Divinity in Sports
I recently rewatched the movie Angels in the Field (1951), President Dwight Eisenhower’s favorite movie.
The coach of the Pittsburgh Pirates baseball team (Paul Douglas), an impatient and abusive man, receives the help of an angel to win games and become a better person. During this process, he is helped by a local reporter (Janet Leigh) and an adorable little orphan (Donna Corcoran).
The film was remade in 1994.
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The idea of divinity in sports has been explored by Hollywood, but I think not enough.
Athletes are some of the most ardent believers in God, regardless of their religion. Their dialogue with the Divine is highly visible, especially during matches or other sporting events, when the athletes “communicate” or thank God in front of the public, through the sign of the cross or touching the forehead to the turf. The example of Tim Tebow is extremely conclusive from this point of view.
I think this theme needs to be explored more seriously by the film industry and more films should be produced on this topic.
After all, the Seventh Day, the day of rest from God, is also the day when most of us are involved in participating in sporting events.
God help us!
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