Disagreements remain on what place prayer has in sport

[Thom Little]

There are signs of faith and prayer everywhere you look in sports these days.

The huddle of players kneeling in prayer on the field after every NFL game. Basketball players making the sign of the cross before shooting a free throw. Fingers pointed toward the sky after home runs and touchdowns. Signs for chapel services in baseball clubhouses. Bible study and Christian fellowship groups at high school and college campuses across the country.

"I don't think a relationship with the Lord only occurs in church or only in your own private lives," says Washington basketball coach Lorenzo Romar. "Every moment you walk, you want to live in such a manner that you are acknowledging God's presence. You're trying to be his advocate, his ambassador. I don't think we turn it on and off."

But not everyone is comfortable inviting God into the game. Five years after the Supreme Court reaffirmed a ban on officially sponsored prayer in public schools with a ruling that said students couldn't lead crowds in prayer before football games, the question of who can pray together - and how - is far from settled.



http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/C/CO_PRAYER_AND_THE_GAME_COOL-?SITE=VARIT&SECTION=US&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2005-12-02-14-52-20

[jeff30997]

1. Yeah,god is on our side.

Ridiculous.:eyes:

[frylock]

2. whatever happened to matthew 6:6?

But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father who is in secret, and thy Father who seeth in secret, will reward thee openly.

[Protagoras]

11. Matthew 6:5-6 should be our response every time

Matthew 6:5 And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites : for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.


Mat 6:6 But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.

-----------

And bonus...it's even from the NEW testament. Which, upon my last reading, is what the Christians are supposed to be following?

[Wilms]

3. .

[Inland]

4. Jesus saves

but Gretsky scores on the rebound.

[TheMightyFavog]

10. I like this one better..

"Jesus Saves! Satan on the rebound, SCORES!!!! Miroslav Satan Puts the Islanders ahead 1-0.

[MADem]

5. PRAYER will ALWAYS have a HUGE place in sports!!!

OH, dear JESUS, please let me strike this asshole OUT!!

Allah, help me make this free throw shot!!!!

Prayer is fine, and need not be a public display of ostentatious virtue===just don't force the paying customers to have to deal with it.

[ComerPerro]

6. I think it is arrogant, self-absorbed, and disgusting

[jonnyblitz]

14. so do I.

:thumbsup:

[MuseRider]

7. The National Cutting Horse Association has

Cutters for Christ and they have services every Sunday at their shows so that they can compete and not miss getting that extra sumpin sumpin from the Christ who is very concerned about the judges calls.

[Dr.Phool]

8. I want to see more Santeria practitioners drafted into the NFL

I want to see a chicken sacrificed in the end zone after every touchdown! I want to see goats slaughtered at halftime.

I'm tired of just seeing the Cleveland Browns slaughtered every Sunday!

[dkofos]

9. It's funny though.

You never see a player that makes a mistake point his finger up to god.

[FlaGranny]

12. I'd think that God would

not have too much interest in which team wins a game. It is arrogant and prideful to pray to God for a win or for a strike-out or a touchdown. If I WERE God, I think I'd get pretty annoyed at such trivial and selfish and public praying.

On edit: Remember that "perfect" prayer that Jesus reportedly gave his followers? I don't recall it asking for money, winning, or possessions,

[Nye Bevan]

13. Millionaire athletes praying to God to fix their games are assholes

Like God (assuming he exists) does not have anything better to do.

If I was God in this situation I would make their team lose.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

15. Jocks praying sells beer and SUV's it's good for 'murka.

Capitalism is action. Pray for profits.

[WritingIsMyReligion]

16. How about NO place?

If you feel the biting desire to pray, go do it in private. Don't flaunt your "Christianity" for the rest of the world to see.