Football on Easter Sunday - Anti-Christian?

[Gromit]

The Archbishop of Birmingham Vincent Nichols, who is due to succeed Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O'Connor as Archbishop of Westminster, is among senior figures accusing the Premiership of caving in to pressure from broadcasters by holding matches on Easter Sunday.

He has signed an open letter to Richard Scudamore, chief executive of the Premiership, and the sports broadcaster Setanta protesting over an Aston Villa v Everton match due to take place at 2pm on Sunday.
Under Sunday trading laws passed in 1994 large shops, including garden centres, are banned from opening on the festival, putting it on a similar footing to Christmas Day. But football matches are not covered.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/rel igion/5114978/Premier-League-accused-of-disdai n-for-Christians-over-Easter-Sunday-matches.ht ml

As a confirmed heathen, I would sooner watch footy than listen to some bloke in a frock spout clap-trap, but are there any Christian out there who are affronted by this?

[rojash]

Well, to quote the guy who started it all, JC: "The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath".

[obNOXious]

It always amazes me why religious people of any persuasion, ( but in my mind now I have to say are Christians and the Lords Dayy Observance lot in particular) have to inflinct their views and opinions on other people.
Clearly if you are devoutly Christian you won't be attending or watching one of these ' offensive' games, but what about the rest of us? Surely we have free will to do as we please, or at least should and surely christians should respect that? Can't see why they have so much difficulty with such a small matter of common respect and good manners towards those who don't share their beliefs.
Another confirmed Pagan:)

[Joy11]

I think that this is a fair post gromit and you are only asking for people opinion?
I would like some of our Christian tradions to remain as they were but I doubt this will happen due to many things, money, a multi-cultural society and a right for non-believers to do whatever they want to do so I reckon I am in the minority there!

[Beatrice35]

Not a footy fan, yet, cannot see a problem with football being played on Easter Sunday.A Christian- down to earth one, yet, cannot see the problem here- does not affront me in the slightest. Would watch a tennis game if played on Easter Sunday- tennis is my particular sport that love the most. Good topic Gromit :-)
Shopping- no for sure!! Yet, a little sport- okay with this.
Warm wishes, Bea :-)

[JimmyCooper]

About ten years ago Villa played Chelsea at Villa Park on easter Sunday, kick off 11.00am.

The bloke from the local church moaned and said they were going to ring the church bells continually throughout the match. Like that made any difference to a crowd of 40000

I have to laugh at the church so self righteous, okay to go to church on easter sunday but you cant watch football.

Ah the joys of living your life by a 2000 year old fairytale

[Beatrice35]

Christianity is not a fairytale JimmyCooper- that maybe your opinion yet you knew by saying this you would wind up every Christian possible. Dare you to say to God- if you are real show yourself to me- dare you?! For if you do dare JimmyCooper you will realise that Jesus is real + not a legend as some percieve Him to be- know this as prayed this prayer when aged 14 + at the age of 15 became a Christian as God revealed himself to me at the age of 15 in 1988( met Jesus in a powerful way at a summer camp- powerful love+ deep peace entered me in the form of the Holy Spirit). Bea :-)

[Booldawg]

TBH the thread is as pointless as the 'are muslims offended by people eating bacon butties' and, yes, as predicted no more than 5 posts down the topic has gone away from Christian opinion to the rather crass debunking of faith. Let the mud slinging commence. Yawn.

[paraffin]

I was brought up in a Christian Faith and, although no longer a frequenter of any church, some of that Faith remains.

Nevertheless, I am also a football fan and see absolutely zilch wrong with kicking a ball around regardless of which day of the week it's done.

Besides, if Christian churches were bulging with worshippers week in, week out, there may be a case to answer. But let's face it, churches nowadays are more like deserted bus stations at midnight.

[cazzz1975]

Im watching the match

[no-knowledge]

not sure about watching the match but i know i won't be going to church.

[jake-the-peg]

And I'm sure that David Icke is just as convinced that the royal familly are aliens as Bea is that Jesus is real!

Carpenters walking on water and rising from the dead, wine turning into blood at a priest's words. Garden of Eden and talking snakes - and they laugh at Icke!

But back to the point - this doesn't bode well for the Catholic Church does it?

This Pope seems an unbelievable traditionalist and the rest of the priesthood seem to be following his lead.

We all know that lay Catholics regularly ignore teachings they disagree with - especially around contraception.

Pushing the priesthood further to the right will only open up bigger and bigger divisions between them and their parishoners.

So let's hope there are many more pronouncements like this then!

[Gromit]

My mate says he will be praying on Easter Sunday, but then he is a Man City fan and they kick-off at 4pm.

[jake-the-peg]

Seriously though if his followers would rather watch football than go to church maybe he ought to think about why that is.

[anotheoldgit]

I am not a deeply religious person, but I believe it would do us all no harm to go back to the days when religion and all that goes with it was still respected.

Years ago even in the poorest and roughest areas, Sunday was a day when one put on their Sunday best, some went to Church and those that didn't still conducted themselves befitting the Sabbath day, and almost every child attended Sunday School.

I think that this is what the present day society lacks, respect, a teaching of what is right and what is wrong. Yes Christianity stood mankind in good stead for over 2000 years, without it we would still be Pagans.

[jake-the-peg]

Christianity has stood us in good stead for 2000 years?

You are beyond parody!

[Joy11]

HyA mani me owld mate...Shearerrrrrrrrrrrrr, I'm not bothered what faith anyone is, Christian, Jew , Muslim but like another poster said, a return to "shops shutting" and people generally getting together on a Sunday for lunch, I worked in retail and remember only too well when Sunday opening came in, carrot and donkey came to mind, you got double time for working on a Sunday then, there were two days a year when the Centre closed and thet was Easter Sunday and Christmas Day and it is still like that, but soon after the fat cats dangled the carrot with a double time payment....whooshhhhhhhhh,! single time now at the minimum wage, yes, a return to those days would be better

[Joy11]

whay aye man! The Toon, still wish they didn't play matches on a Sunday tho'