Friday, February 03, 2006

Being Fanatical

I just read a good post about sports in our society and how it can conflict (if you let it) with our Christianity.

In case you didn't know, the Super Bowl has descended on Detroit. Living in the area, it has been non-stop coverage of the activities that accompany it. I see people all dressed up in black and gold or blue/green and they're all out having a great time. The big celebrities are here going to lavish red carpet parties and the media is eating it all up.

Now, don't get me wrong. I'm a big Lions fan and I like watching the Wolverines (who in my opinion should have been the sole national champions in 1997--Stupid Missouri can't do anything right--Sorry Daniel) but I don't lose my perspective. Sports is not the be all and end all for me.

God is.

We are living in a culture today where people stick chunks of cheese on their head to show they are fans of the Green Bay Packers and yet, if you asked them to follow Christ, they'd probably give you a blank stare. (If I'm generalizing, I apologize...just my perspective...on Packer fans)

God wants us to be fanatical. He wants us to worship. It's in our natural blueprint to worship. Everyone is fanatical about something. Unfortunately, for most people who wake up early on Sunday mornings to watch NFL Countdown, they're fanatical about the wrong thing.

5 comments:

Daniel said...

Dennis,

Thanks for the link.

You cracked me up about the '97 Michigan and Nebraska bit. Those were great times. I wish that they could have played.

This year's game between them was fun to watch. That Missouri vs. Nebraska game might be my favorite game ever for the Huskers. It was unbelievable.

It is interesting how human beings are born to worship. We can't help but worship something. There's a need that folks just don't get. Good thoughts.

Modern Day Magi said...

great thoughts,
we do need to keep our interests 'healthy' and not fanatical so they dont draw us away from Jesus.
sports fans are nuts. i recently went to a cricket game (like an australian baseball, but with much more skill involved hehe) an there was a bunch of guys in the row in front of me wearing hollowed out watermellons on their heads. i dont know the significance but it did get them onto the tv coverage.

I pray that i can be as noticable as having team colours painted on my face, hunks of cheese, watermellons on my head etc for Jesus.

Joseph said...

Listen buddy. That's not real cheese ya know. It's support for our State indusrty. You'd have to wear a Ford on your head.

And as for that blank stare, it would be in amazement that a Lions fan was talking about Jesus without swearing at the same time.

By the way, how ya doin?

TheDen said...

Hey Joe,

I'm doing well. The city was crazy over here for the Super Bowl. Too bad that neither the Packers nor the Lions were in it. Actually, I was hoping for the Bears because this town would have been rockin'.

Please don't take my joke too seriously. Besides, you're right. Unfortunately, you hear a big collective use of the Lord's name in vain in Detroit every time the Lions make a boneheaded play.

Oh well, having the Lions lose year in and year out just teaches us humility--and suffering. Gotta find the good in everything.

Joseph said...

Take a joke seriously? That would be bad.

Anyway, even the Bears let me down when I bet on them.