The Muslim Link paper reprinted my post on the New Opium of the Masses and it got an interesting reply by one Peter Stanton:
"Naeem has gone off the deep end. With online porn, nude bars, Girls gone wild, drugs, alcohol and rampant extra marital sex, sports entertainment is the least of threats to our youth and families.
Watching and participating in sports in moderation is part of American culture Naeem. You have not provided a valid reason for why Muslims should remain separate from this activity."
I gave a short reply on the Muslim Link website, but thought it prudent to give a lengthier response here.
Peter is correct that social ills such as online porn, drugs, and extra-marital sex are much more serious than sports entertainment. In fact, if I were ever to counsel an individual who is partaking in those major sins, I may suggest sports as an intermediate alternative.
However, my target audience for my original post was not those unfortunate souls engrossed in such contemptible acts. My audience was the larger majority of practicing American Muslim (especially youth) who find sport entertainment to be a legitimate social outlet.
"Watching and participating in sports in moderation is part of American culture Naeem."
So what? Since when is that a criteria for accepting or rejecting a practice?
Besides, 'moderation' is a relative term. What is moderate to you, may seem extreme to me and vice versa. So let's refrain from using such subjective terms.
"You have not provided a valid reason for why Muslims should remain separate from this activity."
Not sure if you read the article, but I clearly stated several reasons, namely the idol-worshipping of the star athletes, the squandering of valuable resources into mega-stadiums, and most importantly the diversion from life that entails the following of a sport.
And let's not even get started on the insanity fueling Fantasy Leagues...
The fact is that the sport entertainment industry is not what it used to be – an afternoon out at the ballpark bolstering the father-son bond or a guys night out at the soccer pitch.
It has morphed into a multi-billion dollar juggernaut that not only consumes endless time and money, but also distracts the public from issues directly affecting their welfare.
Moderation is the last word that one associates with this industry.
WAW
5 days ago
7 comments:
Salaam
I think you're spot on with this and your previous post. Corporate sport is another thing that's been taken to extremes. It's one thing to watch and appreciate good moves in soccer or basketball or tennis or whatever, but IMHO idolizing and obsessing does not befit a Muslim. There is a thing to be said for moderation and paying the right amount of attention to these things.
I'm still fairly new to America so my distaste may have a cultural dissonance tinge to it but I find it amazing that people can spend hours discussing sports and associated personalities and drama therein, while having the most primitive knowledge and opinions on more pressing things in the real world. It is truly a new opiate of the masses (one of many).
What's worse, this has spread back home now with the cricket leagues. It's all my cousins, siblings and friends can talk about. SubhanAllah, it's hard to suggest an alternative that's even close to being as entertaining. Do you or other readers have any suggestions?
Thanks for articulating this :)
Salaam Naeem,
I agree with you entirely. I don't see how you were opposed to sports or athletic activity. Clearly it promotes health and teamwork as well, in many cases. But it's not playing or watching which is the problem... those things can clearly be done in moderation.
But how come the best athletes have resorted to using hormones and steroids? That alone ought to demonstrate a problem--that these sports are damaging people's health. In other sports, many players become seriously injured within a few years--at this level, clearly the sport or athletic activity is no longer even healthy, and clearly detrimental.
Now, add to that fact that the risks, more aggressive play, and artificial means are required to maintain people's interest. Clearly, people aren't just watching to see who wins or loses--apparently that wasn't exciting enough. Records must constantly be broken--and they are so often that it's commonplace.
I remember once when my dad took my brother to a baseball game--purely out of love for the game. But I do think my brother was a little obsessed with the team. He knew all their players, and statistics. He watched their games... which came on several nights a week, for several hours! That seems to be promoting sedentary instead of active behavior.
I also think the fact that we have to listen to sports briefings on the news is proof that entertainment is at least just as important to people as reality.
Here, the big thing is the NCAA men's basketball tournament. People leave work to go home and watch these--I remember kids turning them on at school during class.
So I agree with you, Naeem. There needs to be moderation. It's not the sports that are bad exactly, but the corporate entertainment industry which is utilizing sports to make a profit do not demonstrate moderation at all, but extremism. The fans, the players, and the executives all tend to be extreme. And that of course is the problem.
Br Naeem, I think you are spot on with this. I read your article first on here, then on the Muslim Link Paper and then your response and I couldn't agree more.
AA-
@BrownSandokan, yeah cricket in the subcontinent is taken to an entirely unacceptable level. I remember when the Pakistan cricket team plays, the entire country comes to standstill!
@Amy, thank you for highlighting some points that I overlooked, namely the steroids issue as well as the post-career injuries. I recall reading how so many retired pro-football players can barely run and play with their children due to their back and knee injuries.
Also, the need to artificially stimulate the audience is a very good point. The industry cannot maintain its growth rate by simply selling the sport. It needs more flash and marketing - that's where records, fantasy leagues, and corporate sponsors come into play.
Its all really very sickening.
@Anonymous, thank you for your kind words.
Just as I was about to delete you from my famed RSS feed...
I agree that your position is a position of balance and not of extremes. It's the other camp that's under criticism that is extreme.
Assalamu alaikum
I actually had the chance to pick up a copy of that edition in the Muslim Link and I was really excited to see that you're work was in it. One of the reasons I started reading the Muslim Link in the first place was so I could read your point/counter-point articles. I'm glad to see that you're writing for them again. Keep up the good work.
Also, I wouldn't limit control of the masses to only sports, but the entire entertainment industry is directed towards this goal.
masalama
AA-
@SP, "Just as I was about to delete you from my famed RSS feed..."
Oh you mean like how I deleted your defunct blog from my feed? :-)
@JZ, "Also, I wouldn't limit control of the masses to only sports, but the entire entertainment industry is directed towards this goal."
True, but most Muslims will openly agree with the danger of the entertainment (read Hollywood) industry, but will defend the sports industry as harmless.
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