Comments on: The Helping Hand Of God In The Unibond League http://www.merseysideskeptics.org.uk/2010/02/the-helping-hand-of-god-in-the-unibond-league/ The official site of the Merseyside Skeptics Society Thu, 09 Feb 2012 18:03:12 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Chris http://www.merseysideskeptics.org.uk/2010/02/the-helping-hand-of-god-in-the-unibond-league/comment-page-1/#comment-2916 Chris Mon, 08 Feb 2010 12:08:39 +0000 http://www.merseysideskeptics.org.uk/?p=473#comment-2916 I can't believe this, its only down the road from me aswell. eurrgghhh I groaned when reading this for the first time on BBC news. Can the priest explain why a demon/ghost/evil entity would want to curse a football pitch in the first place? Unless someone else in the league had devil worshippers on side and got them to sabotage Marines ground? I can’t believe this, its only down the road from me aswell. eurrgghhh I groaned when reading this for the first time on BBC news.

Can the priest explain why a demon/ghost/evil entity would want to curse a football pitch in the first place?

Unless someone else in the league had devil worshippers on side and got them to sabotage Marines ground?

]]> By: London Lulz http://www.merseysideskeptics.org.uk/2010/02/the-helping-hand-of-god-in-the-unibond-league/comment-page-1/#comment-2903 London Lulz Mon, 08 Feb 2010 02:30:18 +0000 http://www.merseysideskeptics.org.uk/?p=473#comment-2903 Most religious people I know are generally against the prostitution of God. After all - if one does exist, why on earth would he care about who wins this match? More likely this is to reassure players and fans. Like when medieval armies used to fight both of them would recruit priests to bless the troops and award them crosses (designating them "cruci-signati" - "signed with the cross"). This isn't superstition, don't believe that it is. This is all out capitalism - money for reassurative services. This is as far removed from real christianity as getting oneself debaptised is from atheism Most religious people I know are generally against the prostitution of God. After all – if one does exist, why on earth would he care about who wins this match?

More likely this is to reassure players and fans. Like when medieval armies used to fight both of them would recruit priests to bless the troops and award them crosses (designating them “cruci-signati” – “signed with the cross”).

This isn’t superstition, don’t believe that it is. This is all out capitalism – money for reassurative services.

This is as far removed from real christianity as getting oneself debaptised is from atheism

]]> By: Yorkshire Skeptic http://www.merseysideskeptics.org.uk/2010/02/the-helping-hand-of-god-in-the-unibond-league/comment-page-1/#comment-2887 Yorkshire Skeptic Sat, 06 Feb 2010 18:21:35 +0000 http://www.merseysideskeptics.org.uk/?p=473#comment-2887 @Tom Williamson: Leeds will be back on top soon enough! :P Don Revie did the same sort of thing down at Leeds United in the 60's...only he got a gypsy instead of a priest in to remove a 'curse' on Elland Road. Very eccentric manager by all accounts: 'Revie's waking hours were riddled with phobias and rituals; taking the same route to his dug out before a match, a fear of ornamental elephants, a readiness to believe that a gypsy curse on Elland Road was preventing his side winning, even a distaste for birds on pictures or as motifs...That's the reason the peacock was eventually taken off the club badge. He wouldn't have birds.' http://www.mightyleeds.co.uk/managers/revie6.htm I see football as a pseudo-religion; -You generally follow the team that you live nearest too or that your parents support. -Each team has it's saints (Jermaine Beckford) and anti-christs (Peter Ridsdale). -Regardless of how crappy your team is you stick with them, regardless of empirical evidence and reason. -Followers will pay exorbitant amounts of money to support their teams. Swap the word 'team' with 'religion' and you'll see what i mean! @Tom Williamson: Leeds will be back on top soon enough! :P

Don Revie did the same sort of thing down at Leeds United in the 60′s…only he got a gypsy instead of a priest in to remove a ‘curse’ on Elland Road. Very eccentric manager by all accounts:

‘Revie’s waking hours were riddled with phobias and rituals; taking the same route to his dug out before a match, a fear of ornamental elephants, a readiness to believe that a gypsy curse on Elland Road was preventing his side winning, even a distaste for birds on pictures or as motifs…That’s the reason the peacock was eventually taken off the club badge. He wouldn’t have birds.’

http://www.mightyleeds.co.uk/managers/revie6.htm

I see football as a pseudo-religion;
-You generally follow the team that you live nearest too or that your parents support.
-Each team has it’s saints (Jermaine Beckford) and anti-christs (Peter Ridsdale).
-Regardless of how crappy your team is you stick with them, regardless of empirical evidence and reason.
-Followers will pay exorbitant amounts of money to support their teams.

Swap the word ‘team’ with ‘religion’ and you’ll see what i mean!

]]> By: Tom Williamson http://www.merseysideskeptics.org.uk/2010/02/the-helping-hand-of-god-in-the-unibond-league/comment-page-1/#comment-2882 Tom Williamson Sat, 06 Feb 2010 10:53:13 +0000 http://www.merseysideskeptics.org.uk/?p=473#comment-2882 I'm a big fan of football myself, I could probably go on about Norwich City all day (top of the league, come on!). We used to have a goalkeeper call Bryan Gunn who would run up to, jump up at, and pretend to headbutt the crossbar before the start of ever game. This was accompanied by a "ohhhhhhhh...OOOH!" from the crowd every time, and it became somewhat of a superstition. Paul Ince, the former Manchester United player, used to put his shirt on at the last possible minute. Exorcism of pitches is nothing new either. In October last year, a priest performed one at Belgian side Racing Genk. The President of the club resigned on the same day (http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/23102009/58/international-football-priest-performs-exorcism-stadium.html). I'm pretty sure a similar thing happened at Birmingham City 15 years ago. They even had a strip made that looked like it had a dog collar! Theres loads in this telegraph article (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/leagues/premierleague/arsenal/4805924/Top-10-Football-superstitions-to-rival-Arsenals-Kolo-Toure.html) I’m a big fan of football myself, I could probably go on about Norwich City all day (top of the league, come on!). We used to have a goalkeeper call Bryan Gunn who would run up to, jump up at, and pretend to headbutt the crossbar before the start of ever game. This was accompanied by a “ohhhhhhhh…OOOH!” from the crowd every time, and it became somewhat of a superstition. Paul Ince, the former Manchester United player, used to put his shirt on at the last possible minute.

Exorcism of pitches is nothing new either. In October last year, a priest performed one at Belgian side Racing Genk. The President of the club resigned on the same day (http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/23102009/58/international-football-priest-performs-exorcism-stadium.html). I’m pretty sure a similar thing happened at Birmingham City 15 years ago. They even had a strip made that looked like it had a dog collar!

Theres loads in this telegraph article (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/leagues/premierleague/arsenal/4805924/Top-10-Football-superstitions-to-rival-Arsenals-Kolo-Toure.html)

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