Athletes and Religion: When Faith Is Not Enough

[DemPGH]

http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/13369076/houston-texans-arian-foster-goes-public-not-believing-god

Absolutely fascinating, liberating interview with star Houston Texans halfback Arian Foster, who "comes out" as an atheist. This man has won a ton of respect and admiration from me. As someone who loves sports and is thoroughly agnostic but very much negative in my view of religion, I think this a very nice step.

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That's fantastic. The mixing of nationalism and religion with sports always makes me uneasy, simply because I don't see that either one has a single thing to do with what's going on on the field, and I've always felt that way. That he is raising this now in America of all places is wonderful.

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That's interesting. While I've not really encountered that too much (of course I don't talk about it much with people), I have encountered a lot of ignorance about it, certainly, maybe more along the lines of smugness. You know, you're not content believing in magic, so what's wrong with you?

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I think a lot of seculars can relate!

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Kluwe was also a big supporter of gay rights, and took some heat for it, so it's also good to hear him speaking out on this. I just think it's a shame that you have to be "established" or near retirement in the NFL to admit that you don't believe in mumbo-jumbo. The assumptions that nationalism and religion are an integral part of sports is very deeply flawed to me.

Well, I could go on quoting, but I won't. Lots of great stuff in this interview, and major congrats to Arian Foster! I absolutely have newfound respect for him.

[World politics is up Schmitt creek]

Synergy of modern nationalism and religion is always noxious and the addition of sports culture makes it even worse, but more than anything I'd like to see more religious people acknowledge this.

[True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)]

I'm religious, but I too am not happy with the way religion is intertwined with sports in this country,  It tends to treat God as if ey were a vending machine, dispensing victories and other blessings if you insert the right prayers into eir slot. To paraphrase a quote from Star Trek V, "What does God need with a football player?"

[afleitch]

Of of the greats in soccer football, Johan Cruyff famously said 'I'm not religious. In Spain all 22 players make the sign of the cross before they enter the pitch. If it works all matches must therefore end in a draw.'

Sport is a battle with rules. Like war, there's always been an element of evoking superstition. I think it is, as the article states a social construct more than anything. Though I do note particularly in US sports (which you all care too much about anyway) in many teams it's more than a construct; it's almost a requirement.