Tebowmania, Linsanity and Optimus Reim

Christianity is not something that usually comes up via the media in sports.  It seems as though the media tries to avoid the two topics. Lately however there seems to be a resurgence of Christianity in sports - and not just in football with Tim Tebow. Tebow has received the most media coverage, but that's probably because Football is the most popular sport in the states.

Two other examples come to mind when I think of Christianity and sports, and they come in the form of Jeremy Lin of the New York Knicks and James Reimer of the Toronto Maple Leafs. All three of these athletes have been very adamant about their Christian faith, and they have not been afraid to express it to the world. Both Lin and Tebow have stated that if they were not played professional sports they would have become Christian missionaries.

How could one believe that sports and religion be connected? All three of these sports require a level of physicality which would be frowned upon by zealous Christians right? According to our reading this week by Tracey Trothen, the violence in sports actually connects it to religion. I'm not sure if I necessary believe this, but Trothen does make a good point. Christianity has been fueled by violence in the past, and even the base of our religion reflects Jesus' suffering on the cross. Trothen also uses a number of other examples of violence in the Christian faith, and reflects it to how athletes act in sports.

When I look at these three athletes in particular I see their drive to be the best possible athletes they can be in relation to their Christian faith. All three believe that God has helped them to get to this point, and that God will guide them on the field, ice, or court. All three pray after every big save, or play they make as well as pray after games - win or lose. They pray right on the ice and field, for the whole world to see.

Do I believe that these men are sincere in their acts of faith? Last week we had talked about celebrities and their expressions of faith, using Justin Bieber and Lady Gaga as examples. It seemed as though the entire class was reluctant to agree that these two express their faith in a legitimate manner - we as a class believed that these two singers had alterior motives.

As an athlete myself, I can say that sports brings out both your highest and lowest emotions right on the field. You get angry to a whole new level when someone on the other team injures one of your treammates on a dirty play, or when you lose the game on a buzzer beater. At the same, time you experience happiness in a whole new way when you tie the game in the last couple seconds, or you hit that walk-off homerun.

The difference between sports and the music industry is that while the music industry can sit there and analyze every aspect of their video and music, we witness sports the second they happen. We see the exact passion that the players are exhibiting on the field and there's no hiding it. When players like Tim Tebow, Jeremy Lin, and James Reimer turn to God on the field, it's actually how they are expressing the passion that drives them . They use their Christian faith as a tool to get through the next period when the going gets tough, or as their guiding light when they need to keep a lead. All of these athletes are excellent examples of the passion of a combined sports and religion. Both have such strong influences it is no wonder why the fans get caught up in it too. Which is why we see this explosion of the topic in the media nowadays.

These men do face ridicule, but at the same time they are looked upon by a large number of Christians worldwide. It is a give and take scenario, and I believe that all three of these men are doing what they have to in order to get by and be successful in their endeavours. Obviously all of the extra attention has not effected their play, as the three are some of the most promising athletes in their respective sports today.

A response to Rachel V's Post "Jesus: I'll be Back"

Rachel,


I totally agree with you that Koslovic's model can be applied to pretty much any hero. It's actually difficult to try and find a hero that does not fit the majority of attributes in the model. Maybe it's not so much a matter of being a Christ-like figure as much as how the general population views their heroes. Some of the characteristics that Koslovic lays out are so basic they'd have to apply to the main character of any movie. I mean, being "Central" or an "Outsider" or something as basic as having blue eyes makes you a Christ-like figure?

This kind of coincides with the other point I wanted to highlight in your blog. You stated that Optimus Prime being Christ-like didn't help the franchise, or draw in more of an audience, but I think you answered your own question. According to Koslovic characters like Optimus Prime are "Christ-like figures" but the characteristics used to describe a "Christ-like figure" are so vague, it helped just because any person would appreciate anyone who has those characteristics. 


Anyways that was my 2 cents, all in all I really liked your view on the Koslovic article.

Transformers are awesome. 


- Adrian D


http://gospelaccordingtobuddychrist.blogspot.com/2012/02/jesus-ill-be-back.html

Anakin Skywalker - Jesus of Star Wars

So I watched the re-make of Star Wars Episode 1: The Phantom Menace in 3D. Being a Star Wars nerd, I'd seen the movie before but I saw it from a different perspective this time around. It's a great coincidence that we discussed Jesus in film the week that this re-make came out.

