All-Star California Soul 5 Gospel Theme....

[cmpayne]

This is kind of a indecisive thing for me. Do I have a problem with it? Of course not.

As someone said, it's their freedom of religion so they should be able to. But how would we react if a gym had music that was worshiping the devil or something different? It's their first amendment right, too... But I know it would offend a lot of people and cause trouble. Even though this is very unlikely to happen and I was just throwing out an example, you just never know about people these days.

Even though I have no problem with their music whatsoever and I actually kind of like it... If there's a chance it could offend someone, I think you should avoid or keep it very simple.

 

[WorkToWin]

People aren't complaining about California expressing their religious views, they are commenting because they feel like they are making fun of their own. I don't think that was California's intent of course, but it does come off that way.

 

[cheermeup]

Madonna has BTDT.

I would question coaches if my child were on that team, because as a parent that's my right.

As a spectator, I can look or not look.

 

[BuegeSmalls]

I'm just sitting in class dying to watch this routine and listen to the music but I don't have head phones

 

[luxerae]

I can't really understand the music from the video and I can't turn it up any louder because I'm at work right now, but from reading the thread, there are a couple of things that I'm taken back about. Not on a personal level, it doesn't offend me, but I know that it might offend other people who are more religious. I know that's not their intent, but they might end up getting a couple complaints at competitions. In my opinion, I wouldn't have taken that route to simply just avoid the drama.

The Jesus loves winners thing is pretty funny though. I just hope that younger kids don't take it seriously.

 

[chyeeaaa69]

Ignoring the theme this routine is incredible, I'll say that.
Personally, I'm not religious at all, it doesn't offend me, but I see how it could be offensive. The way I look at it, if none of the athletes/parents are offended, more power to 'em. Judging by the tweets from these athletes I've seen they absolutely love it. It helps that they dance to one of my favourite songs of all time. I can't hate it.

 

[cheerKT]

There are SO many other cute themes out there, why do teams have to venture into questionable territory with things like religious themes?

For the record, I think they could do without the opening cross stunt and the girl crossing herself and getting "praised" at the end. Those were the worst parts in my opinion.

 

[kristenthegreat]

The ending pose and the signing of the cross and the upside-down bit 'upset' me the most, or rather, are the things that kinda make me squirm in my seat a little.

You absolutely have the freedom to express your religious beliefs. I, however, have the freedom to not want them in my life, and make my way accordingly. As competing in cheer is a PUBLIC thing and not a PRIVATE event (unlike what happens in a gym/pre-comp rituals/etc), that kinda makes things a little weird.

I don't think it's so much the theme, it's the boundary-pushing bits that probably didn't need to be in there. I couldn't hear all the words/music, so I didn't hear Cali-freakin-Jesus..but if that's in there, idk WHAT they were thinking. At all. I'm not religious but even I don't go that far. Does anyone have the audio alone?

ETA: Maybe I'm alone- but some people didn't look super comfortable in the dance..don't know if that was injury or whatever, but they didn't seem all that enthusiastic.

 

[gofriars610]

I did policy debate in highschool. I learned fast that religion is not one of those things you debate because the is no solid case you can build on it. You should know this unless you're a silly Lincoln Douglas debater. You can't call someone out on religion. I find the routine offensive but I also respect your beliefs that its not to you. No one is trying to shove any thing down anyone's throat. So stay calm and only debate things you can build a solid factual based argument against.

Shimmied for that. Carry on.

(I'm a 3x Student Congress debate state champion)

 

[Boo21]

Cali is a religious team (to magical mom that claimed they were not) and as a PCM parent how would you know? If you go to any competition they pray together before competing. I know this theme was never meant to offend anyone but to just celebrate the glory of God in their own way.

 

[Mom Jeans]

Almost every team I know of prays before they compete. I think Magical Mom was saying that they are not one of the programs in our area that are considered a Christian based program, I had never heard that they were and we do have a couple in area and its well known. This is the first I heard of that and I know several kids and families from CA.

I think she also said she used to work there.

 

[BuegeSmalls]

Does anybody have a link to their music? It's hard to hear in the video.

 

[FierceinTeal]

Cali is a religious team (to magical mom that claimed they were not) and as a PCM parent how would you know? If you go to any competition they pray together before competing. I know this theme was never meant to offend anyone but to just celebrate the glory of God in their own way.

Although this has nothing to do with the topic, because being religious or not does not change how the routine came of to me, Like magical mom I never took CA as being a "religious gym". And before you ask, YES, my family has been a part of CA! Yes, they pray but so does every other team she has been on. I don't think saying a prayer makes you a "Religious" program. There's more to it than that.

 

[kristenthegreat]

I mean, I've been around here for a while and I've NEVER gotten the impression that Cali was a faith-based gym. Unless that's a recent development..

Praying before competing, to me, doesn't immediately signify a 'faith-based' org.

 

[Deleted member 11199]

It's just a theme... They're not mocking religion and it shouldn't be taken so seriously