Wednesday, April 13, 2011
Cheerleaders For God
This article talks about how a Christian group of students at Duke aim to put the same passion into worshipping God as their school does for their basketball team. They believe America's obsession with sports has become idolatry while others say athletics creates compassionate people, coinciding with Christian beliefs. What do you think?
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
I found this article really interesting. I think our society in general can get really wrapped up into sports. As an athlete, I think it's always a big challenge for one to figure out how to incorporate their faith into their sport. As far as professional sports go, the majority rarely combines the two. Some athletes dedicate games to God, or after a great success say it was a work of the Lord. One thing the article mentioned that I have a few athletes do, is use their sport as a way of spreading their faith. I don't think sports are a bad thing in any sense, I do agree though that it is a bad thing (for athlete or spectator) for a sports team to become your idol, especially above God. I am very interested in seeing how this movement at Duke is received...maybe some of the duke fans needed something to be passionate about after they were destroyed by arizona! haha :)
ReplyDeleteThis article really surprised me- I have never thought sports and religion to be in any way related. I personally believe that religion and faith are very personal and specific to the individual and are similar, but not connected. Basketball games and Christian festivals/worship services are simply different interests that individuals have and the passion that goes into basketball games comes from the unpredictable nature of sports.
ReplyDeleteA passage that really caught my attention was this:
"'Instead of exploring creative ways sport might serve true religious purposes such as spiritual growth and enrichment, the Christian community has seized on sport as a tool of status enhancement, advertising, and evangelism'"
There are multitudes of Christian communities and church congregations that do this as well, which I never even knew was a bad thing- so I can't really say if this passage is contradictory or not. Does this seem strange to anyone else?
Allison, as a Duke fan, I'm going to ignore that last part ... :) I'm also very interested to see how this gets received. I agree with Allison in that sports are not bad, until the love and commitment one has for them surpases that of one's relationship with God. Within the realm of FCA (Fellowship of Christian Athletes), sports and religion are very much connected, but I am very curious to see how this plays out in such a setting as Duke- with arguably some of the most intense fans in the country. As a Christian and an athlete, my goal, though it is not always achieved, is to play my games and conduct myself to the glory God. It will be interesting to see if this passion Duke has for it's basketball teams can be translated into a Christian movement, rather than individual decisions.
ReplyDeleteJust to jump on to the Christian-athlete bandwagon, I also think the two can be interconnected without causing a problem.I think a problem develops when people begin to elevate athletic events above what they are. In the most literal since it's a game, and it becomes an issue when people devalue the fun aspect and hyperbolize the competitive aspect. Like most things, there are some sports fanatics who do idolize basketball, football, etc; but there are also others who are just as dedicated and interested -but realize the fundamental principle that it's just a game.
ReplyDeleteI can understand why people get so excited about sports over religion though. Sometimes it's harder to connect with God, or "feel the Spirit" in a church service, but there's so much energy at a sports game. I'm not saying that's right, but I can understand why it might appear that way. I do think idolizing sports is a problem, but not all fans idolize sports. I love some Alabama football, but by no means do I idolize it. I think sports definitely spark passion in people, something that faith can do too.
ReplyDeleteI think this article's intentions are great. I, like everyone else who has commented, am also very interested to see how this concept actually turned out for Duke. Like others have said, I think sports are a great way to spread one's faith. I was very involved with FCA in high school, and was one of the only Christians on my team. It was nice to be able to use swimming as a springboard to "be an example" to others of how to use the skills God created us with for His purpose; all without being too serious and having fun competing. I think the ideas behind this groups goals are sound. However I can also see the other side of the story where sports fan do idolize their teams. As long as its all kept in check, I think a love for sports is a great way to show others God.
ReplyDeleteFor me the problem is not the "worship" of sports, but the mindset that has gradually evolved with sports. When individuals are so passionate about a group they identify with, it creates an "other". Someone who is outside the group. This can be especially harmful if the outsider is a minority. Though many people may claim that any harassment of the "other" is playful, I wonder if it strictly is. Do our perceptions change of people when we hear what team they are pulling for? Preconceptions of what each school and team stand for may not be intentional, but they do have consequences.
ReplyDeleteI am not proposing that we can’t have team pride, but that we stop the rigidity in which we "defend" our own teams. We need to realize when we are creating an "us" v. "them" situation and stop creating a "good" v. "bad" label to go along with it.
I think that athletics can be a great way to grow in one's walk with Christ. Christians can use God as a positive reinforcer in their training, and they can use their faith to discover their personal boundaries. As for the question of idolatry, I think sports can sometimes overshadow God as a priority. For example, some athletes take steroids to further their athletic ability. However, God urges his followers to treat their bodies as temples, and this act violates God's word.
ReplyDelete