Are sports biblical?

[Skitnik]

-___- It doesn't mean anything except someone other than the Christian jockey won. That's it. And for heaven's sake what does a sportsman's sexuality have to do with the ability to do well in a sport?

You get upset because the jockey thanked His Savior Jesus Christ for his success?

Wow.

God does not do fixing of races and matches.

 

[Paul of Eugene OR]

Your opinion is not a fact.

Well, it is something that is a fit subject for the science of psychology.

Sport and the Decline of War

 

[Paul of Eugene OR]

God does not do fixing of races and matches.

Maybe He does, sometimes, for His purposes.

 

[Skitnik]

Well, it is something that is a fit subject for the science of psychology.

Sport and the Decline of War

More like a sadistic humor than a psychology. US, the world is in the state of constant war and one blink away from WWIII and some psychos are talking "decline"
By the way. Psychology has absolutely no meaning in reality. It simply is trying to prove why the world the way it is without even a possibility of God being real. You maybe on the wrong forum.

 

[Skitnik]

Maybe He does, sometimes, for His purposes.

You maybe talking about wrong "God'.
GOD owns the game it is the "wannabe God" who is trying to fix it his way

 

[InterestedApologist]

Are sports biblical?


I see it all the time. Some athlete runs the race, scores touch down and raises hands to the sky to thank God. I do not get it. What does God have to do with that? Next day that very same athlete looses to openly homosexual, cross dressing child molester and it means what exactly? Does it mean that God favors that person now? In minds of many it may.


Yes there are passages in the Bible about running the race but it is just a proverb. Same way there are proverbs comparing peoples and nations to prostitutes but does it mean an endorsement of prostitution?


One thing to run around, jump around for some exercise. Not many people in the Bible sat at front of computer all day for a living. Another thing is to beat your body up to the point of disability, like most professional sports do. I heard on the news about congressional investigation of massive neo-opiate pain killer epidemic. Apparently much of is attributed to sports injuries even in teens. I remember conversation with my coworker before his double knee replacement surgery. He pointed and his knees and said: “This knee is basketball and this one is football”.


I think Christianity is all about making oneself smaller, child-like so that God can make us great in His ways and for His glory not about beating others, making our selfish selves greater than others the way sports do. Feed our pride and wallow in in pain of those who were defeated. Superiority of one man over another, competition for adoration for being better than others maybe even becoming rich and famous doing that… how can that be comparable with teachings of Jesus?


I do not see how competitiveness can be a good part of character for a Christian. To a Christian the only opinion that should matter is an opinion of God, the only standing that should matter is standing before God. Christians do not have to compete with each other for is His time and attention. He is outside of time so He has time to be an individual God to every individual that seeks personal relationship with Him.


Massive waste of time, effort, money…. Entertainment and distraction. Why would God have anything to do with it? The way I see it sports is nothing more than modern version of idolatry. People are so obsessed with players, teams, scores, statistics….. spend so much money, waste so much time!


Many say that sports make them happy, relaxed, relieves stress and God wants us to be happy, so sports must be ok then. Never mind that people can be “happy” for all kinds of very wrong reasons. Felling of unhappiness comes from the enemy and by dialing back on unhappiness while people are engaged in sinful or wasteful activities he can make then run around and chase happiness in all kinds of very wrong places. If God wanted us to be happy in chasing a ball around He would at least give us four legs or do you think He created us to be miserably bipedal all our lives?


How sports is not idolatry by new, modern name. Famous athletes are revered by many as demigods of some sort. Followed around and more or less worshiped. Teams are used to divide and conquer minds and souls. People hate each other to the point of violence and even murder at times because “my team” won or lost to “your team”.


The whole “my team” thing totally escapes me. Here in Western Washington USA when Seahawks won seems like everything everywhere turned green and blue with number 12 on it. I did not even realize how widespread this form of idolatry was until I came into some supermarket store and saw that at least half of people wearing Seahawk football jerseys. It was a day before Stuporbowl (intentional misspelling) aka finals of NFL. Rare wearers of the uniform of opposing team were getting hateful stares or even “boo-eing” by people just passing by! Yeah! Satan loves to make people to hate each other does not matter how ridiculous the reasons for that are!


The only men who is rightfully saying “my team” are the team owners raking in billions of dollars from pockets of suckers of new idolatry. Those are the new “priest class” of idolatry by new name. Plus the whole class of sports facilitators and administrators. (AKA new idolatry “temple priests and prostitutes”). Some may say that Christian sports stars promote Christianity. Yeah sure, same as “Christian prostitutes”. Nothing in the world changes, really. Just changes names.


Even pastors in churches cheerleading for teams. Everything short of jumping around with those cheerleading pom poms right at the church pulpit! Disgusting! I am sure it happened in some churches somewhere though.


