Religion in sport

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ChristianitySpark

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#1
Feb 6, 2023
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#1
Forgive me if this is in the wrong place, it's my first time creating a thread.

I watch a lot of sport, especially soccer. I often see players making religious gestures, whether that is our sign of the cross or other symbolic gestures from different religions.

I obviously understand looking to God for individual strength and support to get through the game. But if God gives everyone the same inspiration, what's the point? Surely He's not going to pick favorites and help one over the other? I can't believe that God is going to support Real Madrid over Barcelona! So, I don't know, what's the point?

And then what if you're a Muslim and you're appealing to your own deity. With one true God who loves everyone, he's not going to punish them or reward a Christian more than a Muslim. Or is he? So again, what's the point I guess? Shouldn't we just internally appeal to God for the help we need to get through the game? It doesn't help to make showy public gestures?

I think about this a lot and I wonder if it's just me? It shouldn't bother me, but it does.
 
Lynx

Lynx

Folksy yet erudite
#2
Aug 13, 2014
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#2
Howdy ChristianitySpark and welcome to the forum.

Also, what if your team loses? Was your god weaker than their god? Or does your god have some higher purpose that requires you to lose this game, to fit into some master plan?

I have similar questions about game show hosts who say "good luck" to multiple contestants. Isn't one contestant's good luck another contestant's bad luck?
 
Lanolin

Lanolin

Well-known member
#3
Dec 15, 2018
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#3
I dont know sorry I've never paid much attention to sport. Maybe the players think God is watching or He enjoys the game?

IS there a sport that He watches?
 
Subhumanoidal

Subhumanoidal

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#4
Sep 17, 2018
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#4
ChristianitySpark said:
Forgive me if this is in the wrong place, it's my first time creating a thread.

I watch a lot of sport, especially soccer. I often see players making religious gestures, whether that is our sign of the cross or other symbolic gestures from different religions.

I obviously understand looking to God for individual strength and support to get through the game. But if God gives everyone the same inspiration, what's the point? Surely He's not going to pick favorites and help one over the other? I can't believe that God is going to support Real Madrid over Barcelona! So, I don't know, what's the point?

And then what if you're a Muslim and you're appealing to your own deity. With one true God who loves everyone, he's not going to punish them or reward a Christian more than a Muslim. Or is he? So again, what's the point I guess? Shouldn't we just internally appeal to God for the help we need to get through the game? It doesn't help to make showy public gestures?

I think about this a lot and I wonder if it's just me? It shouldn't bother me, but it does.
Click to expand...
If you're talking about individual athletes have you considered that their gestures are meant to be personal and not suggest God is on any teams side? An acknowledgement that God gave them their abilities, or inspired them to work hard to be as good as they are?
 
Magenta

Magenta

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#5
Jul 3, 2015
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#5
Subhumanoidal said:
If you're talking about individual athletes have you considered that their gestures are meant to be personal and not suggest God is on any teams side? An acknowledgement that God gave them their abilities, or inspired them to work hard to be as good as they are?
Click to expand...
Good point .:). Also, by publicly acknowledging God in these ways, they are not hiding their light under a bushel...
 
Sweetest1

Sweetest1

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#6
Mar 17, 2023
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I think it's giving the glory to the One who gave them the talent and glory to win, or even lesson in a loss.
 
JaumeJ

JaumeJ

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#7
Jul 2, 2011
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#7
The talents may be equated to the gift of faith given each of us. What we do with it determines our heavenly reward.

As for the title of the op, as long as the individuals are not doing it in the spirit of praying loud prayers in the public square or on corners to be seen by others, it is not a bad thing to do.
 
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ChristianitySpark

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Feb 6, 2023
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#8
Lynx said:
Howdy ChristianitySpark and welcome to the forum.

Also, what if your team loses? Was your god weaker than their god? Or does your god have some higher purpose that requires you to lose this game, to fit into some master plan?

I have similar questions about game show hosts who say "good luck" to multiple contestants. Isn't one contestant's good luck another contestant's bad luck?
Click to expand...
Yes! Exactly!
 
HealthAndHappiness

HealthAndHappiness

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#9
Jul 7, 2022
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Almost Heaven West Virginia
#9
Fair question.
A staff member of WVU Mountaineers brought this topic up once.

I can't speak for the players since they may have different motivations/ reasons for gestures when they score. Sometimes I see celebrations too. There's no reason for not praising God publicly, if that's what's going on. He gave me special talents/ skill sets that I am grateful for. As to who wins a game, I don't see how that matters. He might have a purpose, but who am I to say. Even the nations are nothing to God, yea less than nothing. However He does use individuals within those nations for His purposes.

