Religion And Sport example essay topic

386 words
I believe the question posed by Prebish asking whether sport is a parallel to religion or identical means that sport is very closely related to the same principles. It is an organized institution dealing with faith, discipline, tradition, rituals, and has devout followers, as does the religious institution. When a sport can bring its followers to an experience of the ultimate plateau of complete focus, oneness, devotion, and the quest for salvation, I believe this is identical to religion. Charles Prebish draws the conclusion that religion and sport are not just parallel, but they are a complete identity. He comes to this conclusion because he feels that there is more to the religious terminology that other authors suggested.

Prebish says that fifty or more terms and phrases can expand the terminology, with little investigation. He also feels that most of the other authors share the vocabulary for both religion and sport, but have different meanings for each. He says in many cases there is no difference in meaning that each term carries for the two traditions. Prebish also gives us an example of two people, an athletic marathoner and the faithful churchgoer. The churchgoer seeks the glorious experience of God, while the marathoner pursues the "perfect run", which in some cases can be an equally profound and religious experience. Prebish gives more examples of the identical similarities between religion and sport: sacred food, chants, personnel, seasonal rituals, etc.

Although Prebish gives these examples of how identical these similarities are, I think the main point in his argument is that he is convinced through his work with athletes that it is possible to experience ultimate reality through sport, and that it happens regularly. I believe that sport is parallel to religion because it has similarities. It has Gods, rituals, saints, prophets, houses of worship, and a membership. I do not believe that sport is identical to religion because an athlete or a sports organization did not put us on this earth. The greatest athletes are not Gods; they are humans with faults, just like me. If there is a God I believe it has no faults.

The greatest athlete can be God-like, but he or she is not all knowing..