Why can't Jehovah's Witness play chess?

Answer 1

It is not a general rule not to play any particular game. Each individual has to make their own informed decision about what God requires of them. Each person train their conscience different and their choices sometimes differs, with time, they can even decide differently, and no one - not any witness will judge the other - as Jehovah is the supreme judge. However, witnesses engage in what is spiritually upbuilding, and refressing. e.g a bible-based game produced by www.TheocraticGames.com is such a spiritually upbuilding game. We remember each one of them will give account to God alone.

Answer 2

Yes. Jehovah's Witnesses can play Chess. Since there is nothing in The Bible mentioning anything about Chess being bad, and it is not violent and/or spiritualistic, Jehovah's Witnesses can play Chess.

In Addition:

Actually, Witnesses are advised to consider whether playing Chess is suitable because of its very militaristic background and competitive nature. An 'Awake' article from 1973 says; "Chess can result in its consuming large amounts of one's time and attention to the exclusion of more important matters. Also, in playing it there is the danger of "stirring up competition with one another," even developing hostility toward another, something the Bible warns Christians to avoid doing.

Then, too, grown-ups may not consider it proper for children to play with war toys, or at games of a military nature. Is it consistent, then, that they play a game noted to be, in the opinion of some, an "intellectualized equivalent of the maneuvers enacted by little boys with toy soldiers"? What effect does playing chess really have upon one? Is it a wholesome effect?''