Christianity and Football(Split from 2009 Tidbits)

[jwinslow]

Just ridiculous. No one believes Christian athletes are "soft".

Marcus Freeman most certainly has been tagged as soft over the years.

Not trying to "crucify" you here, Josh. But your way off on this. Stop the whole "Christian Martyr syndrome" schtick. :tongue2:

I see that you're still incapable of debating philosophical topics in a civil manner, even with bush leaving office.

Maybe it's just me, but I am looking forward to seeing 85 pissed off young men looking to tear the heads off the other team as opposed to being saved as the top priority...

Christianity was presented as the alternative to aggressive play.

The first reply disagreed with his soft label, which he did not deny.

Of course, the Tebow and Jenkins examples were never addressed.

 

[jwinslow]

Players honor others all the time in sports. Some dedicate their success to mom, celebrate their zip code, or put a motto they live by. Others rock arrogant phrases highlighting how awesome they are.

If juice Williams rocked 'hope' and 'change' patches, would it create the same stir? I'm not sure it would.

 

[Nutriaitch]

I just kinda skimmed through this thread, so forgive me if I'm repeating the thoughts of others.

Christianity (or lack thereof) or any other religion for that matter has little/nothing to do with one's success on a football field, or a teams chemistry.

Reggie White was a preacher and his teammates absolutely loved him.
He was as fierce and talented as anyone else out there. No Chemistry issues (that I'm aware of on any of his teams).

I'm also fairly certain that there have been devouted christians out there who couldn't get along with half of their teammates and played soft and uninspired.

It's all about the individual players attitude and how he goes about flaunting, preaching, speaking, etc.

I played football in High School (CB/KR). Some guys on that team were very religious, some guys not at all. Maybe that mattered in the real world, but inside the locker room, it was completely irrelevant. I didn't give 2 shits if the safety that was helping me on the deep route was Christian, buddhist, jewish, muslim, atheist. Hell, he could start his own religion worshipping the Fonz for I cared, as long as he had my back if I bit on a hitch and go and got burnt.

 

[cincibuck]

Yeah, because being Christians made Lauranitis and Freeman so soft, and keeps McCoy and Tebow from being strong team leaders.

I don't know about the off the field actions of Lauranitis and Freeman, but I am impressed that Tebow has given time and effort to working with the poor and afflicted.

That being said, I see NO connection between football and the Gospel. I don't think a Supreme Being involves himself in Saturday's outcomes.

If prayer, or crossing yourself before taking a foul shot makes you feel better, go ahead, but the notion that God gives two shits about your tiny moment is about as narcicistic as anything I can imagine.

 

[cincibuck]

I think religion is a convenient target because it is stereotyped as gentle.

Well yeah, if you ignore the Crusades, The Reformation, The Inquisition, the Reigns of Henry the VIII and Elizabeth, the plight of the Huguenots, The Turks and Armenians, The History of the Balkans, The Arab - Israeli conflict, 9/11 and Iraq and Afghanistan.

 

[Jake]

Well yeah, if you ignore the Crusades, The Reformation, The Inquisition, the Reigns of Henry the VIII and Elizabeth, the plight of the Huguenots, The Turks and Armenians, The History of the Balkans, The Arab - Israeli conflict, 9/11 and Iraq and Afghanistan.

Exactly.
If people want to believe in fairy tales and Santa Claus in the Sky that's their choice. But when those beliefs lead to events such as those you listed here we see just how dangerous "religion" can be in any society.

 

[jwinslow]

So do these remarkably broad strokes apply to someone sporting an american flag too?

Exactly.
If people want to believe in fairy tales and Santa Claus in the Sky that's their choice. But when those beliefs lead to events such as those you listed here we see just how dangerous "religion" can be in any society.

 

[Buckeye86]

So do these remarkably broad strokes apply to someone sporting an american flag too?

yes, people hide behind the American flag in order to do despicable things just like they hide behind religion from time to time

not every person out there who sports an American flag or a cross or whatever has bad intentions, but it is definitely out there both historically and now

acting like every religious person (or patriotic person, since you took it there) supports killings and death like the things cincibuck described is just as ridiculous as acting like the killings and death never happened in the first place though

what all of this has to do with college football, I'm not entirely clear on

 

[jwinslow]

yes, people hide behind the American flag in order to do despicable things just like they hide behind religion from time to time

Yup.

not every person out there who sports an American flag or a cross or whatever has bad intentions, but it is definitely out there both historically and now

acting like every religious person (or patriotic person, since you took it there) supports killings and death like the things cincibuck described is just as ridiculous as acting like the killings and death never happened in the first place though

absolutely. Humans reinforce their flaws constantly, and no walk of life is free of that.

I just wonder if folks would be upset if they were sporting a flag instead of a bible verse saying they play to honor God? I think it would elicit an even more fierce response in many places around the world. Many who wave their flag - or sport a mom or Christ patch - do so out of pride and who they are... not to shove it down their throats as what they should live for too.

Before this title game, I'm not sure anyone was even rocking a message beyond who deserves the glory for their play. Most of the verses were `i live to honor this or that', not you need to do the same.

what all of this has to do with college football, I'm not entirely clear on

Good question. The person that took the initial bold stance isn't willing to engage in a debate by looking at the variety of flavors people and Christianity arrives in...

Since then, it's been something of an informal survey into many folks' underlying feelings on Christianity, with or without eye black.

 

[Jake]

So do these remarkably broad strokes apply to someone sporting an american flag too?

 

[Buckeye86]

I just wonder if folks would be upset if they were sporting a flag instead of a bible verse saying they play to honor God? I think it would elicit an even more fierce response in many places around the world.

You continue to elude to the overwhelmingly negative response from the public at large to the wearing of biblical eye black that I just don't see.

I don't think Sweden has anything to do with the current discussion. Please take your pictures of sweet candy treats someplace else.

 

[Jake]

acting like every religious person (or patriotic person, since you took it there) supports killings and death like the things cincibuck described

No one acted like "every religious person supports killing and death" anywhere in this thread. Such an assertion wouldn't be any more truthful than suggesting every German supported Jewish extermination in WWII.

However, the unfortunate fact is the violent events Cinci listed had their origins in religion, and millions have died as a result of them. There are currently over 25 nations living with religious-based violence, as people kill each other arguing over whose God is the real God. It would be hilarious if it wasn't so deadly.

 

[Jake]

I don't think Sweden has anything to do with the current discussion. Please take your pictures of sweet candy treats someplace else.

The American flag had nothing to do with it, either.

It's called a red herring. Look it up.

 

[Jake]

Since then, it's been something of an informal survey into many folks' underlying feelings on Christianity...

For some of us it's about "religion", in general. Christianity is just one of them.

They all share certain traits:

All require blind faith in things that make no sense, whatsoever.

All have survived for thousands of years because of Man's fear of his own mortality.

All have been used to justify killing others at one time or another. :ohwell:

 

[Buckeye86]

It's called a red herring. Look it up.

it's called humor, look it up

No one acted like "every religious person supports killing and death" anywhere in this thread. Such an assertion wouldn't be any more truthful than suggesting every German supported Jewish extermination in WWII.

I realize this, and I never accused anyone of acting in such a way. I'm sorry if you took personal offense to my statement. My point, which is much better illustrated by my entire quote rather than the chopped up version that you chose to respond to, was that religious violence is a fact, acting like it doesn't exist is just as silly as acting like violence is the only thing that religion creates.