Expansion Good Friday Football is here!

[Vdubs]

so australia is a christian country because we have public holidays on Good Friday, Easter Sunday and Christmas?

that's your argument?

What's your argument? How do you explain the fact that we follow the Christian days of importance and have public holidays, and have done so forever. Just because it is diluted down in importance and relevance to you and numerous others, does not detract from the fact. The whole argument here is pathetic people wanting to change for the sake of change and belligerence. If it is all about footy, why not have a game a day every week. If your point is that you demand a game on GF because the day has absolutely no significance to you, then I say the public holidays should be scrapped because the majority have no idea why we have a holiday, and if they have an idea , they disrespect it anyway.

 

[Black Flag]

Australia is a secular state, but the most popular religion is Christianity.

The majority of Australian customs either derive from or are heavily influenced by Western European traditions, which are largely influenced by Christianity.

your preaching to the choir here. tell mr. "brilliance".

 

[Black Flag]

What's your argument? How do you explain the fact that we follow the Christian days of importance and have public holidays, and have done so forever. Just because it is diluted down in importance and relevance to you and numerous others, does not detract from the fact.

read scotland's post.

 

[PortBrillance]

Answer the question

 

[R00StaR]

Australia is a secular state, but the most popular religion is Christianity.

The majority of Australian customs either derive from or are heavily influenced by Western European traditions, which are largely influenced by Christianity.

Yep and theres plenty of countries people can move to if they dont like it. I understand countries like North Korea and Iran dont like Christianity much either, perhaps a nice option for people?

People are entitled to opinions but if its really that big of a problem to you, you have options.

Edit: Btw im all for AFL game/s being played on Good Friday.

 

[Richo83]

Just because Australia is mostly Christian in terms of believers doesn't mean it can't have sport on good friday.

For instance, the US, UK and Italy, predominantly Christian nations all play matches of key sporting leagues (nba, premier league, serie a). Ipso facto, if it's acceptable for other Christian nations then the "we're a Christian nation" argument seems rather weak. It isn't a big deal in these countries, why is it a big deal here?

Christians who complain about sport being played on good friday are manufacturing a rather arbitrary complaint, largely aided by the afl, which states that sport should not/cannot be played on good friday, when no law within Christianity forbids such a practice. It is possible to pay your religious respects and still enjoy sport.

This attitude that says that "well if they don't like Christians then move" is baffling. One doesn't have to be a Christianophobe to question why the afl wont play sport on good friday, especially when they do it in many other Christian dominated nations, without a hitch I might add.

 

[Black Flag]

Answer the question

what defines a state as being christian is incredibly complex and could fill volumes. i will say it goes a lot deeper than having holidays on easter and xmas though lol.

so, what about the christian traditions we DON'T follow any more like stoning people to death and crucifixion? does not following these make us any less a christian nation in your eyes or do we not follow them because they are outdated relics of the past?

so, if in your view it comes down to the traditions we follow, surely you have to look at both sides of the coin.

right?

 

[Blue and Silver]

Is Australia a Christian country? No, we are a secular state (or at least are supposed to be). Has Australia emerged out of a Christian society and the majority of us, whether practicing or not avow Christian beliefs? Yes. Should Christian holidays be public holidays? No, not in my opinion, however I believe that major religious holidays should apply to those who profess belief in said religion.

Should there be football played on Good Friday? Yes, if all the players are happy to play.

Like it or not this debate isn't one about simple logistics or religion, it's one about tradition, and that always brings conservatives out complaining about change for the sake of change and how we are forgetting who we are as a society.

 

[Black Flag]

Should there be football played on Good Friday? Yes, if all the players are happy to play.

wrong. you can't have a handful of players holding the progression of the game to ransom.

should be written into their contracts that they are required to play any day irrespective of their beliefs.

don't like it? don't sign the contract.

 

[brucetiki]

wrong. you can't have a handful of players holding the progression of the game to ransom.

should be written into their contracts that they are required to play any day irrespective of their beliefs.

don't like it? don't sign the contract.

So, by your logic, you'd also force players to sign contracts where they couldn't withdraw from matches due to death in the family, birth of a child etc.

Also, isn't this secularists forcing their views on others?

