Does G-D Watch the World Cup?

I have to admit that as an American I follow soccer very casually. I catch a few of the exhibitions the national team plays between World Cups, but only get focused for the World Cup. Being on vacation allowed me to structure my day around the various matches during the first round.
I woke Cassie up on two different mornings, so that I could get her to school and get back to watch the various matches. I even tried to get my wife to go with me to buy a vuvuzela, enhance the experience and all. The first round of games were both thrilling and agonizing. It was still a thrill without my vuvuzela.
As I got ready to watch today's match against Ghana, my daughter, Cassie chose to watch Men in Black II instead. Rather than fight my 5 year old for control of the TV, I watched the univision feed online. Whenever I've watched a sporting event online there has been an area to converse with others watching the same event. Most of the time these conversations are about good or bad plays, good or bad refereeing and the like. However, occasionally during these events (not just the World Cup) people will ask others to pray to G-D in order for their chosen team to win. I wouldn't have brought this up except that it happened again today.
Don't get me wrong; I lose sleep over the Saints or the University of Arizona. My mood improved immeasurably when the Saints beat the Colts for the Super Bowl victory. I enjoy and take sports pretty seriously. However, I think it is crazy to ask G-D to favor one team over another. The Saints won, does that mean that Brees is divinely favored over Manning? Does some cosmic force like Colston more than Wayne? Considering today's match, does the Lord like Ghana more than the good old U.S.A.?
This whole line of argument is ludicrous and insulting to the individuals. If G-D involves himself or herself in the matters of men, I can understand inspiring men or women to great things, such as solving international crises, or other major issues.

I brought this up to someone once before, and they said G-D had limitless resources and could do it all. Presuming that is true, I still don't think divine forces get involved in whether one athletic enterprise is successful and another is a failure. Please do not misunderstand me, if a group prays before or after the game regarding the health of all the participants that is a different issue entirely.

But as for the success of an athletic team, I think people should respect and honor the participants that take part, and not bring the divine into it.

Raffle for the Gulf Coast

I saw this on WWL Email Alert- Every little bit helps:


Grand Prize:

• Winner will receive an authentic New Orleans Saints Super Bowl Ring (the same exact ring
  the players receive)
• Winner will be announced at the Nationally Televised New Orleans Saints Season Opener
  on September 9, 2010
• Winner will receive a cash prize in the amount of $2,178.00 to mitigate the Winner's tax liability that results from winning the raffle. This prize is withheld and paid, on behalf of the Winner, directly to the IRS ($1,800.00) and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts ($378.00)

Help the New Orleans Saints in their efforts to help those affected by the Gulf Coast Oil Spill and, in return, you could be wearing own New Orleans Saints Super Bowl Ring. Tickets start at just $2.00 each and decrease for orders of more than 5 tickets. The New Orleans Saints and are utilizing the Celebrities for Charity Foundation ("CFC") and netRaffle.org's patented concepts and technologies to conduct this raffle and tickets are only available online at this web site. Enter online today and rest assured that CFC never stores your credit card information and utilizes secure routers and IBM Servers, professionally managed, to ensure that your information is secure and that your order is accurately processed.

In addition to this, you should also rest assured that CFC values your generosity and netRaffle.org's patented concepts and technologies are designed to deliver the utmost efficiency and unprecedented results. Direct Expenses amount to approximately 8.5% of Gross Revenue and decrease to 5% (or less) of Gross Revenue as more tickets per order are sold. In addition to Direct Expenses, a 5% Gaming Tax is paid to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. After the Direct Expenses and the Gaming Tax are paid, the yield to charity is a minimum of approximately 86.5% of Gross Revenue for a minimum purchase of 5 tickets ( $10.00). This increases to approximately 90% of Gross Revenue for a purchase of 20 tickets ( $25.00), And the yield percentage continues to increase as more tickets per order are purchased. These proceeds will benefit the New Orleans Saints Foundation and the many charities supported by the Celebrities For Charity Foundation.

While you must be 18 years of age, or older, to purchase a ticket, which the Entrant will need to prove prior to being certified as the Winner, CFC's ordering process and rules allow the Entrant to Gift their tickets to another person, which may or may not be a minor. However, it is important to note that regardless of whether or not the Entrant gifts his or her tickets to another party, the Entrant will still need to prove that he or she is 18 years of age, or older, prior to the ticket holder being certified as the Winner. Furthermore, you should also note that neither the Entrant nor the Gift Recipient, if tickets are gifted, need to be present at the Drawing to win; the Winner will be notified. Also, although this experience of a lifetime is priceless, the value of the tangible prizes (e.g., as applicable in any given raffle, hotel, travel, meals, tickets, taxes, etc.) is $7,200.00.

https://celebritiesforcharity.org/raffles/raffles_or.cfm?id=135

Web Junk June 2010

Thanks Jen....