There’s no doubt about it, sport is the Australian god. They live, eat, and breathe, cricket, netball, rugby, and ‘football’ (yeah, like American’s, Australian’s have difficulty distinguishing between hands and feet). Don’t get me wrong, it’s pretty bad in the UK, and even worse in the States, but sports fanaticism is taken to a different level in Australia.
This afternoon, the most popular domestic sporting event took place between Aussie Rules teams Port Adelaide (South Australia) and Geelong (Victoria).
Seeing the attitude of the locals towards this sporting event sort of annoys me. I mean, Christian’s are criticised for encouraging their children to go to church. They get a lot of bad publicity for simply caring about the spiritual and moral condition of their children, and yet those same critics are fanatical in their own ways; whether it’s driving their kids into sports or education.
(I took this screen shot long before the match was over. You can see someone was carefully updating Wikipedia and had got a little ahead of themselves)
Today however, a South Australian god has been well an truly destroyed by a Victorian god, as Geelong trashed Port Adelaide by a record margin of 119 points (163-44). I must admit…I’m sort of glad.
You see, this fanaticism for sport is found in the church as well, and many South Australia’s will be more upset today because their team lost, than the fact their lives and attitude towards the Lord is aiding in the spiritual destruction of their children.
Concluding Thoughts
I’m not against sport, not at all. However, things must be kept in perspective and I feel many of us are going to have a lot of regrets, simply because stupid stuff like sports, internet, business, and other ‘gods’ have aided in rotting our relationship with God.
Will it happen to you, or me?
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Added Commentary
By Andrew Parker
on 29.09.07
Well said Armen.
I am happy that my football team I support, Geelong, has won the Grand Final but as you said things have to be kept in perspective.
Only true joyand true happiness can come from knowing Christ as our Saviour.
By Daniel Ritchie
on 30.09.07
Some people definitely take things too far…especially Australians.
By David
on 30.09.07
i agree with you totally on this one. Not only in sports but in many other areas in life. its all to easy to get caught up with other things and say i can do this or that and then i’ll see where i can fit God in, but if you have life in perspective it will always be God first and then anything else is a bonus.
II Tim 2:4 No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier.
By Armen
on 10.10.07
Sorry for the late replies everyone, I was a little busy with the moving house.
Andrew - Too true brother.
Daniel - I’m assuming you don’t mean that the way it reads. A bit of a harsh generalization. I know I said the Australian’s take sport fanatacism to “a different level”, but that’s mainly due to the fact it’s a family affair. Wives and children attend the matches with the men, which, although shows a different level of sport fanatacism, in some ways it’s actually commendable. I know I wouldn’t take young children to the football matches at home; too many rowdy drunks and hooligans.
David - Good to see you hear bro.
Precisely! Good text too. It’s a reminder of how the world is a sticky web of deception, and we all know how easy it is to get entangled. But if we are warring in the spiritual battle, it’s far less likely to happen.
By Jermayn Parker
on 19.10.07
Good to see another Christian blogger/ designer…
It is funny to see people act weird when seeing people worshiping yet the same people are worse when their footy team is playing. btw just for the record I am an Eagles fan and was just as silly in last years gf which we WON
By Armen
on 19.10.07
Jermayn - I’ve visited your blog in the past on a few occasions, so I know you’re a Christian. It’s good to have you here.
The GF was the first ‘footie’ match I watched from beginning to end. I sort of know what’s going on, but it just doesn’t seem as interesting to me as proper footie (soccer).
By Jermayn Parker
on 19.10.07
You have visited my blog before?? WOW thats awesome…
footie?? hahaha. The gf was a dud of a game and one I would recommend as it was no contest, the last gf match between Sydney and West Coast was a much better contest. Even my fiance agrees and she goes for Geelong
By Armen
on 19.10.07
Jermayn - Yeah, a couple of times actually.
lol…well your fiance should have been quite happy with the result. I know Power fans who went to see the match - they were not impressed.
By Jermayn Parker
on 19.10.07
PA just did not turn up, they were lucky to get that far and was lucky with the softer side of the final draw (Injuries to eagles and kangaroos).
and thanks for visiting my blog and taking the time to do so.
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