Players don’t pray for touchdowns In reference...

Players don’t pray

for touchdowns

In reference to the Friday mailbag letters about team prayer at

high school football games, I doubt if any of these guys have

participated or have a child that has participated in sports. The

prayer is not mandatory for any player who wishes not to pray. They

do not pray for touchdowns, but they do pray for both teams’ safety,

sportsmanship and good entertainment.

BUD BARDSLEY

Costa Mesa

Letter not about disrespecting prayer

I wrote a Forum letter entitled “God doesn’t have a favorite

team,” which appeared in Friday’s Daily Pilot. Since that time, there

have been at least four direct responses that have been published and

likely countless others that have not (perhaps due to strong

language). Religion is a sensitive topic; I only wish environmental

and other justice issues would receive a fraction of this attention.

To the first letter, written by Frank X. Muscatello, I responded

with a personal note to the author.

Now, I would like the opportunity to more clearly state my purpose

for writing that letter (of Friday) for the benefit of recent letter

writers Bettina Deininger, the elder Steve Joslin, Mark Frazier and

anyone else confused about my intent.

First, please note that I defended Steve Joslin’s point that the

team prayer ought to have been properly represented. This has been

universally overlooked.

I also strongly believe that all people have the moral right to

pray any time or any place they choose.

I have played team and individual sports my entire life. I believe

athletic training and competition build a strong foundation for

success -- however one chooses to define success. And, yes, prayer

was even part of athletics 30 years ago. However, in that generation,

I was taught that prayer ought to be performed humbly in private --

whether it be the locker room, dugout or in my heart -- and that we

ought not pray for specific outcomes, but for God’s will.

Seeing a group prayer on the athletic field drew my ire because I

saw some parallels with the way God is increasingly invoked in

athletics. Our society has elevated athletes and athletics to iconic

status.

We seem to revere athletes more than physicians or even our young

men in military uniform.

I am concerned that prayers invoking God in the amateur athletic

arena only build a future generation of stars like Sammy Sosa, Deion

Sanders, Barry Bonds.

When one letter writer states that attempting to win a

championship is the “ultimate challenge,” I have to believe this

person has had little hardship in his life so far.

I have played in, and lost, two championship-level games. And,

while I was disappointed, that disappointment was minor compared with

life’s more significant challenges (education, career, poverty,

injury, illness, death of a friend or relative). Talk to Pat

Tillman’s family about ultimate challenges.

When I see a young person behave in a way that I believe

diminishes the importance of God, I feel I ought to make my opinion

heard. I was taught that God ought to be invoked humbly and that God

does not micromanage: “Thy will be done.”

When I was young, elder opinions helped shape me in ways that I

believe have been beneficial, whether I agreed with them. These young

men can handle criticism just as we did when we were young and even

today.

In response to the elder Steve Joslin, I did not intend to be

hurtful. The satire of my letter was lost in translation: Those who

know me understand. In my experience, teams that pray after games

also pray before games.

I wondered (privately) how “heathen, secularist” Newport Harbor

could ever expect to defeat Orange Lutheran (tongue firmly in cheek).

My point that God ought to be invoked humbly and sparingly is how I

was taught to believe.

God can be in my heart and soul continuously without being on my

sleeve (or the athletic field). If you do not agree, I respect your

right to disagree, just as I respect the younger Steve Joslin’s moral

right to pray as he wishes.

This is America -- one of a handful of countries where we can

practice our beliefs openly and criticize beliefs we do not agree

with. I have lived in places where you cannot do this.

Anyone who would like to discuss this over a cup of coffee can

simply give me a call: I am in the book. And, as for Muscatello, I am

still waiting for my coasters!

JAY B. LITVAK

Costa Mesa