Never mind almost, almost naked girls jumping around in all kinds of poses including explicitly sexual ones! Don’t they understand that many men in the bleachers are thinking: “I wish my wife could do that and without any clothes on.” Many of them consider themselves good Christians too.


I do not watch TV anymore. I am not implying in any way that watching TV is sinful but personally I found it to be very beneficial when I stopped filling up my mind with junk. One day I had to wait in lunchroom at work for a while, TV was on and NatGeo special on sports gambling was on it. This whole issue is entirely foreign to me. I knew next to nothing about it but apparently it is a huge shadow industry that hurts a lot of people. Just another strike against idolatry of sports.


Also. How many people end up trading church for playing sports, going to games, taking kids to practice sports? Yes most of it is done on Saturday but that is when God should be worshipped. On the holy day of Sabbath, instead of temples of God people take their children to temples of idolatry. Sabbath is not a suggestion it is a commandment and does not expire like an old can of beans or something. Instead of God’s temples people go to temples of idolatry. But that is a whole different topic of Sabbath observance.


The only exception being of course the martial arts. Read the Old Testament. All kind of godly and even appointed by God “martial artists” there! How about Samson with a donkey jawbone! Read the Book of Jasher thrown out of teachings of early Christian’s teachings by Jew-hating Constantine because in it early Hebrews are portrayed as supernaturally (not superhuman) powerful “martial artists”.


Yes, God does allow necessary killing. “Shall not kill” is a mistranslation. It actually says “shall not murder”. Jesus in not some long-haired bearded hippy either. Read the Revelation. But that is going into whole different topic….

I take it you have dabbled in martial arts, which makes it an acceptable sport? Ironically enough, many martial arts disciplines are deeply rooted in eastern mysticism.

While there is certainly a point of taking sports too far, I think you overreach an awful lot on this. By your philosophy, it seems that any sport, job, or hobby someone gets enjoyment from is idolatry. I am guessing we would both agree that they can be, but that not all of them are.

As to why athletes give thanks to God, perhaps they are simply praising and thanking the source of all good blessings in their lives? Maybe they are thankful for the talent God has blessed them with? I see no issues with this.

For all the negatives you have posted, there are at least as many positives to sports. Sports teach discipline, work ethic, reward for effort, teamwork, graciousness in defeat and victory and many other desirable character lessons. Sports can also draw people together, create a common bond, generate fellowship, relieve stress, and other desirable things.

It is not all negative.

 

[Skitnik]

I take it you have dabbled in martial arts, which makes it an acceptable sport? Ironically enough, many martial arts disciplines are deeply rooted in eastern mysticism.

While there is certainly a point of taking sports too far, I think you overreach an awful lot on this. By your philosophy, it seems that any sport, job, or hobby someone gets enjoyment from is idolatry. I am guessing we would both agree that they can be, but that not all of them are.

As to why athletes give thanks to God, perhaps they are simply praising and thanking the source of all good blessings in their lives? Maybe they are thankful for the talent God has blessed them with? I see no issues with this.

For all the negatives you have posted, there are at least as many positives to sports. Sports teach discipline, work ethic, reward for effort, teamwork, graciousness in defeat and victory and many other desirable character lessons. Sports can also draw people together, create a common bond, generate fellowship, relieve stress, and other desirable things.

It is not all negative.

Martial arts existed in every part of the world. They are all about practical use in defense or offence. The only practical use of kicking a ball around is in getting team owners rich, distracting and dividing people.

All the "Positive sides" of sports are attempts to replace Godly ones. Discipline in obeying God, fellowship and come together in God not in worthless pursuits of this world.

 

[InterestedApologist]

Martial arts existed in every part of the world. They are all about practical use in defense or offence.

...and centering your chi, focusing your energy, etc...

The only practical use of kicking a ball around is in getting team owners rich, distracting and dividing people.

Nonsense. Yes, people make money in professional sports but why is that evil? Do you have a job? Do you make money? Is that evil? Forgetting the health benefits to younger children and the pathway to an education at the college level, professional sports is a job and career like any other.

All the "Positive sides" of sports are attempts to replace Godly ones. Discipline in obeying God, fellowship and come together in God not in worthless pursuits of this world.

Again, this is just nonsense. The only way I am buying this as anything but trolling or sour grapes for always being picked last in school sports is if you are a monk.

 

[Skitnik]

...and centering your chi, focusing your energy, etc...



Nonsense. Yes, people make money in professional sports but why is that evil? Do you have a job? Do you make money? Is that evil? Forgetting the health benefits to younger children and the pathway to an education at the college level, professional sports is a job and career like any other.



Again, this is just nonsense. The only way I am buying this as anything but trolling or sour grapes for always being picked last in school sports is if you are a monk.

