Tuesday, November 30, 2010

Leather Idols And Orange Slice Sacraments

So the Southern Baptists are fretting about yoga? As Orange County's own Joanna Brooks notes, if God's being crowded off the field, it's not by hordes doing the paripurna navasana:

If there is a sport that is a religion right now, no question, hands down, it’s youth soccer. Soccer is like Saturday morning church in the suburbs. It’s pretty much compulsory. Dutifully we worship the small people wearing the brightly-colored silken vestments. Faithfully we line up to form “spirit tunnels,” touching fingertips with parents from opposing teams. Lovingly we serve juice box and orange slice sacraments. We hand-sew lavish new banners each season, banners we know will expire within a few weeks. Yes, soccer has become as ritualized as High Church Episcopalianism. Except it’s far better attended.

As for the leagues that schedule games and practices on Sunday mornings, I understand pool and field slots are at a premium these days. "Judge not" and all that. Besides, St. John's offers a convenient community Holy Eucharist service Saturdays at 5 p.m.!

2 comments:

Ed Cimler said...

Interesting thoughts. I'm not sure, though, that doing something frequently equates with religion. Otherwise, football would be the predominant religion.

I feel that my religion is defined by my relationship with God and church, and now that the kids are older, I don't need to tolerate soccer.....8)

Fr. John said...

Fair enough, Ed. I think what she'd getting at is that even when they're not in church, people reveal their hunger for connection, community, symbols, and sacrament.