For the firs time in my life, I watched a sporting event. Last night the guys at work decided to have a Superbowl party full with appetizers, snacks, HD TV, the whole works!
I’ve never been a fan of sports, and even somewhat oppose them. But I realized that doing something I wouldn’t normally do can be a good thing. So I gave it a try.
After the experience, I’d have to say that I would be hard pressed to recall something that was more repulsive, generic, abhorrent, shallow, and soulless. A prime cultural display of a culture that severely lacks culture. A culture based solely on materialism, selfish gain, opposition, nationalism,”us vs. them” mentality.
Did you know that this commercial was not allowed to play during the Superbowl because the producers didn’t have enough money to show it during that time frame?
But a pro Monsanto commercial aired, as did a pro Walmart commercial.
So an issue that has to do with something sacred, immaterial, and meaningful was excluded from this event. But everything material spiritually and culturally empty was shoved in viewers faces? And even more funny, was that there was a commercial promoting Scientology…
*facepalm*
Further, in the post game chaos, players were being interviewed. Of course, one of them had to thank god for his success. As if God was rooting for his team, and his prayers mattered not only more than the prayers of the opposing team, but the prayers of billions of people starving to death world wide. More than the prayers of children being sexually abused by clergy. God leaves their prayers unanswered, but caters to the “me vs you” “I’m better than you” mentality that is inherent in the jock mind.
But this is what the American God is all about. He cares more for the striving athlete, the aspiring sellout bubblegum pop singer, the corporate backed in your face purchased talent TV teen idol!
These are the issues that matter to Americans. This is what gives us material to discuss at length with fervor in the bars and at the office, because most of us are to shallow and ignorant to have anything of import to speak of.
There’s large investments being made to promote the idea that sports matter. That it’s something to be followed. That the more you’re into sports, the more you matter and what you have to say matters. The reality is, it doesn’t matter. Being well versed in sport lingo doesn’t make you an educated, valuable person with meaningful outlooks on life. It will make you feel this way, but it’s an illusion.
“Oh it’s just mindless entertainment” you may want to say. I’ll be the first to say I partake in plenty of mindless entertainment. There’s limits.
How much money do you think was spent by broadcasting companies, and corporations pushing their product in your face? How much money do you think the athletes made? How much money swirls and revolves around just that one sport event? I’m not aware of the exact number, but I’m sure it’s more than the average person can ever dream of having. I won’t bother pointing out where that money could be better spent. If you can’t figure that out, you are certainly part of the problem.
I cannot support an industry, that values entertainment at the monetary value that is placed on sport. An industry that values materialism, intellectual emptiness, hero worship, and competition.
I cannot support an industry that promotes the idea that something of no value has value. An industry that presumes that God caters to those who have the most, and are the best.
Phiver 
You’ve touched on the problem I’ve always had with the idea of a “personal god.” It feels good to think that the creator and mover of everything is concerned with your daily life, your personal successes and failures. I think a lot of people must compartmentalize this idea so that it doesn’t have to measure up to person x’s personal god that allowed a child to die, a debilitating disease to take hold, etc. “God loves me” feels good, but “God didn’t help that person” doesn’t, so people don’t think of the two ideas of a god in the same box.
Or, of course, they resort to the tired “God works in mysterious ways” dodge.
A supreme, omnipotent being who can influence everything, but who takes more interest in a football game than in a community enduring real tragedy is not a perfect being, and not worthy of worship. I’m not sure if it takes a sever lack of imagination to imagine such a being, or if it takes more imagination than I have.
I don’t have a problem with a “personal” god. At least in the sense of a person having their own personal conception or experience of God. I tend to think that is what spirituality is about. I think Religion is for the person who has a lack of not only imagination, but also personal insight. A person who is too afraid to face the terrifying realities of everyday existence. It’s the psychology behind the religious persons behavior concerning anything that challenges their beliefs. They are insecure in their very core beliefs that comfort them and give them hope. And any time they are challenged, they go on the defensive. This is the psychic energy that has fueled countless wars, deaths, executions, persecutions, and spiritual enslavement. It’s also what causes some people to think that their “personal” God cares more about their daily affairs, then he does about humanity as a whole.