Maybe religion factored in Vikings' loss to
Falcons
ST. PAUL, Minn. -- By now you all know that the Minnesota Vikings
lost in the race to the Super Bowl, and the reason, I believe,
is too much prayer. I know prayer is supposed to help people get through tough
situations. But in this case, I think the Vikings were eliminated
because of their prayer habits. For instance, when one of the stars catches a touchdown pass
in the end zone, the victor kneels on the turf and points to the
sky or the roof of the Metrodome, as if God were hovering there,
helping the Vikes win another game. Randall Cunningham, our marvelous
quarterback who made an incredible comeback this year, will raise
a hand and index finger to the sky when he throws a touchdown. These religious habits, which come so naturally to many of
the Vikings, have begun to irritate some teammates and a good
many fans. How can these religious Vikings be so sure God is paying any
attention at all? Why would God care about a football game being
played in one of the most beautiful cities in the world, where
most of the people are well-fed and happy, when people are starving
and being slaughtered in places such as Kosovo? It doesn't make sense that God would be hovering in the ceiling
of our enclosed, Teflon-roofed stadium, waiting for the chance
to trip up the opposing team. The theological questions in 1999 should be: Does God care
who wins the Super Bowl? And the answer is: No, God does not care.
And furthermore, God does not want football players flaunting
their faith in front of 60,000 fans and millions more on television. This passage from the New Testament calls into question the
practice: "And whenever you pray, do not be like the hypocrites;
for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street
corners, so that they may be seen by others," Jesus instructed
his disciples. "Truly I tell you, they have received their
reward." (Matthew 6:5, New Revised Standard Version) So there's the rub -- the reward for these professional Christians
has already been received all through the season as these religious
symbols were being played out on the football field. Is it possible
that Almighty God withheld the final reward -- winning a championship
game -- from the Vikings? If that's not enough to deter these religious gladiators, many
other Bible verses teach humility and instruct believers to keep
their public expressions of faith in low gear. God must have a terrible time deciding who will be helped as
the National Football League plays its games for four months across
America. Every time a couple of teams take the field, there are
professional athletes on both sides praying for God's favor. So,
how does God decide? Is the divine mandate decided on the basis of the number of
prayers from each team or on the sincerity of those messages?
Perhaps God grants favor to the team that has lived the most moral
life during the past week. I wonder if one week God favors the
Vikings and the next week he pets the Falcons. What is the exact
formula here? Inquiring minds and professional athletes want to
know. Plus, people in Minnesota want to know how we lost that game
-- 30-27 -- this past Sunday. I think the Vikings had done so
much praying and pleading with God that they were completely confident
God would be compelled to give the game to Minnesota. It's like
the old saying, "Let Go and Let God." So they let God,
and God either was already sick of the begging or had decided
the prayers of the Atlanta Falcons were somehow better. A friend said he was watching the Vikings play one Sunday and
particularly noticed all the religious signs being sent out after
every good play. He wondered if God's public relations machine
grinds so slowly that he needs football players pointing to the
heavens every time something spectacular happens. And he also
wondered if this reduces God, making God something like a boss
who orders more advertising when product sales dip. This is all theologically puzzling. The lesson all professional
teams need to learn is, play hard and smart. Then whether you
win or lose, you have only yourself to praise or blame. Then get
down on your knees and thank God for life and health -- in your
strictly private prayer chamber.
Clark D. Morphew
Posted For 1-30-99