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God’s on our side
I was recently at a Titans soccer game, watching our boys dismantle yet another opponent. After getting tripped up, one of the players from the Abbotsford Storm commented, “I thought you guys were supposed to be Christians.” This amused me. Yes, buddy, we are Christians. Then I thought– hey, maybe that’s why we’re winning. So out of pure fun I, along with others at the game, started yelling that his team might win if he began to repent.
Yes, it was out of good fun because I didn’t like the guy, but then I began to think that maybe this had some validity. If you’ve seen Angels in the Outfield, you’ll know what I’m talking about. In the movie, the Angels suck. Some boy prays, and then they don’t suck. That’s the movie in two sentences. Anyway, the point I’m trying to make is that God was on the Anaheim Angels’ side. It seems to me that God is probably on our side, too. It’s not a hard concept to fathom. Let’s take a look at our Canadian Interuniversity Sports teams. This year, all six Spartan teams are headed to the post-season. All six. That’s pretty good for a school with broken bleachers. Reason can lead us to only one conclusion: this is God’s doing. “But Graeme, what about coaching and hard work?” No, I don’t buy it. Sure, that might have a place in some secular school, but not here; this is God’s country. God likes us, and we’re reaping the benefits. I can acknowledge the humour of God helping a school with the team name Spartans. Spartans were, of course, citizens of Sparta who engaged in pederasty – a sexual relationship between an adult man and an adolescent boy. But God isn’t hung up on details. God would guide our school regardless of our name— whether we were named the Saints or the Militaristic Ancient Pedophiles. Yes, God was with the Angels of Anaheim, but that’s only because it might be a bit “controversial” if God helped the New Jersey Devils win a Stanley Cup. It can be concluded without much doubt that God is helping us win. This is my thesis statement.
It’s a pretty sad day when people start basing theological propositions on sappy movies and sports statistics. The Bible may be unclear on a lot of things, but one thing that it is clear on is this: “He makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.” Matthew 5:45. If you base your view of God’s favor on your athletic achievements, it’s gonna suck to be you when your team loses…
I tink God cares more about our souls and our persons rather than the outcome of some sport game. Plus, just because ifwe lose doesnt mean we “lost favour” with him.
Apparently, some people didn’t get the joke….
Get a grip, people, it’s called satire.
Are you not using God as a weapon by demeaning the other team?
Yes, we are not. It’s called “using our patriotic fervor as a weapon,” just like everyone else. You’ll agree with me that this is, in fact, a better outlet of this fervor than others that spring readily to mind.
Brilliant article, by the way. The people around me in the ol’ collegium thought I had gone quite mad, laughing like that.
This can be taken a step further. The Bombers Hockey team is the holiest team on campus because we play in a CHURCH league. Therefore, it is a no-brainer that we will be met with continued success and league championship rings. Come on out every saturday night until the end of the year to take in some high quality, good times hockey!
My apologies, I must have completely missed the satire. Having known people who actually think like that, it’s hard to tell sometimes. I’ve heard coaches tell their team that God had abandoned them when they had a losing streak. Even reading the article as satirical now, I don’t find it that funny. Maybe that’s why some of us had a hard time realizing its true nature? I will try to “get a grip” as Shannon says, and hope that the Mars’ Hill readership in other campuses is able to interpret the article as satire, rather than a self-aggrandizing veridical account.
I once wrote a letter to the Mars’ Hill editor that was dripping with satire. It wasn’t anything cruel, just a light-hearted jab at the paper pointing out that by publishing their concert dates in the Mars’ Hill, the Hill seemed to be endorsing Papa Roach and the F-ups – neither of which are exactly what you might call…worship teams.
It got published, and got a good laugh out of a lot of people. However, there were those who didn’t get the fact that it was a joke…and I soon found out the hard way that combining satire and the written word can be as dangerous as smoking while wearing an oxygen mask.
Satire can make a great point, and be a hilarious way of getting a laugh, but only in certain situtations. On the other hand, there are lines that can be crossed, especially when one involves faith – some readers don’t take lightly reading about their soverign God being trivialized for the sake of a punchline.
My experience will make me think twice before I submit a piece of work in that genre again. I hope Graham didn’t take too much heat for trying to put a smile on people’s faces.
Well, for Christians we are supposed to be portrayed in a positive light. So I can see where this is coming from, and we’re representing Trinity, a Christian school, so by all means we should at least be respectful in that area. Although, no body is perfect, not even any Christians or God fearing man, but still, when your representing a Christian organization or institution you should be careful what you say. Also, that could be a persons first impression of a Christian, now do you want to be remembered like that? Joke or no joke. You always leave an impression.
Christian readers are the hardest to reach in the satirical genre, simply because a lot of Christians take things too seriously, much like the Pharisees. One of the things God tries to tell us is that he has a sense of humor, and often it’s an ironic sense of humor. Of course Graeme wasn’t serious about his teams faith in God as being the reason they have done so well, but in a way, it probably hasn’t hurt, simply because his team has a higher purpose to live for, and if they lose, it’s not all that important since it really is just a game. And because many Christians take everything they read, hear, or see, so seriously, they are often times the butt of a good joke.
I totaree agree! That has to be the best thesis statement I have read in a long time. It’s even better than mine, “God likes goodlooking people, which is why he loves me the best.” I’m glad that the mighty God smote those infidels. May the mighty Spartan’s (perhaps 300 of them? *pause – I’m chuckling at my own great wit*) join the great Heavenly Soccer Game while our sinful opponents suffer the burning turmoil of eternal baseball.
everything is permissible.
I stumbled upon this article and was wondering if the writer was aware the Storm coach was a youth pastor and 5 of the 18 players were also christian leaders. The experience with the TWU that year left many unchurched Abbotsford players despising the university. Is that what God wants? Mud tossed on a beacon of hope by fellow “believers”? Is that outreach? It is a sad situation when people take their success to demean others. I’m sure Jesus didn’t teach that. I would question the authenicity of your walk, if you support this writer’s view, than the losing team’s because this writer’s talk definitely isn’t Christ-centred- humourous or otherwise.
*** Proverbs 26:18-19 (NIV)- “Like a madman shooting firebrands or deadly arrows is a man who deceives his neighbor and says, “I was only joking!”" and Ephesians 5:1-7 (NIV)- “Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God’s holy people. Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving. For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person—such a man is an idolater—has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things God’s wrath comes on those who are disobedient. Therefore do not be partners with them.” Amen!
I imagine that Graeme wrote this article with the intention of making people laugh and poking fun at the way some people use the “God is on our side” argument. Intent accomplished, I giggled and enjoyed the satire.
Is this article Christocentric? Well, we’d have to figure out what that means first without referring to the ever pervasive evangelical Christian definition which is assumed to be default and universal (but it’s neither!).
I’m not sure what God wants, as Doug asks, can the Bible really give us an answer here? Doug, I admire your goodness and passion, but what you are asking for seems to be a gentrified and angelic student body, what you will always get is something far different. Thank God for forgiveness or I fear I would be damned for laughing.