This week's Sunday topic is religion and sports. In a quick scripture search I found no references to football, basketball, or really any sporting events. That means this is my opinion. As with most things on the blog take it for what it is, but feel free to agree, dissent, or offer something up I didn't. I have to admit that part of this is in response to last year's comment by Austin Collie of BYU, who after beating Utah said “When you're doing what's right on and off the field, I think the Lord steps in and plays a part; magic happens.” What this statement also means, and I am sure Collie didn't realize the repercussions when he originally said it, is that when you lose you must have done something wrong. You can't have it both ways using his logic. If living righteously gives you divine help and privilege, then unrighteous living brings no help. For BYU it means when you lose, someone(s) must have sinned, else the Lord would have helped them win.
Of course this notion is flawed from the start. First of all if God really cared then BYU or Notre Dame for that matter would never lose. Obviously that is not the case. Sports are bring out many great qualities in people, they also bring out some of the worst. I just don't think God is worried about who wins a football game. Again if He was worried then the favored team would win. I think He wants everyone to do their best, to play with sportsmanship, but as far as winning or losing, I think we are the ones who care about that.
I find it interesting when players are willing to give God the credit for victory or for a great performance. As if they are favored above all the other players or their team is greater in the eyes of the Lord than the other. If God is no respecter of persons than this notion of being rewarded for righteous living doesn't quite fit nor does the opposite punishment for sinning behavior. Plenty of athletes break rules, take performance enhancing drugs, live an immoral life of the field and still perform well on the field.
I didn't hear Austin Collie say that the reason the Cougars lost to the Utes was because the Utes were more righteous. Or that Max Hall had a poor performance because he has been living unrighteously lately. He was quick to say it in victory, but in defeat he never discussed the subject.
I am not trying to demonize Austin Collie. From all accounts he is a good person who said what I believe to be a silly comment. I would have said the same of any player on any team had they made that comment. Certainly God blesses those who live righteously. But there are plenty of athletes who don't who do just fine as well. I happen to think that God is more worried about our eternal salvation than whether a team wins a relatively meaningless game (in the grand scheme of things). Sports can be fun, they can help us gain confidence, strength, and give us qualities such as persistence, diligence, and hard work. But I just don't think God pulls out the pom poms and cheers each week.
1 comment:
Agreed, God definitely doesn't care how games turn out, no matter who is playing! I wasn't happy as soon as Collie said that, because the implications of the comment obviously weren't thought through (namely, implying that others aren't living right, and that you always win when you are - both of which are ridiculous). To be fair, I don't really think that's what he meant. I think he was a freshly returned missionary not quite adjusted to reality. We've all prayed that we would play our best before a game and felt like those prayers were answered, but to imply other things beyond that is not very wise. Unfortunately, nobody in the media or the public really cares what you meant, only what you said, and now he is eating his words.
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