One of my son's sports coaches sent an email to the team summing up the season last week. Within the body, he referenced a Bible verse related to something better yet to come since our season ended with a disappointing loss (1 Peter 5:6).
After reading the email (then Googling the verse) I began to wonder if some recipients might have felt a little put off by the mention of the verse in this context. I have a friend who I know would have felt uncomfortable and another who would have thought nothing of it.
I know this is common in blogs, and many blog writers sign their names in posts and emails with significant verses from the Bible. Sometimes I feel like it is intended as inspiration and other times a point is being made.
It's Feedback Friday...
Does it make you feel something specific when you see Bible verses quoted in every day settings?
Do you feel like the writers are imposing their beliefs or naturally mentioning something on their mind?
Do you feel like the writers are imposing their beliefs or naturally mentioning something on their mind?
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ReplyDeleteI'm pretty religous, but it's not personally something I would do in a mass e-mail. I don't mind if other's do. When companies use scriptures as part of there advertising campaigns etc it bugs me b/c it doesn't seem sincere.
ReplyDeleteI´m a European atheist, and quoting lines from the bible is very uncommon over here. When I first started blogging, and snooping around at others blogs, I was... slightly surprised by the omnipresence of religious displays.
ReplyDeleteIt wasn´t that I felt offended, I just felt like the person behind the blog might be a little weird, and saw it as a cultural difference.
Now that I know some of those bloggers a little better, I feel like this:
I love music and literature. I can quote lines of books and songs for every occasion, and you´ll either find me blasting my music earshattering loud, or reading a book, or both. I mainly give books and CD´s as presents, to everybody, because I´m on a mission. I want others to feel what I felt, want to make them understand why I love a certain song or a certain author so much, and why they changed the world for me.
I feel like some Christians are similar. I like to quote Harry Potter or Jason Mraz, well, their like to quote the bible. Whatever speaks for them.
The only reason when I feel it becomes dangerous is when religion becomes exclusive, when the bible becomes a shield against things the believer is afraid of or doesn´t understand (like homosexuality), and when the bible is used as an excuse to bully others around.
It's not something I do, but it doesn't bother me at all. The ones who use scripture as a hammer bother me(to knock down those they disapprove of,) but verse meant as inspiration has never bothered me.
ReplyDeleteHonestly, it makes me uncomfortable whenever people make religious references in a non-religious setting (such as a sports email, unless your child goes to a religion-based school). There are ways to be inspirational without being religious. I think that you have to consider your audience, and if you're not sure if they all share your religious views, I think it best to leave religion out of it.
ReplyDeleteI always use a Scripture verse in my posts because I am a Christian and the Bible speaks much louder than my words! I don't want people to think I am just making up ideas. I want all I believe to be based upon God's Word.
ReplyDeleteI don't think it's that huge a deal if you look at it in the context of him adding a quotation to prove his point. It doesn't sound like he was proselytizing based on the verse he used. He just happened to choose a Biblical quotation instead of one from Emerson, Twain, or some other source. If he had chosen a quotation from any other source, I doubt it would even have registered. I wouldn't get offended by it at all if I were the recipient.
ReplyDeleteGood topic! Freedom of speech is one of the things that make our country great. I feature scripture in my blog because the Word is the reason for everything I do. It is my reason for waking up in the morning. My feeling is that it would not be right for me to have a blog and not represent the main part of my life... and that's what a blog is, sharing your life.
ReplyDeleteI'm a pretty outspoken Christian. Scritures are a natural part of my conversations because I read them everyday. They are the guideline by which I base all of my decisions. I am not a compartmentalized person at all. To me, faith, scripture etc is in all things. I don't just reserve it for church - it is in every part of my life. So for someone to send a scripture in an email about a football game - I think it's cool. It must've been what was on his heart when he wrote the email. It sounds like he wanted to encourage people after a tough loss and to look forward to better things to come. I dig it.
ReplyDeleteI think all people should be free to express what inspires them-as long as it is not hateful or dangerous. The problem in this country is that we are too easily offended by everything. I'm a Christian, and I hope that people of other religions feel free to tell me what inspires them. Even if I disagree, I can respect them and have an open and honest conversation about our differences.
ReplyDeleteI think people get so up in arms because they want their own choices and beliefs justified, so they get scared when someone thinks differently-this is true not just of religion, but parenting choices, health choices, etc. We should just be confident in our own choices and let others express theirs too.
What bothers me is when people use Bible verses out of context. In the case of your coach, I'm not sure it was appropriate to use that verse because that verse is addressed specifically to the Church and is about respecting authority and being a servant. Doesn't seem to apply to your situation!
I'm often turned off when I see public displays and written prayers and bible passages in day to day activities. I feel a strong faith in God and pray daily, but I feel that prayer is a personal and private conversation between myself and God. When I watch sports competitions on tv and see players cross themselves and raise their hands and pray in a very public way I roll my eyes. The bible verse I live by instructs us to go to our private place and pray in secret, Matthew 6:6.
ReplyDeletegood question, well as a practicing Orthodox Muslim I dont feel offended, it makes me feel good to see that other people are as touched by their religion as I am mine. I like to see religion present, however in school sport area, I might not so much because there is no way to include people of all religions and believes, even if you just mention God, to others (Atheists) they wont connect and you may offend parents. But blogs are peoples personal feelings and thoughts, if you go to a blog and you dont like that someone is speaking about religion....then dont read it!
ReplyDeleteI find bible quotes beautiful and it doesn't bother me at all when people use them...as long as they use them correctly. I suppose I wonder if the same people would be offended if he had made his point without a direct quote from the bible...but by saying the same thing as the quote.
ReplyDeleteI choose to see as it is meant. He was making a point and chose to do so by using a quote that he thought made the point best. It's no different than using a poem or song lyrics. They are someone else's words, that you feel speaks what you wish to say.
I would have passed judgement if I saw that from a coach, and certainly if it was a high school coach (not in this case, right?) since that would be a team on which a child would have to try out. My judgement would be me thinking the coach needs to be a little smarter in the world in which we live today.
ReplyDeleteThere was a big case at Univ of GA in which a Jewish girl did not make a cheerleading team because she says she refused to participate in the coach's prayers. The girl won big time.
I have been to some of my son's high school baseball dinners and there are payers and it always makes me wonder why they don't think that it may make some people feel left out.
I don't get super offended about people mentioning their religions as long as they're not pushy about it. I really hate feeling like someone is trying to convert me without even knowing where I stand spiritually. And that goes for people who try to convince me that atheism is superior too. When it comes to spirituality, I think it's something everyone has to decide for themselves.
ReplyDeleteI also think that people who feel they have the right to openly reference their own beliefs should be equally tolerant to others doing the same. I wonder if this coach would have been cool with someone sending him an email with an excerpt from the Qur'an or a Wiccan chant.
This blog seems to be really very much informative. Its really a good work done.
ReplyDeletePeople need to realize when to leave religion out of it. It's like when you call someone's office and get their voice mail (and at the end of their message, they God bless or something). While I don't care, some take extreme offense to that. Don't do it - better safe than sorry.
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