Football fans learn theology

Ok, I never posted again last week, but I was successful in not using the gym once last week. Tuesday I had to do laundry, Wednesday I had a surprise work function in the evening, Thursday I got free tickets to the Iowa State/Toledo football game, and Friday I had to clean the apartment and get ready for my friend Betsy's visit to Iowa!! Sunday we drove to Madison, WI, and spent some time there. Basically, for every day I didn't go to the gym this week, I probably consumed an extra 2,000 delicious calories. I have eaten at a Chipotle, Noodles and Co, and Jimmy John's in the last three days! Not to mention the Taste of Madison festival where I had my first ever falafel! This means that I haven't been in Cedar Rapids lately, the crappy food capital of the nation. And that my stomach is very happy!

I saw something that really disturbed me on Thursday night. I was at the Iowa State football game, which was worlds different from A&M football. To begin with, I almost needed a jacket on the last day of August!! As I approached the north end (where there was no sign of the Fightin' Texas Aggie Band), I saw a gigantic sign that said, "Turn to Jesus! You are headed for hell! Rev 20:15." I didn't think much of it, until we were actually waiting to go into the game. Picture the mob scene around the gates of a stadium. Smack dab in the middle of the mob was a girl holding this huge banner above her head, and I noticed a guy a few yards down from her, also with a similar sign. The girl was screaming at the top of her lungs, "YOU ARE ALL HYPOCRITES! YOU ARE SCREAMING YOUR LUNGS OUT OVER A FOOTBALL GAME!" The guy was yelling, "YOU ALL ARE PATHETIC! YOU'RE WASTING YOUR TIME AT THIS ATHLETIC EVENT TO FILL YOUR MEANINGLESS, PATHETIC LIVES!" At which point people from the crowd were saying "Go back to Iowa City, Hawkeye fan!" or "Ok, guys, let's all convert now!" and other things that, quite frankly, were sadly humorous.

I would love to know what these people think they are accomplishing. Do I think anyone became a Christian as a result of their insults? In a word, NO. I'm not absolutely writing off the possibility, I guess, but call me a skeptic. Maybe there is one person who will, years down the road, say, "I'll never forget it, I was at a football game in 2006, and this girl was basically insulting me and telling me I was going to hell, and I saw the light." I just don't think it's likely. I'm not gonna lie, it left a bad taste in my mouth for "Christians."

Mainly, I wanted to march up to them, Miller Lite in hand, and tell them that it's possible to believe that my life is in the book of life, that I do have a Savior, and I can even (gasp!) enjoy a football game! I have yet to figure out how those things are mutually exclusive.

As Christians, it is certainly our job to warn. But that is only part of our job. And by excluding the other parts of our job, mainly the grace that comes through faith, are we not failing?

My last question, would it have done more good for them to have stayed home on Thursday?