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So I wonder WWJP? Gimme a sec, I’ll get there.
I was born the same year the Minnesota Vikings began playing in the NFL. Most often, people root for a sports team that represents their city, state or region. Consequently my folks were Packer fans first and later became Viking fans. It was easy to choose Titletown’s Packers over those dirty Bears...but that’s another story.
I am told that THE rivalry in the NFL is between the Bears and Packers. But with the advent of a Minnesota football franchise, people from the Twin Cities through western Wisconsin have developed a very strong border rivalry--especially due to the success of the Vikings in the late 60’s through the early 80’s and the Packer’s lack of success.
I find a parallel here between two hierarchical triads: sports, football, and the Packers; and the Creation, religion and Christianity. In both of these triads you will find detractors, but stay with me.
Almost everyone can agree that the Creation is good. Or if you are not “God-oriented” let’s just say “the universe” is good. Almost everyone can agree that some form of sport is good. Whether it is participation or observation; being active is a good thing. Some people are spiritually inclined and some are not. Some people like to run, bike, race cars. Some people watch or play football, others baseball and still others (for some unknown reason) like soccer. Some spiritually minded folks are Buddhist and others Muslim. There are plenty of Deist, Wiccans, Baha’is, Hindus, and Christians. For football fans, some like the Vikings, others the Packers; in the NFL alone you have 32 teams from which to choose a favorite. God help us all, some people actually support the Cowboys.
The trouble I have with the Packers, as a Viking fan, is not the players, but the fans. I dislike obnoxious behavior that I am sure they see in me. I dislike the way they tout that their team has won the Super Bowl (yes, I know: three times) and is therefore better than my team; putting me down because I have props for a Super Bowl loser (four times over). They are still my team, we love the same game, and we love the same sport. Do Packer fans have the exclusive rights to love football and sports in general?
So that brings me to WWJP? (Whom Would Jesus Prop?) Would Jesus be a Cheesehead? Is Packer football any more pleasing to God, than Viking football? Or would Jesus love the whole league—even the Cowboys. Do Christians have exclusive rights to worship God? Would Jesus follow the World Cup (soccer)? Most certainly. Christians are the obnoxious fans of God that the rest of the religious community distains. Nobody likes the fan that crams their beliefs down other people’s throats. Me? I still like the Packers—it’s the hate-filled zealous fans I can do without. Moreover, when I see Viking fans tailgating and burning Packer jerseys on days that the Vikings are playing the Lions, I don’t much like Viking fans either. But I love the sport.
God creates out of love. God loves the creation so much that we Christians believe God sent the Word (Jesus the Messiah) into the creation to love us, teach us and die for us. Above all I believe God’s act was one of love for the creation. Christians too often feel as though they have the exclusive right to God’s love and the providence of the creation. From my perspective, Christians are the Packer fans of the religious community. Is it any wonder that Christians are seen as exclusivists, hate-mongerers, prejudicial and hypocritical? I am a Christian, but I am not so sure I like Christians.
Love the sport, love the creation, love the athlete, love the fan, love the fact that other fans are reaching toward God. And maybe you should learn a little something about Soccer, maybe you will find something about American football that is more meaningful because of it. Learn something of another’s faith, you just might find God there too.
