ipl-logo

How Can Religion And Sports Be Seen As A Religious Experience?

743 Words3 Pages

Religion and sports are similar in a lot of ways and even intersect in certain terms. Sports has been often described as a religious type of experience. This can most clearly be seen through the replication of rituals. (Kelleher, 2002). In this essay, I am going to analyze a high-school basketball, and argue how it could be potentially seen as a religious experience.
Firstly, even though they both share similar characteristics, they are not entirely similar and have different conditions to be true. Unlike religion, which does not need any empirical evidence for someone to believe, sports can be measured through data and statistics (Scholes and Sassower, 2013, p. 29). Even though critics might argue that belief is not as fundamental to sports …show more content…

For humans to connect to the divine, they use symbols such as the cross, or the bible. It is difficult for people to connect to abstract ideas of religiosity, however, these symbols serve as crucial elements (Birrell, 1981, p. 357). As the cross is a reminder of Jesus’s sacrifice on the cross, I have seen players call on the trinity before the beginning of the game, or as players point to the sky after winning their game. These symbols provide a temporary link between humans and the divine. According to its practitioners, these symbols carry the power of the divine, and a win in a basketball game might be seen as a form of divine intervention (Cheska, 1978, p. …show more content…

There have been multiple instances publicly of athletes being compared to divine figures. Famously, Lebron James was called “King James” due to fans' belief that he could save the cavaliers. Or Conor Mcdavid being nicknamed “Mcjesus”. Also, in less public cases, star players in basketball games being subbed in, due to them losing. This “Saviour” complex that has plagued athletes, does not necessarily indicate the death of religion, but a replacement of the vessel in which they are promoted (Birrell, 1981, p. 374). As secularism has taken root in the day-to-day lives of people, traditional acts of religiosity have to be replaced by alternative forms. Even though people still hold the same social values, they simply replaced the vehicle in which they are

Show More
Related

Analysis: Are The Saskatchewan Roughriders A Values-Based Religion

1391 Words | 6 Pages

This statement could be related to traditional belief systems of religions and to sporting events, especially Saskatchewan Roughrider football. Within football, belief is an important part of the Saskatchewan Roughriders and culture. Every game, thousands of Saskatchewan people, hold faith and belief that their team is the best, that their faith will see them through. Overall, this concludes that both religion and sport have a recognised set of beliefs that its followers must adhere to. For instance, we can explore that Saskatchewan fans are holding faith in their team in games, just as Church participants are expected to look to their faith in times of need.

Read More

Baseball Magic Gmelch Summary

595 Words | 3 Pages

If a baseball player does gain points for his team, he will do the same ritual he did for the previous game because he believes it will lead to another successful outcome for his team. The baseball player may chew on the same piece of gum each game or wear religious medallions around his neck (2). Gmelch demonstrates how rituals do not change the outcomes for the baseball players nor does it facilitate the process of catching fish for Trobriand Islanders. However, rituals give believers, like the baseball players, a sense of control and confidence to succeed. DISCUSSION

Read More

Summary Of Baseball Magic By George Gmelch

425 Words | 2 Pages

George Gmelch, a professional baseball player, portrays his perspective and ideas about the culture of baseball and baseball players in his article, “Baseball Magic.” Through his experience, baseball players try to control the outcomes of their performance by believing that the outcome of their performances are determined through luck (Gmelch). His argument is able to provide the idea of how baseball players believe that their rituals, taboos, and fetishes during their performances are purely based off of their fate. Baseball players feel as if they have empirical evidence. This empirical evidence leads to baseball players gaining control and repeating their behaviors which bring them luck during their performances (Gmelch).

Read More

John Wayne Gacy Research Paper

598 Words | 3 Pages

p.

Read More

Athlete That Got National Attention By Toni Smith Essay

816 Words | 4 Pages

The author begins by talking about how the fans are entertained during the whole time the game is going on. She also mentioned all the advertisements that the fans watching the event see all over the area. Then she changes course to talk about all these things that there are room for in athletics, such as “sex, alcohol, violence, and religion. ”(Smith)

Read More

Summary Of The Boston Photographs By Nora Ephron

1202 Words | 5 Pages

p.

