Football... the opiate of the masses
Well, I'm back at uni, working nights. It's sad when it comes to this...
Well, I was thinking about religion and what it is. Without rushing to any sort of bible, my definition of religion is "what you live for". I mean, since when did religion have anything to do with God? Religion only has to do with God when you live for God. (I don't think that contradicts what James has to say on the matter...)
I'd have to say that sport is one of the greatest organised religions of our time. It is a passion, a raison d'etre. I went to Queenstown on the weekend to umpire a Devil's practice match. There isn't much to do at Queenstown and the footy in the winter, cricket in the summer is it. The reason to live. They don't want to let down the club.
To stir up a bit of a hornet's nest, I was thinking about many of my mates from church who were playing footy for the local club. We had eight of them there last year. None have returned (as yet). So many good reasons for this, but it strikes me as really sad that the relationships might be cut short, that the Christian guys who were there last year, well they just didn't have the stickability. Couldn't commit.
There are two reasons that I have any sort of feeling about this. First, I see a footy club that is known as being home to a bunch of hillbillies who smoke way too much pot, just want to fight and are generally not people that you'd necessarily want your kids messing with. (Not to say that these are the down and out of society, that is clearly not the case, however, I dare say that it'd be rare to umpire a Channel footy club game without a decent melee.) So, these guys had a real chance to change that culture.
Secondly, I feel that it reflects poorly on us as Christians, as being people who are too busy to really stick with something - this is really noticed when Channel footy club is the religion for many of these people.
But I notice a general trend among my fellow Christians. There is a sense of shock when I reveal that I train two nights a week for my umpiring. Such a "massive" commitment is unheard of. I see it so often that people just want to play footy one weekend, go fishing the next, and then just mope around doing nothing for the rest of the time. I suppose that's fine, but you can't go into a team sport with that attitude.
This concept of commitment seems so foreign to Christians, yet, I'd have thought that if anyone would be committed, it would be a Christian.
Well, I was thinking about religion and what it is. Without rushing to any sort of bible, my definition of religion is "what you live for". I mean, since when did religion have anything to do with God? Religion only has to do with God when you live for God. (I don't think that contradicts what James has to say on the matter...)
I'd have to say that sport is one of the greatest organised religions of our time. It is a passion, a raison d'etre. I went to Queenstown on the weekend to umpire a Devil's practice match. There isn't much to do at Queenstown and the footy in the winter, cricket in the summer is it. The reason to live. They don't want to let down the club.
To stir up a bit of a hornet's nest, I was thinking about many of my mates from church who were playing footy for the local club. We had eight of them there last year. None have returned (as yet). So many good reasons for this, but it strikes me as really sad that the relationships might be cut short, that the Christian guys who were there last year, well they just didn't have the stickability. Couldn't commit.
There are two reasons that I have any sort of feeling about this. First, I see a footy club that is known as being home to a bunch of hillbillies who smoke way too much pot, just want to fight and are generally not people that you'd necessarily want your kids messing with. (Not to say that these are the down and out of society, that is clearly not the case, however, I dare say that it'd be rare to umpire a Channel footy club game without a decent melee.) So, these guys had a real chance to change that culture.
Secondly, I feel that it reflects poorly on us as Christians, as being people who are too busy to really stick with something - this is really noticed when Channel footy club is the religion for many of these people.
But I notice a general trend among my fellow Christians. There is a sense of shock when I reveal that I train two nights a week for my umpiring. Such a "massive" commitment is unheard of. I see it so often that people just want to play footy one weekend, go fishing the next, and then just mope around doing nothing for the rest of the time. I suppose that's fine, but you can't go into a team sport with that attitude.
This concept of commitment seems so foreign to Christians, yet, I'd have thought that if anyone would be committed, it would be a Christian.
posted by BSJ-rom at 9:36 pm
4 Comments:
Interesting post Jerome, especially as I am one of these uncommitted footballing Christians! I think it is a real pity that there isn't going to be much of a Christian presence down at the footy club this year but that doesn't mean that the years we have been there have been in complete vain. We've made a whole heap of non-Christian mates at the club and I'm hoping these friendships will continue. What I do realise is that without getting down to the club most of these friendships will be hard to maintain. That’s why I intend to follow the footy club as a social member and hope to get down to a few home games during the season. I’m sure most of the others will do the same.
Pretty much all the church boys down there have legitimate reasons for not playing this season. I think being a Christian and playing a sport is difficult, especially for those who have families and/or are involved in other ministries. For example, 203 runs on Tuesday nights, so does training. My reason for not playing is mostly to do with injury. I can only think of one season of footy where I haven’t missed a couple of weeks because of injury. Last year it began to affect my ability to work so I thought it might be time to try something a little less stressful on the body. I still have sore back from a number of crunchings I received as a result of backing into packs in 2004!
Anyway, all hope is not lost for the footy club, while there may not be much of an on-field Christian presence, the off-field presence shall continue. I can already foresee a heap of conversations with people down there based on the church boys exodus! It will be good to be able to tell a few of them why playing football and Christianity is a difficult mix. Hopefully those conversations will lead somewhere else!
I should have put a whole lot of disclaimers on my post about how everyone of the guys have really good reasons for not playing. But if I did that, nobody would comment. It's all about the ratings.
One way or another it is sad that it is so difficult to maintain that level of commitment.
Is it something that we as a church should be looking at to try to reduce the conflict?
I wish I had some decent ideas, and I will try to think of some. But in the meantime, my mind's a bit blank.
It's definitely a big commitment if you're studying full-time, working part-time, have church commitments and then want to train 2 nights a week, plus a running session on your own and a gym session and a game on the weekend.
Personally, I know that I've avoided that part-time work and have learnt to say no at church on many an occasion.
It's always an interesting discussion...
Interesting comments Jerome and Squirrel. It was with much regret that I pulled out of playing this year even after doing pre-season. I was also quite bummed to see that all of the God squad had also pulled out. Channel seemed quite happy for us to train just one night a week and play but unfortunately this was still too much commitment for me this year. The saturday thing was pretty much a killer especially the travel time + get there 1 hour before. i love sport but i also love being around my family so it just wasn't going to cut it.
Unfortunately I also disagree with a football club's idea of "commitment" I understand where they are coming from but it is very much orientated towards young single men.
Keeping non-christian contact is something I really am consious of, especially this year as i am working full time at church. The LAST thing i want is to spend all my time around christians. I find its important just to have a set amount of contact that I make sure i do stuff with regularly. J and I find this is a good thing to do togehter so we are trying to concentrate on couple or families. I encourage you both the make the most of every opportunity you have to build your C and NC friendships! Each person just needs to work out how to do this best for themselves and get the balance right.
THE CHAD
Interestingly with my background, sport was not a family thing. I played basketball of a Saturday morning in primary school. Dad would come and watch occasionally. Played a bit of cricket, dad would watch. Dad played a couple of games of soccer, but he was well out of the sporting scene before I was around.
But sport was a family event for my dad. He would go watch the footy every winter Saturday with the parents and siblings.
I reckon it would have been great to have been brought up around a sporting club.
Essentially what I'm saying is that the idea of a sporting club also being a family organisation is a pretty good one, a model that I like. A lot of clubs are "family friendly" in name, but not in practice. It would be good to see that change.
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