Christianity Vs. Football
"Any man's finest hour- his greatest fulfillment to all he holds dear- is that moment when he has worked his heart out in a good cause and lies exhausted on the field of battle, victorious."(Vince Lobardi.) This saying rings true for every man, woman, race, culture, and religion. In some way, life always has been and always will be about winning. But winning what exactly? Christians strive to win souls, after all, spiritual battles won in Christ's name is what evangelism is all about. "Football is a game won by inches." (Tony D'Amato.) It has its own wars and strives to win them at any cost. The movie Any Given Sunday Contains inner meanings which address themes of tradition, change, and the conflict between the individual and the team ego. Although football and Christianity are teeming with all of these themes, the lifestyles of their warriors differ in an unexpected way.When one stops and examines the two in depth, Christianity and Football are extremely similar. Christianity, a religion, has its followers to live by certain guidelines, and to attend a church service every Sunday. In these church bodies, as they are called, there can be found at least one person from every walk of life. In this cross-section of peopl
es there can also be found several different motivations behind their attendance. Some believe that by merely showing up to a Sunday service, they will, in turn, secure a place in heaven for themselves. Others go because someone is forcing them to be there, such as children going with their parents. Then again some might be going because of a sense of religious duty or seeking a place to find the face of God. No matter what the reason, Church and Christianity seem to go hand in hand. However, the obvious differences cannot be ignored. Christianity promises hope, love, and life eternally. It also requires a strict way of life. This includes such rules as the Ten Commandments and other such commitments to God through submission. Through it is not with out its hard times the reward in the end is far greater than the human mind could ever fathom. Once you have been removed from the darkness, you can never return. God will love you forever. "For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that who so ever believeth in him will not parish but have everlasting life."(John 3:16) God would never turn a soul away; though some souls choose to walk away, God will never turn his back on them. Another parallel in football and Christianity is the heroism offered to a few of their "good men." Christianity has its great philosophers and theologians to pave the way for new believers entering into the Kingdom. They, of course, aren't the only ones showing the light. Christianity has its biblical prophets and of course the founder of the Christian religion Jesus Christ. Equally, football has its heroes, the ones whose faces are plastered across busses and billboards. The ones who get the most money and the fame most often are the ones who can hurl the rest of the team into greatness or ruin. Oliver Stone comments, " Football players are heroes in the sense that they make it through this ritual of savagery at
Some common words found in the essay are:
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Approximate Word count = 1304
Approximate Pages = 5 (250 words per page double spaced)
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