# Who is both an atheist and a non-sports watcher? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [October 17, 2006, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-both-an-atheist-and-a-non-sports-watcher/376856 "2006-10-17T23:52:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![koeeoaddi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/koeeoaddi/32/408_2.png) [@koeeoaddi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/koeeoaddi)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2006, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-both-an-atheist-and-a-non-sports-watcher/376856/41 "2006-10-18T15:46:44Z")
Agnostic on the God stuff. Nonbeliever on the sports stuff. [QUOTE=The Swan] This is the dope. You just described 85% of the membership. [/QUOTE] I’ve also read LOTR more than once and occasionally quote MST3K. ---
**Author:** ![Mindfield](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mindfield/32/19759_2.png) [@Mindfield](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mindfield)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2006, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-both-an-atheist-and-a-non-sports-watcher/376856/42 "2006-10-18T15:52:41Z")
Agnostic with a slight athiest lean here. Don’t care for sports. I’ve been to a few sporting events and watched a bit on television, but only with other people and only as a social thing. I never choose to watch sporting events on my own. ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2006, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-both-an-atheist-and-a-non-sports-watcher/376856/43 "2006-10-18T18:06:00Z")
Atheist and huge fan of baseball. My husband is an atheist and huge fan of one baseball team. I don’t understand what’s being a follower about enjoying a game. ---
**Author:** ![diku](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4af34b/32.png) [@diku](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/diku)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2006, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-both-an-atheist-and-a-non-sports-watcher/376856/44 "2006-10-18T20:56:05Z")
Atheist, big sports fan. ---
**Author:** ![Bobotheoptimist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/919ad9/32.png) [@Bobotheoptimist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bobotheoptimist)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2006, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-both-an-atheist-and-a-non-sports-watcher/376856/45 "2006-10-18T21:21:06Z")
[QUOTE=The Golden Ass] I really don’t even see a connection between believing that there is an all-powerful, invisible deity, and believing that Jake Plummer is capable of going to the Super Bowl. Hmmm, though I’m sure somebody could argue that a an all-power, invisible deity is more likely than Plummer getting to the big game… [/QUOTE] About the only way I can see Plummer taking us to the Stuper Bowl is if there is an all-powerful deity that did in fact color sunsets orange and blue because It is a Bronco’s fan. Part-time atheist, but not a non-sports watcher (now that hockey season has started). I wonder if starting a new thread asking for atheists to chime in either way might give a better idea if the two are related. ---
**Author:** ![Llama\_Llogophile](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@Llama\_Llogophile](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Llama_Llogophile)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2006, 10:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-both-an-atheist-and-a-non-sports-watcher/376856/46 "2006-10-18T22:17:04Z")
[QUOTE=The Swan] I’m still scratching my head as to why fellowship would ever be thought of as a bad thing. [/QUOTE] Followership puts me off, not fellowship. (I assume you’re not equating them) ---
**Author:** ![x-ray\_vision](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/x-ray_vision/32/351_2.png) [@x-ray\_vision](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/x-ray_vision)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2006, 3:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-both-an-atheist-and-a-non-sports-watcher/376856/47 "2006-10-19T03:28:56Z")
I’ve been an atheist since I was an early teenager and I’ve never understood why anyone cared what sports team won a game. I’ve never enjoyed watching professional sports. ---
**Author:** ![Argent\_Towers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e8c25b/32.png) [@Argent\_Towers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Argent_Towers)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2006, 4:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-both-an-atheist-and-a-non-sports-watcher/376856/48 "2006-10-19T04:30:45Z")
I wouldn’t say I flat-out reject the posibility of the existence of a supreme being or force, but I certainly don’t subsribe to an organized religion. I don’t know if this makes me an agnostic or an atheist or what, but I am not religious. I don’t watch sports. I hate both basketball and football, they bore the hell out of me. I can enjoy watching a baseball game, and used to watch a little baseball every year, towards the World Series, but haven’t done so lately simply because I don’t have cable TV and I’d rather be doing other things. ---
**Author:** ![stegon66](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ee59a6/32.png) [@stegon66](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stegon66)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2006, 4:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-both-an-atheist-and-a-non-sports-watcher/376856/49 "2006-10-19T04:32:04Z")
And I thought I was alone in the world. 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![mr.jp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/48db29/32.png) [@mr.jp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mr.jp)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2006, 11:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-both-an-atheist-and-a-non-sports-watcher/376856/50 "2006-10-19T11:07:58Z")
I believe it has smth to do with group mentality. Rationally, there is no real reason to root for a particular team. Just like there is no reason to pray to a particular god. ---
**Author:** ![NajaNivea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/22d042/32.png) [@NajaNivea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NajaNivea)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2006, 1:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-both-an-atheist-and-a-non-sports-watcher/376856/51 "2006-10-19T13:02:35Z")
Mr. Armadillo and I are both athiests and non-sports-watchers. ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2006, 1:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-both-an-atheist-and-a-non-sports-watcher/376856/52 "2006-10-19T13:09:55Z")
