One-in-Four Americans Believe God Influences the Outcome of Sporting Events

sermonindex Jan 30, 2013

Super Bowl Sunday is almost here, and 27 percent of Americans believe God will play a role in the big game, according to a study released Tuesday by the Public Religion Research Institute.

"In an era where professional sports are driven by dollars and statistics, significant numbers of Americans see a divine hand at play," said Robert P. Jones, CEO of PRRI, in a statement. "Roughly 3-in-10 Americans believe that God plays a role in determining which team wins, and a majority (53 percent) believe that God rewards faithful athletes."

The survey was conducted by interviewing a random sampling of 1,033 adults in the U.S. during the weekend of the NFL's conference championship games.

sermonindex Jan 30, 2013

What disturbs me is that there is barely any standard in churches and to watch popular sports programs is considered 100% fine by almost all Christians now in the West. But sadly this entertainment is with lost men and women who are going to spend an eternity without Christ.

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SkepticGuy Jan 30, 2013

i believe god is in control of the outcome of sporting events becuz god is in control of everything. if he wasnt then we live in a world where there r areas that god has no control over, and i dont want to live in a world like that. duz god care more about sports than other things going on in the world? not sayin that. god is concerned with all things going on and in complete control at all times. if he were not then he would not be god.

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lovejt Jan 30, 2013

What really bothered me with this is that i have seen leaders in churches wear sports jerseys of the teams they want to win and make the service a 'SuperBowl' themed day of worship. I would be very scared to do such a thing in a service of God. Its another form of entertainment that should be left outside of service. Sports can be an enjoyable activity and event if its put in its proper place.

sermonindex Jan 30, 2013

Another testimony to our utter hopelessness when it comes to the worship of sports and the like. I hope this is ok to re-post. It speaks directly to the issue you point out, brother, but in an indirect way.

Indeed, American believers have been hearing what the apostle Paul termed “another gospel” for too many years. One current, front-page news story proves that point. The Christian Post recently announced that the hottest swimsuit model for the next edition of Sports Illustrated Magazine is a professing Christian, who testifies that God has “blessed” her with that opportunity and other opportunities like it. She goes on to say that she wants her life to be an example for all young girls. Apparently, this young lady honestly assumes that she is doing God service, while in fact she is representing “another gospel” – another Christianity, if you will – to millions of Americans. She will soon have the opportunity to be that stunning example of Christianity to millions more people around the world through her new-found stardom as a humble beauty queen at the upcoming Super Bowl. It could be that when she was only a child she accepted Jesus Christ as her personal Lord and Savior, and perhaps she displayed authentic repentance at that time; but along her journey to become like Jesus, something went terribly wrong. Most likely she was taught wrongly in a typical evangelical church in the Deep South where she was born and raised. How troubling it is to see this kind of testimony promoted across America and around the world time and time again. It would not be quite so disturbing if this were an isolated case, but it is very common, and has been for years now. Oh, how we need revival!

linked article:
http://www.christianpost.com/news/katherine-webbs-christian-morals-and-class-make-her-anti-kardashian-88254/

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Sree Jan 30, 2013

Every entertainment industry is controlled by Devil in this world, starting from music to Sports. I personally believe we should not be addicted to any of these. What is meant by addiction depends on each individual's faith. To me at my level of faith Addiction to entertainment is to have an inability to live without them. They should not be my master.

Recently I read this in Romans 1-32,
although they know the ordinance of God, that those who practice such things are worthy of death, they not only do the same, but also give hearty approval to those who practice them.

It is a sin worth to death even to give an approval of the immoral entertainment practices by watching them.

sermonindex Jan 30, 2013

Is it wrong to say that God does not care about the outcome of american sporting events?

But He cares greatly for His children and the work of His Church and kingdom?

A

a-servant Jan 31, 2013

I always thought of graven images as being statues. Just recently it came to me that moving pictures are traditionally engraved on magnetic tape. And now digitally engraved on hard disks.

How do we watch sports? Moving engraved images, and who is the world leader in that? Yes, and nobody in the whole world is as mad about their idols as American idol contestants or other entertainment lovers. It's a life worth dying for?

Jeremiah 50:38 A drought is upon her waters; and they shall be dried up: for it is the land of graven images, and they are mad upon their idols.

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SkepticGuy Jan 31, 2013

god cares about the outcome of sporting events but not 4 the reasons we might think. each participant and spectator is effected by the outcome of the event. some miniscule, some greatly. the winner of a little league game may not be effected much, but the children of a football player in the superbowl can be very much effected by the outcome of the game. and lets not 4get that there are people involved in that level of sports who are very strong and solid christians. (this is a fact even though sum here claim professional sports are of the devil) god is very concerned and in control of the lives of his children, and if they are in sports then he is concerned and in control of what happens in that arena. superbowl championships have opened up the doors for many famous christian athletes to have a voice in the lives of millions of people. kurt warner comes 2 mind. god works all things 2gether for the good for those who luv him and are called according to HIS purposes. so how can any1 say god ignores sporting events just becuz we dont like sports, or becuz the devil duz have a foothold in that area. the devil has a foothold in any area!

if we look at a christian business man would we dare say that god is not concerned or involved in the success of his business? we would never say that. why would we say that about sports in which many of his chosen are involved and impacted by?

and while god has his finger on sporting events he is at the same time involved in the middle east, and in the weather, and with the bum sleeping on a cardboard box on waikiki beach, and with service men and women in afghanistan, and with the struggling church on an indian reservation in arizona. there isnt anything that god is not involved in and in control of.

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SkepticGuy Jan 31, 2013

a-servant... thats what the amish teach. there is nothing wrong w/ film or pictures in and of themselves. when the bible speaks of graven images it is referring to the worship of things that god created through things (statues, paintings) made or created by human hands.

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a-servant Feb 1, 2013

Yes, and today that has also developed into idol worship - the idol of self.

The medium is just a tool, statue or other images used is not the point. The point is the gloryfying of things or people, rather than God.

In the context of this article the obsession with that is at such an high degree that some people assume God would join their side and have an active part in it. This is the height of vanity. God always wants people to take part in His way of reality, he never joins in man made mixed belief systems,

then again we're talking about America here, two spirits behind the origin of this nation were rebellion and independence. These two spirits prevail today, still trying to do everyting "their way", It's all about self-worship, because it starts and ends there.

It's easy to identify usually as an observer, the difficulty for actual participants starts when they try to mix God in, then it becomes a mystery religion affair. Or in other words a 'SuperBowl' themed day of worship. Jeremiah 50 + 51 identifies several instances of babylon as well as last days Babylon of our times without fail.