Soccer, sin and supplication

The prayer of the current Brazilian team is not “God help us win the World Cup”, but … “Lord, whichever team brings you the most glory, may they win the World Cup”. Well if glory, has anything to do with numbers, then the South Koreans arrived in Germany, believing they were assured of the Cup. Lee Young-Pye, their defender said that previously they had only six Christians, in 2006 they have twelve.

The Church of England, produced not one, but two special prayers, and saw an unprecedented number of hits on their website. Officially they prayed that those, “who watch or engage find ... what it means to be made in the image of the One who played the cosmos into being”.

And how could God ignore the prayer which begins,

Our father whose heart is football

Hallowed be thy game

Thy England come

Thy will be done …

German churches see the Cup as a “grand evangelical opportunity”. The 64 games are being shown in about 16,000 church buildings; there’s a “740-hour central international prayer camp” and “sports balls for Christ”; and half time 15-minute prayer services for football fans. As well, German Christians are calling upon Christians around the world to pray “for a spiritual awakening in Germany”.

There are prayer books, prayer calendars and prayers for multi million dollar clubs and players, but hardly a thought for the 300,000 dead and six million displaced in Darfur!

In fact there’s a pervasive silence on any kind of evil and sin, let alone the evil that surrounds a World Cup.

The Council of Europe, however, warned that between 30,000 and 60,000 “women and girls will fall victim to forced prostitution and abuse during the World Cup”. A UN report on trafficking, lists “Germany as one of the top destinations for women …”

No special prayers from the Church of England for these women.