches around us canceled their evening service because of the festival of idolatry (my pet name for the Super Bowl). So if you are in south Mississippi and your (or a family member/friend) church canceled their service tonight you are welcome to come join us at the Ellisville Presbyterian Church for worship at 5:00pm CT.


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## kvanlaan (Feb 2, 2014)

Oh yes, evening services at Zion URC in Sheffield start at 6:30pm and there's a baptism tonight so do not tarry!


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## Matthew Willard Lankford (Feb 2, 2014)

Scott1 said:


> I would even say recording it to watch on another day is a violation of command four because we are indirectly encouraging the violation, hindering others from keeping the sabbath, causing others to stumble, etc.



Good point. How can it be right for Christians to enjoy watching others act out, or participate in, what is sinful (e.g. violation of the Sabbath)? I think that is a good question to ask ourselves concerning a number of different things we wrongly enjoy.


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## Backwoods Presbyterian (Feb 2, 2014)

I agree. I never bought the DVR loophole.


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## Andres (Feb 2, 2014)

rookie said:


> 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.



I can tell you how many people honor the Lord's Day perfectly - zero. With that said, just because one doesn't obey God perfectly does not give license to blatantly sin. For example, I personally do not perfectly uphold the Sixth Commandment, but this doesn't mean I could murder someone and it be okay.


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## Miss Marple (Feb 2, 2014)

In re: the DVR question, while I am not defending my own practice (I am immune to the Super Bowl), I can see an argument for it.

Can you enjoy reading a letter that got delivered on a Monday but mailed on a Sunday? Can you wear your red shirt if the dye was manufactured on a Sunday? Can you enjoy a bowl of ice cream if it was delivered to the store last Sunday? Can you write a nice card to someone with a pen that was sold on a Sunday but bought by you at a garage sale? Etc.

Same dif, I think. If one watched it on the DVR, presumably they are not enjoying the Sunday aspect, but the playing and sport and etc. Just like you enjoy the letter, wear your read shirt, eat your ice cream, write something down not at all for the reason of the Sunday part, the Sunday part is incidental and out of your control, really.


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## Matthew Willard Lankford (Feb 3, 2014)

I think there is a distinction. A person seeking to record a sports event like the Super Bowl isn't ignorant about which day it is scheduled and is deliberately recording the event to enjoy watching it (but should we enjoy watching people sinfully abuse good things such as sports?). Whereas, in the examples provided it is likely that a person would be ignorant i.e. they likely wouldn't know the date a shirt was made, or when the ice cream was delivered to the store, unless the person had some special knowledge about the items or inquired about them, which may not be wise for some persons to do for conscience sake. As for letters, they aren't delivered by the postal service on Sundays, although mail is apparently processed on Sundays; one would hope that Sunday mail processing would be eliminated.


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## Miss Marple (Feb 3, 2014)

I take your point, Matthew, but how into that teaching should we go? Does it become incumbent upon us to investigate these things? Or, if we did incidentally find out that the letter was posted on a Sunday, should we not read it? It seems to me against the spirit of keeping the Sabbath, really. Where is the rest if we are consternated about these things all the time?


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## Scott1 (Feb 3, 2014)

Miss Marple said:


> In re: the DVR question, while I am not defending my own practice (I am immune to the Super Bowl), I can see an argument for it.
> 
> Can you enjoy reading a letter that got delivered on a Monday but mailed on a Sunday? Can you wear your red shirt if the dye was manufactured on a Sunday? Can you enjoy a bowl of ice cream if it was delivered to the store last Sunday? Can you write a nice card to someone with a pen that was sold on a Sunday but bought by you at a garage sale? Etc.
> 
> Same dif, I think. If one watched it on the DVR, presumably they are not enjoying the Sunday aspect, but the playing and sport and etc. Just like you enjoy the letter, wear your read shirt, eat your ice cream, write something down not at all for the reason of the Sunday part, the Sunday part is incidental and out of your control, really.



One aspect that makes the Sunday Super Bowl, the topic of this thread, qualitatively different from the examples you mention is that these folks (football) are earning their living on the sabbath, for something purely for your convenience, e.g. entertaining you. 

