Here is a pet peeve of mine, and one that never fails to annoy me when I see it on TV: sports teams and individuals praying publicly before and after an event.
What are they saying? Perhaps: "Please God, help me to crush my opponent, please don't let me lose!"
Or, before a boxing bout: "Please help me to hit this guy where it hurts the most! Please let me get him unconscious as soon as possible. You don't have to get him permanently disabled, but if it is Your will, then let it be!"
My question is always: "Whose side do they think god is on?"
Another related practice is for Christian magazines to print articles of great sportsmen and women as a "testimony" - "How God helped me win the gold in the olympics". Why did God not help those that came second and third? Have you ever read an article: "How god helped me come last in the 100m but still do my best!"?
My view is that sure, you can pray that God will help you do your best, but do it in your secret place, as Jesus said. These public displays are humiliating, and, quite frankly, a mockery of real prayer.
Who was this famous general who said: "God is on the side of the largest artillery". In the same way, I think god is on the side of the team that has the best players and strategy!
Clearly, the views of atheists on this topic would be predictable - the whole thing is ridiculous anyway! So let that be - I would really like to know from some Christians (say, sonship, KoP) how you see this practice.
Originally posted by CalJust Here is a pet peeve of mine, and one that never fails to annoy me when I see it on TV: sports teams and individuals praying publicly before and after an event.
What are they saying? Perhaps: "Please God, help me to crush my opponent, please don't let me lose!"
Or, before a boxing bout: "Please help me to hit this guy where it hurts the most! Please let ...[text shortened]... e to know from some Christians (say, sonship, KoP) how you see this practice.
In peace
CJ
The more you talk the more I see similarities in our way of thinking. Sorry to tell you that ..😀
Pray privately, public prayer may have its place but should not be the rule.
Dont shout. God is not deaf.
Dont repeat yourself. God knows what you need even before you ask him.
Dont pray for money or material things. Be content with food and clothes.
Dont pray to win the lotto .. that one for sure makes God laugh.
Originally posted by Great King Rat Why pray at all?
For instance, would it do any good to pray to win the lottery? Would god be deciding who wins anyway? Is it truly random? Does god already choose the winner?
You can see if everyone prayed to win the lottery, only one person or a small number anyway, can win so it doesn't look like praying would help since the rules say only a small number can win.
If everyone chose the same winning number then nobody would get more than a few bucks so that wouldn't work.
Originally posted by CalJust Here is a pet peeve of mine, and one that never fails to annoy me when I see it on TV: sports teams and individuals praying publicly before and after an event.
What are they saying? Perhaps: "Please God, help me to crush my opponent, please don't let me lose!"
Or, before a boxing bout: "Please help me to hit this guy where it hurts the most! Please let ...[text shortened]... e to know from some Christians (say, sonship, KoP) how you see this practice.
In peace
CJ
When the coach prays with a team they are usually praying that they will play their best, win or lose, and that nobody gets seriously injured. After the game it is usually a prayer of thanks to God for what is believed to be a benefit, especially if nobody got hurt.
Originally posted by CalJust Here is a pet peeve of mine, and one that never fails to annoy me when I see it on TV: sports teams and individuals praying publicly before and after an event.
What are they saying? Perhaps: "Please God, help me to crush my opponent, please don't let me lose!"
Or, before a boxing bout: "Please help me to hit this guy where it hurts the most! Please let ...[text shortened]... e to know from some Christians (say, sonship, KoP) how you see this practice.
In peace
CJ
I wonder how many of them are secretly atheists, just doing what's expected. I'd love to know how many US presidents were actually atheists. I think the number might astonish people. 🙂
Originally posted by Rajk999 Someone knowing what you need and you asking for it are two separate things. Why are you connecting the two?
If you accept that god already knows what you want then you aren't really asking him when you pray, it's more like making clear that the issue is really important to you. In which case I'd think that repeating certain things might not be a bad thing.
I assume you pray when a loved one has been in a bad accident. You feel you shouldn't pray more than once in such a case?
Might i also ask what you consider the meaning of prayer? What is it? What do you pray for?
Originally posted by RJHinds When the coach prays with a team they are usually praying that they will play their best, win or lose, and that nobody gets seriously injured. After the game it is usually a prayer of thanks to God for what is believed to be a benefit, especially if nobody got hurt.
Yeah, right.
What about the second part of my question - why do christian leaders and magazines glorify winning and success, when Jesus was the archetypal non-threatening person, who always stood up for the underdog?
Born illegitimately in a barn, executed as a common criminal - how "successful" is that?
Originally posted by CalJust Here is a pet peeve of mine, and one that never fails to annoy me when I see it on TV: sports teams and individuals praying publicly before and after an event.
Just one more thing for the record - in this thread I am not attacking anybody nor am I tongue-in-cheek or devil's advocate. I am truly just seeking information on how other Christians handle this very common practice in their data base.
For example, we often hear after an event: "I would like to thank God (or, my Saviour) for helping me win this game." How must the other person feel who was defeated - where was God when I needed her?
the case of Brazilian footballer Kaka is quite interesting, when he was a kid he suffered a terrible accident which seriously hurt his back, i am not sure if he was facing being paralyzed, yet he recovered and became an awesome player. He is a very religious man and thus attributes his success to divine intervention and celebrates by pointing to the sky as testimony of his giving glory to God for his success.
Originally posted by CalJust Here is a pet peeve of mine, and one that never fails to annoy me when I see it on TV: sports teams and individuals praying publicly before and after an event.
What are they saying? Perhaps: "Please God, help me to crush my opponent, please don't let me lose!"
Or, before a boxing bout: "Please help me to hit this guy where it hurts the most! Please let ...[text shortened]... e to know from some Christians (say, sonship, KoP) how you see this practice.
In peace
CJ
selfishness. huge ego. "the universe revolves around me" syndrome.
Praying before and after sports events
28 Mar '14 13:57
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