 

[Black Flag]

So, by your logic, you'd also force players to sign contracts where they couldn't withdraw from matches due to death in the family, birth of a child etc.

nah, didn't mean that.

 

[Dirty Bird]

Also, isn't this secularists forcing their views on others?

Allowing people to chose what they do with their days rather than restrict people is bad?

 

[Go the Guts]

I find it interesting these days it's the secularists that that forcing their views down everyone's throats - especially around Easter and Christmas...

Fully agree.

The problem is that Australia IS a Christian country. If it wasn't, we wouldn't have public holidays on Good Friday, Easter Sunday and Christmas. No one can argue that Australia is a Christian country. If the AFL don't want to play a game for 1 friday night in the whole season (taking out the first round) then so ****ing be it.

Stop having a ****ing cry

Never thought I'd ever agree with you ever, but well said!

what defines a state as being christian is incredibly complex and could fill volumes. i will say it goes a lot deeper than having holidays on easter and xmas though lol.

so, what about the christian traditions we DON'T follow any more like stoning people to death and crucifixion? does not following these make us any less a christian nation in your eyes or do we not follow them because they are outdated relics of the past?

so, if in your view it comes down to the traditions we follow, surely you have to look at both sides of the coin.

right?

You really don't know your history. Stonings and crucifixions were NOT Christian traditions, they were around centuries before Christ even lived. Crucifixion was a Roman practice, and stoning was a pagan practice. But keep trying to twist everything to suit yourself.

 

[Kid A]

That's a pretty good argument, also our PM's have regularly gone to Church, never seen them at a Mosque. Gillard went to Church even though she's an atheism, because its what Australian people wanted. Not me but the majority

This makes no sense whatsoever. Gillard's an atheist. 40% of the country is non-Christian, and growing. The relevance of outdated traditions diminishes each year.

 

[Richo83]

Fully agree.

Oh please. Christians are hardly a persecuted group. Some of us are just wondering why all of us are suffering under such an arbitrary rule. For what it's worth, some of us who support good friday football are Christians. That's right, you heard me. Before knickers are twisted, remember this:

1. There is NOTHING within Christianity which forbids working, entertaining, having a good time or any activity related on good friday. People watch movies, run businesses, play games, in my dad's case watch old football matches, heck, I watched the cricket. Given Jesus had a biff with the money changers I'd have thought that business in general would be an issue, yet many businesses run on good friday. Blasphemy it seems is only an issue in certain contexts.

2. The decision that one cannot play matches on good friday seems purely arbitrary. First of all, sport on good friday has a tradition that is bigger than one football code. Secondly, a number of predominately countries host amateur and professional sporting competitions on good friday. As I said, the UK, Italy and US all host professional sporting matches on good friday. Does god himself rein righteous fury on their behinds? Doesn't seem like it.

http://www.timeanddate.com/holidays/australia/good-friday

A lot of sporting events are held on or start on Good Friday. The Three Peaks Race in Tasmania starts in the afternoon of Good Friday. This event is three-tiered , consisting of a section to be sailed and a section to be walked or run. During the sailing sections, all members of a given team sail a set course down Tasmania's west coast. During each of the running or walking sections, two members of each team leave their boat and run or walk up and then down one of three mountains. Other well-known sporting events that start on Good Friday are the Brisbane to Gladstone yacht race, the Stawell Easter Gift, a long distance running race and the Easter Racing Carnival in Sydney.

 

[Jables]

This makes no sense whatsoever. Gillard's an atheist. 40% of the country is non-Christian, and growing. The relevance of outdated traditions diminishes each year.

You must be an Atheism. oops wrong quote

 

[Lionel Lyon]

Same boring old whinge every year, from those who want to make AU like the soulless US. PortBrillance, thank you.

 

[Black Flag]

You really don't know your history. Stonings and crucifixions were NOT Christian traditions, they were around centuries before Christ even lived. Crucifixion was a Roman practice, and stoning was a pagan practice. But keep trying to twist everything to suit yourself.

show me where i said these were christians inventions?

it hardly matters who invented them, the christians certainly kept the flag flying for them.... and a whole lot of other twisted s**t too.

