Why Can’t Mormons Swim on Sunday?
by ThaddeusQ. Why can’t Mormons swim on Sunday?
Swimming is something we do mainly for recreation, like sailing, golfing, four-wheeling, and going to the movies. The Lord has asked us to spend one day of our week in worship. Recreation often distracts from this goal. We prefer to find activities that focus our thoughts on the Savior and bring us together as families.
Is there something inherently evil about swimming? No, but we can lose our spiritual balance when we overfill our time with fun-seeking. 
The Lord instructed Joseph Smith, “That thou mayest more fully keep thyself unspotted from the world, thou shalt go to the house of prayer and offer up thy sacraments upon my holy day; for verily this is a day appointed unto you to rest from your labors, and to pay thy devotions unto the Most High” (D&C 59:9–10). Notice that there is a blessing associated with Sabbath observance, and you can choose to claim it or not. Freedom from the ‘spots’ or moral pollutions of the world is more important to me than swimming.
The blessings of closer communion with God easily outweigh the pleasure I might get playing Marco! Polo! in the community swimming pool (called the ‘Municipool’ where I live), especially when I can enjoy a swim on six other days of the week.
The blessings are not reserved only for Mormons, either. Give it a try and see how you feel. See David’s excellent article on Sabbath Day worship to learn how.
I think it’s important to point out that the specifics about what we do or don’t do on Sundays are at least in part of matter of individual conscience.
We’ve gone as a family to a nearby state park on a Sunday afternoon, a park with picnic tables as well as a lake for swimming. For me and my family, that is a perfectly fine Sunday activity. I probably wouldn’t go to a municipal pool and buy concessions and that sort of thing on a Sunday, but I’d bet there are some faithful LDS folks who do.
Jesus warned about legalism, and in particular with regard to Sabbath observance. I find it wise to keep in mind the purpose of a sabbath day rather than get hung up on particulars.
Eric, you’re right that Sabbath observance is a matter to be decided between an individual and the Lord. I would just caution our readers that this does not mean it’s up to you alone. There is a certain danger in legalism, but there is an equally threatening pitfall on the opposite side of the spectrum: rationalization. We can fool ourselves into blinding our consciences and subtly moving the standard backward without really noticing it.
Constantly communicating with the Lord and listening carefully to his chosen servants (including his prophet and apostles, as well as local leaders) is the best way to keep from falling either way.
I’ve thought about this recently. I’ve come to the conclusion that the things we are taught not to do on Sunday are really secondary to the things we should be doing on Sunday. There may be nothing inherently wrong with doing those things we’re not “supposed” to on Sunday, except that they’re taking us away from the things that Sunday is meant for. If we’re following our favorite sports team or keeping track of the stocks all day the same as we do all during the rest of the week then we’re probably not taking time to rest, ponder and study the scriptures. I find that the people who don’t appreciate Sunday for the spiritual power it offers are often the same people who complain of never having “time” to study the scriptures.
At any rate, I’ve come to realize that if we focus on doing what we should on Sunday, then not doing what we shouldn’t entirely takes care of itself.
Eric: yes.
Thaddeus: yes.
Steve: yes.
You guys are right.
Who says Mormons can’t swim on Sunday? We’re Mormon and we swim on Sundays. We have a pool in our back yard and on a hot Sunday afternoon with little kids, I can’t imagine telling them they can’t go out there and swim. It’s a family activity and we hang out together and that, to me, is a wonderful bonding time that we don’t get often enough, since my husband and I both work full time hectic jobs. Now we don’t have ‘parties’ out there and have loud boisterous music, but my kids play together while I sit on a chair and read (oftentimes church material) and it’s nice and peaceful and cohesive and, for our family, perfectly appropriate.
This post was to answer a question that was posed from a viewer of the website about Sabbath day observance, its intention was not to make a “list” of things that were acceptable and unacceptable to do on Sunday. As the previous comments by Thaddeus and Steve have pointed out, the point is to keep the Sabbath day holy by it being a day to worship God. That is, do your activities take you away from God, or bring you closer to Him? If you contemplate on your family or personal activities and then can truthfully say you meet this criterion then you are keeping the Sabbath day holy.
When Jesus was criticized for healing someone on the Sabbath he stated that the Sabbath was made for man not man for the Sabbath. What a gift to have one day which was made for me. My responsibility then is to find the best way to use it for my edification.
In the movie Groundhog Day, Bill Murray goes through countless attempts at finding out what activities actually bring him joy and peace. We all have that opportunity with our Sunday worship and activity.
i think mormons should be able to swim on sunday its not bad. sunday is a day to be with your family and how does swimming make it so we cant??? i think we should be able to swim on sundays and its wrong to keep your kids cooped up inside all day when you live in california and and its summer and its hot all the time its just WRONG!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Dear members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints:
It is apparent that this post has really struck a chord in your hearts, because several of you seem to be offended that we dare suggest it is wrong to swim on Sunday. We aren’t saying that, all we are saying is that you should reflect on your Sabbath day activities. Please read Thaddeus’, Steve’s, Dave’s, Bus’ and my comments above. No one is saying what you can and can’t do on Sunday, we are simply asking you and all other people, “Do the activities you do on Sunday bring you closer to God?”, “Are your activities done in a spirit of worship?”, “Are you keeping the sabbath day holy, or are you making it a holiday?”
Kate, as for your comment, I understand your point about kids not wanting to be cooped up all day, but oftentimes what we think and what God thinks may differ. Our job is to get ourselves in line with His will. We can know his will for us by sincerely asking to know it and then being willing to do it, regardless of what He may say. Now, whether He thinks swimming on the Sabbath is considered disobedience or not for you, I don’t know. You have to make that decision between yourself and God.
Also, this post was made to answer a question posed by a reader whose Mormon friend declined a Sunday invitation to go swimming. Many Mormons choose not to swim on the Sabbath and this article gives some insight into why, though it may not be the blanket answer for every Mormon everywhere.