This is what God is REALLY concerned about.
>Where people are for eternity <
/\
 
Dude653

Dude653

Senior Member
#10
Mar 19, 2011
12,659
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#10
ChristianitySpark said:
Forgive me if this is in the wrong place, it's my first time creating a thread.

I watch a lot of sport, especially soccer. I often see players making religious gestures, whether that is our sign of the cross or other symbolic gestures from different religions.

I obviously understand looking to God for individual strength and support to get through the game. But if God gives everyone the same inspiration, what's the point? Surely He's not going to pick favorites and help one over the other? I can't believe that God is going to support Real Madrid over Barcelona! So, I don't know, what's the point?

And then what if you're a Muslim and you're appealing to your own deity. With one true God who loves everyone, he's not going to punish them or reward a Christian more than a Muslim. Or is he? So again, what's the point I guess? Shouldn't we just internally appeal to God for the help we need to get through the game? It doesn't help to make showy public gestures?

I think about this a lot and I wonder if it's just me? It shouldn't bother me, but it does.
Click to expand...
I'm pretty sure this is mentioned in the bible. Don't make a public display of praying like the Pharisees did
 
K

Karlon

Well-known member
#11
Mar 8, 2023
2,490
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#11
ChristianitySpark said:
Forgive me if this is in the wrong place, it's my first time creating a thread.

I watch a lot of sport, especially soccer. I often see players making religious gestures, whether that is our sign of the cross or other symbolic gestures from different religions.

I obviously understand looking to God for individual strength and support to get through the game. But if God gives everyone the same inspiration, what's the point? Surely He's not going to pick favorites and help one over the other? I can't believe that God is going to support Real Madrid over Barcelona! So, I don't know, what's the point?

And then what if you're a Muslim and you're appealing to your own deity. With one true God who loves everyone, he's not going to punish them or reward a Christian more than a Muslim. Or is he? So again, what's the point I guess? Shouldn't we just internally appeal to God for the help we need to get through the game? It doesn't help to make showy public gestures?

I think about this a lot and I wonder if it's just me? It shouldn't bother me, but it does.
Click to expand...
Communication with God is natural even if it's a repetitious event. God has not given the same talent to all though. Look at Buddy Rich, MikeTyson, Tiger Woods, Magnus Carlsen & Robert Plant. The best of the best! It's not that it's a public gesture, just a gesture. Everyone who makes a public gesture didn't do it purposefully to be seen of the public. Do you think everybody in the world gestures internally only? No way.
 
Flannery

Flannery

Active member
#12
Mar 20, 2023
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#12
ChristianitySpark said:
Forgive me if this is in the wrong place, it's my first time creating a thread.

I watch a lot of sport, especially soccer. I often see players making religious gestures, whether that is our sign of the cross or other symbolic gestures from different religions.

I obviously understand looking to God for individual strength and support to get through the game. But if God gives everyone the same inspiration, what's the point? Surely He's not going to pick favorites and help one over the other? I can't believe that God is going to support Real Madrid over Barcelona! So, I don't know, what's the point?

And then what if you're a Muslim and you're appealing to your own deity. With one true God who loves everyone, he's not going to punish them or reward a Christian more than a Muslim. Or is he? So again, what's the point I guess? Shouldn't we just internally appeal to God for the help we need to get through the game? It doesn't help to make showy public gestures?

I think about this a lot and I wonder if it's just me? It shouldn't bother me, but it does.
Click to expand...
I'm my experience, people who say that they are praying for a sport are merely being sarcastic. On the other hand, one is to "pray without ceasing".
 
P

paralambano

Member
#13
Jun 19, 2023
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#13
Okay, so I'm a soccer fan with no apology using the term. Discuss?
Anyway.

I don't have an issue with the initial post at all.

However players express believing in some supernal power greater than themselves for their skills and however much they'd like the outcome to favour their club/team, a Christian's prayer I believe should be that God's will be done ultimately. Believing that He knows so much more than any of us (who do so temporaneously) as to how small and great occurrences fit into the grand scheme of things.

para . . . .
 
JaumeJ

JaumeJ

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#14
Jul 2, 2011
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#14
You gotta love Manchester and their Guuardiola!
 
p_rehbein

p_rehbein

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#16
Sep 4, 2013
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#16
Most athletes who make these public displays do so in vain.......

EVERYBODY KNOWS GOD IS AN ALABAMA FAN!
 
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