It's not even a close call.


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## Scott1 (Feb 3, 2014)

Miss Marple said:


> I take your point, Matthew, but how into that teaching should we go? Does it become incumbent upon us to investigate these things? Or, if we did incidentally find out that the letter was posted on a Sunday, should we not read it? It seems to me against the spirit of keeping the Sabbath, really. Where is the rest if we are consternated about these things all the time?



Not to distract from this thread,
but given the fact mail is not generally delivered on Sunday, machines date stamp letters, and one often has no control over the delivery process,

can you give a clearer example?


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## Pilgrim Standard (Feb 3, 2014)

Let the practice die with the culture that supports it. Don't teach it to your children.
Many practices should go down this road... let them blow away like the chaff they really are.




The dress of the cheerleaders, character of the players, rank idolotry made of the players, passions given by the crowd, and the fact that they make a living from violating the Lord's Day is enough to make me want to vomit. But today... through whatever rationalization technique can be drawn from the air, even some in the reformed camp will find a way not only to support this garbage, but some even encourage their children to do so as well. This generation lacks an Eric Liddell for sure.

Oh how I pray for a new generation that abohors vanity fair.


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## SRoper (Feb 3, 2014)

From all reports it sounds like the game was totally worth breaking the fourth commandment over.


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## VictorBravo (Feb 3, 2014)

SRoper said:


> From all reports it sounds like the game was totally worth breaking the fourth commandment over.



Heh...

(From a former Seattlelite).


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## Miss Marple (Feb 3, 2014)

"can you give a clearer example?"

Well, I mentioned enjoying wearing a red shirt if the dye was manufactured on Sunday, or a bowl of ice cream if it was delivered to the store last Sunday, or using a pen that was bought on a Sunday even if you re-bought it at a garage sale, in an earlier post.

I think it is well nigh impossible not to enjoy things if they have any Sunday work associated with them. If we bother to investigate. Some may say we are under no obligation to investigate. I don't know.

I am not attempting to justify my DVRing of the Super Bowl. I didn't watch it.


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## Scott1 (Feb 4, 2014)

please see comment below.


Miss Marple said:


> "can you give a clearer example?"
> 
> Well, I mentioned enjoying wearing a red shirt if the dye was manufactured on Sunday,
> IF???
> ...


It strikes me your questions go more to boycotting certain companies or brands, if I'm understanding you correctly. More to that than one, by God's grace, trying to keep the fourth commandment.


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## Peairtach (Feb 4, 2014)

Miss Marple said:


> "can you give a clearer example?"
> 
> Well, I mentioned enjoying wearing a red shirt if the dye was manufactured on Sunday, or a bowl of ice cream if it was delivered to the store last Sunday, or using a pen that was bought on a Sunday even if you re-bought it at a garage sale, in an earlier post.
> 
> ...



In the case of recording the game, you yourself are recording a game on the Sabbath, which shouldn't be played or broadcast on the Sabbath, thus giving close tacit approval to Sabbath-breaking.

In the case of these manufactures you are not giving approval to the day on which they were made, etc. It is up to the manufacturers to observe the Sabbath for themselves. 

A pullover manufactured on the Sabbath isn't immoral, but the person who makes it, and he is responsible to God for that, and for the days on which his workforce labour.

It would be quite another thing if you requested that work be done for you on the Sabbath.

We're in the world but not of it. (John 17:15)



> I wrote to you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people— not at all meaning the sexually immoral of this world, or the greedy and swindlers, or idolaters, since then you would need to go out of the world. But now I am writing to you not to associate with anyone who bears the name of brother if he is guilty of sexual immorality or greed, or is an idolater, reviler, drunkard, or swindler—not even to eat with such a one. For what have I to do with judging outsiders? Is it not those inside the church whom you are to judge? God judges those outside. “Purge the evil person from among you.” (I Corinthians 5:9-13)


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## Logan (Feb 4, 2014)

Scott1 said:


> can you give a clearer example?



Though I'm not advocating either position, one example I thought of was that of a restaurant. You know the manager/owner opens the restaurant on Sunday. You know there are employees who prepare food (unpack food etc) there on Sunday in preparation for Monday's business. Does that preclude you from enjoying the establishment or their product on the other days of the week? It seems to be similar to the example of watching the Super Bowl on another day when it was originally people playing on the Sabbath.

