Just God? :: Pelé and Pride

I’ve been meaning to write about this for some time, but I’ve neglected to because I’ve haven’t known how to approach it. I’m hesitant to say anything bad about Pelé, because he seems to have a good amount of humility and a God-fearing spirit. So I’ll be as positive as possible.

Last August, on a blog called the talks which posts interviews with interesting famous people, they presented an interview with Pelé. This name is generally known by all who are (1) Non-American or (2) Interested in Sports, but if you don’t fall into either of those camps, I can tell you that Pelé is Edson Arantes do Nascimento, considered by many to be the best football (soccer) player who ever lived.

As he starts the interview, Pelé takes it, surprisingly and interestingly, in the direction of the role of God in human success.

Pelé, when you are the best at something how hard is it not to get arrogant about it?

I used to tease the other kids because I played better than them. Then my father said, “Come here. Don’t do this with the kids, because God gave you the gift to play football. You didn’t do anything. This was a present from God. You have to respect people, because it is important to be a good man, a good person. From now on, you must be this example.”

I find this to be a helpful answer. Your skill at playing is a gift from God, so you shouldn’t be proud of your success. You should mindful of this when you consider other people who don’t have this success.

But this answer wasn’t completely satisfying to the interviewer, who must have a fairly secular mindset. So he challenges Pelé on it.

I am not sure if it was only God who gave you that gift. Being at the top of the game must be hard work as well.

Of course the work is very, very important. That is exactly what my father meant: God gave you the gift to play football, but this is a present. You must respect people and work hard to be in shape. And I used to train very hard. When the others players went to the beach after training, I was there kicking the ball. Another thing I say is, if I am a good player, if I have a gift from God but I don’t have the physical condition to run on the field what am I going to do?

I think this was a fairly polite way to respond to either (a) the possibility that the interviewer is an atheist and feels sharing credit with God is silly, or (b) the interviewer’s lack of understanding of what it means to receive a gift well. Pelé is saying that the best and most honorable way to receive a gift is to use it well. Again, this is helpful and wise.

But then the interviewer dove deeper.

Did you ever feel like your abilities were super-human?

No, we are all human beings. I have to trust something that gives me power…

Very good so far, but Pelé continues.

… I have to believe in something, but in my career I have a lot of moments I cannot explain with God. We went to Africa and we stopped the war in Africa because the people went to see Pelé play. They stopped the war. Just God can’t explain that. I don’t know why – it is impossible to know why – but they stopped the war. When we finished the game and we left they continue to fight.

Okay.

I’d like to think that the post mis-transcribed these words. I’ve actually asked them to post the full audio for the interview (no luck as of yet). Because if he really meant this, I have difficulty getting my head around it. It sounds like he thinks it took something more powerful than God to bring this about. Does he think that God is unable to stop a war? Or that God would not do such a thing?

No. God could, if he chose to, change the hearts of thousands of people in such a way that they would stop warring. He might even use a soccer game to do it.

I wish I could have a more satisfying end for this post. But for my money, I think Pelé didn’t really say (or at least mean) that it would take more than God to do this.

What do you think?

Update: I just added another post about Pelé over at my Dad Blog. It’s largely the same content but from a parent’s perspective.

Tuesday Stand Alone Statement: As A Baby Is Being Put Into Your Arms For The First Time

It is a frightening thing to hear these words:

This is your daughter. You must take care of her for decades, and even when she can take care of herself, you must protect her until the day you die.

I recommend it.

More “Audacious Petitions”

Here some other works that it would be absurd to ask your higher being to accomplish:

• That a greater number of lesser beings in his universe will think better of him
• That he will change the course of our human world so that his sovereignty would be stronger.
• That he will change the course of the universe so that the things he wants to have happen will happen more.
• That he will affect your household status so that you would have something to eat today.
• That he will alter his opinion about a set of your own evil deeds as a result of some penitent feelings you have.
• That he will change the universe so that your life experiences will be less likely to make you want to do evil.

Or rather, again, it would be absurd to ask them, if it weren’t true that all of these requests are recommended (some might say commanded) by the Son of the Perfect Being, as a collection of beneficial petitions, otherwise known as the Lord’s Prayer.

Welcome Back Challies People

I’m glad you’re here. Please take a look around.

Did I mention I’m on twitter?

If you’re a dad, you might be interested in my “Dads and Anger” series of Posts over at my dad blog. My hope is that these posts will help Christian dads avoid sinfully acting in anger against their kids.

And my main statement is that all anger acted out against your kids is sinful.

Also, I’d appreciate it if you took a look at our Fighter Verse Song Ministry.

Here’s a sample video. It’s bluegrass!

Prayer is Ridiculous

I say it again, prayer is ridiculous.

What is prayer? Prayer – especially the supplication kind, requires the belief that
(1) You, a finite, short-lived, self-focused, fallible, mortal being with little knowledge,
(2) by uttering (or even just thinking!) some request out into the expanse of the universe
(3) somehow might be heard and comprehended
(4) by a more-knowing, less-imperfect and more-powerful Being (to whom you are directing the request), and that this
(5) may cause the Being to take some action that will
(6) cause change in the course of some part of the universe that you care about,
(7) in a direction that you think would be better than if this change didn’t happen.

Also note:
• Often your prayer’s targeted section of existence is not at all within your sphere of influence.
• Often your utterances are made in complete or nearly-complete ignorance.
• The more powerful the being, the more presumptuous your utterance is.

So if, for example, you expect your prayer to work with a completely self-completing Being, who, by the way, created you, and who knows the beginning from the end, how insane it is for you to assume that this Being will not only (1) choose to be aware that you exist and are thinking these thoughts, but (2) to listen to them and (3) (most plainly ridiculous) make changes to His universe because of your utterances.

I note that your prayers sometimes include expectations that this Being might work towards such audacious petitions as –
• removing or modifying enough destructive cells in the body of someone of whom you are aware and care about so that it might function better
• directing a sufficient number of atoms so that weather patterns will fit in with and/or enhance your future goals.
• altering the electrical patterns in your own brain so that it will rightly choose the most optimal course of action in a specific situation
• changing the nature of a dead human soul which is currently in direct opposition to this perfect Being, so that this soul will become alive and then praise his creator.

You actually think it possible that He will work out these things, just because you a tiny collection of molecules on a tiny planet in his vast universe, ask for it. Tell me, what are you thinking? It’s insanity. It’s vanity. It’s … ridiculous.

What’s that? You say this Being (and his Son) have repeatedly communicated to you that he will listen and answer your prayers? You say he actually commands you to pray to him and ask him for things? That he wants to answer your prayers?

Oh. Well . . . carry on then.

Update: Here are some more “audacious petitions” – from a reliable source.

Tuesday Stand Alone Statement: Humor and Truth

There is no logical way to get from “He has no sense of humor about that issue” to “He is wrong about that issue”.