 

[finders]

I'm not forcing my beliefs on you. You're happy to do or not do whatever you like on your day. I don't want to have to be beholden to your whims. How that constitutes forcing beliefs on anyone, I don't know. You can have your day. Just don't force me to play by your rules. I don't ask for no football plus special treatment on the birthday of Charles Darwin.

I suggest retaining the public holiday, renaming it to Festivus and allowin footy and shopping to go on like say Queens Bday.

Im with you 100% people like sanctimonious "I know whats best for everyone bercause the Bible tells me so!" Port Brilliance make me want to vomit!

No one is saying he should lose his holiday or not be able to go to church if he pleases but by far the majority who are not biblebashing christians should also be given a choice to do what THEY want!

Its called democracy something the church has always had troube believing in!

Its time the AFL gave the public what it wants and pandering and kowtowing to the rapidly diminishing Churches.

 

[Burzum]

Same boring old whinge every year, from those who want to make AU like the soulless US. PortBrillance, thank you.

Playing a game of football on a Christian holiday will make this country soulless?

Right...

 

[Thermo]

The problem is that Australia IS a Christian country. If it wasn't, we wouldn't have public holidays on Good Friday, Easter Sunday and Christmas. No one can argue that Australia is a Christian country. If the AFL don't want to play a game for 1 friday night in the whole season (taking out the first round) then so ****ing be it.

Stop having a ****ing cry

We aren't a Christian country. We're a secular country with a Christian majority. We don't have a state religion. More accurately, we are culturally Christian.

 

[zero]

Having a day off work and watching the footy is a lot stronger and more relevant tradition to Australians than a religious observance from a 2000 year old european cult that happened to be important during the founding of the country well over 100 years ago.

 

[Lionel Lyon]

Playing a game of football on a Christian holiday will make this country soulless?

Right...

I see it as a symbol against the business-driven desire not to allow a day merely to pass without its potential to yield money being exploited for all it's worth. In this quest, the business crowd finds willing allies with the ADD set who are horrified by the prospect of living even a day that hasn't been preplanned for them by the entertainment industry.

The AU lifestyle, where stores close at 5:00 p.m. and on the weekends, and public holidays are observed etc., still has some a semblance of balance which forces its citizenry to have a life. I think this should not be lost to the soulless machine.

 

[Hoser]

The AU lifestyle, where stores close at 5:00 p.m. and on the weekends, and public holidays are observed etc., still has some a semblance of balance which forces its citizenry to have a life. I think this should not be lost to the soulless machine.

So this has nothing to do with observing any sort of religious belief, it appears to be more like your idea of what a good work/life balance is. I would argue that no-one is stopping you achieving this, just because a store is open doesn't mean you have to go buy something.

If the AFL were truly concerned about this sort of stuff on religious grounds, then we would not have footy on a Sunday either.

Now in all seriousness, I need to get ready to go to church for Easter Sunday, which IMO is equally as important as Good Friday. However, after church today, I will probably come home and watch North play GWS down in Hobart, and I won't particularly feel like God likes me any less for doing so.

Further, if the footy happened to clash with church today, I would miss the footy. Such is the power of my god given free will and my ability to avoid temptation.

I feel no need to dictate my values on othes.

 

[Lionel Lyon]

So this has nothing to do with observing any sort of religious belief, it appears to be more like your idea of what a good work/life balance is. I would argue that no-one is stopping you achieving this, just because a store is open doesn't mean you have to go buy something.

I am not presenting it as a matter of religious belief precisely because I don't want to make it about religion. The question is a matter of civic and footy tradition.

That Good Friday has come to be one of the last fortresses against the Borg no doubt has to do historically with its religious solemnity--the Crucifixion and Death of Jesus Christ--, which doesn't go with the cheering of a football match, and the fact that in many traditions Services ran all day during it. Even Easter Sunday presented less of a problem because it is a happy day--the Resurrection--and most service schedules were limited to the morning hours or the midnight before.

But the historical angle is beside the point; now it's a question of civic tradition. For historical reasons, Good Friday is a public holiday. And for historical reasons, too, you don't play League Footy on Good Friday. That's it. It's now a symbol, but an important one. Because the ones who want to overturn it are those who'd like also to introduce a min wage of $7.25 (or none at all), and their fellow travelers in the unimaginative ADD-set.