If you abstain from watching something done by Sabbath breakers (even on another day), then do you also abstain from supporting a restaurant that is in clear violation? 

I'm curious either way. My general approach has been to look after my own practice and not directly encourage but also not get bogged down in secondary causes. But I wonder what is different (if anything) about the two situations.


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## stephen2 (Feb 4, 2014)

We're all agreed (happily) that it is immoral to watch the Superbowl on the Lord's Day, which almost certainly means we are all agreed it is immoral to play organized football (or other sports) on the same day. What about a casual game at a church event? What about throwing the ball back and forth? I am curious what others think. I take the position of the Larger Catechism, but many who subscribe to the Westminster standards don't. I wonder, then, what the consensus is here and what your reasoning might be. If this is something for another thread please accept my apologies and do let me know.


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## NaphtaliPress (Feb 4, 2014)

I don't see a problem with modest exercise such as a short walk to keep one alert for the day or letting kids run around the building to let off some pent up energy between services. We need both food and some activity daily for health, but I suspect far less of either on Lord's days than is common. I should think there is some sort of difference between tossing a ball to your son on such a walk and participating in a pickup game of football. My problem I guess is I have a suspicion that the typical exception taken nowadays for Sabbath recreation in using that example of tossing a ball with your son, hides significantly more allowance than that.
Here is the moderator of the Westminster Assembly on Sabbath recreations: http://www.puritanboard.com/f15/twisse-sabbath-recreations-12873/


stephen2 said:


> We're all agreed (happily) that it is immoral to watch the Superbowl on the Lord's Day, which almost certainly means we are all agreed it is immoral to play organized football (or other sports) on the same day. What about a casual game at a church event? What about throwing the ball back and forth? I am curious what others think. I take the position of the Larger Catechism, but many who subscribe to the Westminster standards don't. I wonder, then, what the consensus is here and what your reasoning might be. If this is something for another thread please accept my apologies and do let me know.


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## Pilgrim Standard (Feb 4, 2014)

I see no issue with sport or fitness in moderation. Team building skills, motor skills, reaction etc. can be gained through sport.

But, consider the Gymnasium built in Jerusalem under Antiochus Epiphanes. It was more than just a place of competition and fitness. It was the chief instrument of infusing the culture of Hellenism in the youth. It was built next to the Temple, and even the priests are said to have “gave up worshipping at the altar. They cared nothing about the temple, and they neglected offering sacrifices. And when the signal was given, they hurried off to take part in games that were against our teachings.” As a result of this, not only the youth, but the priests were swept away by the "culture" brought by a heathen run venue like this. 

I plead warning against mixing with such institutions run by ways of the heathen. And I say this, as I have stated, the profaning of the Sabbath, idolizing of players, normalization of character of the players, the introduction of improperly dressed women cheerleaders (which are designed to pollute the mind of men young and old, in relation to women,) hyper competition etc. 

This new gym with its unnoticed ephebeum has had it's effect on our culture today. Surely you have heard of or seen signs on churches in which superbowl events are promoted. Why is this tolerated? Our children are being taught that it is ok to engage in events where immorality is normalized in the “culture” of the event itself. We normalize it, and promote it when we partake in it. Oh! but we say, "we are reformed" and can look above this fray of vanity fair, but still accept it's fruits where we see fit without the fear of reaping what we actively sow.

Well nothing is new under the sun, and the fruits of this have been noted. 




Miss Marple said:


> Well, I mentioned enjoying wearing a red shirt if the dye was manufactured on Sunday, or a bowl of ice cream if it was delivered to the store last Sunday, or using a pen that was bought on a Sunday even if you re-bought it at a garage sale, in an earlier post.



It is rather encouraging to even witness a discussion such as we are having in this world today. Andres has pointed out that none of us perfectly Keep the Sabbath, and truly we do not, to our own shame. Matthew has caused us to question things we may enjoy wrongly, and Miss Marple genuinely desires to parse out the question, “of what may we partake in which its essence, production, or procurement, involves Sabbath Violation.”