We talked about Jesus on film and how Jesus movies were all of the "epic" genre, produced on a grand scale with special considerations to special effects and not so much on character development. Star Wars has deep roots in all of these traits. Obviously Star Wars movies are considered "epic". They are fantasy based, and there's star ship and Jedi battles in each of the movies. In regards to being produced on a grand scale with special effects, there are 6 Star Wars movies. Star Wars: A New Hope came out in 1977 and was innovative in special effects. The creator of Star Wars, George Lucas used special effects that no one had really considered during that time period. Then when the prequels came out in 2002 (Star Wars: The Phantom Menace) Lucas turned to technology using animations in his new films. Safe to say that he was one of the pioneers in using cinematics like these. Though they don't look the best now, but these cinematics were remarkable for the time - so special considerations to special effects are definitely evident.  Finally, Star Wars is based on character development. The old movies are based on Han Solo and Luke Skywalker, while the newer movies are based on Obi Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker (Darth Vader).

Now that we've established the connection to movies with Jesus it's time to get to the nitty-gritty. Christ Figures in Film. The Kozlovic reading stated that there are 25 characteristics of Christ Figures. Anakin Skywalker (the future Darth Vader) is seen as a young boy in Episode 1. Just in this movie a number of these traits are evident.

1. Tangible - Anakin has no father - he was conceived by the force itself. Remind you of someone?
2. Central - He is one of the main characters in the Phantom Menace and goes on to be the main character through the second and third films.
3. Outsider - Anakin lives on a planet full of thieves and cut throats. He and his mother are the only two people on the planet that are willing to help strangers.
4. Divinely Sourced and Tasked - When Anakin is found by the other Jedi, they realize he is very strong in the force, and these Jedi reference multiple times that "the force has lead them to him".
5. Alter Egos - Anakin Skywalker is the one who is supposed to bring balance to the force and while his is Anakin he works for good. However, by the end of the third movie he becomes Darth Vader - the Sith Lord that is feared throughout the galaxy.
6. Special Normal - Anakin is the only human ever who has been able to pod race. He looks like a normal human child but is able to do extraordinary things.
7. Twelve Associates - There are 10 people on the Jedi council + the two Jedi who found him.
8. Jesus Age - Unfortunately he's only a child in the first movie.
9. Betrayer Associate - Anakin's owner does not bet on him during his podrace. He bets on the alien that always beats him.
10. Sexually Identified Woman - Definitely evident in episode 1 through Padme. She travels with the Jedi and you can tell they have a connection from the first time they meet (they will be married and have children in the third movie)
11. Pointing Prophet - Evident in the character of Qui Gon Jinn, who knows that Anakin is "the one who will bring balance to the force"
12. Decisive Death and Resurrection - Kind of evident when he becomes Darth Vader
13. Triumphalism - Not really evident in the first movie, but definitely throughout the series.
14. Service to "Lesser" - Anakin races for the Jedi who find him with no real benefit for himself. He helps them just to benefit the two men.
15. Willing Sacrifice - Evident in the later movies
16. Innocent - Anakin is a slave who has done nothing wrong in life other than be born. It is evident that he wants to help others. Plus portraying him as a child is a display of innocence in itself.
17. Cruciform Pose - 
18. Cross Associations
19. Miracles and Signs - Use of the force to do all sorts of things like move things, spread water, etc.
20. Simplicity - 
21. Poverty - This is definitely evident as Anakin is a slave and he and his mother do not have much.
22. Jesus Garb - Jedi's do wear robes. It's interesting how Star Wars is supposed to take place in the future, yet they all dress like from the Roman Era.
23. Blue Eyes - Refer to picture above ^.
24. Holy Exclamations
25. J.C. Initials

As you can see the character of Anakin Skywalker displays the majority of traits of a Christ Figure. One of the most popular series of all time evidences a Christ Figure as the main character. If that is not Christianity in Popular Culture, I do not know what is. I have seen Star Wars Episode 1 multiple times and would never have made that connection if it were not for this course. It's amazing how these little connections to Christianity surround us but we never seem to make the connection unless we blatantly look for them.

And that's my rant for this week. It's so cool I can write about Star Wars in a University Class. Until next time, "May the Force be with you".

Week 1 - Homer the Heretic

So this is the episode of the Simpsons where Homer decides to skip Sunday mass because nothing seems to be going his way. It's a already a cold day, Homer's tired and the cherry on top is that his Sunday pants rip as he's putting them on.

