Is football a religion?

I’ve seen a few incidents that make me wonder if it’s true football is a religion.

At a funeral a few years ago I read a sign posted on the chapel door. It said, in effect, not to talk about the day’s earlier football game since the family had been busy and planned to watch the recorded game after the funeral concluded. I wondered who they thought might have stepped in to speak a word of comfort to the grieving family and brought up football, or worse, ribbed them about their team’s defeat? And furthermore, it would seem the grieving family would not have cared on that day about a ballgame.

The second incident I heard about from a music minister friend.

Baptist churches used to have “pack-a-pew” nights in revival meetings, offering recognition or prizes to those who brought the largest number of people. My friend said they had an Alabama/Auburn pack-a-pew night and encouraged attendees to wear team colors, but some of their members almost came to blows before the service began!

I’ve known churches who sponsored an Alabama/Auburn canned food drive, and I participated once in an Alabama/Auburn blood drive. In these events, even the “losers” won since it benefited worthy causes. But the idea of getting angry at a revival meeting takes the cake.

A pastor friend customarily wrote a caution in his church newsletter the week before the Iron Bowl game (Alabama vs. Auburn). He reminded everyone it was just a game, and some would be sad, and some would be happy that Sunday, and everyone must be kind. This so impressed me that I’ve followed his example that momentous week. (I understand the Egg Bowl in Mississippi elicits the same kind of strong feelings!)

I myself once fell prey to this kind of good-natured ribbing. Rhonda was our church’s summer youth intern and I recognized her on the final Sunday before she returned to college. For some reason I spoke some off-the-cuff words about her school being different from my school. Elton McGaha came to see me the next day.

“Michael, you know I love you, but… ”

Let me interject that I’ve heard this statement many times over the years and then had time to brace myself for the coming “but”!

He continued, “What we do in this church on Sunday is more important than football.”

I took his words to heart.

I told this story in January 2020 when I conducted Elton’s funeral at the First Baptist Church in Selma. I remain grateful for his tutelage.

Like everything else in life, we must seek proper balance and be sure loving God and loving others weighs heaviest on the scale.

Reflections is a weekly faith column written by Michael J. Brooks, pastor of the Siluria Baptist Church, Alabaster, Alabama. The church’s website is siluriabaptist.com.