I think the issue at hand is the culture that we live in. Sadly it is dominated by an infrastructure that is based in Sabbath desecration. One is hard pressed to find employment that does not require Sabbath breaking in many fields today. (I mean fields where there is not a work of necessity.) 

When we mingle with the ways of the wicked, and allow their council to be heard, (to even have a voice,) the rulers will take council against the Lord and His anointed, and we will face the seat of the scornful. We must remember that the wicked through the pride of his countenance, will not seek after God, for God is not in all his thoughts, and that the wicked will walk on every side, when the vilest men are exalted. This is where many of us live today. 

Ask yourselves, if we lived in a hypothetical society in which the Lord’s day was honored as much as a society has done, and it was found that a manufacturer was utilizing methods or materials that made their gain from Sabbath Desecration, would you not shun the product in favor of a product not may on the Sabbath, out of love for the Lord, his blessing, and a love for your fellow humans? Since we are as far away from this as the Church has been in a long time, and we have engaged in globalization of economies and governments that mingle the ways of the wicked in such a way as to allow them to “set the stage” of activity in these spheres, our burden of checking or even our ability to check is enslaved.

Because of this, we cannot compare the threads or produce of heathen manufacture in one country, which was shipped to another country for processing, etc. etc. with an openly ungodly social event of vanity in which Sabbath breaking is made entertainment.

Ps 7:9 Oh let the wickedness of the wicked come to an end; but establish the just: for the righteous God trieth the hearts and reins.


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## au5t1n (Feb 4, 2014)

Benjamin, I find your analysis spot on and refreshing. Thank you for taking the time to write that.


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## Scott1 (Feb 4, 2014)

thoughts below.



Logan said:


> Scott1 said:
> 
> 
> > can you give a clearer example?
> ...


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## Scott1 (Feb 4, 2014)

Logan,
That line of thinking leads to rationalizing anything.

Since immoral people did something on another day, maybe, we're not sure, we can't discern how we hinder others from keeping the sabbath by demanding, on the Lord's Day, them to work for our convenience. And in this case, to entertain or amuse us.


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## Scott1 (Feb 4, 2014)

stephen2 said:


> We're all agreed (happily) that it is immoral to watch the Superbowl on the Lord's Day, which almost certainly means we are all agreed it is immoral to play organized football (or other sports) on the same day. What about a casual game at a church event? What about throwing the ball back and forth? I am curious what others think. I take the position of the Larger Catechism, but many who subscribe to the Westminster standards don't. I wonder, then, what the consensus is here and what your reasoning might be. If this is something for another thread please accept my apologies and do let me know.



Remember what the sabbath is. It's helpful to know the biblical principles and doctrine concerning it lest we drift far astray.

It's a day, ordinarily, to cease from the ordinary work and play of the other six days so that we might prioritize the worship of God all day.

It's not ordinarily a day to play sports, take walks, jog, talk about the Super Bowl or tape it because those things hinder the focus of the day. I say ordinarily because there might be some necessity exception on occasion, e.g. walking if there was a health condition, but even then I would say ordinarily, NO because the sabbath IS different.

It's not so much what one CANNOT do, 
The Sabbath is about what one is free TO do,
which is worship God in a way different from the other six days because we have prepared for it, and ordered our lives so that we do not, ordinarily work or play on it.

Much disregard of it comes from our being careless about it, as we often are of God's Commands. Because we value other things more, and our hearts are not right with God.


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## Logan (Feb 4, 2014)

Scott1 said:


> Oh, the lengths the creature will go to to create hypotheticals to rationalize disobedience!



Scott, please try to be kind. This is not a hypothetical and I am not trying to rationalize disobedience. I've never actually watched the Super Bowl as I have no interest. As I tried to make explicit, I am genuinely asking what is the difference in the two cases.

You say:



Scott1 said:


> I would even say recording it to watch on another day is a violation of command four because we are indirectly encouraging the violation, hindering others from keeping the sabbath, causing others to stumble, etc.
> 
> ...
> 
> ...



