All-Star Religion In The Gym

[canttouchthis]

well let me rephrase i do go to the temple every now and then and get blessed by the monk and i have a buddha head as well as rosary in my house because my family is very mixed and i love it but yeah pretty much

 

[Tamzin]

Do you think the parents would be pissed if they stunted to this?

Could work well for worlds? since that's either before or after easter yeah?

I like the idea of a group huddle and the coach could say a few words but more like a team boost/ you know you can do it type thing rather than a prayer and then just huddle for like a minute or whatever to reflect privately and those that want to pray, pray to themselves ...

 

[xoxbeastbackspotxox]

Our gym doesnt do team prayer but I cross myself before a performance, just a superstition!

 

[INeverStopCheering]

We just talked about this in school today. Gotta love Ethics class. I think if the gym bills itself as a religious organization, than you know what you're getting into. Otherwise, I think praying should be kept to a minimum and be very non-denominational, i.e. not Thank you Jesus my Savior, because not all people believe in that. At my gym, when we do say a prayer before we compete we say Dear Lord to encompass everyone. In other circumstances we pray to the cheer lords. But I honestly think that the purpose of an end of practice ritual like that should be to make the kids feel good about themselves and what they've accomplished. So if the prayer does that than yes. If it's more there because of the coaches beliefs and it has no effect on the children than it should go.

 

[drewpate]

My gym has gotten away lately from praying at every practice, but every team prays before competing. We are a very openly Christian gym, in fact while we go as Cheer force all stars, our facility and the collective departments are known as SONshine Academy. While our staff is not all entirely religious, myself included, we all do our part to be a positive christian influence and an environment for the kids.

 

[2CPMOM]

SIDENOTE...if you keep God out of the gym...well...you know...

What will hapen??

 

[lakerfantlc]

What will hapen??

Um.....then He won't be with you...

 

[canttouchthis]

Um.....then He won't be with you...

so many replies to that but i will not comment!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[lakerfantlc]

so many replies to that but i will not comment!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

That's the beauty of faith...He knocks.. You can choose not to open the door. Anyhoo... I think everyone has a right to pray... Or not... I won't make you pray... You don't ask me to stop...

 

[fiercerando88]

Okay, so let me start by saying that I'm not religious in the slightest sense, but I have a few very close friends who are super Catholic, and cousins who are Jewish. I've had friends study world religions intently (always interesting topics) and they've taught me a lot over the years, and I respect their religious beliefs. However, I don't like religion forced on me and I feel uncomfortable when people pray around me (especially at funerals, when everyone goes up to get communion and I sit there, or they know all the words, and I sit there). I agree with whoever said some of the prayer after practice may have something to do with where you're from. I'm not sure of any gym around me that does that, mine certainly did not. If they did, I would step away during that time. I'd feel awkward and left out of the team if it was a team event. I agree with @ztaprincess that if a team wanted to pray, I think it'd need to be 100% approval, with parents approval as well. Closing practice as a team is an important bonding experience, I feel, and having one or two people not feel comfortable (if they end with a prayer) with that would be somewhat detrimental. I mean, if it were the opposite, and let's say, most of the team was ending practice with a Hebrew prayer or something, and you're kids aren't Jewish, they'd be left out. Being left out of anything sucks, and to be left out of a team experience that ends practice, or starts a competition would be even worse I imagine. Just my opinion! I don't mean to offend anyone, and I'm sorry if I did, I just feel that religion is a serious thing, and if someone's not comfortable with it, that shouldn't mean they're left out of a team activity as a result.

 

[canttouchthis]

That's the beauty of faith...He knocks.. You can choose not to open the door. Anyhoo... I think everyone has a right to pray... Or not... I won't make you pray... You don't ask me to stop...

what if i look through the peephole?

 

[canttouchthis]

Okay, so let me start by saying that I'm not religious in the slightest sense, but I have a few very close friends who are super Catholic, and cousins who are Jewish. I've had friends study world religions intently (always interesting topics) and they've taught me a lot over the years, and I respect their religious beliefs. However, I don't like religion forced on me and I feel uncomfortable when people pray around me (especially at funerals, when everyone goes up to get communion and I sit there, or they know all the words, and I sit there). I agree with whoever said some of the prayer after practice may have something to do with where you're from. I'm not sure of any gym around me that does that, mine certainly did not. If they did, I would step away during that time. I'd feel awkward and left out of the team if it was a team event. I agree with @ztaprincess that if a team wanted to pray, I think it'd need to be 100% approval, with parents approval as well. Closing practice as a team is an important bonding experience, I feel, and having one or two people not feel comfortable (if they end with a prayer) with that would be somewhat detrimental. I mean, if it were the opposite, and let's say, most of the team was ending practice with a Hebrew prayer or something, and you're kids aren't Jewish, they'd be left out. Being left out of anything sucks, and to be left out of a team experience that ends practice, or starts a competition would be even worse I imagine. Just my opinion! I don't mean to offend anyone, and I'm sorry if I did, I just feel that religion is a serious thing, and if someone's not comfortable with it, that shouldn't mean they're left out of a team activity as a result.

i agree 100% with you. my motto ," keep your religion out of my school out of my throat and we will be the greatest of friends" hahahha

 

[lakerfantlc]

what if i look through the peephole?

thats cool....He waits..))

 

[canttouchthis]

thats cool....He waits..))

bahah! good responce im just poking fun.

i did go to private christian school for 10 years and hated it, i did try the whole christian thing but as a young child i knew i liked the same sex and when they told me that was horrible i just quit with it all because well never mind we can pm about all that but i did try and since then i looked at all religions and to me Buddhism is something i like better and some of my family is Buddhist. i just never felt that "spiritual" feeling as some Christians say, i never felt the presence but when i do chants at the temple i feel it all around but maybe thats just me, but back to the original topic i respect all religions in fact i have a bumper sticker that says "coexist" and i love it, because religion is a sacred thing and i think people should respect it.

 

[cmpayne]

We pray every time backstage before we compete and as far as I know nobody has a problem with it. I think coming together in a circle and holding hands and just saying things that you hope will happen such as hitting all stunts, tumbling, nobody gets hurt, etc. is always comforting and makes me less nervous and more excited.
You don't necessarily have to mention God in case there are people who are uncomfortable with it though. I don't believe in forcing beliefs on others, if there is a person or are people on the team that don't have the same views then you should try to find a happy middle between them like I mentioned before. Don't make people who are religious feel like they can't talk about it, but don't make people who aren't feel like they have to. And never leave members out because of their personal beliefs. They came here to cheer & have fun and I don't think anyone should feel uncomfortable or out of place in their gym b/c of this.