Read More

Summary Of Why We Hate The Smart Kids By Grant Penrod

668 Words | 3 Pages

Sports are by no means a waste of time, however. Nothing can bring an entire town, state, or country together quite like a sporting event can. We’ve developed a sense of pride with our favorite teams, and we live vicariously through the victories and defeats of our beloved, modern day gladiators. However, winning the World Cup or the basketball game against the rival school has not, or will ever, produced a major breakthrough in the advancement of human life. Instead, those types of victories belong solely to the intellectuals who were pushed away by others for most of their

Read More

Comparing Homer's Odyssey And O Brother Where Art Thou?

927 Words | 4 Pages

Over the course of human history people have always believed in a supreme, divine being, or a god. Today’s society is no exception, there are countless of religions from Christianity to Hinduism. The archetypal theme of “respect for the gods” in both Homer’s Odyssey and the Coen brothers film O Brother Where Art Thou? shows similarities and differences between society's belief in a god in the present and during the time of the Ancient Greeks.

Read More

Darkness In Friday Night Lights

763 Words | 4 Pages

Sports are a great way to bring a community together. However, sports have more to offer than just being a fun activity and a way to hang with friends. Lewis Lapham is correct in his assertion that sports represents more than trivial games between winners and losers; sports are deceptive and offer the illusion of hope, innocence, as well as lightness triumphing over darkness. H.G. Bissinger shows how these illusions affect a town’s reality in his book Friday Night Lights.

Read More

Social Caste System In The New Jim Crow By Michelle Alexander

1685 Words | 7 Pages

p.

Read More

Issues In Alabama State College During The 1960's

1394 Words | 6 Pages

p.

Read More

Analysis Of Chariots Of Fire By Wj Weatherby

746 Words | 3 Pages

In the book “Chariots of Fire,” by W.J. Weatherby two men overcome different challenges one growing up a very religions Christian and the other growing up a Jew. Both men, Harold Abrahams and Eric Liddell, being fantastic runners and attending the same school they get the opportunity to be on the 1924 Olympics team. At one point in the book it shows how passionate Harold and Eric are about running and succeeding in their events. Many different people can relate to this right now if they are very focused on any kind of sport. Another point in the book it shows Erik, being a very religious Catholic, who has been chosen to run in the Olympics but since his race on a sunday

Read More

The Great Sports Myth Essay

2544 Words | 11 Pages

In our current world, Sports are seen to play a big part in societies around the world and are deemed to have the power to bring people together and build communities. However, the cultural belief that sport can change the world and transcend world problems is deemed by sociologists as not true. This is known as ‘The Great Sports Myth’, and was first opposed by sociologist Jay Coakley, who claimed that it is a myth that sports cannot change the world and transcend world problems and that sports are played on an equal level and that anyone who works hard enough can achieve success, regardless of where they come from, their social class, economic status, or race. Sociologists argue that the Great Sports Myth is an oversimplification of the context

Read More

The Lone Ranger And Tonto Fist Fight In Heaven Summary

708 Words | 3 Pages

Julius Windmaker for example is one of the most talented basketball players in the reservation. Everyone believes in him and wants him to “make it all the way” (p.49) like Victor would say. The Indians love to talk about those gifted basketball players like Julius because it gives them a feeling of hope: “Everybody told their favorite Julius Windmaker stories, too Times like that, on a reservation, a basketball game felt like a funeral and wake all rolled up together” (p.51) Moreover basketball is really important for the Indians since the talented basketball players are the heroes of the reservation. People talk about them for years without forgetting them: “A reservation hero is a hero forever.

Read More

Functionalism In Sport

1023 Words | 5 Pages

Social Theories provides us with insights and explanations as to why people act the way they do. Sports is a human activity that involves physical skill and hard work. Sports is also governed by a set of rules and it is taken competitively. It is said that sports is taken seriously and is very important for athletes and even for the fans, some even say it is like a religion for them. Though not everyone in the society follow any sport, because they see that it has no relation to their lives.

Read More

More about How Can Religion And Sports Be Seen As A Religious Experience?

Related Topics

Open Document