If I am not supposed to watch the Super Bowl, even a recording, because we are "indirectly encouraging the violation", then why is going to a restaurant on Monday--Saturday okay if we are "indirectly encouraging the violation" on Sunday by people who are "earning their living on the sabbath"? Also, it is no hypothetical to think that an establishment that is open on Sunday would be preparing for your meal Monday, even by washing dishes. How is this "not even a close call"? I really want to know what you see different between the two.

Just as an aside, before I get too focused on the things _forbidden_ I want to say that my approach to the Sabbath is to look at its purpose: to feed my soul and to delight in God---anything that distracts from this is what I want to avoid whether "lawful" or not.


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## au5t1n (Feb 4, 2014)

My own rationale for eating at a restaurant on Monday when work may have been involved on the Lord's Day is that believers are not obligated to ask questions for conscience' sake (1 Cor. 10:25, 10:27). If I purchase a meal on the six working days, I do not ask when the animal was slaughtered or the crops harvested, when the ingredients were packaged, when they were transported, or when they have been handled at the restaurant. It is food. At this point it is better to eat it than to throw it out, unless by abstaining from purchasing it I can provide good testimony to my neighbor. If I am unaware of when the food was handled, however, I cannot provide this testimony by abstaining from purchase. My neighbor (in this case, the restaurant employees and owners) will not receive the message. The best thing to do, then, is to purchase on the six working days, asking no questions for conscience' sake, and to testify against Sabbath desecration by not purchasing on the Lord's Day. If enough people did likewise, it would become unprofitable for the business to be open on the Lord's Day by simple supply and demand and profit margin analysis.

It should be clear that the same reasoning cannot be extended to the Superbowl. I have never bought the DVR loophole, either. If I recorded the Superbowl and watched it on Monday, I would be receiving entertainment from knowingly watching others dishonor God. It is difficult to know how a Sabbath-conscious believer can do this without mourning the dishonor to our Lord rather than rejoicing at a touchdown. Surely the former emotion would overwhelm the latter, and all enjoyment that might have been obtained from watching the event will be gone.


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## Scott1 (Feb 4, 2014)

Logan said:


> Scott1 said:
> 
> 
> > Oh, the lengths the creature will go to to create hypotheticals to rationalize disobedience!
> ...



Again,
there are a couple different aspects being discussed in this,
1) your obligation to worship (and to abstain ordinarily from other things)
2) your hindering others from doing the same.

A hypothetical, possible, indirect violation (the person is not serving you on Sunday at the restaurant) vs.
A game that is, and has been played, promoted and commercialized on the Lord's Day, causing millions to be distracted away from the things of God,

and toward entertainment, amusement etc.


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## Scott1 (Feb 4, 2014)

It's clear the Super Bowl is *only* a Sunday event.
So, no question what it is about in regards to the Fourth Commandment.

So, when one employs his recording device on the Sabbath to watch it, talk about it, etc. one knows what it is about regarding the Fourth Commandment. One huge, profaning of it.


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## Logan (Feb 4, 2014)

au5t1n said:


> My own rationale for eating at a restaurant on Monday when work may have been involved on the Lord's Day is that believers are not obligated to ask questions for conscience' sake (1 Cor. 10:25, 10:27).



Austin, as I said earlier, this has been my own approach as well, and I would rather focus on positive aspects of the Sabbath than on negative. For example, I try to avoid the PB (and the computer in general) on the Sabbath, not necessarily because I think I would be sinning, but I want to avoid what, for me, are distractions.

I'm also not advocating seeking loopholes. But the issue I've had is that Scott has made the claim that watching (apparently) any recording of the Super Bowl, on any day, is a violation because "we are indirectly encouraging the violation" (his words). Well, there's a lot of things that can "indirectly encourage the violation". In my example, patronizing a restaurant that is open on Sunday could be considered an "indirect encouragement" in the same sense unless I'm completely mistaken. Scott has focused on the differences between the two situations rather than the similarities but it is the objection over "indirect encouragement" that I was trying to be cautious of. Over direct violation I think we can agree. Over "indirect encouragement" is where my focus has been, and I fail to see the consistency.

