Jesus is Quite the Sports Fan

[maseman]

I watch quite a bit of sports...especially football. Anyone else notice that just about everyone does the point to the Almighty in the sky when something goes their way during a sporting event?

Frankly I think it is nuts. Yes it's free speech, free religious, blah blah. But its so hypocritical. Do they blame God when something doen't go their way on the field? I just saw some one from both teams point to the sky (Arizona versus Green Bay.) God made it a tie game? When they lose wasit part of God's plan?

I guess I just don't understand what the hell they are doing when they do it.

[Initech]

1. George Carlin put it best: God is undefeated in their book.

[goldywiggs]

2. You are incorrect; they are expressing their gratitude to the creator for their abilities.

This is just an expression of thanks to the creator for the gift of life. I don't know why anyone would have a problem with it.

[maseman]

3. I never see them point to the sky after they lose

Aaron Rodgers just fumbled the ball. He's not pointing. Matter of fact no one from Green Bay Packers are pointing. Hypocritical??

[msongs]

5. they are thanking jesus for smiting their enemies. How'd that work for Florida last season? nt

[maseman]

6. well that would seem to make sense actually

[fishwax]

8. Colt McCoy did after Texas lost the BCS Championship Game

Well, he didn't point to the sky, but when the interviewer asked him how he felt being injured in the first few minutes of the game and having to sit on the sidelines while his team lost in the most important game of his life, the first thing he did was to mention god (something about how god's in charge of his life, must have a plan, etc.).

[Artie Bucco]

39. Colt McCoy

He is second.

[Renew Deal]

10. I noticed that too

He pointed twice after the missed kick, but not after the loss. Isn't the entire experience a gift from God? I'd say so (if we want to go down that road).

[maseman]

12. That's kind of my point

It seems you would do the point after every play. I just find it odd that it is nearly always after a home run, touch down, etc. I work in sales. I never really thought about praising god more after a big sale. I say his name in vain when I don't get the big sale sometimes.

[swifty32661]

47. I agree with you, the pointing is ridiculous

Right after the Cardinals missed the field it panned over to Rodgers and he points at the sky. Then a few minutes later he fumbles and they lose. No pointing anywhere.

The big J gets all of the credit and none of the blame. I cry "bulls**t" that these guys are pointing, thanking whatever for their "skills". I'd like to see these athletes just stop the "sky pointing" altogether OR do it ALL the time, not just when something good happens.

[Forkboy]

4. You're in for a fun time here.

[Soylent Brice]

29. i think the problem is that it seems a tad ridiculous

to thank an invisible friend for an accomplishment that you had spent the majority of your life training for.

the invisible friend doesn't shoot you with magic gift bearing ray beams that endow you with some sort of cool ability to outperform the other person. you train and work hard and accomplish your goals. at that moment you just happen to be a little better than the other person.

also, thanking god for your "gift" would be like acknowledging that (logically speaking - which i know doesn't make sense in this context, but i digress...) that said deity apparently loves the other person less, or not at all, and had purposely chosen the other person over them.

that's kinda fucked up if you think about it.

moral of the story: apparently you should tip god a little more than the standard 10% on Sundays. :sarcasm:

[TexasObserver]

30. No, it isn't, or they wouldn't need to win to do it.

"I wanna thank God for helping me drop the pass that would have won it for us!"

Yours is just an expression used by those who rationalize the Thank you Jesus actions of pro athletes.

[ProfessorGAC]

42. Hey, Pollyanna Is Here

Just silly.
GAC

[Iggo]

45. delete

no fair.

piling on.

[Fuzz]

7. Jesus made us lose. I'm switching to Islam!

[Renew Deal]

9. How do you know they are pointing to Jesus?

They might not be Christians. But that said.... Yes, God is a sports fan. :D

[maseman]

13. I suppose they could be pointing

to birds, some fireworks, those little eyeball lint things that I see sometimes.

[devilgrrl]

11. I keep hoping one of the Jewish players would do something like that after they scored.

:popcorn:

[Shallah Kali]

14. "Onward Christian Athletes": Tom Krattenmaker's Book Explores Evangelical Monopoly In Sports World

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/12/19/onward-christian-athletes_n_398059.html

From the numerous Lusk copycats, to prayer circles at the 50-yard line, to jubilant players praising God in postgame interviews, an often conservative voice of the Christian faith is now commonplace in American professional sports. That reflects decades of influence by evangelical Christian groups in locker rooms and a belief among some Christian athletes that their visibility is a gift they should use to proclaim their faith.

snip

The influence of Christianity in locker rooms can be traced to people such as baseball pioneer Branch Rickey, the executive who brought Jackie Robinson to the Brooklyn Dodgers. In 1954, Rickey agreed to help college football coach Don McClanen found the influential Fellowship of Christian Athletes.