Throughout the day Homer is able to do things he wouldn't normally be able to do on Sundays, he makes his favorite waffles, dances in his underwear, wins a radio contest, and to top it all off a boring television program is replaced with a high-scoring football game. Meanwhile, Marge makes it her mission to make it to church - fighting the cold weather and dealing with her reluctant children. When she finally gets there she is greeted by a broken heater and the long version of a sermon.

After being freed from the Church (the doors had frozen shut) by groundskeeper Willie, and then dealing with a car that wouldn't start, Marge and the kids finally make it home. Homer had turned up the heat to full blast and approaches Marge stating that he "had the best day of his life, and was never going to church again". You could tell Marge was horrified, and as soon as Homer said this Bart began to mention that if his father wasn't going, why should he?

Later that night, Homer is visited by God in a dream in which God is angry with Homer for "forsaking his Church" but Homer is able to convince God that Homer should be allowed to worship him in his own way. I mean, Homer is a good man with a good family, why should he spend half of his day in Church listening about how he's going to hell?

I'd really like to discuss the relationship between Homer's justification to God and why so many Christians do not go to church on a weekly basis. The Simpsons really seems to have encapsulated the everyday American view of church in this episode. First it's a hassle to wake up in the morning, drag yourself out of bed on your day off from work and then brave the elements to make it down to your local parish . Then once you're there you sit down to listen to the Word of God but it seems to always be the same negative messages. If you're dragged to Church either by your parents, your wife, or just to avoid the stigma of your local community chances are that you are not going to be pay attention to what is being preached. You're going to sit there, try and day dream and the few messages you will pick up on are the negative ones. It doesn't help that Reverend Lovejoy is probably the most dull and unexciting person in all of Springfield.

 I feel as though our culture has established that what the Simpsons have portrayed is what we now believe Church is. To us it has become hearing how the world is going to end, or how you are a bad person. No one wants to hear about that stuff. Like Homer, many Americans believe that if you are a good person, and do good things there is really no need to go to Church. Why would anyone want to spend an hour a week listening about how they are not a good person, or how they could better themselves when they content with who they are?

Well I believe the answer to this question is also evident in this episode. The answer is the sense of community that Church and religion brings. It's so evident throughout the entire episode. When Krusty comes by to ask Homer for a donation, when Apu says that he has a shrine to Ganeesha, when the Flanders family tries desperately to bring Homer back to the Church. Religion and Church brings the community together. It doesn't matter whether you are of the same religion, Religion in general teaches us the core principles to get along with one another - so much that the Fire Brigade  (made up mostly of characters who were not Christian) attempted to go save Homer from the fire. I don't think it's a coincidence that Homer was saved by the one character who tried so hard to bring him back to his local church - Flanders. I believe Matt Groening and the other writers of the episode were really able to incorporate both the views of the non-church goers and the views of the religious community without upsetting either group pretty well.

And that's my rant about this week's video, looking forward to hear what the rest of you have to think.

First Blog

Dear People of the Internet,

I will shortly begin writing this blog for the University of Toronto Course SMC 305 "Christianity and Popular Culture". I'm extremely excited to begin writing for the blogs for this class but before I do I thought I should explain my layout/title/theme. In the coming weeks I will be commenting on the Course Material, but I thought this theme perfectly characterized what the course this course was about.

For those of you who don't know, Tim Tebow is an American Football player and is currently the starting Quarterback of the NFL team the Denver Broncos. He was actually born in the Philippines where his parents were serving as Baptist Missionaries. Tebow would spend his summers in the Philippines assisting with his parent's missionary work. 

I could write 50 page biography on Tim Tebow, but I'm going to stick to the important facts regarding why I chose this layout. There is such a split in the American population regarding Tim Tebow. Some love him for his Conservative religious views while others love to criticize his religious "evangelism". Either way Tim found a way to lead the Bronco's to the playoffs, beating the heavily favoured Pittsburgh Steelers in the first round. 

Tebow's young career has already seen multiple 'miraculous' comebacks and it has put him in the spotlight. This is only interesting because Tim Tebow is not even a good Quarterback. When it comes to passing, he has one of the lowest Ratings in the league yet he is still able to win games for Denver.

I truly believe this phenomenon is a perfect characterization of Christianity and Popular Culture in our day. Many people believe God answers Tebow's prayers to win games, while others like to make fun of his religious  beliefs. Either way, "Tebowmania" has taken North America by storm and is evident throughout the Sports Community.

Below, find some Youtube videos on Tim Tebow, where you can see Broadcaster's personal opinions, Tebow's miraculous drives and pretty much anything to do with "Tebowmania".

Thanks, hope you guys come back to comment on my posts relating to the course.

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