Focusing chi was not needed in all kinds of martial arts all over the world. Term Martial Art is not exclusive to Eastern ones.

Prostitutes need jobs too.

I care very deeply about what you are buying.

 

[SolomonVII]

OK
Seemed like you are saying that there is nothing wrong with idolatry, religion of sports than.

More likely, it seems that he is answering the question of the title by rejecting the premises put forth in the OP.

 

[drjean]

When Paul wrote and used all those terms about races and prizes and such he was speaking their language of sports, one they could understand... the Olympics! He was using the "local" olympics as a way to instruct them as followers of Jesus.

 

[Paul of Eugene OR]

More like a sadistic humor than a psychology. US, the world is in the state of constant war and one blink away from WWIII and some psychos are talking "decline"
By the way. Psychology has absolutely no meaning in reality. It simply is trying to prove why the world the way it is without even a possibility of God being real. You maybe on the wrong forum.

You're wrong about psychology and wrong about the motives of psychologists. So your viewpoints, based on error, may be easily dismissed.

 

[Skitnik]

You're wrong about psychology and wrong about the motives of psychologists. So your viewpoints, based on error, may be easily dismissed.

Dismissed by you? Thank you. It reassures me in my assertions that sports are totally unbiblical when you fail to provide even one minor point to prove me wrong based on the Bible and biblically based world view. Instead you have to turn to a secular pseudo "science".

 

[discipler7]

Are sports biblical?

No. The Bible has no mention of competitive sports like the Olympics, World Cup, Davis Cup, etc.

In modern day, sports can be a form of physical exercise to replace ancient agricultural manual labor.

 

[Skitnik]

No. The Bible has no mention of competitive sports like the Olympics, World Cup, Davis Cup, etc.

In modern day, sports can be a form of physical exercise to replace ancient agricultural manual labor.

One thing to run around, jump around for some exercise. Not many people in the Bible sat at front of computer all day for a living. Another thing is to beat your body up to the point of disability, like most professional sports do. Also, you do not need to compete at all in order to exercise. You do not call going to fitness shop sports? Sports is all about competition defeating somebody and tickling the pride.

 

[4x4toy]

One thing to run around, jump around for some exercise. Not many people in the Bible sat at front of computer all day for a living. Another thing is to beat your body up to the point of disability, like most professional sports do. Also, you do not need to compete at all in order to exercise. You do not call going to fitness shop sports? Sports is all about competition defeating somebody and tickling the pride.

 

[Anand Prabhu Antony]

Are sports biblical?


I see it all the time. Some athlete runs the race, scores touch down and raises hands to the sky to thank God. I do not get it. What does God have to do with that? Next day that very same athlete looses to openly homosexual, cross dressing child molester and it means what exactly? Does it mean that God favors that person now? In minds of many it may.


Yes there are passages in the Bible about running the race but it is just a proverb. Same way there are proverbs comparing peoples and nations to prostitutes but does it mean an endorsement of prostitution?


One thing to run around, jump around for some exercise. Not many people in the Bible sat at front of computer all day for a living. Another thing is to beat your body up to the point of disability, like most professional sports do. I heard on the news about congressional investigation of massive neo-opiate pain killer epidemic. Apparently much of is attributed to sports injuries even in teens. I remember conversation with my coworker before his double knee replacement surgery. He pointed and his knees and said: “This knee is basketball and this one is football”.


I think Christianity is all about making oneself smaller, child-like so that God can make us great in His ways and for His glory not about beating others, making our selfish selves greater than others the way sports do. Feed our pride and wallow in in pain of those who were defeated. Superiority of one man over another, competition for adoration for being better than others maybe even becoming rich and famous doing that… how can that be comparable with teachings of Jesus?


I do not see how competitiveness can be a good part of character for a Christian. To a Christian the only opinion that should matter is an opinion of God, the only standing that should matter is standing before God. Christians do not have to compete with each other for is His time and attention. He is outside of time so He has time to be an individual God to every individual that seeks personal relationship with Him.


Massive waste of time, effort, money…. Entertainment and distraction. Why would God have anything to do with it? The way I see it sports is nothing more than modern version of idolatry. People are so obsessed with players, teams, scores, statistics….. spend so much money, waste so much time!


Many say that sports make them happy, relaxed, relieves stress and God wants us to be happy, so sports must be ok then. Never mind that people can be “happy” for all kinds of very wrong reasons. Felling of unhappiness comes from the enemy and by dialing back on unhappiness while people are engaged in sinful or wasteful activities he can make then run around and chase happiness in all kinds of very wrong places. If God wanted us to be happy in chasing a ball around He would at least give us four legs or do you think He created us to be miserably bipedal all our lives?


