The American Spectator

THE SPORTING LIFE br> Re: Francis X. Rocca’s Buy God : /p>

Though I agree with Francis X. Rocca’s observation about shopping , one can’t help use his arguments to point to a bigger American idol: sports.

Sports is a great filler for life of course because there’s no serious threat from it. We can’t offend someone the same way we would if we talked about politics or religion. Moreover, besides the occasional Colombian soccer player or English hoodlum, no one dies being a sports fanatic. The same can’t be said of Chinese democracy workers or practicing Christians in some Middle Eastern countries.

Show up at any sports event (I call them services) and you realize it’s amazingly like a large church, where a friendly audience gathers to cheer on the home team. All you need is a short 15 minute sermon — which sports commentators gladly provide. As a friend’s shirt pontificates, people love to “Eat, sleep, sports”.

p>Of course there’s nothing wrong with playing midnight hockey or catching the finals on TV. However, when a culture devotes much of its time to filler, the rest of life, including God, becomes halftime entertainment. br> — Jose Ruba br> Ottawa, Ontario /p> p> ENEMY OF THE WEEK