Sports Fields Are For Sport ... Not Prayer.

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jones jones
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Sports Fields Are For Sport ... Not Prayer.

Post by jones jones »

Been watching the Nelson Mandela Bay leg of the Rugby Sevens on TV this weekend. As an atheist, one thing that has really, really irked me is the number of players who run out onto the field of play, and then go down on bended knee to, I assume, pray.

Of course it is their constitutional right to worship and pray to the god of their choice, but why do it on the rugby field? They have ample time to do this in their dressing-room before the game or do they do it in front of the crowd so that they can be hailed as "christians?"
"…I hate how I don’t feel real enough unless people are watching." — Chuck Palahniuk, Invisible Monsters
gmc
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Sports Fields Are For Sport ... Not Prayer.

Post by gmc »

Why should it bother you? So long as they don't force everybody to join in who cares if they pray (no joke intended). Respect goes both ways or not at all. Of course since they are kneeling they are not true christians as only papists and the like kneel to pray. As an atheist don't you feel you miss out in being excluded from all the fascinating arguments about which is the right way to pray? Imagine how much more annoying it is seeing people not praying properly.
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LarsMac
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Sports Fields Are For Sport ... Not Prayer.

Post by LarsMac »

A lot of different sportsmen do that.

They are (I think) giving credit where they feel it is doe for their success.

Reckon it never occurred to them that they might give offense in the process.
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AnneBoleyn
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Sports Fields Are For Sport ... Not Prayer.

Post by AnneBoleyn »

They are copying Tim Tebow, since it "works" for him, & by that I callously mean "PR".
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Sports Fields Are For Sport ... Not Prayer.

Post by LarsMac »

I personally think it is a better show that the ones from the athletes who believe it is "All about them"
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Eris
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Sports Fields Are For Sport ... Not Prayer.

Post by Eris »

jones jones;1412064 wrote: Been watching the Nelson Mandela Bay leg of the Rugby Sevens on TV this weekend. As an atheist, one thing that has really, really irked me is the number of players who run out onto the field of play, and then go down on bended knee to, I assume, pray.
I always thought it would be Christians who would be offended by this kind of display. I find it amusing.
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jones jones
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Sports Fields Are For Sport ... Not Prayer.

Post by jones jones »

Eris;1412586 wrote: I always thought it would be Christians who would be offended by this kind of display. I find it amusing.


On the contrary, I'm sure that Christians would be delighted by "this kind of display."

Amusing perhaps to some, but the sight of a burly rugby forward, as soon as he runs onto the field of play in front of 30,000 odd spectators, going down on bended knee to pray, makes me wanna barf! :yh_sick
"…I hate how I don’t feel real enough unless people are watching." — Chuck Palahniuk, Invisible Monsters
gmc
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Sports Fields Are For Sport ... Not Prayer.

Post by gmc »

jones jones;1412631 wrote: On the contrary, I'm sure that Christians would be delighted by "this kind of display."

Amusing perhaps to some, but the sight of a burly rugby forward, as soon as he runs onto the field of play in front of 30,000 odd spectators, going down on bended knee to pray, makes me wanna barf! :yh_sick


Scotland being a much more civilised country a football player (soccer to you yanks) making the sign of the cross is seen as inciting religious bigotry depending on where he happens to be at the time. Might you you could argue that the ones taking offence aren't true christians which is ironic when you consider that what's started centuries of warfare in the first place.

New zealand saying let's have a good clean game to the french.

All Blacks vs France mean haka 2011 World cup winners - YouTube
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jones jones
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Sports Fields Are For Sport ... Not Prayer.

Post by jones jones »

gmc;1412645 wrote: Scotland being a much more civilised country a football player (soccer to you yanks) making the sign of the cross is seen as inciting religious bigotry depending on where he happens to be at the time. Might you you could argue that the ones taking offence aren't true christians which is ironic when you consider that what's started centuries of warfare in the first place.

New zealand saying let's have a good clean game to the french.

All Blacks vs France mean haka 2011 World cup winners - YouTube




Yeah I seen Catholics making the sign of the cross when they do good on a sportsfield. Also some players point up into the sky when they score and I always look up and see nothing.
"…I hate how I don’t feel real enough unless people are watching." — Chuck Palahniuk, Invisible Monsters
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Wandrin
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Sports Fields Are For Sport ... Not Prayer.

Post by Wandrin »

The evil little boy in me has always been waiting for a sports announcer to ask. When Notre Dame plays Texas Christian in American football and the game is decided by one point, wouldn't it be interesting if the sports announcer asked if that meant that one team prayed better, or perhaps God prefers the Roman Catholic teams over the Baptist teams. It will never happen, of course.
gmc
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Sports Fields Are For Sport ... Not Prayer.

Post by gmc »

Wandrin;1412659 wrote: The evil little boy in me has always been waiting for a sports announcer to ask. When Notre Dame plays Texas Christian in American football and the game is decided by one point, wouldn't it be interesting if the sports announcer asked if that meant that one team prayed better, or perhaps God prefers the Roman Catholic teams over the Baptist teams. It will never happen, of course.


Have to ask do notre dame kick with the left foot?

Texas christian? I presume it's a college do you have to be protestant christian to go to it or something
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jones jones
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Sports Fields Are For Sport ... Not Prayer.

Post by jones jones »

I'm waiting for the day when the guy who said a prayer before a game drops a catch or gets bowled first ball or drops the ball just before the tryline and then shakes his fist at the sky!

Guess he won't cos he'll just say his prayer was for god to help him win the game if it was his will!

I have debated with born again christians before!
"…I hate how I don’t feel real enough unless people are watching." — Chuck Palahniuk, Invisible Monsters
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