Players blessing themselves?

Zebra3

MrStuffins wrote: »

I've never heard of hymns being chanted at football games in Scotland or anywhere else?

Neither have I, so why reply to my quote asking?

Fizman

MrStuffins wrote: »

I think it's pretty naive to think that footballers only bless themselves to please sponsors!

More likely they're blessing themselves to please their mothers who are watching at home.

yesno1234

I remember doing it when I was younger after seeing all the footballers at it. Role models and all that, thought it must help them play well.

I soon stopped when I noticed I was still ****e:(

MrStuffins

Zebra3 wrote: »

Neither have I, so why reply to my quote asking?

Zebra3 wrote: »

If players are permitted to make religious gestures during matches then fans should be permitted to sing religious songs during matches.

ShooterSF

I'd say the bigger problem is are the players requesting interference or assistance from their respective deities and should it be allowed? Surely gods interfering in matches because more players openly support them, given the powers these deities are reported to yield, is worse than any skill or endurance enhancing drugs and should be banned. A match should be played fairly with no interference by invisible supernatural superpowers.

Zebra3

MrStuffins wrote: »

Not all religious songs are hymns.

Has any player pointed towards the ground I wonder? :pac:

Handsome Bob

I think it's very cynical to suggest players only do it for their image. Take Lampard for example, he pointed to the sky after his ma died and he scored a peno against Liverpool. Even as a pool fan and given the stakes in that actual game, I couldn't help but get a little emotional at that.

Richard Hillman

I don't mind them praying and blessing themselves in private but conducting cult like rituals on the pitch shouldnt happen. The likes of what Javier Hernandez does could easily be done earlier in the day and it sends a terrible message to kids and the young tv viewers.

The tv companies should at least pan away from these acts when they are committed instead of showing them.

The_Kew_Tour

Richard Hillman wrote: »

The likes of what Javier Hernandez does could easily be done earlier in the day and it sends a terrible message to kids and the young tv viewers.

Tell me of these terrible things it does to Kids?

Richard Hillman

The_Kew_Tour wrote: »

Tell me of these terrible things it does to Kids?

It attempts to popularise religion. When i was a young lad I used to see team mates and other players bless themselves etc even though they were not religious. They were just doing it because they seen a footballer do it on tv.

The whole Javier Hernandez malarkey could easily be done before a game in an empty stadium. Him doing it before a kick off has ulterior motives. He wants to popularise his religious beliefs.

The_Kew_Tour

Richard Hillman wrote: »

It attempts to popularise religion. When i was a young lad I used to see team mates and other players bless themselves etc even though they were not religious. They were just doing it because they seen a footballer do it on tv.

The whole Javier Hernandez malarkey could easily be done before a game in an empty stadium. Him doing it before a kick off has ulterior motives. He wants to popularise his religious beliefs.

I dont agree with you. I dont think it does popularise religion at all.

You dont see many Asians or Middle East people copying Henandez. People will believe in what they want or grow up believing what they are taught.

Some countries in South America have huge beliefs even known criminals pray before shootings etc.

99% of people blessing themselves on football pitch aint doing it cause their favourite player is doing it Kids or adult.

and even if your theory is true and that is terrible then I can only imagine what horrific leg breaking tackles are like to you and others.

Mint Sauce

Zebra3 wrote: »

So long as we have some consistency.

If players are permitted to make religious gestures during matches then fans should be permitted to sing religious songs during matches.

Imo it should be banned. Football should not be used for those promoting their religious agendas.

Do it elsewhere.

Zebra3 wrote: »

Afaik, the singing of religious songs in football stadia is illegal in some countries (defo in Scotland anyway).

The religious songs usally sang though were of a hate/sectarian nature. As for religious gestures, blessing ones self is usally the same regardless of your christian domination.

I wonder would these players bless themselves in other jobs?

Just sold a plasma TV - must kneel down and say thanks to some God.

It's nonsense really but probably isn't doing too much harm is it. Tooth fairies, UFO's, Gods, Santa, whatever floats your boat.

Mint Sauce

rarnes1 wrote: »

I wonder would these players bless themselves in other jobs?

Just sold a plasma TV - must kneel down and say thanks to some God.

It's nonsense really but probably isn't doing too much harm is it. Tooth fairies, UFO's, Gods, Santa, whatever floats your boat.

Maybe if they sold 100 TVs in one day they might make a gesture thanking their god for their salesman skills.



Surely its just the same for sports persons thanking god for their skill, or quietly remembering a loved one who had died. Its no biggie as far as I'm concerned.

BhoscaCapall

irish-stew wrote: »

The religious songs usally sang though were of a hate/sectarian nature. As for religious gestures, blessing ones self is usally the same regardless of your christian domination.

