SPORT ON SUNDAY Article #5: 50 Footballers Petition

Londonderry Free Presbyterian

Rev. Glenn Wilkinson | Londonderry, Northern Ireland

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SPORT ON SUNDAY Article #5: 50 Footballers Petition

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 2008

Posted by: Londonderry Free Presbyterian Church | more..

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BLOG ON: SERMON

Sport On Sunday?

Londonderry Free Presbyterian Church

Rev Ian Brown

A public letter has been printed in our local press, bearing 50 signatures of Christians who are involved in football in Northern Ireland, outlining their opposition to Sunday Soccer.

From Belfast Newsletter, 29 September 2008

Sabbath games 'will drive out Christians'

MORE than 50 Christians involved in football have released a public letter calling for an end to Sunday matches. Those who signed the letter are all high-profile participants in the sport, including many officials and several referees.

They say they feel the sport has no place being involved in Sunday games and are speaking out after the recent controversy over an IFA match played on a Sunday for the first time since a self-imposed ban was put in place more than 60 years ago.

Sunday football is felt to have no place in local fixtures by many of our readers and a letter received by the News Letter from more than 50 high-profile people involved in the sport locally outlines the concern felt by these Christian signatories.

"As some of the many Evangelical Christians involved in football in this Province we feel we must express our deep disappointment at the decision to play Irish League and intermediate matches on a Sunday.

The fourth commandment, issued in Old Testament times and re-emphasised by our Lord Jesus Christ in this New Testament era (Matthew 12:8-11; Mark 2:23) makes clear a duty on Christians in particular and society as a whole to properly observe the Lord's Day.

Following the reversal of the long standing IFA rule, the first Irish league match on a Sunday has now been played and has been followed by a Steel and Sons Cup match. We fear that now the Rubicon has been crossed more and more games will follow.

There are many hundreds of Evangelical Christians in Northern Ireland involved in making a significant contribution to football at all levels as players, managers, coaches, referees, directors or supporters, but sadly it seems that their views are ignored.

While we recognise that no one will be forced to participate on a Sunday, in reality "opting out" will most likely hinder the prospects of any wishing to progress in the game. In this day of rights and freedom of expression, do we not have the right to be involved in the sport we enjoy and also be true to our religious beliefs?

It seems that the IFA and some senior clubs are intent in making football in this Province a cold house to Evangelical believers. Not only have two games now taken place on a Sunday but in recent years, to qualify for IFA coaching badges, participants are given no alternative but to attend on Sundays. Sadly, such a situation may drive many Christians away from the game they love and prevent young players from getting involved. Surely no individual could argue that such a situation would be good for our local game.

It is unfair to put Evangelical Christians in a position that clashes with their religious beliefs. We call upon the IFA and those running local football to reconsider the direction they are going.
"Them that honour me, I will honour." (1 Samuel 2:30)

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