Is it wrong to pray for your football team to win?

Great Debates
#1

"Hi God,

I know I don’t call very often, but this Sunday the Steelers are in big trouble. You know already that they’ve lost Aaron Smith for the season, and last week they lost Charlie Batch and Troy, and Ben has a concussion, so they’re down to their third and fourth string QB’s against those darn Ravens.

Could you possibly find a way to help out the Steelers today? I know it would probably be too much to ask to make Dixon throw for 400 yards or run for 3 TD’s, but please smite Ray Lewis, Ed Reed and Joe Flacco with some sort of injury, or even make them lose their footing and/or drop the ball on key plays?

I don’t know if it’s wrong to ask for favors like this, but you know that today’s a key game and Cinci won so we really need this one.

Thanks a lot, you’re the man, Amen."

#2

American “football” sucks. Praying for a team in that kind of unworthy sport is kind of like praying for Power Puff Girls on Sunday evening. The church officially frowns upon it but you won’t be going to hell on that account. Anyway hell would be an improvement on wasting your Sunday watching the Steelers.

#3

If you pray for the Steelers and another guy prays for the Ravens, how is God supposed to choose?

#4

since it does’t help? you can pray.

#5

If we can assume these are xtians praying for their team, then according to this Bible verse it is wrong:

Presumably the players are on the field of a packed stadium and not behind a closed door?
I always thought this was a bit of a douche way to shove a religion in everyone’s face. So, can you believe I agree with the Bible on this point?!? :eek:

#6

Bless both, and snicker as the blessings cancel out to no net effect.

#7

For an atheist standpoint, of course the question is pretty moot. But if I were to don my old believer hat (in the closet since the 80’s, maybe I’l find my skinny ties there too), it’s at best superficial and at worst praying for misfortune to others. If I were god, I would not be pleased.

#8

Why not? All it says is, in effect, is “hey God! I know my team isn’t good enough to win on their own merit, but if you could cheat on their behalf, that’d be really cool. Thanks”. Who could possibly object to that sentiment?

#9

The other team?

I’m not religious, but it seems vaguely sacrilegious to ask God for divine intervention regarding trivialities like helping your sports team.

I guess maybe if your a player you can pray you’ll “do well” and that would seem less likely to piss God off.

#10

It’s not wrong, it’s just a waste of time.

#11

From one of several possible Lutheran viewpoints go ahead; nothing wrong with the idea. Just remember that sometimes the answer is “no” and sometimes Viking fans living within listening distance of Heinz Field are praying Pittsburgh gets crushed so this year isn’t a repeat of the Superbowls of the 70s.

#12

Not wrong at all, unless it’s for the Cowboys!

#13

I don’t see why it would be wrong from any doctrinal point of view - asking for something like that is really just ‘casting your burdens on the Lord’.

Expecting that the result of this would be God scurrying about to execute your every demand probably is wrong, whichever way you look at it.

#14

"Hi again God,

Thanks for smiting Joe Flacco and Ray Rice, that was really cool. :slight_smile:

Flacco is still in the game though, could You tweak his ankle just a bit more?

Also, if You could somehow do a twofer and take out Derrick Mason as well, I could probably put some extra cash into the collection plate, wink wink.

Thanks, and Amen."

#15

In the OP’s case, praying to Roger GODell to add an extra zero to the referee’s paychecks has served them well in the past. Wait, no, its still working presently! Derrick Mason got held in the endzone and whaddya know, another non-call for the Steelers!

:wink:

#16

Well, it’s like this:

Joe Flacco* dies and goes to Heaven, and he meets God. God looks at him and says, “Well, Joe, you were a good quarterback, and a decent person, you’re going to have a special treat here in Heaven, that not many get. You’re going to have your own house.”
So Joe is set up with a nice bungalow, painted black with purple and gold trim, with the Ravens’ logo painted over the porch, a good sized yard, an above ground pool, and he even gets his own car.
Well, for the first few weeks, Joe’s pretty happy. Until, one day, he decides to take a spin around the neighborhood, and drives past this enormous black and gold mansion, with a stained glass Steelers’ logo bay window in the front, Terrible Towels in every window, huge in-ground pool, etc. And if that isn’t enough, there’s this HUGE pimped out SUV, black and gold with Steelers’ bumper stickers all over the back.
Well, naturally, Joe’s pretty pissed, so the next time he sees God, he goes off and he says, “You know God, I was a DAMNED good player, and a pretty decent person to boot. And yet, that asshole, Ben Roethlisberger gets a better house than me. What gives?”
And God looks and him, rolls his eyes, and says, “Joe, that’s not Big Ben**'s house. That’s MY house!”

:smiley:

*Originally Payton Manning and **Jerome Bettis

#17

Man I should have prayed harder…stupid flacco…stupid ray rice…

#18

No need to pray that the Cowboys do well.
The hole in the roof is there for a reason. He loves to watch his team after church on Sundays.

#19

I see this sentiment almost weekly from people around me. Specifically my mother and my grandmother. My mother goes to this huge church where every Sunday is like a rockstar concert for middle aged women, with celebrity pastors and all, and the gist of every sermon seems to be “take a look at Kim Yu-na or Shin Ji-Ae or Other-random-successful-Korean-Christian, they succeeded because their parents prayed for them harder than anyone else’s parents! Your child can be immensely successful as well, if only you pray hard enough. It is a fervent prayer free for all out there, may the most faithful win!” I don’t think they ever address what happens when two equally heartfelt prayers are at odds.

#20

I think praying for personal gain never works, as “God helps those who help themselves.” Therefore, praying for misery on your opponent should work better.