Sports and Religion
...work and excellence. Sports and religious beliefs are not actually at odds, as many people seem to think. They actually seem to complement each other. Most religious people believe their bodies, intellects and talents are gifts of God, gifts that should be taken care of, enhanced, and developed. There is something good and godly of strength and power that many people ponder over. Physical weakness is considered to be unnatural because it is only a reflection of moral spiritual weakness. So people try to overcome physical weakness as an effort to be Christian, moral, and good. Sport activities came to be seen as an effort to be a good Christian. Our body is a temple and so we are obligated to care for and develop one’s physical being. Good athletes should want to take care of their bodies, to be as knowledgeable and ready as possible, and to develop their talents to full potential. God put people, like athletes, in this earth for a reason, to be all that we can be and demonstrate the best of our ability in action. It is our beliefs that God made us unique with ability to do wonders in this world. There is certainly a great involvement in a player’s faith towards their religion. We can also depict sense of Christian morality when athletes act with good sportsmanship-like attitude in sport games. Demien Dellinger, 25, played basketball for St. Timothy's-Hale, an Episcopal high school in Raleigh, NC, and coached the team following his graduation. "Sports can teach people how to behave in a civil way," Dellinger said. "Religious values like good sportsmanship, respecting other people, not trying to hurt anybody, and how to be a sportsmanlike fan were taught." These religious values, as Dellinger mentioned, are what enable sports to contribute to athletes with their different virtues. In games, an athlete can develop to be courageous and face their fear of fumbling the ball or being co-operative in playing as a “team” and working as a team effort to earn success. A player’s faith can also be important to their game. Even players offer short prayers before, during, and after games. Athletes often thank God for their physical talents and opportunities. There is much to be learned through participation in sports, be it individual or team, formal or casual. Athletes develop and share their strengths, grow in leadership and interpersonal skills, and learn and refine qualities like loyalty, perseverance, dependability, and respect. A lot of people have an aggressive side to their nature and certain sports allow them to expend that energy on the field so that they can be "normal" off the field. Sports can be the positive outlet for people of faith to channel their energy and aggressiveness in a positive way. Ty Detmer, a football player of Atlanta Falcons, is a great example of this. On the field, he is intense and competitive, but off, he is a rather quiet jokester, a laid-back, spiritual family man. A solid religious philosophy can help athletes keep proper perspective, to know what is important in life. The world isn't going to end if a team loses a contest or winning a game at all costs, isn't worth losing a friend. A solid education and degree is a far more lasting and realistic result of an NCAA athletic scholarship than the off chance of playing pro ball. Athletes also depend on their spiritual base to help them keep their priorities straight and make proper goals and decisions for themselves. This is true for all of us, no matter what facet of life we are talking about. For the coaches, players, and fans, such examples can give us inspiration to endure to the end in all areas of our lives, be it education, profession, relationships, or, most importantly, our faith in religion and God. As an athlete and a Christian, I can always depend on God to be with me all the way through in the game or in the finish line. I can use both the religious part of...