Another ‘Bobby Fisher’ movie being released

The ‘theatrical release of another movie about the late chess champion Bobby Fischer is scheduled for September 18, 2015

He once had a connection, for a time, with the old Worldwide Church of God. Here is some of what Wikipedia reported about his religion:

Religious affiliation

Although Fischer’s mother was Jewish, Fischer disavowed having Jewish roots.In an interview in the January 1962 issue of Harper’s, Fischer was quoted as saying, “I read a book lately by Nietzsche and he says religion is just to dull the senses of the people. I agree”.

Fischer joined the Worldwide Church of God in the mid-1960s. The church prescribed Saturday Sabbath, and forbade work (and competitive chess) on Sabbath. During the mid 1970s Fischer contributed significant money to the Worldwide Church of God. In 1972 one journalist stated that “Fischer is almost as serious about religion as he is about chess”, and the champion credited his faith with greatly improving his chess.. …Fischer eventually left the church in 1977 (Bobby Fischer, accessed 09/14/15)

Here is some of what The Journal reported in its print date December 20, 2011 edition related to Bobby Fischer:

ARCADIA, Calif.—Harry Sneider, former WCG and AC employee and personal trainer to actor and former governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and many other notables, is featured in a new movie about the late chess champion Bobby Fischer. The film, Bobby Fischer Against the World, appeared in January 2011 on HBO television and in movie theaters. Mr. Fischer moved to Pasadena, Calif., in 1972 to be near the college and church headquarters after his triumph over Boris Spassky in the World Chess Championship in Reykjavik, Iceland. “He was a coworker with the Church of God, and Mr. Herbert W. Armstrong wanted to help Bobby in any way he could,” Mr. Sneider remembers.

Bobby Fischer and a 2011 HBO movie about him were also mentioned in that article. While Bobby Fischer has been mentioned here from time to time (e.g. see Bobby Fischer Died and Bobby Fischer Problems in the Philippines Post Mortum), his movie was not.

FWIW, I do not believe that Bobby Fischer was ever a truly converted member of the Church of God, but God will make the actual judgment of course. It also was never clear to me if Bobby Fischer was truly actually a member of the Church of God or not (a long time member told me that she was fairly sure that he never was, though she was not 100% positive)–his interest seemed to ebb and flow. In 1975/6/7 he went completely off on his own and disassociated himself from the Worldwide Church of God and did not come back.

Jesus explained a parable:

18 “Therefore hear the parable of the sower: 19 When anyone hears the word of the kingdom, and does not understand it, then the wicked one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is he who received seed by the wayside. 20 But he who received the seed on stony places, this is he who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; 21 yet he has no root in himself, but endures only for a while. For when tribulation or persecution arises because of the word, immediately he stumbles. 22 Now he who received seed among the thorns is he who hears the word, and the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and he becomes unfruitful. 23 But he who received seed on the good ground is he who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and produces: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.” (Matthew 13:18-23)

Which group Bobby Fischer may be in above, God will judge. But hopefully, you will chose to be among those that bear fruit.

Some items of possibly related interest may include:

What is the Unpardonable Sin? What is it? Can you repent of it? Do you know what it is and how to avoid it? Here is a link to a related sermon video The Unpardonable Sin and the Prodigal Son.
Universal Offer of Salvation: There Are Hundreds of Verses in the Bible Supporting the Doctrine of True Apocatastasis Do you believe what the Bible actually teaches on this? Will all good things be restored? Will God call everyone? Will everyone have an opportunity for salvation? Does God’s plan of salvation take rebellion and spiritual blindness into account? Related sermon videos include Universal Offer of Salvation I: God is love and Universal Offer of Salvation II: The Age to Come and the ‘Little Flock’ and Universal Offer of Salvation III: All Are to Know Jesus, But When? and Universal Offer of Salvation IV: Will the Guilty be Pardoned? and Universal Offer of Salvation V: All Israel Will be Saved? A version of the main article was also translated in the Spanish language: Oferta universal de salvación: Hay cientos de versículos en la Biblia que apoyan la verdadera doctrina de la Apocatastasis.
Some Similarities and Differences Between the Eastern Orthodox Church and the Continuing Church of God Both groups claim to be the original church, but both groups have differing ways to claim it. Both groups have some amazing similarities and some major differences. Do you know what they are?
Parable of the Talents: Are there Prophetic Ramifications? In Matthew 25 Jesus tells the parable of the servants given talents. What are/were talents? How valuable were they? What do Christians have that are of great value? Do many who are Christian that hide their talents? Was the one who buried his talent cowardly? Does any of this have to do with the Kingdom of God? Is the Parable of the Minas in Luke 19 related? Do Jesus give more to the one who was productive or the one who had the least?
Should the Church Still Try to Place its Top Priority on Proclaiming the Gospel or Did Herbert W. Armstrong Change that Priority for the Work? Some say the Church should mainly feed the flock now as that is what Herbert W. Armstrong reportedly said. Is that what he said? Is that what the Bible says? What did Paul and Herbert W. Armstrong expect from lower level leaders? A related sermon is available titled Priority of the Philadelphia Work.
Preparing for the ‘Short Work’ and The Famine of the Word What is the ‘short work’ of Romans 9:28? Who is preparing for it? Here is a link to a related video sermon titled: The Short Work.
The Final Phase of the Work What is the final phase of the work? Who will lead it? Do you have the courage to support it? Here is a related YouTube video titled The Final Phase of the Work. The written article has been translated into Spanish La Fase Final de la Obra.
Leading the Final Phase of the Work Matthew 24:14 teaches “And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come ” will be fulfilled and RCG is not the group doing this. Who is leading the final phase of the work? What did Herbert Armstrong and the old WCG teach about that and about prophets? Does Bob Thiel meet the criteria that the Bible and the old WCG set? What is the proof? What has the Continuing Church of God been doing? This is a sermonette length video.
Where is the True Christian Church Today? This free online pdf booklet answers that question and includes 18 proofs, clues, and signs to identify the true vs. false Christian church. Plus 7 proofs, clues, and signs to help identify Laodicean churches. A related sermon is also available: Where is the True Christian Church? Here is a link to the booklet in the Spanish language: ¿Dónde está la verdadera Iglesia cristiana de hoy? Here is a link in the German language: WO IST DIE WAHRE CHRISTLICHE KIRCHE HEUTE? Here is a link in the French language: Où est la vraie Église Chrétienne aujourd’hui?
Continuing History of the Church of God This pdf booklet is a historical overview of the true Church of God and some of its main opponents from Acts 2 to the 21st century. Related sermon links include Continuing History of the Church of God: c. 31 to c. 300 A.D. and Continuing History of the Church of God: 4th-16th Centuries. The booklet is available in Spanish: Continuación de la Historia de la Iglesia de Dios, German: Kontinuierliche Geschichte der Kirche Gottes, and Ekegusii Omogano Bw’ekanisa Ya Nyasae Egendererete.