Comments on: It’s “Holy Week” in America

By: Chaplain Mike: It’s “Holy Week” in America « Everyone's Entitled to Joe's Opinion

Sun, 07 Feb 2010 22:48:39 +0000

[...] attention to a post by guest blogger Chaplain Mike over at Michael Spencer’s site, entitled “It’s Holy Week in America”.Â The post is all about America’s obsession with sports and how the church here in America [...]

By: GinH

GinH — Sun, 07 Feb 2010 04:18:19 +0000

Blueridge: I assume that you do not watch tv, go to movies, listen to the radio, read books other than the Bible, go out to eat with friends, participate in any sort of activity that is pleasing to you since you have equated the Christian life with complete self denial. And I assume that you’ve decided to ignore that Christ came to offer abundant life.
And, unlike you, I do not consider attendance to “Christian duties” cross bearing obedience. I consider it a joy and a privilege. And missing church on a morning sometimes does not in any way mean that I “take lightly” church attendance. There are other times to be at church than Sunday mornings. As a matter of fact, I would be willing to bet I spend twice as much time at church than you do, not that I think that has anything at all to do with how “serious” a Christian I am.
I will also assume that you do not miss church for any reason other than death since you do not “forsake the assembling” in your church attendance.
And as for your comment about my family being heathens and outsiders, I’m not even going to respond to such blatant hypocrisy.
Also, I feel sure the disciples would be quite surprised at your insistence that ministers of the gospel give up all forms of “entertainment and sports” in light of the fact that they were reclining with Jesus at many a dinner party having a grand time, when the Pharisees – who actually sounded a lot like you – critiqued their behavior in much the same manner.
You haven’t even once asked how many young men or women we’ve introduced to Jesus because of our involvement in their lives through sports.
Too numerous to count.
When’s the last time you came out of your tower to share the good new with the lost in the world? Because, after all, you can’t share with people you refuse to talk to.
And while we’re on the subject of Paul, since you called me brazenly false, I’ll just remind you that he spoke of the legalist as those with the weaker faith, so I actually feel a little sorry for you.

By: Dr. Baines

Dr. Baines — Sat, 06 Feb 2010 23:40:07 +0000

Mike,
Thanks for the post. They are always thought provoking.

By: Is Sports Bad for Religion? | Civil Religion | STLtoday

Is Sports Bad for Religion? | Civil Religion | STLtoday — Sat, 06 Feb 2010 03:40:14 +0000

[...] While I think I understand many of Hoffman’s concerns, I’m also a sports fan.Â Enjoying sports came late in life for me, and unexpectedly.Â I avoided playing sports as much as possible as a kid, and only cheered for whatever team was playing against the Chiefs to drive my brother crazy.Â Now I’m a soccer mom, and this winter I’m a basketball mom as well.Â I enjoy watching professional football, a habit that I developed during the Rams glory years.Â And, yes,Â I will be watching the game this Sunday, pulling for the Saints.Â Sports is so much a part of our culture that to even raise the issues that Hoffman raises seems faintly unamerican.Â Three short articles appeared at Christianity Today in response to Hoffman’s article, all defending sports from a Christian perspective.Â But I think the most thoughtful responses can be found at Jesus Creed and the Internet Monk. [...]

By: Jimmy Bennett

Jimmy Bennett — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 22:34:01 +0000

I think sports, like any other form of entertainment, has its place. Christians have an obligation to put God and His Kingdom first, and an obsession with sports can certainly get in the way of that, but watching or playing sports isn’t bad in itself.

I have noticed that evangelical culture seems a little fixated on Sports. If you want to see a great example of this watch the movie Facing the Giants.

One of the problems with Evangelical culture is that it happily embraces mainstream American culture, but it is very suspicious of anything that is outside the mainstream.

To give an example, consider the church’s response to Dungeons and Dragons. When the game first became popular in the 80′s the church freaked out and assumed that people who played the game were all satanists.

In reality D&D is another form of entertainment. Like football, it’s not inherently evil, but it can certainly get in the way of putting God’s Kingdom first. In my view D&D and football are about equal, but the church embraces one and rejects the other.

By: The Church’s most ‘holy day’ of the year « Sola Dei Gloria

Tue, 02 Feb 2010 21:15:54 +0000

[...] Weâ€™ll go forth into the world on Monday to talk about our experiences and rejoice that we were together. (Chaplain Mike, Itâ€™s â€œHoly Weekâ€ in America) [...]

By: Paul

Paul — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 17:01:30 +0000

The school were I work also does a “pay to play” system, which is a supplement to the already existent athletic department budget. Either way, the money is still being funneled into athletics, instead of another venture, which would benefit people to a greater degree.
Also, in reference to my comments concerning the “black athlete” issue, I was attempting to make a point about our perception which can be created by believing that a group of people are “good athletes”. These generalized perceptions can be detrimental to people, because people will then believe the myth that one activity defines their entire lives. This is true for athletes and non-athletes alike, but I am astounded that people can support a system which has created no feasible opportunities outside of athletics for huge segments of the population. When I was younger, I grew up in New Jersey and I used to think that schools like LSU, Alabama, were all black schools. Why would I think that? Because the players on the field that I was watching were predominantly black. So, the school must be a good representation of the athletic field, right?
I think we have come a long way from, “Take up your cross and follow me…” So, maybe we should stop laying the cross across another’s back. Just my thoughts. Peace!

By: Martha

Martha — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 14:23:59 +0000

blueridge – you’re going to bring up the actions of Oliver Cromwell in beheading Charles I as the attitude we should have to sports on Sunday?

Will we have the re-introduction of soldiers going from house to house on Christmas Day looking for plum puddings as evidence of lack of Godliness while we’re at it?

http://www.timetravel-britain.com/articles/christmas/ban.shtml

“In January 1645 parliament enlisted the help of a group of ministers to create a Directory of Public Worship establishing a new organisation of the church and new forms of worship that were to be adopted and followed in both England and Wales. According to the Directory, the population was to strictly observe Sundays as holy days and were not to recognise other festival days, including Christmas, since they had no biblical justification.

Parliamentary legislation embraced the Directory of Public Worship as the only legal form of worship allowed in England and Wales. Two years later Parliament reinstated the law by passing an Ordinance affirming the abolition of the feasts of Christmas, Easter and Whitsun.

…All shops and markets were to stay open throughout the 25th December and anyone caught holding or attending a special Christmas church service would suffer a penalty.

In the city of London things were even stricter as soldiers were ordered to patrol the streets, seizing any food they discovered was being prepared for a Christmas celebration.

Despite imposing such rigid measures on the common people, it appears that Cromwell himself didn’t quite live up to his preaching. He liked music, playing bowls and hunting and, after becoming Lord Protectorate, soon took to the high life. For his daughter’s wedding he even permitted a lavish feast and entertainment fit for royalty.”

By: Martha

Martha — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 14:15:38 +0000

What time in the morning were these matches being played, Emery? It would be entirely possible for families to go to eight o’clock Mass and be out on the pitch for half-past nine or ten o’clock kick-off.

By: Derek

Derek — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 13:59:20 +0000

The players are doing something they enjoy. How is that any different (other than them getting paid) than me hosting a barbecue on the deck?

We don’t have a problem with clergy working on Sundays… They get their “day of rest” / Sabbath on a different day, seems to be mostly Mondays. Athletes get the same.

Remember, too, that the Sabbath was for OUR benefit and was established in Law when the Israelites were slaves. Interestingly, the Egyptians got more production from the slaves when they followed Sabbath than when they didn’t. I think it was a Rob Bell / Mars Hill Bible Church podcast that I need to cite here. Don’t remember which one.