Regardless, I believe the main intent of the Sabbath-keeping practices is to keep ourselves free of distractions and focusing on God, the Larger Catechism seems to bear this out. To that end, I believe watching the Super Bowl on some other day to be a matter of individual conscience and would disagree with Scott in calling it "one huge profaning of it".

Note again that I don't watch the Super Bowl (I have no interest) or any TV in general. I am _not_, as Scott said, trying to "rationalize disobedience". But I don't see this as a matter for censuring those whose conscience does not bother them.


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## au5t1n (Feb 4, 2014)

Logan said:


> Austin, as I said earlier, this has been my own approach as well, and I would rather focus on positive aspects of the Sabbath than on negative. For example, I try to avoid the PB (and the computer in general) on the Sabbath, not necessarily because I think I would be sinning, but I want to avoid what, for me, are distractions.



Yes, we are very like-minded on this.



Logan said:


> But the issue I've had is that Scott has made the claim that watching (apparently) any recording of the Super Bowl, on any day, is a violation because "we are indirectly encouraging the violation" (his words).



I am not sure whether watching a recording can be encouraging the event _per se_, so I will let Scott defend that view if he can. My own reasoning is more in line with what Matthew and Benjamin said above - that we should not choose to derive enjoyment from watching others dishonor our Lord to the hurt of their eternal souls. My view does not concern the watching in and of itself, but rather the choice to derive entertainment from it. I think the same way about watching shows and movies known in advance to contain blasphemy and fornication. If I can watch them without being sickened by their dishonor to the Lord who bought me and by their influence on society - no, worse, if I can watch them and find them cause for laughter, entertainment, and regular consumption - then I have good cause to question whether I have been numbing my conscience.


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## Scott1 (Feb 4, 2014)

Logan said:


> I believe watching the Super Bowl on some other day to be a matter of individual conscience and would disagree with Scott in calling it "one huge profaning of it".



You misunderstand.

The Super Bowl being played _*on the Lord's Day*_, with its attendant super festivities and commercialism is the profanity, that's the profaning. 

What Monday is is a direct (not indirect, not hypothetical, not partial) encouragement of that profaning of the Day.
(And anyone doing so is reasonably expected to know that it is).

The Super Bowl does not exist apart from Sunday.

The restaurant does.


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## Scott1 (Feb 4, 2014)

Logan said:


> In my example, patronizing a restaurant that is open on Sunday could be considered an "indirect encouragement" in the same sense unless I'm completely mistaken.



Quite mistaken logically, and the comparison between the two is not valid.

One can always go to the restaurant on a non-sabbath day.

One cannot go to the Super Bowl on a non-sabbath day.


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## Scott1 (Feb 4, 2014)

Logan said:


> But I don't see this as a matter for censuring those whose conscience does not bother them.



Here's the difficulty.

With that attitude,
the Super Bowl would always be played on Sunday, attracting many to profane the Sabbath in many ways-
watching it, beer party on it, commercialization on it, players earning a living on it, huge distraction of worship on it, etc.

And we see the argument about going to a restaurant, is a red herring.


> But I don't see this as a matter for censuring those whose conscience does not bother them.


 It's not that you object to both, you start with the assumption the Sunday super bowl is not profaning, and use the other hypothetical as an excuse for saying that.

Don't forget televising it generates the money for it, one way or another, this is all about making money. If you don't support it, and that translates into making (lots of) money, they will not do it. You don't buy it because it's on Sunday, they will move the day. (cf "Monday night football.")


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## Pilgrim Standard (Feb 4, 2014)

Logan said:


> I believe watching the Super Bowl on some other day to be a matter of individual conscience


Logan, Are you saying that:
1) you believe watching people break God's moral law for entertainment is a matter of individual conscience?
or
2) you believe the people playing in the super bowl are not violating God's law by doing so on the Lord's Day?
or
3) you believe watching the super bowl on some other day (meaning if the game itself is played on a day other than Sunday) is a matter of individual conscience?

I don't understand.


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## Logan (Feb 5, 2014)

Pilgrim Standard said:


> Logan, Are you saying that:



Each of the three questions seems to be begging the question. I am saying that primarily Sabbath-keeping is about Sunday and how we can keep from distractions, and to say others are profaning it by watching something on _Monday_ seems to me to be worthy of caution. I am not defending the Super Bowl, just cautioning regarding the principle being used to condemn it. It may be a correct principle.

