David EdwardsSport and Religion: Perhaps they do really mix...?
November 16th 2008 23:53
The sublime harmonies that the Fijian rugby league team produced in their pre-match song failed to translate to victory last night against Australia, once again proving that religion and sport do not mix.
Firstly, Fijian captain Wes Naiqama read a passage from Ephesians 4:32, emphasising the importance of teamwork. Grape juice and bread were then passed around as Holy Communion, signifying the blood and body of Jesus Christ our lord. To finish the service, Dean Geyer's "If You Don't Mean It" was performed by the players in barbershop quartet format.
Meanwhile, a brutish Australian team bared their fangs with atheistic delight, clinically disposing of the Fijians 52-0.
So if religion doesn't mix with sport or politics, what on earth does it mix with? Has religion become a segregating force within society, or does it have the requisite social skills to mingle with said vocations?
The Australian government's DFAT website will have you know that sport is a religion in itself; in fact, Australia's "national religion". A hybrid of many different religions that manifests itself in our sporting heroes and iconic stadiums. Obviously, the MCG is "Mecca", towards which we direct our prayers several times a day. The revered "Jesus" is certainly Don Bradman - incarnate of Mary by the power of the Holy Spirit. The question of who is God is incredibly subjective, but there is more than enough proof to suggest that Bart Cummings is the overarching supreme being. Others have inferred that there is not just one God, but many Gods. Specifically, the 1948 Invincibles have been suggested as our Sporting Gods; which puts Bradman in the difficult position of being both Jesus Christ and God.
I grew up as a child reading the proverbs of cricketing greats: Max Walker, Ian Chappell, Doug Walters, and assorted biographies (scriptures). Of course, i read the Bible itself: Wisden. The definitive anthology of cricket, Wisden taught me more about life than it did about the sport itselft. The sheer lack of ambiguity in Wisden - expressed via statistics rather than arguably dubious metaphors - makes cricket the easiest of religions to embrace; possibly explaining why we, as a nation, are so drawn to this religion above all others.
Instead of jokingly touting sport as "Australia's national religion", actual steps should be taken to formalise this suggestion. Small suburban places of worship should be erected, where men can take their wives and children to listen to great sermons of past battles. Reverends (they be called Umpires) will recite passages from Wisden - each containing an underlying moral to the story. The Sydney Riot of 1879, in which a controversial umpiring decision led to a massive crowd riot during a NSW vs England touring match, is said to hold a deeper meaning, akin to the Bible's "Love thy neighbour" message. The famous Bible verse, John 3:16: "For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life", is exemplified through the scriptures of Gilchrist p 496, Wisden: in which "Gilly so loved his team that he walked when he edged the ball, so that he may leave a legacy and therefore be permitted to appear on Mike Munro's This is Your Life - not to mention releasing an Autobiography, titled True Colours."
After the service, children could run onto the street and play street cricket with their friends, inviting parents to draw comparisons with the Lord himself, Sir Donald Bradman. The simple use of cricketing cliches would allow children to grow up with the morals of a saint. They would simply be asked to play a straight bat (a metaphor for honesty); to only play cricket when there is grass on the wicket (a warning against paedophilia); and to always bowl a maiden over (an instruction against homosexuality). These will be known as the Three Commandments.
In contrast, rugby league is no place for the devout. SportingMind enjoyed the brilliant harmonies of the Fijian side; indeed, their ability to effectively harmonise their prayer song bought a tear to my eye - an eye usually more barren than Julia Gillard - to use a Heffernanism. Unfortunately, combining religion and rugby league is a bit like teenage girls and alcohol. You can try mixing them, as the Fijian side did, but you'll probably just end up getiing hammered and taken advantage of by some sleazy pack of men.
Actually, that last metaphor was way too appropriate. Scrap that.
-SportingMind
Firstly, Fijian captain Wes Naiqama read a passage from Ephesians 4:32, emphasising the importance of teamwork. Grape juice and bread were then passed around as Holy Communion, signifying the blood and body of Jesus Christ our lord. To finish the service, Dean Geyer's "If You Don't Mean It" was performed by the players in barbershop quartet format.
Dean Geyer: Avaible for Weddings, 21st Birthdays, and Fijian church services
Meanwhile, a brutish Australian team bared their fangs with atheistic delight, clinically disposing of the Fijians 52-0.
So if religion doesn't mix with sport or politics, what on earth does it mix with? Has religion become a segregating force within society, or does it have the requisite social skills to mingle with said vocations?
The Australian government's DFAT website will have you know that sport is a religion in itself; in fact, Australia's "national religion". A hybrid of many different religions that manifests itself in our sporting heroes and iconic stadiums. Obviously, the MCG is "Mecca", towards which we direct our prayers several times a day. The revered "Jesus" is certainly Don Bradman - incarnate of Mary by the power of the Holy Spirit. The question of who is God is incredibly subjective, but there is more than enough proof to suggest that Bart Cummings is the overarching supreme being. Others have inferred that there is not just one God, but many Gods. Specifically, the 1948 Invincibles have been suggested as our Sporting Gods; which puts Bradman in the difficult position of being both Jesus Christ and God.
Are these our Gods??
I grew up as a child reading the proverbs of cricketing greats: Max Walker, Ian Chappell, Doug Walters, and assorted biographies (scriptures). Of course, i read the Bible itself: Wisden. The definitive anthology of cricket, Wisden taught me more about life than it did about the sport itselft. The sheer lack of ambiguity in Wisden - expressed via statistics rather than arguably dubious metaphors - makes cricket the easiest of religions to embrace; possibly explaining why we, as a nation, are so drawn to this religion above all others.
Wisden: "The Good Book"
Instead of jokingly touting sport as "Australia's national religion", actual steps should be taken to formalise this suggestion. Small suburban places of worship should be erected, where men can take their wives and children to listen to great sermons of past battles. Reverends (they be called Umpires) will recite passages from Wisden - each containing an underlying moral to the story. The Sydney Riot of 1879, in which a controversial umpiring decision led to a massive crowd riot during a NSW vs England touring match, is said to hold a deeper meaning, akin to the Bible's "Love thy neighbour" message. The famous Bible verse, John 3:16: "For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life", is exemplified through the scriptures of Gilchrist p 496, Wisden: in which "Gilly so loved his team that he walked when he edged the ball, so that he may leave a legacy and therefore be permitted to appear on Mike Munro's This is Your Life - not to mention releasing an Autobiography, titled True Colours."
"He walked for us, so that we could buy his book......Amen"
After the service, children could run onto the street and play street cricket with their friends, inviting parents to draw comparisons with the Lord himself, Sir Donald Bradman. The simple use of cricketing cliches would allow children to grow up with the morals of a saint. They would simply be asked to play a straight bat (a metaphor for honesty); to only play cricket when there is grass on the wicket (a warning against paedophilia); and to always bowl a maiden over (an instruction against homosexuality). These will be known as the Three Commandments.
"Thou shall never take thy Lord's name in vain.... Wisden p 189-96"
In contrast, rugby league is no place for the devout. SportingMind enjoyed the brilliant harmonies of the Fijian side; indeed, their ability to effectively harmonise their prayer song bought a tear to my eye - an eye usually more barren than Julia Gillard - to use a Heffernanism. Unfortunately, combining religion and rugby league is a bit like teenage girls and alcohol. You can try mixing them, as the Fijian side did, but you'll probably just end up getiing hammered and taken advantage of by some sleazy pack of men.
Actually, that last metaphor was way too appropriate. Scrap that.
-SportingMind
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Comment by Norm
Consumption Malfunction
Equal and Opposite
Arses and Elbows
Footy Power
Comment by Norm
Consumption Malfunction
Equal and Opposite
Arses and Elbows
Footy Power
Comment by David Edwards
Sporting Mind
The only ambiguity in the religion is of course the LBW law. I of course, am pro-umpire - rather than allowing technology to make the moral decision for us, thus aborting a batsman's innings during its foetal development.
Comment by Norm
Consumption Malfunction
Equal and Opposite
Arses and Elbows
Footy Power
Of course, someone stole all Jesus' gear before he came back into the sheds; one of the thieves was killed there and then and the other was saved, for a worse death later.
When Jesus left the field, the ground was still covered in water, leading to the myth that he had urinated in his 'pads'.
Comment by Norm
Consumption Malfunction
Equal and Opposite
Arses and Elbows
Footy Power
Comment by damian
Urban Telegraph
Sports and All
The Squirter McGee Diaries
Comment by Go with the Flo
Comment by David Edwards
Sporting Mind
When Ware said 'let there be light', he was whingeing to Umpire Steve Bucknor - who had instructed Nazareth skipper Jesus to only bowl spinners in the fading light due to player safety.