Theos-Talk Archives (September 1994 Message tl00031)

Hello Osmar, and the others.

Why Sports are harmful:


1. Competition

Sports differs from other physical exercise mainly because there
is always competition related to it.

This competition aspect makes a lot of difference.  Some people
say that it is natural to compete and it is a good thing.  I
don't agree.  They are right, that it is very natural to compete,
etc.  In fact our society runs because of competitive attitude.
So, at material level you get results by adopting this
attitude.  From spiritual view it is extremely harmful.  When
you compete, your "would be brothers" became your "enemies".

Many times this kind of "competitions" starts as a play, but very
easy it changes to real combat.  For example, in martial arts if
you have a competitive attitude; first it is just a play, you try
to be a little better than your opponent, you succeed to deliver
a good, not very hard punch.  The other one is a little hurt, but
more is his/her pride hurt.  Then she/he tries to get even and
hit you maybe a little harder...  then it is no longer fun, and
you may even hurt each others or lost your friendship.


2.  Expanding your ego/personality in others expense.

In sports you try to be better than the others, this is purely
selfish.  There is no other reason to it.  Why we should be
better in some game than the others? The team-games are only
expansion of "I" to "we".  In our society it is not nice to say
"I am the best, you are nothing".  In a team it is accepted and
even admirable to say "We are the best, the others stink." If
this happens inside one nation, the other teams may control you a
little, since they hear what you are saying, etc.  But when this
happens at the national level, it is really bad.

We may say: "The Finns are the best at the ice hockey", "We Finns
are so good, the Swedish are soft and lousy".  This kind of
behaviour is regarded as patriotic and good inside of a nation.
This attitude is very dangerous and it leads sooner or later to
the war.

3.  Sports inflate ego.

When you try to win some competition and finally after
sacrificing everything, succeed, you strengthen your personality,
which should be conquered not honoured.

4.  What good has ever came up from sports?

5.  Sport events are regarded as "News".

This is incredible.  Sensible people regard these sport-"news" as
really as a news that are worth spreading! This is so outrageous
that I almost lose my temper.

6.  Team sports and patriotism.

The team sports are especially harmful spiritually.  You might
think that you learn to be social, etc., but what really happens,
is that your personality slips millions of years backward to
group-consciousness or group-soul.  And the social skills are,
that you learn to win the other team together.  Go to the army,
there you learn that better.  A nation is a big team, in which
group-soul-people, skilled in team-sports make war as a team, to
other similar nations, - this is patriotism.

7.  Harmful physical effects.

Various injuries, use of drugs, doping, etc.

8.  The worst of all: Sports steal your time.

Sports steal your time, the time that you should use better.  The
time is the most valuable of our physical possessions.  When we
waste it to practise sports or to watch sports, we miss our
golden opportunity to grow spiritually and to gain really
something eternal.

9.  In sports you are rewarded outwardly.

What you get from sports? You get some medals and the other
people say: "you are the best".  This is external.  You may not
get any internal satisfaction.  Compare this e.g.  to meditation.
Nobody says that you are so good at it.  But if you are, you get
the reward from inside and nobody can give it to you as a medal.
No competition, instant reward.

   Any ideas?

   Peace, aki.