Find Religion

I know this has nothing to do with religion, but I’ve just started another job and wanted to let all of my loyal readers here know! If you like college football and don’t mind a little snarkiness (or just want to argue with me, which is highly encouraged), head over to BCS Frenzy. The site will officially be up to par on October 1, but you guys get a sneak preview!

Welcome to celebrity Tuesday!

Football season is one of the most fun times of year, so in honor of that, I’m going to give you a bunch of pictures from this season and the past of some great football guys who also like to give thanks to God (or whoever).

2007, Pennington and Brady

2006, Detriot and Green Bay after the game

2005, Longhorns quarterback

2004, Josh McCown after a touchdown

2002, the Cornhuskers pray before the Rose Bowl

and for fun, a couple from a few decades ago:

1977, the Redskins, led by their head coach

1973, the locker room before Super Bowl VII

And who do I like for the Super Bowl? Pats! (Although it would be nice for a certain quarterback to FINALLY not choke and lose in the playoffs…even if he has to rely on his kicker to do so…

celebrity, Football season, Super Bowl

Tomorrow I’m heading out of town for the weekend for a fun and exciting few days with my best friends from high school. I’m very thankful for all of them, and I know many read this blog–so here I am, telling you all: THANK YOU FOR BEING YOU!

We don’t thank God enough for our friends. Beyond thanking God, we don’t thank them either. Today, I declare that it is Allison’s Official Thank Your Friend Day. I challenge you to contact just one person you have not spoken with in over a month, but who is one of the best friends you could ever have.

Then, thank God for this friend. Try to make it a more common practice in your life.

Oh, and pray for me tomorrow that I reach my destination safely and don’t get road rage as I’m stuck in Penn State football traffic!

friends, God, best friends, pray, Penn State football

I recently read on Yahoo News that the Duke players who allegedly raped a girl talked to 60 minutes, giving their version of the story. Deciding whether they are truely guilty or, in fact, innocent, opens a whole can of worms–but if they are guilty, should they be forgiven?

We are told are Christians to turn the other cheek. Most other world religions have a simmilar attitude about forgiveness. It’s just not that easy to do. It’s not hard to forgive, for example, a son who lies to you and breaks curfew. Punishment, sure, but forgiveness is almost automatic. The Bible, however, tells us that all sins are equal  in the eyes of God. You can easily forgive a child who wrongs you…

Can you forgive the 9/11 terrorists responsible for countless deaths?

Can you forgive the Amish school gunman who killed innocent children and himself?

Can you forgive the boys from Laramie who tortured a young gay man to death?

Can you forgive a priest who molests children?

Can you forgive a president who has an affair?

Can you forgive college boys for raping a woman?

 I think, as a country and as a Christian community, we need to work together for forgiveness. I’ll help you if you help me…

…than why is the sky blue and white?

*snicker*

I saw that on a bumper sticker once, and it made me laugh. I’m an avid Penn State fan, and after that game tonight, I think that my last post makes even more sense–State fans really need faith right about now!

All joking aside, what I really wanted to talk about is religion’s place in sports. Tonight, I saw a Catholic player cross himself before attempting a field goal. Another common site is a team kneeling together in prayer. And when a player wins an award? Many times, they thank God.

If you believe in the power of religion, I’m not sure it’s fair to ask for God’s help in winning a game, is it? And if you believe that prayer had no power to affect the game, then why are you doing it in the first place?

So here’s my advice for all you sports fans out there:

Don’t pray to win, or to make good plays, or to show up the other team, or to have the better coach. 

Pray for a safe game for all players.

Pray for game that is called fairly.

Pray for an entertaining game that will keep fans cheering.

And for you Penn State fans out there, pray that Happy Valley will always be a happy valley, no matter how many quarterbacks we go through in a single game.