Competition

[WarriorAngel]

I don't know what you mean by "many forms", WA, for i'm french

Competition can be healthy or unhealthy. There are various forms of competition in games, contests, etc. there is nothing wrong with healthy forms of competition.

^^^ This

 

[pdudgeon]

I feel the same as you, pdugeon, but doesn't competition also teach to tolerate superiority, or inversely, to accept disabilities ?

No, it teaches neither of these things. In fact, it does just the opposite.
True superiority is to be admired and learned from.
Disabilities can be accepted, and can actually become inspirations as well, but not thru competition.

 

[peter2]

Competition can be healthy or unhealthy. There are various forms of competition in games, contests, etc. there is nothing wrong with healthy forms of competition.

Hi Michie,
i assume i understand your point of view. Yet, my original question was not about how they conceive competition, but how Jesus does. Not sure the Gospel speaks favorably of it. Rather looks like a device for people to measure and compare themselves between them, whatever distance they keep in their mind with this measurement or comparison.
Now, Jesus came for salvation. My question remains : For you, or someone else, is competition of any assistance for this aim of Jesus ? Or has it more to do with some sort of impediment, always for salvation?

 

[peter2]

^^^ This

Same question for you, WA

 

[Michie]

Hi Michie,
i assume i understand your point of view. Yet, my original question was not about how they conceive competition, but how Jesus does. Not sure the Gospel speaks favorably of it. Rather looks like a device for people to measure and compare themselves between them, whatever distance they keep in their mind with this measurement or comparison.
Now, Jesus came for salvation. My question remains : For you, or someone else, is competition of any assistance for this aim of Jesus ? Or has it more to do with some sort of impediment, always for salvation?

No. That’s a very legalistic view. You do not think games were played by children and adults in Jesus’ time? There is nothing wrong with healthy competition which is often a uniting factor for people. Like anything else, it can become an unhealthy obsession with some. Competition exists within the Church when the Church has family activities, etc. you can’t broadbrush competition anymore than you can broadbrush eating food, reading, etc. there are many in their fallen state that can pervert anything into unhealthy obsession. It’s very legalistic to say overall, all competition is bad. Which is also a perversion of it.

 

[peter2]

No, it teaches neither of these things. In fact, it does just the opposite.
True superiority is to be admired and learned from.
Disabilities can be accepted, and can actually become inspirations as well, but not thru competition.

Sounds like the superiority you speak of is not this of a winner. When there's nothing to win, still less the first place, it's there that true gifts start and where lies the true superiority you mention

 

[peter2]

No. That’s a very legalistic view. You do not think games were played by children and adults in Jesus’ time?

I do

There is nothing wrong with healthy competition which is often a uniting factor for people.

I keep thinking i understand, but is the unity you speak of qualitative? Please, try and imagine how farther may be it would be unifying to meet each others without any competition, but just on the basis of service-founded relationships

 

[Michie]

I do
I keep thinking i understand, but is the unity you speak of qualitative? Please, try and imagine how farther may be it would be unifying to meet each others without any competition, but just on the basis of service-founded relationships

It’s not an either/or proposition.

 

[Michie]

Why the Catholic Church cares about sports

Sunday Catholic School Sporting Events Not Sinful

How Should Catholics Think About Sports?

 

[peter2]

Thank you for those links. What is the purpose of their posting, Michie ?
i read the first. i get the feeling the main issue is sport, not competition

 

[Michie]

Thank you for those links. What is the purpose of their posting, Michie ?
i read the first. i get the feeling the main issue is sport, not competition

There is competition in everything basically. We even challenge ourselves. There is healthy completions that spurs us on to achieve greater things. Paul mentions running a race. My point is, like anything, it can become twisted and perverse in the mind of the individual. It does not make competition bad. It’s what one does with it. Christianity is not meant to be milquetoast and ineffectual. We are called to be salt and light. There are many saints within the Church that competed with evil and the darkness in the world. Your view is far too narrow and legalistic as far as its definition. It is not always a bad thing. Cooperation even exists within competition and can be a unifying factor.

 

[Michie]

I do
I keep thinking i understand, but is the unity you speak of qualitative? Please, try and imagine how farther may be it would be unifying to meet each others without any competition, but just on the basis of service-founded relationships

Do you think Jesus was not willing to compete for our souls? What about the apostles?

 

[Michie]

Thank you for those links. What is the purpose of their posting, Michie ?
i read the first. i get the feeling the main issue is sport, not competition

Sport is based on competition. Business is based on competition. Christianity competes with the darkness of the world. Competition is a fact of life. We are all fighting for something one way or the other. Even you. At least I hope you do.

 

[Mark Quayle]

Do you have some supportive scriture, Mark? Personnally i don't see

Not off the top of my head. I'm not in the habit of reading Scripture for the purpose of finding passages supporting or opposing competition.

I think there are mentions of competitive things, without anything said against it, such as "rejoices as a strong man to run a race." but that is about the rejoicing in a goal, it seems, more than the competition.

There is also plenty said about excellence, which competition generally promotes.

 

[pdudgeon]

Hi Michie,
i assume i understand your point of view. Yet, my original question was not about how they conceive competition, but how Jesus does. Not sure the Gospel speaks favorably of it. Rather looks like a device for people to measure and compare themselves between them, whatever distance they keep in their mind with this measurement or comparison.
Now, Jesus came for salvation. My question remains : For you, or someone else, is competition of any assistance for this aim of Jesus ? Or has it more to do with some sort of impediment, always for salvation?

I would say competition is always an impediment towards a Godly life, and we see that in both the OT and the NT.
For example, Joseph and his brothers, in competition for the favor of their father.
Or The Good Samaritan who stops to help a wounded man, and takes him to the nearest town and puts him up there, to get care for his wounds, versus the priest, who hurries on passed him, to the Temple.

 

[pdudgeon]

We are told to love one another, like God loves us.
Is competing with one another to see who can win a challenge a loving thing to do?
God doesn't see it as necessary to compete against us. If He did, He would always win, and we would loose.
Before Christ came, that is what was happening; God was Holy, and men were not.
So no: God doesn't need to compeat against us. So why do men feel that competition is necessary?
It's not.

 

[peter2]

There is also plenty said about excellence, which competition generally promotes.

Hi Mark,
Not sure humankind already tried to promote excellence without competition. I'm not neither specialist of OT, but didn't David started life as a meer shepherd, far from competing with his brothers. What about the patriarch Joseph, that brought about jealousy amid his brotherhood ?

 

[peter2]

Sport is based on competition. Business is based on competition. Christianity competes with the darkness of the world. Competition is a fact of life. We are all fighting for something one way or the other. Even you. At least I hope you do.

i fight hoping to bear christian life

 

[peter2]

Do you think Jesus was not willing to compete for our souls? What about the apostles?

Not sure Jesus would compete for another reason but salvation. Which humankind does

 

[peter2]

Is competing with one another to see who can win a challenge a loving thing to do?

I hardly imagine God was not to love Caïn, however it was Abel's offer He had a watch on. I hardly imagine God doesn't love loosers. You're right
But what about the challenge God Himself took part in, as for the enlightment of a fire through a prophet, (i think it must be Moses, or Elijah, i don't remember)