[QUOTE=mr. jp] I believe it has smth to do with group mentality. Rationally, there is no real reason to root for a particular team. Just like there is no reason to pray to a particular god. [/QUOTE] Teams have histories and personalities and there’s often the problem of access. Around here, you have a choice for daily baseball games–Cleveland and Cincinnati. I prefer the American League, and I know more about Cleveland’s history, so I pick Cleveland. Then if I watch a number of games, I know more about the team, which makes it more interesting to see the little things that add up to the larger picture. So then you enjoy it more, so you watch it more, etc. ---
**Author:** ![Inigo\_Montoya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inigo_montoya/32/124_2.png) [@Inigo\_Montoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inigo_Montoya)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2006, 1:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-both-an-atheist-and-a-non-sports-watcher/376856/53 "2006-10-19T13:19:06Z")
[QUOTE=The Golden Ass] I never really thought of a correlation between the two. I’m a huge football fan, but then, I always had more faith in Karl Malone, John Stockton, or John Elway than I ever did in Jesus. [/QUOTE] At least you could count on John Elway making an appearance on Sunday, God has yet to show up at any of _His_ games that I’ve ever been to. Me? No God, and I don’t like to watch sports. Unless sex is considered a sport because, you know, who doesn’t, eh? ---
**Author:** ![mr.jp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/48db29/32.png) [@mr.jp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mr.jp)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2006, 2:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-both-an-atheist-and-a-non-sports-watcher/376856/54 "2006-10-19T14:06:54Z")
[QUOTE=jsgoddess] Teams have histories and personalities and there’s often the problem of access. Around here, you have a choice for daily baseball games–Cleveland and Cincinnati. I prefer the American League, and I know more about Cleveland’s history, so I pick Cleveland. Then if I watch a number of games, I know more about the team, which makes it more interesting to see the little things that add up to the larger picture. So then you enjoy it more, so you watch it more, etc. [/QUOTE] Ok, change “no reason” to “not so much of a reason”. Anyway, similar reasons exist to like a particular god. They have personalities, and problems of access too. ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2006, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-both-an-atheist-and-a-non-sports-watcher/376856/55 "2006-10-19T14:10:15Z")
[QUOTE=mr. jp] Ok, change “no reason” to “not so much of a reason”. Anyway, similar reasons exist to like a particular god. They have personalities, and problems of access too. [/QUOTE] Despite some evidence to the contrary, the Cleveland Indians actually exist. ---
**Author:** ![Sal\_Ammoniac](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8dc957/32.png) [@Sal\_Ammoniac](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sal_Ammoniac)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2006, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-both-an-atheist-and-a-non-sports-watcher/376856/56 "2006-10-19T16:48:36Z")
Atheist and sports fan here. I’ll yield to no one in my atheism, but I’ll freely admit that others are bigger and more knowledgeable sports fans than I am. I tend to follow the local teams, not so much the sport itself. Now then… who here is an atheist AND doesn’t have cable television? ---
**Author:** ![mr.jp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/48db29/32.png) [@mr.jp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mr.jp)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2006, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-both-an-atheist-and-a-non-sports-watcher/376856/57 "2006-10-19T17:00:00Z")
[QUOTE=jsgoddess] Despite some evidence to the contrary, the Cleveland Indians actually exist. [/QUOTE] Yeah, but what is the reason to hope for their victory? ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2006, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-both-an-atheist-and-a-non-sports-watcher/376856/58 "2006-10-19T17:15:51Z")
[QUOTE=mr. jp] Yeah, but what is the reason to hope for their victory? [/QUOTE] Because they are familiar and it’s fun to see them succeed. On the other hand, when Cleveland acquired John Rocker a number of years ago, I didn’t hope for their victory, at least when he was pitching. I disliked him, and wanted him to do badly. Any contest is more interesting if you care who wins it. ---
**Author:** ![mr.jp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/48db29/32.png) [@mr.jp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mr.jp)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2006, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-both-an-atheist-and-a-non-sports-watcher/376856/59 "2006-10-19T17:27:18Z")
My analogy is “reason to like your particular god” \<–\> “reason to hope that your particular team wins” As I said, I think it has something to do with group mentality. We humans instinctively like to be part of a “tribe”. That tribe could then be belivers of a certain god, or it could equally well be supporters of a particular team. “I hope my team wins because they are familiar and it’s fun to see them succeed” \<–\> “I like my god because he is familiar and its fun to be with other believer” “Any contest is more interesting if you care who win it” \<–\> “any sunday mass is more interesting if you like the god in question” ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2006, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-both-an-atheist-and-a-non-sports-watcher/376856/60 "2006-10-19T17:45:44Z")
[QUOTE=mr. jp] My analogy is “reason to like your particular god” \<–\> “reason to hope that your particular team wins” [/QUOTE] People believe in a god. They don’t believe in a baseball team. A baseball team exists. A god doesn’t exist. Acting like it’s a choice to like a god is silly. If there’s any choice involved, it’s whether to believe in the god. After that point, liking or disliking the god is irrelevant. People worship gods they don’t “like” all the time. The analogy isn’t even a stretch. It’s a broken rubber band. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-both-an-atheist-and-a-non-sports-watcher/376856.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-both-an-atheist-and-a-non-sports-watcher/376856.md?page=4)