From the Backbooth at Chappy’s
Stories of the South: Football, Politics, Religion, and More
by
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God Doesn't Care
God doesn't care about the outcome of the Auburn-Alabama game.
Not one iota.
If He did, coaches wouldn't matter, blocking and tackling wouldn't matter, practice and preparation wouldn't matter, talent on the field wouldn't matter, home field advantage wouldn't matter.
The only thing that would matter from a team concept would be the praying skills of the two team chaplains, Father Gerald Holloway of Alabama and Brother Chette Williams of Auburn.
We make God, the Almighty, the Holy One, into a Santa Claus-god when we pray, "O Lord, please help Auburn win today”or "Father God, help Alabama win." In other words,“Give me what I want!”
Or worse, when we try to bargain with God: “Lord, if you will help Auburn win, I'll never (do this or that) again”or“Father God, if you help Alabama win today, I promise I will always (do this or that)…” Always.
Go ahead and admit it. We've all done it. Some of us still do it.
Even preachers do it. At least one did. At least one admitted it.
I had a Methodist minister friend who believed until the day he died that God helped Auburn win the 1997 game. Alabama led 17-15 and was running out the clock when Auburn recovered a fumble, kicked a field goal, and won 18-17.
My friend, a minister of God no less, was praying that God would not let Alabama upset Auburn. He dropped to his knees in desperation and at that moment, that very moment, the God who placed the stars in the skies, reached down from Heaven and stripped the ball from the Alabama player enabling Auburn to win the game.
I don't believe it.
Praying to win football games is not limited to Christians. A Muslim friend drove all the way across Saudi Arabia, 750 miles or more, to the holy city of Mecca to pray for an Auburn victory over Alabama in 2002.
That was the year Auburn' s top running backs, Carnell Williams and Ronnie Brown, were hurt and hardly anyone gave Auburn a chance to win in Tuscaloosa. My friend prayed all day at the Holy Mosque, Islam's most holy shrine, asking Allah to give Auburn the victory. He then drove 15 hours home,“opened" the television, and saw that his prayers had been answered. Auburn won 17-7.
Alabama fans no doubt have similar stories, perhaps 1967 and 1985, the Van Tiffin kick game.
My question is this: “How does God determine who He's for? Is He for one team as He appeared to be in 1997 when Alabama fans were thanking Him for answering their prayers and delivering the much longed for victory over Auburn?
Did God, the Holy One, suddenly change his mind, cause the fumble, and decide to answer the prayers of my minister friend and Auburn fans? Or was the Almighty toying with Tide fans the whole time, knowing that in the end He would cause them to lose. If He did that, it was cruel, very un-God like.
But, you might be saying, what about that verse in the Bible that says “Ask whatever you will in my name and it will be given unto you…"
Think about it.
“Jesus, in your holy name we ask that Auburn beat Alabama” or “Jesus, in your sweet and precious name, we ask that Alabama beat Auburn today. We beseech you.”
Get real.
The outcome of a football game is not something that should be lifted to Heaven in Jesus’name.
To do that is more than a sin. It's sacrilege.
We need to remember that verse that says render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar's and unto God the things that are God's. The outcome of a football game is secular. It belongs strictly to Caesar, not to God. The real God, the one true God, has more important things on His mind, like peace in the Middle East or grieving while His children senselessly kill one another, or die of the coronavirus.
Maybe even the presidential election. Some would say so.
There's one final verse to consider, the one that says when a man (or woman) grows up it's time to put away childish things.
Praying for the outcome of a football game is a childish thing. A very childish thing.
It trivializes the Almighty.
The Auburn-Alabama game is big enough as it is.
We don't need to get God involved.
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About the Book
One never knows what the topic of discussion will be when taking a seat with the gentlemen in the Backbooth at Chappy’s Deli in Auburn, Alabama. The topics change daily, often several times within the same sitting. The conversation is broad and knows no bounds. Throughout the day, conservative, liberal, and even some middle-of-the-road friends gather for breakfast to chat about the news of the day or just their thoughts and feelings on certain subjects. Usually, the conversation is cordial and without rancor … but not always. This book is a collection of the group’s recollections, hopes, and dreams. In addition to football, politics and religion, there are stories of friends and neighbors, and of people the gentlemen know only through the news media—mostly imperfect people in an imperfect world doing the best they can. Filled with Southern charm and keen insights, you’ll finish this humorous book convinced that the world would be better if we as a nation had more conversations like the men at Chappy’s.
About the Author
David Housel, a native of Alabama, has lived there his entire life. He knows the humor and pathos of living in the South, and he writes about it in the spirit and tradition of Ferrol Sams, Wendell Berry, Lewis Grizzard and Wright Thompson. He spent most of his career in intercollegiate athletics, as a sportswriter, sports information director, and athletics director. He served as chair of Auburn’s Liberal Arts Advisory Council and is in the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame. This is his seventh book.