Baseball Chapel was established for players like ex-New York Yankee Bobby Richardson, who was mobbed at local churches on Sundays, Nauss said. By 1975, it had established programs for every major league team.

Another prominent group, the international sports ministry Athletes in Action, places about half of the NFL's chaplains.

Krattenmaker said evangelical ministries have a near monopoly in pro clubhouses because they seized the chance, then won the teams' trust by not exploiting their access. Other faith groups simply haven't done the work, he said.

snip

n his book, for instance, he highlights retired Indianapolis Colts coach Tony Dungy's public stance against same-sex marriage. But Jesus's teaching that "it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God" doesn't get much attention among hyper-wealthy athletes, he said.

[msongs]

17. how does that thou shalt not committ adultery go over? nt

[Fire_Medic_Dave]

23. Good thing Tiger's not a Christian eh?

[Initech]

32. Or in Gilbert Arenas' case, thou shalt not kill?

[uppityperson]

15. For all your Jesus sports statue needs....

http://www.catholicshopper.com/products/inspirational_sport_statues.html

[Monk06]

25. And I thought black velvet prayer hands were the pinnacle of dumb ass Christian absurdity

Of course the Rhinestone studded bucket seat
covers come a close third

[dflprincess]

38. I thought you had to go to Lourdes to find a religious object that tacky

I wonder how Jesus decides which team to join? What if kids on both Little League teams are praying that they win? :rofl:

[Shell Beau]

16. Why does anyone care? People thank God for many things.

:shrug:

[trotsky]

18. Hypocrites just aren't very popular.

Matthew 6:5-6

[Shell Beau]

20. Well there are also verses in the Bible where people came together

and prayed publicly.

[trotsky]

21. But that one is supposedly a direct quote from your Jesus fellow.

I guess he was wrong.

However, it does prove once again that you can find support in the bible for just about anything you want - it's chock full of contradictions.

[Shell Beau]

22. All righty then! Thanks!

[trotsky]

27. No need to get so snippy.

I can't help it if you don't know your own bible that well.

[Shell Beau]

31. I know my Bible very well. I am not about to argue its contents

with you. You aren't worth the time or effort. You have your mind made up, and I have mine made up. I've already wasted too much of my time even typing this. No need to reply. Thanks for playing.

[trotsky]

35. OK, if you prefer a different (unspecified, of course) verse than a direct quote from Jesus,

I guess that's your prerogative. Good luck!

[hughee99]

50. Check out Luke 10:21

Jesus seems cool with praising god in public there.

[hughee99]

49. The bible is just full of contradictions...

Luke 10:21

At that time Jesus, full of joy through the Holy Spirit, said, "I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for this was your good pleasure.

As Jesus wasn't doing this during his "private time".

http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke%2010&version=KJV

[Forkboy]

34. Yeah, but a first down is among the very best of those things.

:)

[kanrok]

19. i guess we all need something to get upset about

n/t

[maseman]

24. not upset, just confused

When someone wins a game do they feel more blessed? I never heard an athlete say "I wasn't because of my talents but rather God's will." When they lose it is always "God's plan."

I just broke wind. Is it God's plan or was it because I had Mexican for dinner? If I didn't have Mexican would I have broken wind?

[Enrique]

26. I always thought it was unfair that God helped some teams

it seems even worse than doing steroids.

[daleo]

28. God should't play favorites

And he should stay away from betting, too.

[immoderate]

33. God is semi-retired but still takes an interest in sports (and music awards.)

God used to take a personal hand in such as weather, earthquakes, volcanoes, diseases, and of course, war. In modern times, he takes less of a direct interest and leaves these things to "natural" causes like germs and plate tectonics.

With less to do, he has the time to preside over sports tournaments and his favorite, the Grammies. He seems to leave the tennis players alone though, except for Michael Chang.

--imm

[virgogal]

36. Aw it's just ritualistic and harmless.

[Historic NY]

37. The alway look to "Hail Mary" too.

[Nye Bevan]

40. If God made the Yankees win their 27th World Series title

then that is a God I want no part of. Come on God, you are all-seeing and all-knowing so you know what needs to be done to win me back in April through (hopefully) October of 2010.

[Capt. America]

41. +1000! God shouldn't be helping the Yankees, they already have Fox and Selig helping them.

[Renew Deal]

43. Bullshit and more bullshit

[trumad]

44. Ummm

Most point up because of a dead relative---father or mother?

[Iggo]

46. That's what I was thinking.

[KamaAina]

48. Once Tebow gets drafted,

won't he have to play against Kurt Warner? (assuming he ever wins a starting job, that is)

How could God possibly take sides in that game? Kind of like when brothers play against each other. :eyes: