Sports and Religion
Thought and
Reflection
Near the opening scene of the classic baseball movie, Bull Durham, the character Annie Savoy
(played by actress Susan Sarandon), whose home could be compared to a baseball
shrine, utters one of the more famous “confessions” in film:
I believe in the
Church of Baseball. I’ve tried all of the major religions and most of the minor
ones. I’ve worshipped Buddha, Allah, Brahma, Vishnu, Siva, trees, mushrooms,
and Isadora Duncan.
I know things. For
instance, there are 108 beads in a Catholic rosary and there are 108 stitches
in a baseball. When I learned that I gave Jesus a chance. But it just didn’t
work between us. The Lord laid too much guilt on me.
I prefer metaphysics
to theology. You see, there’s no guilt in baseball, and it’s never boring….
I’ve tried ‘em all, I
really have. And the only church that truly feeds the soul day in and day out
is the Church of Baseball.
OK, before you giggle and before you react, pause, take a
deep breath, and think about what she just said (and once again, think about
the “nones”). Now hold that thought for a bit. For our final two discussions,
we’re going to move away from “traditional” religions and explore the basic
concept of “religion” and ask whether popular culture, sports culture, in
particular, has given us an alternative religion. Could sports be seen as a
“religion?” Don't giggle. I want you to take this question seriously because
others have.
Frank Deford, the well known Sports Illustrated writer, penned an interesting article in 1976
for that magazine that raised this very issue (http://sportsillustrated.
cnn.com /vault/article/magazine/MAG1090994/index.htm). Here’s a quote from it:
Coincidence or not, the last great religious
boom in America came in the mid-1950s, and the decline in church attendance,
which set in thereafter, took place just as pro football, the Sunday game,
became the passion of the land.
Now, the trip out of the house on Sunday is
not to visit a church, but to see a game or to play one. At most Roman Catholic
churches, where regular attendance traditionally is highest, convenient
Saturday afternoon services are now featured so that communicants can get in a
full 18 holes the next morning before returning home for the NBA Game of the
Week. At Notre Dame these Saturday masses have become especially popular on
game days, sort of the second half of a doubleheader.
So the churches have ceded Sunday to sports,
to games. But we should not be deceived; that really is not a good indication
of the popularity of religion or its place in the U.S. It is just that games defeated prayer
in the battle for a day, and that should not come as a surprise, inasmuch as
religion does not televise nearly as well as golf and only slightly better than
ice hockey. It does not follow that since sport has won Sunday, we have
embraced a form of temporal worship. Indeed, the more sport is proclaimed our
religion, the more people in sport seem to be seeking religion.
And if you don’t think people haven’t thought deeply about
our question for today, think again. Check out this quote from a 1984 article
by Joseph L. Price, “The Super Bowl as Religious Festival”:
…But the Super Bowl
and its hype could not dominate the consciousness of many Americans with the
existence of a mythos to support the game. Myths, as we know, are stories which
establish and recall a group’s identity: its origin, its values, its world
view, its raison d’être.
Two dominant myths
support the festivity and are perpetuated by it. One recalls the founding of
the nation and the other projects the fantasies or hope of the nation. Both
myths indicate the American identity.
The first concerns the
ritual action of the game itself. The object of the game is the conquest of
territory. The football team invades foreign land, traverses it completely, and
completes the conquest by settling in the end zone. The goal is to carry the
ritual object, the football, into the most hallowed area belonging to the
opponent, his inmost sanctuary. There, and only there, can the ritual object
touch the earth without incurring some sort of penalty, such as the stoppage of
play or the loss of yardage.
This act of possession
is itself reflective of cosmogonic myths, for, as Micrea Eliade has noted, “to
organize a space is to repeat the paradigmatic work of the gods” (The Sacred
and the Profane: The Nature of Religion [Harcourt, Brace, 1959], p. 32.
Conquering a territory and bringing order to it is an act equivalent to
consecration, making the space itself sacred by means of recalling and
rehearsing the primordial act of creation. (http://www.religion-online.org/showarticle.asp?title=1375)
OK, this is some pretty heavy stuff, but you’ve got to admit
that it does make an interesting and provocative point. Think about it the next
time you are at a BYU football game (in the sports temple on the northwest
corner of campus).
Here’s an excerpt from Charles S. Prebish’s essay “Heavenly
Father, Divine Goalie: Sports and Religion” (1984):
Michael Novak, scholar-in-residence at the
American Enterprise Institute and a noted Catholic theologian, argues against
the religious defensiveness of fundamentalism by boldly stating, "Sports
is, some-how, a religion." And while he does not see sport as equal or
identical to any of the world's religions, he does concede, " ... sports
flow outward into action from a deep natural impulse that is radically
religious: an impulse of freedom, respect for ritual limits, a zest for
symbolic meaning, and a longing for perfection. The athlete may of course be
pagan, but sports are, as it were, natural religions.
So, it shouldn’t be surprising, then, that religious
imagery, myth, and story often mix easily with sport. Here’s an example from
the wonderful film Hoosiers (which I
will argue, in our next class period, is really not about basketball). This
scene is the pre-game in the locker room just prior to the final, championship
game. As you watch this, I want you to identify both the obvious and even more
subtle (there are many) religious references. Please blog about your reactions
to this.
Check out this clip about God and football at Clemson
University:
And here’s a recent news clip about problems arising from
the use of bible quotes in high school football banners in Texas (when it
doesn’t mix easily):
Sport as Religion
In his book, “Media and Religion: Foundations for an
Emerging Field (2012),” author Dan Stout argues that the nexus of media and
religion create interpretive communities that develop shared belief systems and
sets of widely accepted rituals. As we have discussed earlier, modern mass
media have changed existing belief systems and have modified most religious
rituals. In a sense, media become the altars at which these rituals are
performed. We have talked about how film and music have shaped religious
experience. Could involvement in sport ritual, particularly through mediated
experience, have the same impact?
Stout asks:
While ritual is
usually associated with sermons, sacraments, prayers, songs, and sacred feats,
watching the evening news or participating in online discussions can also have
moral dimensions. Ritual aspects of mass communication deserve additional
study…New forms of mediated ritual have emerged. Why are dance raves, rock
concerts, and televised sports important rituals for young audiences?
I couldn’t resist. Here’s a goofy video clip, but it does
help us make our point:
So let’s put on our cultural anthropologist/sociologist hats
and do some exploring. A number of authors have suggested that sports exhibit
many of the characteristics of established religions. I’m going to compile a
list of these characteristics (for comparative purposes) from a variety of
sources:
1. Sports exercise a power for shaping and engaging the
world for millions of devoted fans. Think of the way it dictates life, provides
a language or rhetoric for dealing with the world. How many sports metaphors,
for example, are commonly used in all aspects of life?
2. Sports enable participants to explore levels of
“selfhood” that might otherwise remain inaccessible. Think of how fandom
influences individual identity.
3. Related to point #2, sports demand discipline and
adherence to a set of rules and promote a form of self-obtained perfection.
Price, quoting Nowak, explains:
Sports “teach
religious qualities of heart and soul. In particular, they recreate symbols of
cosmic struggle, in which human survival and moral courage are not assured”
Through their symbols and rituals, sports provide occasions for experiencing a
sense of ultimacy and for prompting personal transformation.
4. Sports establish a means for bonding in communal
relations with other devotees. Think of team identification, tailgating,
co-viewing. Also, consider the relationship between popular Church hymns and the
chants and songs we use to support our teams.
5. Sports model ways to deal with contingencies, fate, and
even failure, while playing by the rules. Think of how fans “mourn” a loss.
Think of a reference to a loss as a “moral victory.” Think of how we talking
about learning from losses.
6. Sports provide the prospect for overcoming trials,
seeking rebirth, redemption and for experiencing victory. We love the
come-from-behind, comeback story (repentance, the return of the prodigal)
right? Think of how this might symbolically represent baptism—a death and a
rebirth.
Note that Price (in today’s reading), quoting Michael Nowak,
writes that winning games “generates a feeling that ‘the gods are on one’s
side, as though one is fate’s darling, as if the powers of being course through
one’s veins and radiate from one’s actions—powers stronger than non-being,
powers over ill fortune, powers over death.”
7. Sports offer an abundant life (think “gospel of
prosperity”).
8. Sports create a quasi-religious structure institutional
that includes gods (top players), priests (coaches, players, and team leaders)
and believers (fans), has a bible (rule books), accountability (think
referees), a form of heaven (halls of fame, championships), cathedrals (sports
arenas), and scribes (sports reporters).
9. Religion is considered a socializing agent that teaches
normative values and beliefs. Many sociologists suggest that sports serve this
same socializing function:
10. Sports treat people as being equal, breaking social and
cultural barriers that have historically divided us (think Jackie Robinson, Remember the Titans, and Western Texas
University basketball).
11. Sports represent a “constant” in a world of change. I
think James Earl Jones said it best in Field
of Dreams:
Please blog about your reaction to this list. Do you agree
or disagree? Can you think of other examples or points to be made here?
Finally, here’s a clip I through in just for fun (“What
Would Jesus Play?”). Enjoy.
Today’s Blog
Assignment
Please read “Religion and Sports,” and our two articles, “An
American apotheosis: Sports as popular religion,” and “The church of baseball,
the fetish of Coca-Cola, and the potlatch of Rock ‘n Roll.” Please respond to
the questions raised in the reading “Religion and Sports.” Today we raise the
question as to whether sports (particularly in our world of mass media) can be
considered a “religion” or as at least a quasi-religious experience. I would
like you to address this question. As you blog about it, respond to the list
(the 11 items) at the end of “Religion and Sports.” Do you agree or disagree?
Why? Respond to individual items on the list. What other characteristics or
factors might you consider?
Before this class I had never really perceived sports as a religious or quasi-religious experience. However, after reading the list of 11 items I realized how (in many ways) a sport can become a spiritual and life-guiding experience for its participants and views. Sports create metaphors that related to all aspects of life, in some ways you could say the quasi-religious nature of sports starts with its foundation of sport-parables. A sport is also similar to religious worship in that an individual sacrifices and restrains from specific physical actives (such as maintaining a diet or running) to become “better.” I think the most interesting part of the homework involved the description of the almost religious structure of sports. From star athletes being “Gods” to a form of heaven being a “championship.”
ReplyDeleteBesides the 11 items listed there is one other characteristics that I think our class might you consider as evidence of sport’s role as a religion. That factor would be to consider weekly televised games “weekly service” where viewers sit and emotionally respond to what occurs during that service. Just as religions have high holidays where religious services peak — sports have “high holidays” such as the super bowl or the sweet 16 where the viewers involvement peaks. Viewers may even change clothing, decorate the home or even eat special meals because of the high holiday in sports.
I thought quite a bit about whether or not sports can really be described as a religion, and I think that I’ve settled on the idea that they are an obsession, not a religion.
ReplyDeleteThe list provides some interesting points, but I don’t believe that sports fits all of these points completely. First, point two seems to argue on some level that if a person identifies with something so strongly that it becomes part of themselves, that is a trait of religion. I would disagree. If this is the case, then I guess that I am a “religious Californian” because I identify strongly as someone from California, but claiming that is a religion doesn’t make sense to me.
Point 3 says that sports must adhere to a set of rules, but is this the case for the fans? Fans don’t have any set rules. They don’t follow crazy workout schedules or diets, some don’t even watch the game at the set time because they can just DVR it, so this seems to be a different thing that governs religion and sports.
Point 5 seems to be a stretch. Can’t people learn from their mistakes in a non-religious way? I can think of quite a few people that have mourned and learned moral lessons and yet are not religious in any way shape or form, and no, they are not sports fanatics either.
The last point that really bothered me was point 7. How exactly do sports offer an abundant life? Do you mean that they offer something to look forward to, something to live your life around? I don’t think that you meant that considering that you mentioned the “gospel of prosperity” but either way, I don’t think sports offers everything to its “followers”. Each sport has a season, and once that season ends, so does the sport until the following year. Going 2/3s of the year without “an abundant life” doesn’t seem to be a truly abundant life after all, so I would disagree with this statement.
Perhaps sports can be classified as a spiritual experience, kind of what we discussed when Sweet Caroline was sung after the Boston Bombing, but I don’t think that counts as a religious experience. To be honest, I don’t think that many sports fans would disagree with the points that I have outlined. Sports and religion aren’t the same thing, and the video on the school in Texas further supports that idea.
I think sports can be considered a “religion” or at least a quasi-religious experience. I’ve known many people who basically considered sports their life. They lived and breathed sports. And even though many of these people were religious people, I heard them talk more about sports than religion. I saw them attend/watch/play more sports than I saw them engaging in religious activities. That’s not to say these people weren’t spiritual, but that sports definitely played a huge role in their life, one that certainly could be considered a “religion” for them.
ReplyDeleteBefore even looking at the list at the end of this post I could already think of many things that religion and sports have in common. One of the first ones I thought of was #4 on the list. Both sports and religion bring people together. It allows people to support each other, cheer on one another, experience both joy and pain together, and just feel like they are a part of something bigger. I hadn’t even thought of the relationship between hymns we sing in church and the chants/songs used in sports, but they are definitely similar. For example, singing “Take Me Out to the Ballgame” in the seventh inning stretch could definitely be related to our rest hymns in sacrament meeting. I hope that doesn’t sound sacrilegious, but in the way we are discussing it, there are definitely similarities. Everyone stands up and sings together cheerfully, regardless of what has happened up to that point. It’s a time to put aside differences, mistakes, failures/sins, and instead feel unified as a part of something good.
I also liked #3 on the list. To get good at sports, it takes lots of time, practice, and self-discipline, just like religion. No one is perfect, and no one is perfect at sports. However, the purpose of religion and sports is to continue to improve yourself and strive for perfection. At times you may mess up, break a rule, or just give up because it seems too hard. But in the end, the goals for both religion and sports are essentially the same, and the more time and practice you put into the sport, or yourself, the better you become.
I know a girl who is a runner and it is a huge part of her life. She recently wrote a blog post about how running is a spiritual experience for her. She is a member of our church and the post was really interesting for me to read because I am not involved in sports so it is hard for me to relate. But after reading that post and all of the points from the reading today, I definitely think that sports can be a religious/spiritual experience.
I believe sports has become a religion, I really do. I think it truly becomes a religious experience for those of us who love sports. It's something that we become passionate about, just like people feel about their religion. We have rituals and every Sunday or baseball game we go to is special. When we attend the "cathedrals" of our favorite teams, it gives you chills and it's a special feeling. It brings joy and peace to the soul, (not on the level the gospel does). Some experiences that are "sacred" to me have happened at sporting events. The Super Bowl is like a religious holiday for my family because it brings us all together and we have manyl memories from past Super Bowl Sundays. As for the list, I completely agree with them. What I wear or how I organize my daily schedule revolves around when my team is playing and how I can watch them. I wear their gear when it's an important game. My individual identity is shaped by my fanhood, because my teams in a way connect me to the different places I have lived. I agree that fight songs and team songs are like hymns that bond the fans/congregation together. The communal experience of sports is one of my favorite parts. I agree with the final point, that sports is a constant in a world of change. No matter what is going on, you can count on your football team playing games every fall, baseball every summer and basketball to last throughout the winter. There will always be games to attend and if it gets delayed, they make it up to you. I think sports is a religion, because it influences people's lives, they're able to have "spiritual" experiences attending games and it connects you with a community that you probably wouldn't connect with otherwise. Many prayers are offered before, during and after sporting events and sports can teach us about life.
ReplyDeleteAs was mentioned in this blog, thinking about sport as a religion requires a very general concept of what religion really is. If you think of religion as a belief in a higher being or ideal that requires certain lifestyles and values, then no sports are not religious. If you think of religion as simply being ritualistic events or programs that teach/encourage certain values etc. then yes, sports can be religious. However, by this definition other things – such as school – can also be considered religious.
ReplyDeleteIf you haven’t guessed, I do not think that a sport can be a religion. I do, however, think that sports can be worshipped, but that worship and religion are very different ideas. Religion is defined by google as "the belief in and worship of a superhuman controlling power, especially a personal God or gods.” Worship, on the other hand, is defined as “the feeling or expression of reverence and adoration.” Because of this, I think that many individuals do worship sports and athletes by the expression of reverence that they give to them. This, however, does not – in my opinion – make it their religion. In sports there is no “ultimate” source of direction and inspiration such as God, Buddha, Allah, etc. Instead, individuals worship individual teams and players.
I know that that might be confusing, but each religion has its “leader” per se, whereas each sport does not rally behind any lead figure (unless you can say that money fills this role). Because of this, even though a sport can show certain characteristics of religion – such as creating communion among devotees, teaching how to deal with failure, breaking cultural barriers, acting as a socializing agent, etc. – it is not an actual religion.
Viewing sports as a religion does make sense. Does that mean I support it? Not necessarily. Several apostles and church leaders have stated that sports on the Sabbath is not "keeping the Sabbath Day holy". Then I start to think of the letter of the law and the spirit of the law. While the letter of the law is clear, no sports on Sunday, I do appreciate the spirit of the law that my dad follows. He loves sports. He has been a Pittsburgh Steelers fan his whole life - and since they have the most super bowl wins, NOT watching them on a Sunday is difficult. My dad bases his decision off of how "into it" he gets. If he is jumping out of his chair and losing control, then the game is turned off. But this is still definitely the spirit of the law.
ReplyDeleteDespite my screwed on Mormon cap that is so hard to take off, I did have other views of Sports as Religion. I like the quote from Frank Deford saying, "pro football, the Sunday game, became the passion of the land." It is often said that tragedy brings people together. Well, with every game there is a loser that feels that tragedy and the winner that rejoices. And the fans mourn or celebrate with them. When we talked about the Neil Diamond song and how it was a "spiritual moment" that was more about the song, but look at their location: a baseball game. It IS a way of bringing people together in one similar belief: the game.
This brings me to the 11 points that were written. I think all of these are excellent points. It was the last two points that I had never really thought of before. And it is with those points that I can agree that sports can be considered a religion to some people or is at least parallel in many ways.
10. "Sports treat people as being equal, breaking social and cultural barriers that have historically divided us" - Religion does the same thing, or at least it is supposed to. "I am a Child of God" is sung by all ethnicities and religion is meant to be that God loves ALL of his children. And that is unity.
11. "Sports represent a “constant” in a world of change." - I enjoyed this view, because just like God is meant to be unchanging with standards that cannot be moved, sports has those rules that won't change, and the basic layout of the game that is constant.
For one of my classes, I had to interview someone that was passionate about something I hated. I interviewed on of my coworkers on watching football. I chose this because I just find it boring. As I asked him a million and one "Why" questions, I got down to one of the main points which was a bond that was created through it with his father. And similarly, religion could be seen in that way. I think it is an interesting topic and I am excited to hear the further discussion in class on it.
I’ve always said that everyone has a religion… it just may not be a recognized religion. I once had an acquaintance who had a lot of health problems and he started a new diet that changed his life. He was able to get healthy again and he was able to figure out that this lifestyle was a very positive thing to invest his time in. In fact, he got so invested in this diet and medical lifestyle that he left the church, saying that he didn’t believe in God and that science was his way of life. He said that he had never stopped reading his scriptures or praying, but that he left because he felt there really was no God. I realized that what had actually happened was that this new lifestyle had become his religion. So even though he left “religion” it was really only because he finding a different religion. So in conclusion to that somewhat on topic story, I am in total agreement that sports can be a religion. In fact so many things can be a religion, but I feel that sports are easily recognizable because of the high volume of partakers. The NFL is sort of like the Catholic Church of sports religion in America.
ReplyDeleteWhen reading a lot of the articles and watching news clips, it was obvious that God and sport seem to come in contact at times. The example from Hoosiers, it starts with the opening hymn: star spangled banner, they also have kind of like a devotional and then a prayer before the game. In these instances, I wouldn’t say that there’s a religion in basketball, but that religion is tied into Basketball. There’s a difference between mixing religion with sports and sport being a religion. When I think of sport as a religion I don’t think about praying to God for your sports team or mixing doctrine with sport, I think more about Sport being the religion itself. For instance… watching sports on Sunday instead of going to church. Teams could be looked at as different denominations, each representing the same thing but maybe slightly different. Fans will spend their time looking up stats and acquainting themselves with the team and their identity. The way people feel is dependent on their team. They listen to words of commentators, coaches, and analysts to dig deeper into the sports. Pretty soon their pushing their sports teams in other people’s faces. They argue as to why their team is the best. Some teams they respect, others cause a friction similar to that of Born Agains and Mormons. Some people claim to be fans but don’t know anything about the teams… they just associate themselves with them. Like me. I’m fan of the Lakers, Dodgers, Kings, and Galaxy… but I’m no Bridget Ostler when it comes to Dodger knowledge.
Now going off the 11 points, there is a lot to agree with here. Think World Cup game Brazil vs. Germany. Besides the fact that I was standing on top of my couch dancing, many fans in Brazil didn’t quite have the same reaction. The emotional tie to the game was high, something that brought the country all together, caused them to be emotionally tied, but also emotionally distressed when it was evident that their religion is being desecrated. I think the emotional tie is what really makes sport religion, people place it at the forefront of their lives and all things revolve around the sport, just like it would in religion.
I have never really connected much with sports and so i personally have a hard time understanding some people's obsessions with sports. I certainly agree that it is important to some people that it becomes religion. Because I don't know a lot about sports and don't have that connection, I have a hard time appreciating sports analogies to religious things, but I get that they are legitimate to so many people. One analogy that comes to mind is Troy Dunn's Life is a Game of Football. He compares things about football to the plan of salvation, including that uniforms are like our bodies, the locker room is the preexistence, sports recruiters are like Satan's temptations, the play book is like the bible, the coach is like Christ. This made me think of number 8 in the list of how sports has a hierarchical and organized structure just like religion. number 6 also stuck out to me. There are so many opportunities for redemption and change in sports. Media totally uses that theme and I think that is what connects a lot of people to sports in lieu or religion. Everyone wants to change and be better, and hearing about sports heroes who have done that motivates all of us to repent, change and conquer.
ReplyDeleteGrowing up I was never into sports. My family was not one that played sports or even watched them. We were a museum going, book reading, and bicycle riding family. My sister occasionally played sports, like softball in elementary school or a bit of volleyball in high school. I was never coordinated enough to play sports so I was put into dance classes and I attempted to learn piano, or at least enough to get me through one elementary school recital. Even my dad, the one male in the family, was not into sports. He didn’t watch football on Sundays, never had a fantasy football league, and never followed any sport except for cycling on occasion. So for me the idea of sports as a religion was a bit of a foreign concept as I was never a part of that world of sports. I couldn’t play them, and I certainly didn’t enjoy watching them. I went to one football game my sophomore year here at BYU and I spent the entire game confused and cold…not an enjoyable night in my book. Hopefully that doesn’t make me sounds like too much of a curmudgeon. However I think that just because I myself am not too familiar with the sports as religion concept doesn’t mean I don’t agree with it. Thinking about it now I realize I have noticed before how important sports seem to so many people, and I have wondered why it holds such an important place in their lives. Sports are everywhere, it is so easily accessible, and unlike many organized religions it doesn’t require a whole lot of sacrifice on your part. You can buy into the community, find like-minded individuals, and experience the joy and sense of fulfillment, and of course the occasional sorrow, that comes with it.
ReplyDeleteSports are organized a lot like religion. They have their own gods, those players that people are obsessed with and would follow to hell and back. They even have their own version of bible stories, those great moments in any particular sport become legend and in the end is almost like a bible stories in how important they become to certain people. I found the 11 characteristics very interesting because they helped me to better understand the concept of sports as religion. When I was in Europe this summer during the World Cup the emotional response that people had after each game was palpable, it was like something I had never witnessed. I was in France during several of their matches and after the game people would run through the streets with flags yelling and screaming, they were invested in the game and not just because of the sport but because of what it meant to them personally and to the country as a whole.
In understanding whether or not sports can be considered an actual religion, I think it’s important to understand the difference between religion and Christianity itself. If we consider Christianity to be a religion, I think qualifying sports as a religion would be almost offensive considering the vast differences between to the two, almost downplaying the significance of what it means to be christian. Religion is defined as any specific system of belief, worship, etc., often involving a code of ethics. The more I thought about it, the more I see that sports can definitely have religious qualities and therefore would fall under this category. I think Christianity is more of a spiritual practice as opposed to an organized religion. Some believe Christianity is nothing more than a set of rules and rituals that a person has to observe in order to go to heaven after death, which if that was the case it can relate to sports in the idea that you engage in certain workouts, follow the rules of the game, all in the hope to win the championship (heaven). But I think true Christianity is not a religion; rather, it is having a right relationship with God by receiving Jesus Christ as the Savior, by grace through faith. Yes, Christianity does have “rituals” to observe and has “rules” to follow (e.g., do not murder, love one another, etc.). However, these rituals and rules are not the essence of Christianity. The rituals and rules of Christianity are the result of salvation. When we receive salvation through Jesus Christ, we are baptized as a proclamation of that faith. We make and keep covenants in remembrance of Christ’s sacrifice. We follow a list of do’s and don’ts out of love for God and gratitude for what He has done, and in order to change our own hearts.
ReplyDeleteThat difference is important to recognize because based off the criteria given in the article, I think sports would fall under a category of religion, where as Christianity itself is a spiritual practice. Growing up as an athlete myself and coming from a family who loves sports, I can see why the author makes the claim that sports can be considered a "natural" religion. Spectators worship other human beings, their achievements, and the groups to which they belong and the arenas represent cathedrals where followers gather to worship their heroes and pray for their successes. It definitely can be, and I think a lot of hobbies can in a way be considered a form of religion as well. Music for example, musicians put their heart into learning how to master an instrument. They idolize certain musicians, listen to their music daily and make time to go see them play live. Bands have to follow certain musical rules in order for the music to flow well, and there exists a certain spiritual energy in learning how to play music that connects many people with spiritual ideas. In other words, I think sports can be considered an organized religion, and based off the criteria I think most hobbies can be as well.
That was very interesting reading. I didn't really think about it before, but it's true that sports have many similarities to organized religion. It's interesting to think about how Mormons are influenced by sports metaphors. During General Conference, your typical Sunday talk and in Elder's Quorum lessons it is commonplace to hear sports metaphors for church doctrine and principles. I never played sports in high school, but one of my goals is to teach a lesson where I make up some story about my high school glory days and sneak it into a talk. Is that righteous? I don't know but it's on my bucket list. It goes to point #1 that talks about how sports metaphors have become commonplace is environments and situations outside of sports themselves. And the fact people understand these metaphors as a general public shows their popularity and is telling about the culture in which we live.
ReplyDeleteI think point #3 relates to Mormonism because LDS theology is preoccupied with the road to perfection, so sports analogies and metaphors help illustrate that doctrine when they are used in talks. Religion in general always has some kind of guidelines for moral living, so I think that is a good parallel between traditional organized religion and sports as a type of religion. The rest of the points are insightful and I think they are accurate depictions of how sports are a type of religion, or practiced and viewed with a certain religiosity. I thought it was interesting to think about when the two worlds meet. I liked the clip about the cheerleaders who made banners with scriptures on them for the high school football team. That's a great example about how the two worlds can go hand-in-hand. In the film media, there are plenty of examples. There are really overt references like "Chariots of Fire" or the clip from "Hoosiers," where the sports world and religious world are one. But I think every sports movie has elements that evoke Christianity and broad themes of religion like redemption, fate, work, loss, etc. Sports seem to mirror our mortal existence in a lot of ways, so they seem like a natural socializing agents that teach normative values and beliefs, as the sociologists above suggest.
Let me start this off by saying that I don’t really get why this is a question that we should ask. I guess, as a person who doesn’t care much for sports, I don’t really get a “quasi-religious” experience while watching them. I’ve been affected emotionally by certain sports games, but I would hardly call those religious or spiritual experiences. I think religion has an influence on religion, though. We see that in the Hoosiers clip, and the show Friday Night Lights (which is a fantastic show, by the way).
ReplyDeleteAs far as the idea that sports took over religious worship on Sundays, I have a problem with that. I think correlation does not always mean causation. Has it taken the place of some people’s spirituality? Yes. But I don’t think it’s fair to say that all the catholic men stopped going to church when sports began to be televised. There are, however, similarities between religion and sports. I think that the list provided in the reading is pretty interesting, in the sense that there are a lot of similarities in the structures and symbols shared between sports and religion. I don’t disagree with anything on the list; both are social institutions. Both have fans, both give people an opportunity to do their best (athletes and faithful believers are both helped by the structure of their respective social institutions). Both cause social change.
Religion, however, at its roots, is rooted in the idea that there are unseen, supernatural entities that govern the universe. Sports are accompanied with some uncertainty (there’s no guarantee as to who will win). But I feel like that uncertainty is different than a belief in God. I don’t know if most people go to sporting events because they are hoping to grow closer to God. I think people are looking for communities, for a place to fit in with people who are passionate about the same things, but I don’t know if it’s a religion.
I’ve been brought to tears because of some sports movies, but I wouldn’t call those spiritual. No connection with God was strengthened. I would say that those experiences led me to gain a greater appreciation for people, though.
As I read this post and the many responses, I flip flopped several times. I understand the point the author is trying to make, but I would have to generally disagree. One of the posts above me says that "sports are an obsession, but not a religion." I would have to agree with this statement.
ReplyDeleteThe reason for me, that it doesn't qualify as a religion is the lack of spirituality. Just because people gather for a unifying cause doesn't make it a religion. Sports have various superstitions and programs we do for luck, but that doesn't mean its spiritually attributed. Fraternities and sororities would then qualify as religion. There are some teams that I follow very closely, and my mood can be affected by their outcomes. These teams are the San Francisco 49ers and the San Jose Sharks. I wouldn't say I have rituals for these teams, but we all have superstitions. If the niners lose while I'm wearing a specific hat, you can guarantee I won't be wearing that hat again for the next game. These superstitions carry into the locker room as well. One of my hockey teammates kept a ball of tape from the season. Every game he would add to it, until we lost, and he'd have to start a new roll. I remember being like 6 or 7, and running upstairs to pray for the Utah Jazz during their game.
So yes, there is superstition in sports, but it exists outside the realm of spirituality. It is social, superstitious, time consuming, and has the structure of a religion. But an empty church isn't a religion. And thats how I view sports. A hobby, a passion, an obsession, but not a religion in terms of spirituality.
In the film Hoosiers, I found several analogies to the principle of being saved. One player from this small-town team wants to win it for all the other small-town teams who never had a chance (a tie to receiving salvation for those who just can’t make it on their own). Another player wants to win it for his father (a symbol for our Heavenly Father) and the last player wanting to win for the coach “who got [them there] in the first place (an obvious reflection of making right choices for Christ who got us to earth in the first place.
ReplyDeleteI think it is hard for a leader not to teach his own philosophy. As a coach, as a teacher, as a manager, as a parent—you feel a type of authority that enables you to share a life’s worth of lessons to people you direct. Like Clemson’s “Ten Commandments” that include ten pieces of advice the coach would give to his players. As a coach, you give your athletes motivation and inspiration—especially in fictional sports films. In our culture, this is what American sports is about—you share your best philosophies for how to win games and how to win at life. And for most people, that means you share your religion.
I personally think that list item #3 is the most understandable to me. I enjoy sports because it helps me learn self-perfection. If you want to be good at a sport, you must practice every day until your body can do it with your eyes closed. I think sports help you go beyond a level you didn’t think you could and that can be transferred to many other aspects in life—your school work, your personal devotion to God, your ability to see weaknesses and make them stronger, etc. It also makes sense to me that sports help athletes connect with a higher power. God made our bodies and our spirits to work together. When your mind is doing everything it can to push you further, and your body can follow, that is the ultimate climax of feeling spiritual and physical unity.
List item #10 is about sports breaking cultural backgrounds. Religion and sports both offer something to believe in—miracles happen in both worlds all the time. Unbelievable things happen and when two different people see the same thing, it unifies them. When two different people work together to make a miracle happen, that unites them even further.
I totally buy sports as a quasi-religion in America. My family is a sports family. I know a lot about the scriptures, but I know far more and devoted more time to baseball teams, players and statistics. Many of the list of 11 things were things I could relate too. For me, the strongest connections sports have to religion are the principles of faith and hope and the ability to have "spiritual" experiences while participating in sports.
ReplyDeleteI think a lot of lessons are learned in sports stories. My favorite sportswriter is Gary Smith. He's actually my favorite writer period. He tells sports stories that draw out important life lessons and delve into the deep emotions of human experience. I've had many "spiritual" experiences reading his stories, as he identifies the sacred within the profane. I especially cling to stories about redemption, which sports are full of, and I believe my spirit is touched profoundly by such stories.
As for faith and hope, every sports devotee has had his or her faith and hope tried. My favorite baseball team is the Oakland A's. They have never won the World Series in my lifetime, and the way Major League Baseball works these days, I think there's a good chance they never will. Yet I endure with them. I see losing seasons and playoff eliminations as trials of my faith. I feel that one day my faith may be rewarded. When they lose, I believe that it's just part of fanhood, and that I need to stay faithful through thick and thin.
One last connection I see between sports and religion is that football games take place on Sunday, and I believe they've taken the place of church for many Americans. They've chosen to devote themselves to something more entertaining, and perhaps something that rewards their faith in a more satisfying way than religion.
I definitely believe that sports can be viewed as a religion or at the very least a quasi-religious experience. I enjoyed reading this post as well as the articles because I could relate to the points being made. I agree with a lot of the points made and could see how it would be easy to classify sports as a religion. However, as I read further, I started to question whether or not sports could have as deep an impact as religion has on people or as deep as religion has on me. I feel that a religious person would obviously have a different perspective on this topic than a non-religious person. In fact, I would even say that it largely depends on what religion someone practices. In the lives of many, religion is simply something cultural. While many people would say they belong to a specific religion, the extent of their commitment really only includes believing in God and attending church a few times a year when a holiday comes around. In this sense, sports could definitely be comparable to a religion. In fact, my commitment to certain sports teams is far greater than such a person's commitment to their religion. However, as passionate as I am about sports, it does not have quite the impact on me that my religion does. I don't feel that sports could fully replace the level of fulfillment that my religion provides for me. However, there I can see how it can be that way for some people.
ReplyDeleteI especially agree with the second point on the list. A lot of my identity is associated with the teams I am a fan of. As pathetic as that sounds, I recently was struggling to write about myself for my mormon.org profile without mentioning what teams I was a fan of. This is related to point #4. I am instantly drawn to people or feel a connection to people who are wearing hats or other clothing associated with my teams. For example, I wore a Dodgers shirt during the playoffs. People all over campus who would never normally see a need to talk to me would make comments about how they were also fans.
Point #5 reminded me of how much sports really do affect me. Many times my Saturdays are centered around the football game. A win or a loss goes a long way in determining how I feel the rest of the day if not the weekend. Point #6 is definitely true as well. Part of my love of sports stems from the stories that are created. There is nothing better than when the underdog pulls off the upset or when your team comes from behind to win. In fact, I could watch sports movies all day even though I could usually predict the ending every time.
Finally point #7 is definitely true. Think of how many times sports is used to symbolize normalcy or coming together to overcome a tragedy. As much as 9/11 shook the world of Americans, we somehow knew it would be okay when the Yankees took the field again to play another game.
Having played competitive sports my entire life, I’ve definitely thought about the correlation between religion and sports, but I don’t think I’ve ever considered that sports could actually be a religion. Looking at the evidences presented by the reading, however, I’m actually leaning towards the “yes” camp.
ReplyDeleteIn my own experiences as an athlete, I can’t help but compare the quest to be the best with our own spiritual journey to prove ourselves faithful to God and win the day. Winning a championship is comparable to attaining celestial glory. A coach could be synonymous with a prophet, providing you with the guidance necessary to achieve your ultimate goal. You have an adversary whose job it is to stop you from attaining that mark and a set of rules that must be followed along the way. It’s actually kind of a perfect parallel and it makes a lot of sense how someone could lose themselves in athletic pursuits to the point of the sport becoming a religion.
Looking at the points presented to us, the argument in favor of sports being a religion is even more compelling. I especially like point 4, “Sports establish a means for bonding in communal relations with other devotees.” This is totally true when it comes to diehard fans of any sport. In fact, this co-viewing often replaces church services. The fan can attain the same level of membership to a group or family through shared sports fanaticism as a religious devotee can with his/her congregation. I’m totally guilty of this. (Confession: I’m a University of Utah fan) Sitting at home with my dad watching a U of U football game is one of my favorite pastimes. And when the Utes pull off a big win over a good team from down south, there’s almost nothing that makes us feel so unified as our euphoria and co-celebration. Similarly, in the joy that follows personal or team accomplishments in sports where I’ve participated, the burning I’ve felt in my bosom has an odd familiarity to it.
I wouldn’t consider sports a religion, but I can see why some would make the argument that it is. I, personally, just don’t care enough about sports. Attending a game is really fun and there is this unique energy there but there is nothing religious about it for me. As the reading mentioned, Sunday is game-day for so many, but my husband and I made the decision that we wouldn’t watch T.V. on Sundays and therefore, we don’t really get into sports because it would be too hard to keep up.
ReplyDeleteNow, with that being said, the reading did make a lot of good points as to how sports can be seen as a quasi-religious experience so I tried to better understand this idea. #8 on the list specifically stood out to me because it compared the organization within a religion to a sports team.
The guy singing about sports being a religion talked about the feelings you get when you’re in a stadium cheering for a team. I understand the feeling he is talking about, but not from a sports perspective. I used to do theatre and there is this amazing feeling of being unified with your cast and performing. That sounds really nerdy, but I think people become passionate about a variety of things and those things hold a special place in their hearts. We always talk about how all good things come from God and so when something feels good, like cheering for your favorite team as they make the winning touchdown, or having a standing ovation after a performance, I can see how that becomes a spiritual experience for many.
I thought the basketball championship video was interesting. Many movies about sports have some spiritual elements to them, not so much specific religious references.. This clip in particular had an opening hymn followed up by a short speech and a few members of the team talking about the same end goal (winning), but different reasons for why or who they want to win for. Then they have a prayer before entering the court.
The clip about the religious banners used by cheerleaders annoyed me. I think it’s ridiculous that religious people are expected to suppress their beliefs because someone is offended by a religious reference. Our world has become so liberal and many religious people have to tolerate things that are offensive to their beliefs without saying a word (because if they do they are bigots). Dallin H. Oaks in this past conference gave a truly inspired talk that advocated loving others and living with differences. This talk is one that every person in the world would benefit from
This list of similarities doesn’t surprise me at all. I feel like I’ve heard them all at one point or another from a tacky sports analogy over the pulpit. Dedication, endurance, faith, unity…all ideas present in both sports and Religion. Hearing the two constantly compared, even in the LDS church, is not rare or unexpected to me.
ReplyDeleteThe clip from Hoosiers is a great example of the similarities between Sports and religion. The beginning of the clip shows the use of music to set the tone, which occurs at sports events and religious services (note that the national anthem is actually in our hymn book, and is sung at sporting events). In the locker room (a sacred space) all the players are dressed in dedicated garb and are unified in appearance. While their coach warms them about the tactics of the adversary, the boys look down, contemplative and even prayer-like. They acknowledge the role their coach (or spiritual leader) has played in guiding them to the opportunity before them. They are all given a chance to bear testimony while organ music plays in the background. Then comes the prayer and the scripture quotes to finish strong.
The tone in Sports movies is always really inspiring, a tone similar to Religious movies. The difference, however, is the strength always comes from somewhere within yourself, not from a higher power. The sport or organization isn’t what gives that victory, the player is. While I can see how sports, like Religion, are a means of self-actualization, somewhere on the outside of the religious circle in the Venn Diagram in my mind is a reliance on deity.
I think that sports can certainly be considered a religion just in how people dedicate their lives to it, the way it unifies people and how it strives people to become something better (performance wise if not in character). I don’t think it is a religion in answering anything about this life and the origin of the world, the universe, and where we go when it’s all over. The only problem I have is that the way sports is considered a religion can be applied to anything someone dedicates their time to. Comic-Con is full of people that provide great evidence that pop-culture and whatever they came there for is certainly a religious experience. TV shows have a nearly religious following. Like sports, people attend to these things for their happiness and practically dedicate their lives. Sports is a religion, but not in any way that is unique.
ReplyDeleteI agree with the list. Everything that it said about sports seemed to be true but number nine, where it talks about socializing. This is true but I agree with the man in the documentary clip who said sports is more about exclusion than inclusion. Sports creates rivalries as much as it does community, though I’m not sure this is different from and traditional religion.
Number Seven, the one about the gospel of prosperity, is true but it never rarely leads to that for anyone. It teaches this gospel apparently, though in all my years playing sports it never seems like a realistic motivator. I never thought to play a sport to get paid. Instead, I just played because I enjoyed it.
I think the most important element to decide if something has become a religion is dependent on the amount of time someone dedicates their lives to it. A religion is something we bet our lives on to make us happy, so anything we dedicate a lot of our time to. If someone is faithful to anyone one thing, I would consider it religious.
It's amazing how many prayers are said on a sport court or field. I grew up playing basketball and running track. I prayed at every game hoping that I would do the best that I ever had done before. Track took me farther than basketball, I was a national All-American Athlete in high school doing the long jump. While I was doing the Long-jump, I can't believe how many times I prayed hoping that the next guy would actually mess up so I could be first. I can see how it's so easy to make sport a religion, or a religious service because of how many prayers are said during those times.
ReplyDeleteListening and reading the articles I was able to understand how baseball could be religion. I've seen many instances where people would stop changing their underwear or their socks because they were on a winning streak. They felt that if they changed anything then they could lose the game. Also known as they're lucky underwear. This becomes a ritual for baseball players, basketball players, and other sports activities because of their success. It's scary to think that that is how religion comes into play, but it's not surprising. The man who counted the number of stitches on a baseball and connecting that to a religion was pretty amazing because I can totally see that happening as well.
The Super Bowl is a religious service in itself. It is held on Sunday, families are brought together, people are unified, and people are praying. They are praying mainly to see their team win or hoping they would win so they can get the money that they put in on the game. It seems as though the TV becomes the idol that Moses was talking about. People are drawn to their television specially during the Super Bowl so that they can see what is going to happen. Is it the right way out to worship? I think not, just like it was wrong of the people who worshipped and idol during the time of Moses. Not that watching the Super Bowl is bad but the idea of counting it as a religious service in a substitute for church is where things get off.
Many peoples religion is like how nones describe the Secret. Whatever you put out into the universe you'll get back. This becomes a religious way of thinking especially in sports. When you think about winning the Super Bowl then you will win the Super Bowl. When you want to be rich, then you think about it and act like you are going to and it will automatically appear. I don't know where the line is for religion and sports but it is a very real in the society and the world that we live in.
I definitely think sports can be classified as a religion. I mean, some people take their whole Sabbath to worship these athletes and wear their team’s jersey all day. People definitely are not just obsessed with sports, it is a way of life, which in some ways can be classified as a religion. People with Christian religious backgrounds can also be accused of this as well when sports takes precedence over any church-going Sunday in some cases.
ReplyDeleteIn response to the 11 items, I agree with most of them. The first one, for example, it does shape the world for millions of fans. People don’t even think twice about spending thousands of dollars on NFL tickets on a Sunday just to see their favorite player, when they wouldn’t even sacrifice 10% of their income to a tithe.
For the second point, when sports “self-identifies” people, all I can think of is a traditional “man-cave” decked out in Bronco’s gear, and when people think of the Denver Broncos, they think of that particular person. They are constantly donning apparel and that’s the only conversation they seem to actually carry in real life.
On number 4, I especially agree with that. Two random people who otherwise would not have been friends can be the best of friends if they both root for the same team. They somehow have a bond that no one else has, and they can talk for hours about players, strategies, and what they think will happen in the upcoming season.
In closing, number 11 puts it perfectly. In a world that is changing and growing at a faster rate than anyone else would like, one of the one things that stay constant is athletics. It will always be there, and they will always have that team to cheer for on a bad day after work. Sports can put men’s (and women’s) moods on a different plane than anyone else ever could—and sometimes dangerous—even more than their spouses.
I totally agree with every point that the author makes, but it doesn’t mean I agree that it is a proper way to live life. We should be thinking for ourselves and playing ourselves instead of vicariously living our lives through some humans worship called athletes.
After reading this my mind is going in about 50 different directions. First, I would agree that sports can be considered a religion. By definition, a religion is "a particular system of faith and worship." Sports fans would agree that they have faith in, and at times worship sports. They have faith in their teams. They have rituals before games to give their team better luck. I really liked number 5 on the bullet points where it talks about how faith helps us deal with trials and disappointments. I do believe that there is an aspect to sports that does help us gain important life skills.
ReplyDeleteMy dad loves baseball. He is obsessed. His talks often refer to baseball and how it is the "Celestial Sport." He talks about how it is like "returning home" after coming to earth and how there is so much symbolism in the game. I know that he would never consider baseball his religion, but I do know that he draws a lot of parallels between the two and places a lot of faith in the game. I think that sports do teach important life lessons and can also create a spiritual experience for those involved. When you believe enough in something, no matter what it is, I think that you can and will feel something that is far greater than yourself.
One thing I disagree with when it comes to sports, is the statement that God will favor one team over another. Like someone said in the "What would Jesus play?" video, why would he favor one team over another? We are all his children and he's not going to help one team win over another. I have often thought about this, seeing as how we are at BYU and this is his church. Why doesn't BYU just dominate at everything? Shouldn't he just let us win every game and championship? I don't believe that he will pit his own children against each other. He may encourage where necessary, but I don't believe that God is going to have a "favorite team" because we are all his children.
Before taking this class, I had never really thought about sports as a form of religion. However, as I was reading for the blog today, various people were popping into my mind that I would definitely say associate with sports as closely as I associate with the Gospel. I am able to see the many parallels that stem from the relationship fans have with their teams compared to how devout religious people share with their chosen faith. Devout plans allow their team of choice to dictate much of their life, just as I do with the Gospel. For example, if there is a game on Sunday, fan will seek out a place to go watch it and refrain from making other plans, fans read sports statistics like we read scriptures, a loss or win can set the mood for an entire week or year, intense preparation surrounds an upcoming sports season, etc. It was interesting to read the list of 11 parallels between sports and religion. The quasi-religious structure in number 8 really struck me in helping me to see just how similar sports following and religion can be. It was also interesting to see it in the act in the clip from Hoosiers. The anthem to prepare for the game is much like a church hymn; the prayers before the game are similar to our prayers to prepare for sacrament; the coach talking to the team can parallel a bishop talk to a ward, etc.
ReplyDeleteIn many ways, this makes sense to me. I think that we all have an innate desire to follow a higher power, and for those who haven’t had the opportunity to make religion that source, people seek elsewhere. While it may seem interesting to us as Mormons, I think many of us are even guilty of making sports, or something similar, a sort of “false god.” With our innate desire to be a part of something bigger than ourselves, sports can be an easy and exciting option, even for people who are associated with a particular religion. That being said, I can’t imagine that draw for someone who doesn’t have any other following… I think it would be rather easier to put sports in that place to fill the void. With the endless athletes to idolize, the various events to take place in, and the sports “temple” arenas around the globe, I believe sports can easily become a form of religio
Sports as a religion? I believe people get passionate about it, but I don't think there is a spiritual connection to anything. For sure people feel joy, proud and happy when a favorite team wins, as well as all the contrary sad, frustrated and angry. I think sports fulfills people's need of excitement, to feel emotions, but I don't think there is any relation with spiritual matters. Also,
ReplyDeletetheir, our, need to socialize and to feel accepted among other people. There are people that are not interested in sports at all and they live ok without it. I personally don't think sports could be a religion.
However, I do know in Argentina there is a religion named after their greatest soccer player. Diego Armando Maradona. There is a saint figure of Maradona and people that actually worship him because of his soccer skills. But there is no doubt that is taking it to the extremism.
The religion of baseball. I've never seen Bull Durham but it's funny reading Sarandon's quote from the movie. She would definitely be considered a "none". As goofy as her statement is I would have a lot of respect for a real person with her opinion. She actually tried real religion which is more commendable than an atheist saying all religion is corrupt without even trying to live a religious life. I think in a broad sense sports can be considered a religion. It brings people together at regular meeting times, believers will pray when they need a miracle, there is usually food associated with gatherings, and people get so into the game that they think they're having a spiritual experience. Sports is everything a "none" wants. They can live their lives saying they believe in a higher power and then they get everything a religion would give you from a baseball game. It's like all of the superficial things a religion can offer all crammed into a stadium.
ReplyDeleteIn the locker room scene of Hoosiers there is the obvious sermons of the pastors but I also picked up on another. When the kid says he wanted to win the game for his dad. I guess I heard that as if he didn't mean his earthly father.
Just speculating on the Texas cheerleader situation. I bet the person who complained doesn't even go to the school or live in the town. Football is my least favorite sport and I'm from Texas. But like the story said, football and God go hand in hand in most, especially high school, stadiums in Texas. My high school is a po-dunk little school out in the boonies but we had a prayer at my graduation and they still do. Why? Because everyone believes in God in some way or another.
I agree with the list of eleven characteristics. Sports can either be a religion in and of itself or it can be a supplement to a spiritual lifestyle. Number 5 stands out to me because it reflects the ability to pick yourself up and try again. Rules are important in all aspects of life and sports highlights that importance. A team cannot do well if they are breaking rules because they'll be hit with penalties.
Although I'm not a sports enthusiast I can understand the dedication, love, and belonging people get from watching and playing sports. Not my cup of tea, but I understand the power sports can play in a fan's life.
I submitted this a while ago, but just realized that it never showed up here, so I'm doing it again.
ReplyDeleteI think religion is more that something that happens on sunday and something that happens ritualistically. It is about something that provides meaning and directions and structure to people's lives. Sports can be that for people because it provides a framework to view life and to live life. It is a group activity where people prepare, watch, celebrate and commiserate together, but it is also very individualistic because people choose their own sports to watch and their teams to follow and their own players to worship, and once you have determined things for yourself, you find your group of people who have common similarities. It establishes a bond for activities and a way for people to bond. Sports provides something for people to strive towards and to model their life after in the sense of self-improvement. I think the biggest supporter of sports as religion is the idea of how people connect and relate to games, particularly the comeback games. People apply their own lives and circumstances to sports, so when they see their teams and idols struggling, but then overcoming and being successful, it gives them perspective and hope that their life cane like that too. I think the quasi-stucture of it all related to church is interesting because it shows how people interact with and respond to sports figures in characteristic ways like church figures.
There are a lot of factors about sports that could be considered as identifiers of sports as a religion, but I don't think there is quite enough to call it a religion flat out. It might be a religious experience sometimes for some people, but the institution itself does not have enough of a connection to God or anything spiritual to be considered a religion in my book. The structure and timing are semi-religious, and the life parallels can be spiritual in nature, but overall, it is not enough to be counted as a religion.
Now that I think of it, any sports movie that I have seen has been pretty inspiring. Such as "Remember the Titans," "The Blind Side," "The Rookie," and so many more. Each movie shows a character go through a spiritual change or progression. The characters in the movie usually learn about team work, diligence, and perseverance. The sport is not necessarily about winning the game, it is about growth of individuals. I love watching those movies because it is inspirational.
ReplyDeleteSo could sports be considered a religion? I would say absolutely. Religion is anything that people take part of that have rituals or repetition. It does not necessarily have to be centered on a supreme being. We causally use the term "religiously" in our society to describe something that someone does often, that they are passionate about. Sports are no acceptation. In our Mormon bubble, we need to consider what religion might mean to other people. Though we have our religion pretty defined and set out for us, others find religion through different things. Whether it be nature, church, or a sport.
I feel like this is a blog post I can testify to whole heartedly. I’ve seen this phenomenon first hand, and no matter how hard I fight it, football Sunday will always prevail. Sunday football…Thursday night football…Monday night football… every single night basketball… I’ve become an active participant of each of these “sports nation” events over the past few years, and can say I am beginning to greater understand the quasi-religious experience in them. I didn’t necessary elect to become more involved in sports, but as those I loved loved sports, it was either learn the game or waste hours staring at a screen feeling confused. At first I couldn’t comprehend the idea of being so destroyed over a simple loss, but the more I’ve been involved, the more attached I’ve become to my teams. (My teams… never thought I’d say that!)
ReplyDeleteGoing through the list of 11 elements of religion in sports, its hard to deny that attachments to sports is inevitable. The hours needed to endure one game amounts to hours of commercials played that influence our lives. The ad’s they choose to run represent what’s cool and how to be like the players that we so Idol. Beyond the influence that they have on every aspect of our lives, the message behind sports is not far from religion. The ideal of progression, work, community, fate, failure, trials, hope, faith, consistency, ect… sound familiar? I mean when really thinking about it, the basis of sports is ingenious and practically identical to religion. Competition promotes progression… and as LDS don’t we believe progression is the whole purpose of our lives? Further more, that progression isn’t perfection—it comes with mistakes, failures, and flat out losses. And, that whole process is fueled by hope, hope for a better tomorrow and hope that if we at least try…a reward will come.
Some people would have a problem comparing religion and sports, but the more I think about it the less it bothers me. I don’t agree with everything in the sports industry and feel there is a lot of corruption. I would never proclaim to be a sports worshiper or to be a member of “Church of the Sports,” because I don’t believe it’s Gods protected structure of religion we are suppose to follow; however, adversity can spot a potentially good structure when it sees it.
In my comms 101 class we discussed this very topic, and the one big thing I remembered was how there is a “salvidic” narrative in all of sports. Each game is it’s own unique individual story full of characters, personalities, lucky breaks, bad beats, confidence, winning, defeat, etc. The underdog can always win, and the favorite can always be taken down. There is almost always a story of redemption and forgiveness going on. Every state, city, and team has their own personality and culture to it, just like people do. For example Chicago, Detroit, and Pittsburgh are seen a tough, blue-collar cities … therefore, their teams often demonstrate tough defenses and hard-nosed coaches. California features teams that are often much more laid back and higher scoring, like Bill Walsh and his 49’ers.
ReplyDeleteIn my opinion, the greatest comparison for me is the sport of golf. I have learned many life lessons from golf, and also see how it ties into religion. Golf itself can be a religion for some people. For example, many have described the old courses in Scotland and Ireland as sacred ground similar to a trek to Mecca is the Islamic faith. The golf courses themselves (at least the best ones) are kept in pristine condition as any church or temple would be. Each hole features different challenges like traps, hazards, and tough ground conditions similar to the temptations and sins that are always surrounding us. There are expectations in golf – that you make par, just like as church members we are expected to act and behave in certain ways. Shooting over par can be the result of just one bad shot, and similarly in life one bad mistake from us often yields consequences. Luckily the course is 18 holes, and in life we usually have time to correct anything we need to. Golf is probably most known for treating all players equally. Everyone plays the same course, uses similar equipment, and plays the same for ALL people (point #10). My dream is to one day go to Augusta – The Master’s – to pay homage to the greats. There is something spiritual about it all.
I think it is important to consider a concept like the possibility of sports as a religion. It might seem, in a certain sense, sacrilege, but its important to draw comparisons. I find that when we look at religion and perhaps a concept that doesn't seem religious (like sports) and examine the similarities, it forces us to either accept that something else could be a religion, or it forces us to improve our understanding of a concept (like religion) and qualify our understanding until a certain order seems restored. It may not be fair to decide, at this moment, if sports are a religion. Based on what we have defined of religion, in the 11 item list, it's hard to argue that sports aren't a religion, because all of the qualities of a religion are there. I could imagine an archaeologist digging up our remains in 2 thousand years, and coming to the conclusion that we worshiped Olympians (and not the Greek god ones). Instead of saying whether it is or is not a religion, I think we need to spend more time figuring out what a religion really is. Maybe we don't yet have a definition worked out that is accurate enough to be exclusive entirely to the traditional religious sects and not to these quasi-religious ideas.
ReplyDeleteAll this being said, whether sports are a religion in and of themselves, I think its important to note just how tied together religion and sports are. I competed in high school sports and was a cross country runner. Maybe this was a shallow practice of mine, but I always felt it important to ritualize my pre-game behavior. It was like performing sacrament, as I would have to do everything in the right order as much for practical reasons as for superstitious ones. I was a cross country runner (a weird breed, I will say) and we would do all sorts of offerings, pre-race "sacrifices", and chants that would be utterly meaningless to the un-initiated. And of course, there were always pre-meet prayers. I always called on a higher power to make me faster and more capable of discovering hidden strength and energy. I would say that regardless of whether we can fairly define religion to include sports, a convincing argument could be made, not just to the viewers, but especially to the athletes themselves, that they are participating in something cultish and numinous in design.
ReplyDeleteI think sports can be defined as a quasi-religious experience rather than an actual religion. The definition of religion is “the belief in and worship of a superhuman controlling power, especially a God.” Yes, sports like football take up a day of the week, but they don’t worship a high being. Players can worship a higher-being to help them perform, but a football can’t. There are definitely similarities between religion and sports, I think that the biggest similarity is the following characteristic that was listed from the eleven, “Sports provide the prospect for overcoming trials, seeking rebirth, redemption and for experiencing victory. We love the come-from-behind, comeback story (repentance, the return of the prodigal) right? Think of how this might symbolically represent baptism—a death and a rebirth.”
Growing up, I played a lot of sports and religion played a huge part in the development in my sports. Sports were an outlet in which I relieved my stress, worked hard, made friends, and experienced both heartbreak and triumph. I played competitive soccer and most my games were on Sunday. At a young age, I decided that I wouldn’t play on Sunday so I could take the sacrament. As I got older, this decision tested my faith. However, looking back I am glad that I made it because it made my testimony grow stronger. I also think that sports can help us develop bonds similar to the bonds we form in church. The only claim that I found to be a little outlandish was the structure institution that includes Gods as top players, Priests as coaches, etc. I see where this comparison can be made, but I guess I just don’t agree with it. Overall, I think there are a lot of comparisons between sports and religion but I don't think they are the same.
This is an interesting blog post for me because in a way, I think people do think sports are a religion. I have a few cousins that play sports religiously. They sleep, eat and play sports. It doesn't matter what day of the week it is, they play sports everyday including Sunday. So I think that to some people, sports do become their religion. Their life revolves around sports.
ReplyDeleteThe one movie that I would compare to this blog post is The Blind Side. This is where a mother takes in a homeless boy off the streets and turns him into a high school football star. What I love about this movie though, is that the family has standards and they talk about their religious beliefs. There is so much more to the movie than just football. Their religion helped shape the homeless boy and really prepare him for his future.
Not really being into traditional sports myself, I find the overzealous enthusiasm that many people have for sports teams a little ridiculous, but I can understand the appeal. My family however, particularly my mother and her family and crazy into BYU football, my uncle and my grandpa have bought season passes almost every year and the only reason my mom hasn’t is because we live in Texas. Now being from Texas, sports are a huge deal especially football, so I have seen up close how sports are “worshiped”.
ReplyDeleteMy high school alone had 5 football fields, one of which was an indoor practice field and another a stadium, for high school. Every Friday during football season, we would have a themed pep rally where we would be on a special schedule that would shorten our classes so that we could go to a pep rally before school let out. Our pep rallies even got so big and became such an event that we had news stories on some and even had a bunch posted on YouTube, some of which received over 100,000 views, which obscene for a high school pep rally. We even created something called the Prosper rumble that has since become a tradition and a really big deal at my high school. Below are two links to a couple of my high school pep rallies.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FSQOiOgWxnU
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TLfJ2yM14c4
The point is that Texas, takes its sports very seriously and I can definitely see the similarities between sports and religion.
For the most part I agree with the points on the list, but there are a few that I had some thoughts on.
I actually disagree with #2 to a point, I don’t think that sports encourages individual identity but rather the opposite. Most sports are team oriented and so are centered around working well with others and being part of a collective. This even applies to the fans that surround sports teams. Sports are riddled with intense rivalries between teams, extending from professional sports teams to high schools and non-professional teams. The fans act as a unit, their team the unifying element that brings people, sometimes from all over the country or even the world together. Yet many people have one team they follow religiously and have can have strong animosity towards their rival team, like the Red Socks and the Yankees. I think that sports does more to unify people into groups then allow or encourage individual and unique identities.
I definitely agree with #9, because sports tend to be a very social event just through the nature of it. Sports provide children and even adults with a good opportunity to be exposed to social situations and interactions whether they’re participating or watching.
I think that #10 is semi true, I think that it treats men equally but I can’t say the same for women. All sports have very racially diverse and have broken down a lot of racial barriers over the course of history. However, I do not feel that sports treats women the same way. Women sports teams are nowhere near held to the same level as men’s teams. The fan base is not as wide spread and knowledge about women athletes or sports teams is limited. for example, I honestly could care less about sports, but I can name off several sports teams from different sports just off the top of my head. But I cannot do the same for women’s sports, I know nothing about what teams are popular, how their championships work. All the hugely popular sports teams are all men’s teams. Also there no professional mixed teams. Now I’m not saying there are no women based sports teams with no fans, there are but, none receive the same adoration or following that the NFL, NBA, MLB, etc receive.
I agree with #11, as over decades sports have relatively stayed the same. There has been little change in the way certain sports are carried out, as in their governing rules and objectives. They tools and equipment have definitely improved over the years with advances in technology.
I'm going to be honest, I think that grouping sports and religion together is a little bit ignorant. I understand the similarities we can draw, in many areas, but I could probably draw just as many similarities between eating dinner and religion, so I don't think that's sufficient evidence. However, I am a sports fan, and I love big sports fans, they are some of the best people to be around, and I understand why they might say "sports is my religion," but I think what they mean is "sports gives me a purpose to my life" or "sports make me happy." I even think people can feel a spiritual connection to sports, and even bring religion in to sports: I couldn't tell you how many times I prayed over volleyball games. However, the differences are greater than the similarities. Religion teaches you how to behave to achieve something greater than you, something greater than this life. Sports teach you how to win, lose, and cheer, and do so gracefully, but they aren't about something beyond this life, in fact they are the very epitome of a temporal thing. Sports are fantastic, but they are not a religion. There is no bigger picture in sports, only statistics, hoping, cheering, and championships.
ReplyDeleteMaybe I'm being really closed-minded, but I think it's pretty ridiculous to be completely honest to truly think that sports are a religion. As I said, I think that people can have spiritual connections to sports, but we've already talked about the difference between spirituality and religiosity, so I don't feel that's a strong enough reason to classify sports as a religion.
I definitely think sports can be considered religion. I might be biased because I love sports and I’ve personally seen family members who actively practice Sportsfanaticism. People “worship” a team or player as if it were a God. People pray for wins. People religiously engage in watching sports. Sometimes people’s lives are sports, not even just their religion. People spend their whole lives waiting for a miracle with faith that it can happen (ex. Cubs win the World Series 2016).
ReplyDeleteThe Sports Illustrated article made some good points that I agree with. Initially, it wasn’t that America lost their religion. It was their dedication and faith in sports that changed their view of Sunday. The day was now not a day of worship and rest but a day of watching, cheering or even playing sports. The new way in which sporting events were broadcasted across America completely altered the country’s view of sports. In a sense we could blame the media for allowing sports to even become a religion.
After watching the video of the song of “Sports is my Religion” I couldn’t help but think of all the different feelings and emotions I feel at church or when I’m at a sporting event. When I’m at church I can feel the spirit through learning and scripture. At a sporting event I can feel some kind of spirit when my team’s been down the whole game and we’re about to make an amazing comeback. The whole arena comes together, clapping and cheering, hoping to encourage our team to do something amazing. You can feel this “oneness” and camaraderie with people sitting next to you that you don’t even know. There’s something about feeling uplifted when your team wins and the fireworks are exploding and confetti falls through the air. It’s a good feeling. Isn’t this how we’re supposed to feel after our church meetings?
Going through the list on the prompt I think I would agree that 11 characteristics all apply to sports as well as religion. Some people may disagree but I don’t think people fully understand how passionate people can be about sports. ESPN produced commercials with the tagline, “It’s not crazy. It’s sports.” These commercials show the weird superstitions people follow or interesting things people do for their team. Given, they are a bit exaggerated but they can be SO accurate and are very similar to people’s actual reactions to sports. I personally think sports can be just as religious as church on many levels.
It has always been the running joke at my house that BYU football is the Mormon's second religion. I mean, most of the men I know realistically spend more time watching and cheering for BYU than they do home teaching or serving their neighbors. I don't say this to be prude or judgmental- I love BYU football just as much as anyone- I just mean to point out how devoted a lot of people can become to their teams. My dad and brother spend every Sunday night during the fall watching their favorite football teams play. On SuperBowl Sunday, my family and several other families, all gather together to eat monstrous amounts of food and scream profanity at the TV screen. It brings us together and it's now a tradition that we religiously stick to. Sabbath day or not, we are all there together. I think this fits perfectly with #4 on the list. A lot of these people we only see once a year in February to watch the game. We are all very different yet we all come together in some joint cause and yell together. I do not think my family and friends are unique in this.
ReplyDeleteI think sports even has that sense of overcoming trial and fear which is a strong message that we talk about in religion a lot too. This goes back to #5 on the list. We learn a lot about losing, overcoming, trying again, and having faith in the people around you. These are all huge themes that are conducive with (most) religions around the world. All sports movies use these same themes to portray an emotional message that creates a connection with us. I think it all goes back to our devotion and love for these morals, and sports. So, when combined, they create nostalgia and warm fuzzies that we as people love.
I think it's very fair to say that sports can be a religion for people. I think people are and can be devoted to sports in a similar way that they are devoted to God and goodness. I don't think this is particularly a bad thing, until people start yelling at God when their teams lose. As long as people have a healthy balanced idea of God and sports as different beings, it's fine. At least that's what my inner sports enthusiast thinks.
Coming from a Texan’s perspective, reading this was far too familiar. The stereotypes are pretty darn real. So could really appreciate those correlations between religion and sports. I remember many circumstances where sports got in the middle of church and social life. I’m sure this isn’t exclusive in other places, but it is especially strong where I am from. The words of my brother-in-law has always remained in my so vividly. After he moved from Utah to Texas with my sister, he commented on the sport culture. He said, “They build shrines to their sports.” Granted, he’s not much of a sports fan, but he recognized how sports heavy people were.
ReplyDeleteLike how we do with our church services, people “build shrines” to their sports team. There is definitely truth to that. I think the issue is that sports replaces religion. Which one is easier and is more entertaining? Sports. I’m not saying sports is bad at all! I am saying that sports can easily become our idol. I think the good thing about sports is when it can integrate religious undertones. Sometimes players need to reach beyond themselves to play harder and better in their game. I think that’s kind of a unique aspect of sports. It creates the need for a higher power to help. If the two overlap instead of replace each other, I think that’s where there’s a healthy balance between religion and sports.
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ReplyDeleteThough I'm definitely a sports fan, I agree with Cassidy that it's a bit of a stretch to consider sports as a "religion". I guess it depends on which definition of religion you're looking at. If you see religion as "the belief in and worship of a superhuman controlling power, especially a personal God or gods", then I don't think sports fits at all. But if you see religion as "a pursuit or interest to which someone ascribes supreme importance", then I can see how it could fit. Most of the things in the list at the end of the reading are similar to the second definition, meaning they're pretty subjective and applicable to lots of things. The 1st commandment states that "ye shall have no other gods before me", so if someone puts sports before everything else in their life and is obsessed, then I suppose it could be considered a type of "god" in that sense. However, I do think that just about anything that people put first in their lives (cellphones, music, TV, video games, the internet, etc.) would also qualify, and just because sports is a more common passion doesn't make it more qualified as a religion than anything else of that nature. I do think, though, that it's something that we can draw a lot of religious parallels from like the ones you mentioned in class- working selflessly towards a common goal, fighting a common enemy, overcoming opposition, going to a "sports temple", supporting each other, training hard to be ready for "game time", etc. But like I said before, you could also draw religious parallels from just about anything (all things testify of Christ), so this doesn't qualify it either, even if it is easier to make more parallels from sports than other things. Overall, I think that it's great if sports gives people "numinous" feelings, teaches them valuable life lessons that are related to Christianity, and brings them together, but so can many things, all of which can have negative effects if people put them before actual religion.
ReplyDeleteI was asked to speak in Stake Conference last February and they wanted me to talk about volleyball and my experiences. I was able to draw so much symbolism from one of my volleyball experiences to church. I talked about how we start the season learning techniques and acquiring muscle memory. When we played in the national championship we had to call upon all of the knowledge and information we learning. It’s similar to the gospel. We work to get the basics down, like scripture study and personal prayer. When we face trails and situations where we are tested we have to turn to the knowledge we have received.
ReplyDeleteTalking with one of my friends she told me about how she become so good at soccer. In high school her parents were going through a divorce and rather than go home and be caught in this storm of turmoil she would stay at the soccer fields and practice. It was her outlet and a place where she could feel at home. This is the purpose of religion. It doesn’t matter where we’ve been or what’s going on, but we can turn to the lord and be trying to be better.
I also loved point number 4. Whenever I meet people who have played volleyball and especially colligate volleyball I feel a special bond with them. I know what they’ve gone through and the goals they’ve tried to accomplish. It’s the same with religion. I feel such strong connections to people in the church.
I wasn’t raised in a sports family. I’ve only sat down and watched the Superbowl twice in my entire life. That being said, I never really understood the mindset behind being obsessed with sports until I turned to thinking about it critically and in a community sense. I think a sports community does offer a form of religion because it possesses many characteristics of a religious community – as were concisely listed in today’s reading. Most powerful to me is the idea that sports, like religion, “enable participants to explore levels of ‘selfhood’ that might otherwise remain inaccessible.” For me personally, religion is the way I find myself and learn about who I am. It’s about my individual relationship with God and the world I live in, and al the people around me. Sports do precisely the same thing. It’s actually pretty cool that sports events usually start with prayers – at least the ones I’ve been to, even outside of Utah – because even if all the players don’t believe in God, it’s refreshing to see a group of people calling out for help from a higher power. I will clarify, though, that I don’t think a sport can actually be a religion, as in a substitute for religion – but I think it’s comparable, and the values system of sports is similar or the same as religion. It’s unfortunate to me that so many sports today, like football, are about capital gain and celebrities. I think in its purest form sports have a lot of potential to do good, bring people together, and help people overcome fears and turn to God and their fellow man for help.
ReplyDeleteIn many ways sports can be like a religion. It's structured like a religion which can provide stability through its principles and characteristics. Sports can facilitate a strong sense of being and potential which can be very impactful spiritually, mentally, and emotionally. A great sense of belonging and camaraderie can develop through sport which offers a safe community for participants to gather. So in many ways sports is like religion, but I do not think that sports itself can be considered its own religion. It can help people develop themselves religiously so can have a significant religious impact, so sports compliments religiosity, but it does not replace it. From an LDS perspective, we are taught that everything on earth can help enlighten our spirits, and I believe that. When seen under the right light, anything on earth can touch a person individually and help them discover who they are spiritually. But all these things are meant to come together and help develop a person's religion, not replace it. I agree with previous comments that sports is more of an obsession rather than a religion. If we started classifying everything we are passionate about, or obsessed with, as a religion then we would get terribly confused. Suddenly eating, or cooking, or sleeping would be considered a religion. Not to say that any of these things are bad, but they most certainly do not take the place of a religion. I think that religion is essential in life, and although people may be spiritually enlightened through many different means, religion plays an important part of directing that growth into a spiritual growth. Sports are incredible and so I am not trying to downplay them, but I think there is a place for everything and each is unique. Sports can facilitate religious feeling or behavior, but it does not replace religion.
ReplyDeleteThinking about sports as a religion has always been a familiar concept. I remember my father was a Bishop in a student ward and would refer to some of his members and their regular attendance to “The Church of the NFL”. He would frequently comment on how dedicated individuals could be to a particular team and how that sharply contrasts with their participation in church and it’s associated responsibilities.
ReplyDeleteLooking at the list of reasons, I agree with several of them in how it relates to the similarities between religion and sports. My husband is an avid Chicago Cubs fan and I see the dedication, joy and heartbreak associated with his fandom. After 108 years of losing, the Cubs won the world series this year and literally made an entire city burst into tears. I saw “testimonies” on the news of people who talked about their dedication to the Cubs and the “surreal” and almost “spiritual” feeling they had when they won. I remember my husband ritualistically wearing the same jacket and hat almost the entire playoffs and blocking off his schedule as to watch every pitch.
Using this example, I think of how people take this to an even higher level. Associating with their “congregation” or those who share the same team affiliation. “Donating” to the team’s cause by purchasing every piece of merchandise and tickets to the games (a form of tithing?). They plan their entire Monday, Thursday, and Sunday (FHE, Mutual, and Church) around the sporting events associated.
There is one major thing that sports as a religion lacks. It doesn’t give the answers to the large questions of the soul. Although it can fill voids that are mentioned in the numbered list in the article, it doesn’t quench the thirst of the “Where did I come from, why am I here, and where am I going” questions. Almost every religion at least tries to answer those questions, even if they are just vague explanations.
I definitely think religion and sports mirror each other for many reasons. I think one factor is the idea of a team and learning to work together. In a church you have a similiar feel. Your religion is something that binds you to others even if you have nothing else in common. And sports do the same thing. That doesn't even have to mean you are on a sports team, but at least you have the same sport you are interested. A few friends of mine in high school were suuuper into watching professional soccer and were total world cup junkies. They decorated their whole room based on Manchester United paraphernalia and basically worshipped them for like 3 years. These same kids made ties to people on their missions they had nothing else in common with EXCEPT futbol. This goes along with number 1, 2, 4, and 9 you listed above. In this example, sports provided a world-wide fan base, complete fandom, and built community and bonding among individuals. Another example of this is how my husband recently joined a men's football league in Payson. Before joining the league, he only knew one of the players. Starting at the first game and throughout the 2-month season, the guys all bonded a lot just because they loved football. I found myself becoming friends with their wives (who may not have been girls I originally would have been friends with) as we sat on the sidelines freezing and cheering out brains out. When my husband's team won the championship, I wanted to snap pics of all the players and congratulate them, and I'd never even had a full conversation with more than like 2 of the players!
ReplyDeleteI have also seen how sports influences 3, 5, and 6 through my own experiences playing sports in my youth and throughout high school. Self-obtained perfection, dealing with failure, redemption and victory are all experiences that came to me through playing hours and hours of sports, both on a team and as an individual. Many of the lessons I learned have changed my life forever and helped me to become a stronger person. There have been moments with team members or even watching movies like "Remember the Titans," "Hoosiers," "The Blind Side," "Rudy," where I have gotten way emotional, or numinous. So yes, I completely agree sports can be very comparable to religion and for some people IS their religion.
I am not a sports guy but I thought this topic was fascinating. As I read the material and watched the videos for this blog prompt, I kept thinking about my Grandpa Ed. If there was a greater Yankees fan, I haven’t met him yet. He had Yankees hats, Yankees decals, Yankees coasters, and probably Yankees underwear. Being a Yankees fan gave him an identity and an easy way to connect with other baseball fanatics. However, he wasn’t a member of the LDS Church and I never thought of him as religious. This topic gave me a new perspective about him. Baseball may have in fact been his path to God. For him, it may have embodied the ultimate battle between good and evil. He may have learned an inspiring code of conduct from the baseball rulebook and the positive behavior of the players that taught him how to live life better. In this light, seeing sports as religion isn’t as unbelievable as I originally thought.
ReplyDeleteOn the other hand, I think that religion is about believing in something much greater than ourselves. That something is God, the being that can forgive, purify, and exalt us. Sports is about believing in humans and their abilities. While I think that we must believe in ourselves, belief in a higher power is essential if we are to have hope of overcoming weaknesses and sins that would be impossible for us to eradicate ourselves. So while sports may be a religion for some people, I still believe think that it lacks the divine guidance that gives religion so much power.
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ReplyDeleteBefore reading through these articles and talking in class, I never really considered that people take sports to be a religion. It has been interesting though, that while discussing this topic, the same theme has come up in other areas of my life. Two weeks ago, I got to watch the movie "Concussion" with Will Smith. There is a scene in there where a spokesman of the NFL says that they own one day of the week- Sunday. Point 8 offers an interesting view on the comparison between religion and sports. There does seem to be a similar structure. Nevertheless, I believe if you really delve into it, most things that we devote our selves to, usually have the same structure- school, sports, work, etc.
ReplyDeleteThus, I would argue that sports are but one more way to fill the human void and cravings we all seek in God. In this way, Yeah, you could say sports are a religion, because in essence, that is what religions are FOR. But I wouldn't necesarily define sports as religion, as point 8 is really the only argument that argues sports to be A religion. The rest of the points, in my opinion are simply describing the benefits of sports, that are similar to religion's. But these can be found in any activity. Should we, therefore call all our activities that we devote time to, "religion?"
My opinion is that every human that comes to this world is in a fallen state, and in search of a higher power, more perfect structure, sense of identity and belonging, and of becoming something better or perfect (basically all the points listed in the reading above). Some people look for these things through church and God, others through sports, and others through sex, reading groups, special societies, work, exercise etc etc.
My point is not that these things are bad in themselves. Rather, the oposite. That through what is mentioned above, we can learn about better organization, structure, self-identity, discipline, improvement, connection, etc. Sports has done that for me. but so has work, school, the mountains, student council, etc. Luckily for me and I think the rest of us, we have the incredible gift of Christ's restored church- which brings us all the tools necessary to receive ALL the blessings and benefits that we seek as humans and as childeren of Him. The first part of Moroni 7, to me sums up this idea best, saying that all things that are good (the points mentioned above) come from Christ. My personal belief is that God gave us sports, work, church, school, etc, to teach us if we allow Him to, how to become more like Him and receive all that He has. There is truth in everything, besides the devil himself, and this is why some people can get wrapped up in one vehicle of truths, more than others. This does not make them bad. We can just be grateful that we have access to all the tools and truth, and feel ecited to share it with the rest of our brothers and sisters! Preaching over. Just a thought.
The similarities between religion and sports are uncanny. There are rules, similar to commandments, wherein if one can excel, they become a hero, similar to a prophet or highly revered spiritual leader. Wonderful feelings accompany sports tournaments, they have spiritual euphoric significance, especially for fans. We have the sacred grove and other places to commemorate the progression of our religion, along with artifacts and documents. Sports fans have memorabilia and famous stadiums and ballparks to hold sacred.
ReplyDeleteHowever, the true difference between sports and the essence of true religion goes beyond the feelings or the places. True religion will always stand on it's own because of the true nature of that which we worship. I don't think there is anything wrong with loving sports or even having "religious" experiences through play or fandom. But, the fact of the matter is that you can have faith in anything, but the only one faith has the true ability to save.
Sure, if religion was simply a worldly invention by which men can feel more fulfilled until they die to rise no more, sports would do. But Jesus Christ is actually the son of God, and he actually possesses the power to save us all. True religion means we can move from this life to the next and continue to progress. As amazing as babe ruth is, he is only mortal, and would not be able to resurrect except through the power of Jesus Christ.
Religion is everywhere, but true religion only has one path, which surpasses sports in grandeur by 1000%
Before making any specific argument one way or the other, it is important to define what religion is to a person. Once that is defined, it is much easier to come to a sort of agreement on wether or not sports can be classified as a religious experience. To consider sports a religious experience from an LDS perspective may seem far fetched. Religion to Mormons is about participating in ordinances that help us to learn and become like God. This is not the case for many others.
ReplyDeleteTo a great many, religion is about participating in something greater than themselves, creating memories with loved ones, connecting with family traditions, and being apart of a greater community. These are all things that sports and religion can both offer. In a world where people value the community feel of religion, but struggle to adhere to traditional practices and beliefs, sports may be the avenue to acheive these benefits without adhering to traditional religion.
In addition, sports teach many things that can transition into a way of life -- or a code of ethics so to speak. Sports teach us about justice and fairness for all, that color or race is irrelevant when it comes to the worth of a person, and the importance of endurance.
Sure, sports doesn't compare to religion from an LDS perspective -- but sports does tap into many things that religion does provide. If someone is okay with a religion that doesn't claim any eternal significance, than maybe sports is a viable option.