I'm not advocating "enjoying" watching others break the Sabbath. Here is another example: parts of "Hobbit" were filmed on Sunday and the team worked "round the clock" to finish the movie. To re-appropriate your three questions then regarding The Hobbit:

1) do you believe watching people break God's moral law for entertainment is a matter of individual conscience?
or
2) you believe the people acting in the movie are not violating God's law by doing so on the Lord's Day?
or
3) you believe watching the Hobbit on some other day (meaning if the movie itself is filmed on a day other than Sunday) is a matter of individual conscience?

For me, my conscience is clear about watching the Hobbit. Am I indirectly contributing to filmmakers working on Sunday? Possibly, but I can't control other people's Sabbath activity. I can control my own activity on the Sabbath though, and that is what I am directly responsible for, and that is my focus.



Scott1 said:


> It's not that you object to both, you start with the assumption the Sunday super bowl is not profaning, and use the other hypothetical as an excuse for saying that.



Scott, you've made several accusations like this. Please don't assume you know my heart. I am not defending the Super Bowl, I am warning against using the "indirect encouragement" argument. There may be great reasons not to watch the Super Bowl on _any_ day. I'm concerned about that particular argument though.



Scott1 said:


> Quite mistaken logically, and the comparison between the two is not valid.
> One can always go to the restaurant on a non-sabbath day.
> One cannot go to the Super Bowl on a non-sabbath day.



You've repeatedly missed the comparison. You spoke of "indirect encouragement" and that is what I have confined myself to. In that sense, yes, you can go to a restaurant on a non-sabbath day and _yes_ you can watch the Super Bowl on a non-sabbath day. Both are "open for business" on the Sabbath, and saying that the one is different because it is _primarily_ on the Sabbath is not convincing to me. You've also repeatedly called it a hypothetical. Unless restaurants are not open for business on Sunday in your area, then it is not a hypothetical.

I'm really done here. Let me reiterate that I just want to be extremely cautious before condemning others for doing something on Monday simply because it "indirectly encourages" _others_ to do things on Sunday. If I haven't got that point across yet, then I don't know I ever will.


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## Scott1 (Feb 5, 2014)

Logan said:


> saying that the one is different because it is primarily on the Sabbath is not convincing to me.



No,
because you are not causing the restaurant to be open Sunday by eating there on Monday.


> Exodus 20
> 10 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:



Quite different than watching the Sunday only Super Bowl.
(Remember, some of us have no problem with the Super Bowl per se, e.g. played not on sabbath).


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## au5t1n (Feb 5, 2014)

Logan, 

I know you're done, but I want to say that taking a different stand on a moral matter from another believer is not condemning him in and of itself. Some brethren here have expressed that they watch the Superbowl via recording. They are another's servants. I do not condemn them. But I will share convictions and the reasoning behind them in hopes that we might continue to press one another toward greater obedience to our Lord. I love the Lord, and therefore I want my brethren to point out my inconsistencies.

I will also take my leave here, as I do not think I can add to Benjamin's analysis in his long post earlier. For those who may have missed or skimmed it, please do go back and give it a read.

Sent from my XT557 using Tapatalk 2


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## Scott1 (Feb 6, 2014)

Logan said:


> Regardless, I believe the main intent of the Sabbath-keeping practices is to keep ourselves free of distractions and focusing on God, the Larger Catechism seems to bear this out. To that end, I believe watching the Super Bowl on some other day to be a matter of individual conscience and would disagree with Scott in calling it "one huge profaning of it".



The first statement is true, keeping ourselves free of distractions so we may focus on God on the Sabbath.
The second statement, it is not "watching" on Monday of a recording of it that profanes the day. It is knowing that the event caused many, many and depends on many, many people profaning the Sabbath so you can be entertained Monday.

We are not an island unto ourselves. We must love our neighbor (Mark 12:31). Exodus 20:10 is getting back to that biblical principle. We cannot wash ourselves of guilt when we know we demanded many people to profane the day so we can be amused.


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