How sports is not idolatry by new, modern name. Famous athletes are revered by many as demigods of some sort. Followed around and more or less worshiped. Teams are used to divide and conquer minds and souls. People hate each other to the point of violence and even murder at times because “my team” won or lost to “your team”.


The whole “my team” thing totally escapes me. Here in Western Washington USA when Seahawks won seems like everything everywhere turned green and blue with number 12 on it. I did not even realize how widespread this form of idolatry was until I came into some supermarket store and saw that at least half of people wearing Seahawk football jerseys. It was a day before Stuporbowl (intentional misspelling) aka finals of NFL. Rare wearers of the uniform of opposing team were getting hateful stares or even “boo-eing” by people just passing by! Yeah! Satan loves to make people to hate each other does not matter how ridiculous the reasons for that are!


The only men who is rightfully saying “my team” are the team owners raking in billions of dollars from pockets of suckers of new idolatry. Those are the new “priest class” of idolatry by new name. Plus the whole class of sports facilitators and administrators. (AKA new idolatry “temple priests and prostitutes”). Some may say that Christian sports stars promote Christianity. Yeah sure, same as “Christian prostitutes”. Nothing in the world changes, really. Just changes names.


Even pastors in churches cheerleading for teams. Everything short of jumping around with those cheerleading pom poms right at the church pulpit! Disgusting! I am sure it happened in some churches somewhere though.


Never mind almost, almost naked girls jumping around in all kinds of poses including explicitly sexual ones! Don’t they understand that many men in the bleachers are thinking: “I wish my wife could do that and without any clothes on.” Many of them consider themselves good Christians too.


I do not watch TV anymore. I am not implying in any way that watching TV is sinful but personally I found it to be very beneficial when I stopped filling up my mind with junk. One day I had to wait in lunchroom at work for a while, TV was on and NatGeo special on sports gambling was on it. This whole issue is entirely foreign to me. I knew next to nothing about it but apparently it is a huge shadow industry that hurts a lot of people. Just another strike against idolatry of sports.


Also. How many people end up trading church for playing sports, going to games, taking kids to practice sports? Yes most of it is done on Saturday but that is when God should be worshipped. On the holy day of Sabbath, instead of temples of God people take their children to temples of idolatry. Sabbath is not a suggestion it is a commandment and does not expire like an old can of beans or something. Instead of God’s temples people go to temples of idolatry. But that is a whole different topic of Sabbath observance.


The only exception being of course the martial arts. Read the Old Testament. All kind of godly and even appointed by God “martial artists” there! How about Samson with a donkey jawbone! Read the Book of Jasher thrown out of teachings of early Christian’s teachings by Jew-hating Constantine because in it early Hebrews are portrayed as supernaturally (not superhuman) powerful “martial artists”.


Yes, God does allow necessary killing. “Shall not kill” is a mistranslation. It actually says “shall not murder”. Jesus in not some long-haired bearded hippy either. Read the Revelation. But that is going into whole different topic….

1Timothy 4:7-9
"...train yourself for godliness. For the training of the body is only little profitable, but godliness is profitable for everything, because it holds promise for the present life and for the life to come. The statement is trustworthy and deserving of complete acceptance..."

May GOD bless you.....

 

[InterestedApologist]

One thing to run around, jump around for some exercise. Not many people in the Bible sat at front of computer all day for a living. Another thing is to beat your body up to the point of disability, like most professional sports do. Also, you do not need to compete at all in order to exercise. You do not call going to fitness shop sports? Sports is all about competition defeating somebody and tickling the pride.

This concept of beating one's body to disability is somewhat valid, however, all careers will result in physical damage. Manual labor, sitting in front of computers, standing all day, etc. all damage the body. The professional athlete trades risk of injury and a short career for a lifetime’s worth of money and early retirement. The average worker trades a lifetime for a career and hopes to make enough money to retire. Different approaches, but the same goal. Also, if physical risk is the measure of rightness or wrongness of a career, I assume you are opposed to construction, law enforcement, firefighters, electrical workers and the like, as they are all in dangerous fields as well?

 

[InterestedApologist]

1Timothy 4:7-9
"...train yourself for godliness. For the training of the body is only little profitable, but godliness is profitable for everything, because it holds promise for the present life and for the life to come. The statement is trustworthy and deserving of complete acceptance..."

May GOD bless you.....

Everything is of little profit when compared against focusing our lives on God. I still don’t see how this is a valid criticism of sports.

 

[Anand Prabhu Antony]

Everything is of little profit when compared against focusing our lives on God. I still don’t see how this is a valid criticism of sports.

Nuh, I did not post that for critising sports. That Scripture is best to understand that sports is ok, but Godliness is more important to focus on.

GOD bless you.