I thought the whole symbolism stuff was very Catholic? In Scotland blessing yourself is very much seen as a Catholic thing.

rarnes1 wrote: »

I wonder would these players bless themselves in other jobs?

Just sold a plasma TV - must kneel down and say thanks to some God.

I'm not religious and tbh I detest the lot of it, but I can see why it's done.

BhoscaCapall

BhoscaCapall wrote: »

I thought the whole symbolism stuff was very Catholic? In Scotland blessing yourself is very much seen as a Catholic thing.

It's the sign of a cross isn't it?

Do Protestants not believe in the whole dying on a cross thing? Haven't a clue behind the whole history behind the blessing themselves tbh.

BhoscaCapall

rarnes1 wrote: »

It's the sign of a cross isn't it?

Do Protestants not believe in the whole dying on a cross thing? Haven't a clue behind the whole history behind the blessing themselves tbh.

AFAIK Protestants don't do the whole blessing of stuff like bread, wine etc. Tbh from what I've heard, and seen of their churches they are just like a really boring version of Catholics but with less stupid "rules".

BhoscaCapall

BhoscaCapall wrote: »

AFAIK Protestants don't do the whole blessing of stuff like bread, wine etc. Tbh from what I've heard, and seen of their churches they are just like a really boring version of Catholics but with less stupid "rules".

Is that possible? :pac:

BhoscaCapall

rarnes1 wrote: »

Is that possible? :pac:

Well stained glass windows are savage craic and they've none of those I'm afraid.

tdv123

Bloody people doing things.

Mint Sauce

BhoscaCapall wrote: »

I thought the whole symbolism stuff was very Catholic? In Scotland blessing yourself is very much seen as a Catholic thing.


I'm not religious and tbh I detest the lot of it, but I can see why it's done.

Maybe so, but Catholics, Protestants, weather they be church of england/ireland, Anglian, Presbyterian etc etc etc, all bless them selfs. I would only be if you were stading beside them might you have an idea of which religion they are/aren't based on the how they say the sign of the cross.

rarnes1 wrote: »

It's the sign of a cross isn't it?

Do Protestants not believe in the whole dying on a cross thing? Haven't a clue behind the whole history behind the blessing themselves tbh.

BhoscaCapall

irish-stew wrote: »

Maybe so, but Catholics, Protestants, weather they be church of england/ireland, Anglian, Presbyterian etc etc etc, all bless them selfs. I would only be if you were stading beside them might you have an idea of which religion they are/aren't based on the how they say the sign of the cross.

Oh fair enough. Like I said though, blessing yourself is seen as a Catholic thing in Scotland and it makes some people extremely angry when they see others do it. It doesn't surprise me if all Christians do it because we're talking about a pretty confused bunch of mouth breathers here.

The Davestator

I think that it's just hypocritical. They'll bless themselves running onto the pitch but act like spoiled children the rest of the week. (Not all).

I just don't see the point in it if they're not religious and I'm assuming that most of the ones that do bless themselves are not religious. So why do it.

I stand by my point in my OP that its to cultivate a positive image and nothing more.
(Could be for the Vatican though)!

BhoscaCapall

The Davestator wrote: »

I'm assuming that most of the ones that do bless themselves are not religious.

.... lol?

The Davestator

BhoscaCapall wrote: »

.... lol?

Wow. What insight. :rolleyes:

A Dub in Glasgo

And your insight is that you assume most of the players who do bless themselves are not religious? Cracking bit of analysis there

MrStuffins

Zebra3 wrote: »

Not all religious songs are hymns.

Nope, but the ones relevant to this conversation, ones which you could use as a comparison to players bless themselves, are!

Havermeyer

MrStuffins wrote: »

I think it's pretty naive to think that footballers only bless themselves to please sponsors!

That's not what I said.

MrStuffins

nummnutts wrote: »

That's not what I said.

I never said you did!

Broxi_Bear_Eire

BhoscaCapall wrote: »

AFAIK Protestants don't do the whole blessing of stuff like bread, wine etc. Tbh from what I've heard, and seen of their churches they are just like a really boring version of Catholics but with less stupid "rules".

I think you should check out the Church of England and the Anglican Church

Sin City

Some probably are relgious (I hear Kaka is a born again christian or Jehovas witness or something)

Lots could actually have faith

Some as was said just were brought up that way , even if they dont believe themselves

But Id say most its just supersticion , they do it, they play well so they keep doing it again and again

MrStuffins

I have no idea why it's so hard to believe that some people might actually believe in God!

Eirebear

BhoscaCapall wrote: »

Well stained glass windows are savage craic and they've none of those I'm afraid.

lol - do you write this stuff for a laugh?

There's a "protestant" Church opf Scotland right next door to me - and last time i checked, their windows looked like this...

baalthor

Some Muslim players bow down in prayer after scoring or as Gary Lineker would say: "eat grass"