Football and The Bible

Movieman · Post by **Movieman** » Tue Mar 27, 2007 8:54 am

I wrote this in a paper for a class in school and I want to get some opinions from other Christians out there and their thoughts on what I mentioned:

Most people today seem all to willing to put anything God-related or church-related aside if doing so would benefit them in some way (however trivial that way may be). Take Sunday football games, for example (we will discuss football again later on). Even with some of the godliest men you know, on any given Sunday the thought “I wonder when the game starts” probably pops into their head at least a couple of times during the church service. It is not that they are worshipping the game of football; it is just the millions of dollars spent on commercials for football games have paid off in that they have invaded the mind of those people, subliminally coercing them to put their focus on the game. If people (Christians especially) would guard their minds as the Bible tells them to, things like this would not distract them from the one thing their focus should be on.

Danadelfos · Post by **Danadelfos** » Tue Mar 27, 2007 10:34 am

Well, that's because sports are their God of course....

At least in most cases.

Nasri · Post by **Nasri** » Tue Mar 27, 2007 10:39 am

Yes but have ever watch a soccer match in church

Jonathan · Post by **Jonathan** » Tue Mar 27, 2007 10:59 am

Oh dear goodness no. I have come to despise sports more and more the older I've got, and this is one reason. Hell would have to freeze over before I'd do something so stupid.

Arla · Post by **Arla** » Tue Mar 27, 2007 12:05 pm

No, not ever! My parents would never ever let us skip. EVER! And I can't say I ever wanted to. Leaving early is bad as well, unless you have a better reason.

Shad Lexer · Post by **Shad Lexer** » Tue Mar 27, 2007 1:23 pm

My pastor just plays the game during the service.

darcie · Post by **darcie** » Tue Mar 27, 2007 1:29 pm

Our evening service was rather sparse on Superbowl Sunday! But maybe they attended at a different time?

For those that feel conflicted, I have one word - DVR! $\:D/$ Record the game and go to church. Then watch it from the beginning when you come home. But... be sure to avoid all news media and perhaps turn off the ringer on the phone so as to not spoil the outcome.

Shad Lexer · Post by **Shad Lexer** » Tue Mar 27, 2007 1:34 pm

Or we could record church...

(Just kidding.. I was kidding about the first post too.)

The Top Crusader · Post by **The Top Crusader** » Tue Mar 27, 2007 2:40 pm

Is our own Christianity and relationship with God more important than football? Absolutely.

But still if there is one "big game" (Superbowl or playoffs or your favorite team VS your most hated team) on a Sunday night I really don't think there is anything wrong with missing one service.

Waluigi Freak 99 · Post by **Waluigi Freak 99** » Tue Mar 27, 2007 6:25 pm

In my opinion, it doesn't matter when you spend time with God, as long as you do spend time with Him. Many churches have services on Sunday nights and Wednesday nights.

I remember, once, when I was very young, a pastor at my old church cancelled an evening Sunday service because he knew that two of our members were football fans who sacrificed watching the games regularly to attend. I still don't understand why he cancelled the service for that, though.

Clodius Albinus · Post by **Clodius Albinus** » Tue Mar 27, 2007 7:33 pm

A real fan, of course, isn't distracted in church wondering when the game starts. He knows.

Jonathan · Post by **Jonathan** » Tue Mar 27, 2007 8:11 pm

Joseph Schumpeter wrote:A real fan, of course, isn't distracted in church wondering when the game starts. He knows.

lol, good point.

The Top Crusader wrote:Is our own Christianity and relationship with God more important than football? Absolutely.

But still if there is one "big game" (Superbowl or playoffs or your favorite team VS your most hated team) on a Sunday night I really don't think there is anything wrong with missing one service.

I'd agree--if you had an alternative option for attending church that week. If you only had one service you could go to that weekend, and you skipped for something as trivial as a football game, I can't say I agree.

Jack Davis · Post by **Jack Davis** » Tue Mar 27, 2007 9:15 pm

I accidentally voted no, but I just I just remembered that my Dad and I went to a Iowa Cyclones vs Nebraska Huskers game about three years ago, and we did skip the Sunday Evening service. We don't make a habit of it though.

Robo · Post by **Robo** » Tue Mar 27, 2007 9:25 pm

I've never left early or skipped church for a sporting match. But, there have been times right after Youth Group (on Sunday) that the Youth Pastor and some of the kids will turn on the football or american football game to watch! $\:D/$

-Robo

Skid · Post by **Skid** » Tue Mar 27, 2007 10:19 pm

I don't skip church for sports events. For starts, I can't make it to church out where I live, and second I don't have the slightest interest in most sports.

Agent3xq · Post by **Agent3xq** » Wed Mar 28, 2007 7:22 am

If there's a really important game on right after church sometimes I'll just find a room that can get the channel for the game and watch it on that until I leave

The Artful Dodger · Post by **The Artful Dodger** » Wed Mar 28, 2007 9:10 am

My brothers once skipped church to go to a football game. But that's because they wouldn't have been able to get parking on time if they would have come.

Danadelfos · Post by **Danadelfos** » Wed Mar 28, 2007 8:56 pm

I have one statement,

I really think that when you skip church or decide to skip one service and go to the other, I would really question your motives in life. Even if you only do it once, isn't God supposed to be your motive? I mean come on you get 6 other days to watch some guys play with a ball, (I like sports don't get me wrong) but why do you have to put God aside for that one day? If you're that interested in sports go buy some recording equipment and forget about it and worship God that day. Saying, oh I can go to the morning service and skip the evening, or say oh I'll go to Wednesday's service really is putting sports before God.

Just a little thing. $\:D/$

Lord_Kappa · Post by **Lord_Kappa** » Thu Mar 29, 2007 7:08 am

Oh dear goodness no. I have come to despise sports more and more the older I've got, and this is one reason. Hell would have to freeze over before I'd do something so stupid.

That struck me as hilarious.

I haven't... my church doesn't hold Sunday Evening services though. (Actually, the only time I go to anything about football is the Super Bowl Party... and I usually watch movies there.

)

Christian Cowgirl · Post by **Christian Cowgirl** » Thu Mar 29, 2007 10:24 am

We don't have a sunday evening service $\:D/$

But no, I've never left early or skipped. Would be kinda weird being the pk and skipping

We turn the game on in church after church.

The Town of Odyssey

Football and The Bible

Have you ever skipped (not left early) church to watch a football game or any other sporting event?

Football and The Bible