As I write this, the nation is celebrating its number two spectator holiday: the baseball playoffs and World Series. (Number one is the Superbowl.)
In addition to being the national pastime, baseball has at various times been called a game of inches, a game of skill, a game of strategy, etc., etc. But at its major league level, baseball consists of a bunch of young millionaires playing a boy's game: hitting a round ball with a round stick.
(I don't understand a new thing which has sprung up in the past several years. In football and basketball the teams high-five each other at the end of the game, but in baseball the winning team high-fives itself. Is this a new form of sportsmanship?)
Anyway, I love baseball, and I like to think of it as a game of reconciliation. Whether one is liberal, conservative, libertarian or green; whether one is Protestant, Catholic, Jewish or Muslim; whether one is young, middle-aged or elderly; whether one is male, female or undecided; whether we are at peace or at war, we can all get together and enjoy the game. Oh sure, there are disagreements over Phillies vs. Reds, Giants vs. Braves, etc., but in the end we all just enjoy watching the annual athletic orgy.
But on the downside, our fanatic attachment to spectator sports says something about our priorities. Considering the fact that we have millions of unemployed and uninsured people in this country, people who are concerned about where they will get their next meal, or where they will sleep tonight; considering the fact that we are at war in one (or many) part(s) of the world, and are simultaneously trying to build a democratic nation in Iraq, is it wise for us to commit so many of our resources to games?
The annual reconciliation is temporary, it disappears when the Series ends – the hardships appear to be permanent.
Think about it.
The objective answer is "not much." The sun would still rise tomorrow; people, nations and religions would still disagree with each other, your sore tooth would still require a trip to the dentist, and the young would still get older while the elders would eventually die.
Even more importantly, you would still be responsible for supporting your family, and you would still be punished if you committed a crime. There will always be people who need help, just as there will always be people who need to be restrained for the good of society.
Summing Up – The Sprit Runs Through It.
The book or a free download is available in paperback or on Kindle.
In addition to being the national pastime, baseball has at various times been called a game of inches, a game of skill, a game of strategy, etc., etc. But at its major league level, baseball consists of a bunch of young millionaires playing a boy's game: hitting a round ball with a round stick.
(I don't understand a new thing which has sprung up in the past several years. In football and basketball the teams high-five each other at the end of the game, but in baseball the winning team high-fives itself. Is this a new form of sportsmanship?)
Anyway, I love baseball, and I like to think of it as a game of reconciliation. Whether one is liberal, conservative, libertarian or green; whether one is Protestant, Catholic, Jewish or Muslim; whether one is young, middle-aged or elderly; whether one is male, female or undecided; whether we are at peace or at war, we can all get together and enjoy the game. Oh sure, there are disagreements over Phillies vs. Reds, Giants vs. Braves, etc., but in the end we all just enjoy watching the annual athletic orgy.
But on the downside, our fanatic attachment to spectator sports says something about our priorities. Considering the fact that we have millions of unemployed and uninsured people in this country, people who are concerned about where they will get their next meal, or where they will sleep tonight; considering the fact that we are at war in one (or many) part(s) of the world, and are simultaneously trying to build a democratic nation in Iraq, is it wise for us to commit so many of our resources to games?
The annual reconciliation is temporary, it disappears when the Series ends – the hardships appear to be permanent.
Think about it.
******
If you were to accept the Spirit worldview, how much effect would it have on your day-to-day living?The objective answer is "not much." The sun would still rise tomorrow; people, nations and religions would still disagree with each other, your sore tooth would still require a trip to the dentist, and the young would still get older while the elders would eventually die.
Even more importantly, you would still be responsible for supporting your family, and you would still be punished if you committed a crime. There will always be people who need help, just as there will always be people who need to be restrained for the good of society.
Summing Up – The Sprit Runs Through It.
The book or a free download is available in paperback or on Kindle.
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