Christians and Softball

[OtherCheek]

Recently in the news, there was a story of a Christian softball league who rejected participation from a Mormon team because of their beliefs. While I think they have every right to do this, since it is a privately held league, I wonder about the wisdom of such an action and what kind of a payout the rule makers are thinking they will get from this action. Is it the correct example of Christ-like behavior to set for others who are not of your Faith?

http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/lifesty...hurch.html.csp

[mossrose]

Well, you won't let me into your temple, so I guess that makes us even.

[nrajeff]

Well, you won't let me into your temple, so I guess that makes us even.

How badly do you want to get in?

a) As badly as the LDS team wanted to play softball with the PA teams;
b) Less, or no desire at all, really.
c) More than the LDS team wanted to play softball with the PA teams.

[mossrose]

B. I think your temple is to a false god so I have no desire whatsoever to be allowed in.

Just trying to make a point.

You know, pot, kettle, all that.

[nrajeff]

Yeah, I used to give "Russ" a hard time when he would whine "You won't let me into your temple!" and I would quote where he had said "I want nothing to do with it." Why do people complain about not being allowed where they wouldn't be caught dead going in the first place? Makes little sense.

As does comparing softball games with religious holy sites.

[Little Shepherd]

Christians are to fellowship with other Christians. The New Testament makes kind of a big deal out of it.
So to facilitate this, the organizers set this league up specifically for Christians to fellowship with other Christians via playing softball together.
Mormons aren't Christians. Therefore they are not invited into a specifically-Christian fellowship.
This is good and Christlike behavior. To do otherwise would be to grant at least the appearance that they accept Mormons as fellow Christians, given their purpose, and that would be bad.

Nothing wrong with calling a spade a spade and treating it thusly.

[Hamster]

I have no idea what their softball league is like but if one of the requirements is Normotraditionorthodoxo Christianity then there's nothing wrong or offensive here. Framing the situation around their decision as "Mormons aren't Christian enough" or "We hate Mormons" is disingenuous.

What if one of you gospel posse dimwits ends up with my liver? It’s a Mormon liver.

Yeah, and? It's not about distaste for Mormons as people but religious fellowship, and Mormonism and Traditiononormodoxy Christianity are different religions.

Hey, all things being equal, the corneas of a Jew will work just fine on a set of Muslim eyeballs.

So what exactly happens if a Mormon gets Muslim eye transplants? Do they have to leave their eyeballs on a dish outside the temple before they go in? This is silly. "You're a different religion from us" is not a statement of hate, so stop framing it that way to hide the real issue (the huge doctrinal differences)

It wasn't just about softball, it was Christian fellowship in the form of softball

[OtherCheek]

It's funny how prejudice works. We all have it.
For example, I might have a hard time with an "all gay" softball team playing in a league I belong to. But I shouldn't. I would have a hard time with the Scouts having gay scoutmasters, but I think there are different reasons for that than with softball leagues. But I wouldn't have a problem with black scout leaders or softball league participants, as long as they follow the same rules of no profanity that apply to everyone else. As long as the participants agree to high standards of conduct, I would be ok with whatever their beliefs are--with the noted exception of a belief in the practice of cannibalism and satan worship.

[OtherCheek]

Christians are to fellowship with other Christians. The New Testament makes kind of a big deal out of it.
So to facilitate this, the organizers set this league up specifically for Christians to fellowship with other Christians via playing softball together.
Mormons aren't Christians. Therefore they are not invited into a specifically-Christian fellowship.
This is good and Christlike behavior. To do otherwise would be to grant at least the appearance that they accept Mormons as fellow Christians, given their purpose, and that would be bad.

Nothing wrong with calling a spade a spade and treating it thusly.

is there justification in the Bible for a Christian to fellowship with such as a Hindu, or a Muslim, or a Shinto-ist, or a Mormon?

[Hamster]

It's funny how prejudice works.

There's no prejudice here unless the preconceived notion is "People who attend a Mormon church are going to be practicing Mormons"

[OtherCheek]

There's no prejudice here unless the preconceived notion is "People who attend a Mormon church are going to be practicing Mormons"

? I must be dense because I can't decipher your point.

[Hamster]

? I must be dense because I can't decipher your point.

I'll post their response:

""It's more than softball -- it's church softball. If you're saying something's a church, that's more important than what's on the field," said Bryson Hoobler, 31, of Grove City, president of the league, who considers it a Christian league.

"Most of our churches don't view them as Christians. We don't regard the LDS church as a Christian church," Hoobler said. "When you include someone in a group -- that's kind of like saying they're fundamentally the same as most people in the group. We don't feel that's accurate with LDS.""

It would be bigoted if their rationale was "We know Mormon children misbehave and frankly we don't want any of our equipment stolen" or something to that effect.

[nrajeff]

I'll post their response:

""It's more than softball -- it's church softball. If you're saying something's a church, that's more important than what's on the field," said Bryson Hoobler, 31, of Grove City, president of the league, who considers it a Christian league.

"Most of our churches don't view them as Christians. We don't regard the LDS church as a Christian church," Hoobler said. "When you include someone in a group -- that's kind of like saying they're fundamentally the same as most people in the group. We don't feel that's accurate with LDS.""

It would be bigoted if their rationale was "We know Mormon children misbehave and frankly we don't want any of our equipment stolen" or something to that effect.

So if there was an LDS softball league, and it prohibited left-handed people from playing because "This is more than a game, it's for humans to fellowship, and LDS don't believe lefties are humans" then you'd say that was a perfectly reasonable policy that no one should criticize?

[Cerebrum123]

So if there was an LDS softball league, and it prohibited left-handed people from playing because "This is more than a game, it's for humans to fellowship, and LDS don't believe lefties are humans" then you'd say that was a perfectly reasonable policy that no one should criticize?

Not even CLOSE to a valid comparison. Mormons CHOOSE to be Mormon, but left handed people do not choose to be left handed. Nerve wiring is rather complicated, and being right handed is the most common way that wiring works. Mormonism however, isn't something you're born with, and you can choose to quit anytime.

[Little Shepherd]

is there justification in the Bible for a Christian to fellowship with such as a Hindu, or a Muslim, or a Shinto-ist, or a Mormon?

In a sense, yes, but certainly not as brothers and sisters in Christ. Fellowshipping with other Christians is different in this regard, and is not to be treated the same as associating(no matter how positive, friendly, etc. such association is) with non-Christians.