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Are Christianity and professional sport compatible?

  • 25-10-2007 3:53pm
    #1
    daveharnett
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,567 ✭✭✭


    I know a guy who used to be a big rugby fan. He spent most of his spare cash following munster around europe. More recently, events have caused him to reexamine his beliefs and he has returned to catholicism.

    He now equates the intensity with which he supported his team as idolitry, or something similar. Essentially, he feels that he was literally a "religious supporter". Now he does not allow himself to watch professtional sport at all.

    Professional sport: harmless diversion or dangerous obsession?


Comments

  • #2
    BrianCalgary
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,196 ✭✭✭BrianCalgary


    Could be both. I limit myself to one BPL match a week. I listen to and participate in a Derry City chatroom for all their matches.

    I do everything I can to make sure my spectator status does not take away from my family first nor do I take Sunday morning away from church to watch a match. I tape it instead.

    Once the sport takes away from that which ought to be done (James 4:17) then we have an issue.


  • #3
    keano_afc
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 8,711 ✭✭✭keano_afc


    I believe idolatry to be anything that takes the place of God in your life. This can be tv, laziness, video games etc. It sounds like your friend was definitely spending a vast majority of their time on their support of Munster. But I think you could replace sport with any of the things I've mentioned above and ask the same question. There are plenty of Christians in professional sport, so I certainly think sport and God can go side by side. Andy Trimble is a good example, he uses his sport as a gret witness for Christ in his life.


  • #4
    PDN
    Closed Accounts Posts: 13,686 ✭✭✭✭PDN


    BrianCalgary wrote: »
    I listen to and participate in a Derry City chatroom for all their matches.

    Following Derry City is unlikely to be exciting enough to become an obsession. :)

    I regularly join a number of other men from our church in attending Eircom League matches. I also follow Arsenal and love watching cricket, rugby, and even (when in the US) American College Football. A few people become obsessive about sport, but overall it can provide good clean fun.


  • #5
    Run_to_da_hills
    Closed Accounts Posts: 20,009 ✭✭✭✭Run_to_da_hills


    I can see no problems with professional sport as long as it dose not become an obsession or a religion in itself.


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