Praying before the football game?

So I'm a Christian (for lack of a better term). I'm "supposed" to support Christian prayer and all that jazz, but ya know what really bugs me; sports teams praying before a game. Now I have nothing against sports, but man God does not give a shit if your team wins the game or not, and God is not going to help you win. What is worse is whichever teams wins always says that they won because God was helping them or some similar garbage. It's all a bunch of cynical publicity stunt crap.

What do other Christians think about that sort of behavior?

 

Prayer, no matter your faith, has been proven to help your game, not because you get some special powers (although maybe you...i dunno : ) But because it helps you to stay focus on what you are playing for. For example for a Christian: "It's all for Him" Gives a person extrinsic motivation. I wrote a paper on this in sport pshychology : )

And besides who knows what football players are praying for. Perhaps they are praying for no injuries or to keep their focus on God and not themselves.

 

True, some use prayer with out sincerity and more as a good luck charm

 

It just shows the idiocy of human beings. To imagine that God helps a particular football team is a complete absurdity.

But also, I fear that it indicates a deeper problem that exists. People imagine that whatever crock of shite they have been conditioned to beieve is important, in the way of 'cultural norms' is also important to God. Perhaps some are even so stupid as to think God approves the wastage of millions of dollars/pounds/euros on a game fit only for children in a world where millions live below the poverty line. Or that there is time for such diversionary nonsense in this life.
The 'stars' of football games etc are often among the very worst examples of humanity one can find anywhere. Arrogant, stupid, overpaid, egoists.
To pray for such things is indicative of the fact that for many, religion is just a kind of emotional prop. It is about as far away from any objective value sytem or truth as one can get.
They seem to see God as no more than a convenient dispenser of their own limited and illusory desires.

 

Well when it comes to sports, war, contests, whatever, a wise man once said "Don't ask the almighty to take sides. Bare your grief and trust your reason."

 

what happens when both teams pray to God to win? wouldn't God be conflicted, feeling he should help both teams win equally? Because God loves everyone the same, right?

 

I don't mind people talking to their invisible sky daddy, as long as they do it privately. This "everyone bow their head" or "take a moment" PUBLIC bullshit is an insult to those who do not believe in such fantasies.

So, anyone who wants to join hands and pray -- BY ALL MEANS...go right ahead!

But, DO NOT publically call for or infringe upon my rights to ABSTAIN from such. I don't care what "God" we are talking about, either.

And don't ask me to "excuse myself" like I am some second-class citizen who needs to be ostracized because I don't believe in invisible deities.

You do your rituals on your own time!

Keep your religion private and proselytize on your own, not through public/state/school institutions or legislation!

 

when I played we always prayed for safety and the strength to do our best. We were christian enought to realize asking GOD for the big win trivilized our God.

 

Well, I hope that you all at least had the decency to voluntarily do your thing in private without making others (who may not have been "Christian") feel pressured to join in on your rituals. I hate that shit.

In other words, I hope you all didn't make it a "team" thing -- like if you don't "pray", you don't feel as much a part of the football squad. That would be a shitty thing to do to someone.