Religion and Paintball

[Tyger]

Ok, the whole "Darwin" / "Creationisim" thing got me. And I shold be packing for Skyball, but like an idiot here I am typing.

So what is it that attracts religious types to certain things? I'm going to pick on the Christians for a while, only becasue I can find them easier.

Go to a search engine and look up "Christian Paintball", you get the CPPA. And that's cool. You also get Christian fields, clubs, and even a Christian paintball league.

Now type in "Christian Snowboard" You get one school, and a few other sites that happen to mention the two words in the same html doccument. Now type in "Christian Motorcycle", and bring a sack lunch. There's a lot of hits there. I'm not drawing paralells, just pointing it out.

Probably not a "smart" thing to do before leaving for Skyball, but it really does make me wonder. Is there something to the connection between paintball and religion? Fannaticisim? Addiction? Just happens to be that we're all human beings and we enjoy the same basic stimuli but have diffrent backgrounds and intrests outside of paintball??

And I know that people are gonna get all up in arms about this, "Tyger's picking on the religious types" and all that BS people like to make up. But I'm just wondering. Take it as you will.

-Tyger

[ubooze]

*picks up bat*

I'm ready to take a swing. I'm Catholic. Thats how I was raised.

Now why does "Christian Snowboard" come up with such as small amount of results? I would think thats its because snowboarding is 'extreme' or for the new generation. In a situation like that, Christian groups have very little impact. They need to support virtues and morals and what not. Those things are void in the 'extreme' side of snowboarding. Many of my friends, some of the people on the lifts, and things I see in the magazines are rather crude. Christian groups have very little chance to make an impact on a sport such as that.

Also, you may notice that manty of the people that snowboard, at least down here, are teenagers or rather young. I honestly believe that the youth of today does not give a flying duck about religion. Where as, an adult who owns a mototrcycle, that may have finally decided a path in life, and finally settled down and knows what he/she wants to do has time to participate actively in the church and its community. They decide to unite through other interests. I mean, if we all only talked about God, hell, we would get bored eventually. Motorcycling and what not allow for people to find other bonds, share their experiences.

'Christian paintball' astonished me. Its weird. I see that the paintballing community has a strong young population, yet may also have a settled down adult group to. These adults may also see an occasion to strengthen the church community by connecting with the youngsters by using an exciting activity. Paintballing as a sport is a little over twenty years old and it has no definite direction. Therefore this allows a better acceptance then snowboarding, though it may be younger, since paintballing is not dominated by youth.

All in all, these 'motorcycling' and 'paintballing' Christians are just trying to adopt new ways to spread the word of the Lord.

Thats may weak grasp of it, its the only explanation I could think of. It may or may not be true. Its the way I view it, and other Christians may see it differently.

[bleachit]

I think paintball is just so easier for all sorts of people to get involved in. With snowboarding, you need a moutain, snow, and the equipment. then you have to learn how to stay on, then you fall, and gotta figure out how to get back up. With paintball, you go to walmart, spend some money, go find a field and start playing. Much easier to get into that say snowboarding.

[71 LS6]

My church owns and runs a paintball field, all through volunteers. I used to ref there. The churches see paintball as a huge outreach opportunity. They have groups of young adults all together for a while, participating in a fun activity that is often new to them. I think snowboarding is too much of an individual activity to get a group of kids together to talk about religion. In paintball, you can talk to the teams between games, and when you're explaining field rules. When our church field has a large group come in to play, for a party or whatever reason, one of the refs will go over the rules as it is often people's first time playing. At our field, there is a "Resurrection" rule, allowing players to re-enter the game after they have been eliminated, providing they wait 5 minutes after their elimination. When they come inside for those 5 minutes, we wipe their paint off, symbolizing the washing away of sins through Christ's blood. When they go back out, they are "Resurrected," like Jesus. Paint is sin, get it and you're out. But, if you take the time and allow a ref (Jesus) to wash off the paint (sin) you can come back in. Just my church's take on it, basically any church is looking for outreach oppurtunities, and some sports or activities seem to be better than others.

Church's field is Joshua's Paintball Jungle (JPJ) if you feel like checking their site.

[Python14]

Word, that's awsome.

[nippinout]

My experience with religious paintball groups:

As a ref of an indoor field, I really disliked cleaning up after a day of play.

Religious groups were always the cleanest! I rarely had to do anything in the staging area but dump out the garbage.

I really did love reffing them the best. Always did a good job of keeping masks on too.

[MarkM]

Threadjack alert!
Tyger who you playing for? Come find me and I'll get you a beer...I have just finished my packing so I know what you mean but then I do have further to go than you.
Threadjack over

[Crime Dog]

Wow. That's a really interesting question, and I mean that. I had never thought much about it, but your observation is pretty on target. VERY interesting. At first, I wasn't sure what the answer was...and still don't to the fullest extent. But I think a few of you hit a couple of key things:

1) Easier to play. Snowboarding and such takes a lot more "skill". Anyone can go out in the woods and shoot at each other. (Yes, I know...speedball/tournament ball is different...but let's face it, paintball is largely a rec sport. Rec players are the ones that keep us going.)

2) Older playerbase than things like snowboarding. Older people (I include myself) are generally a BIT more conservative/attentive to matters of faith.

You guys hit it. (And Tyger, I don't take any offense to your question. I didn't see it as "picking on" us religious types...)

A lot of parallels can be drawn between our sport, and CHristianity, as LS6 pointed out.

For those of us "older folk" (granted, I'm only 27...almost 28, but still older than many players), we just take our faith a bit more seriously, and see the importance of sharing it with thsoe around us. Jesus of Nazareth commissioned His followers to share the Good News to everyone we meet. Therefore, we bring our faith and what Jesus did for us even to the playing field. It's just a part of who we are... Ultimately, it's the core of our being. We were changed when we accepted Jesus as our Lord, and as the sacrifice for our own sins. It's a life changing experience.

[Restola]

Re: Religion and Paintball

Originally posted by Tyger
Just happens to be that we're all human beings and we enjoy the same basic stimuli but have diffrent backgrounds and intrests outside of paintball??

That's it. Some people feel deeply about certain things and like being around others who feel similarly. Makes them feel some kind of connection. plus its a common denominator in any future friendship with people they meet while doing these activities.

I don't think it has anything to do with paintball at all. I'm sure there are christian (and jewish) bridge clubs, sewing clubs, whatever.

[daveymag]

http://www%2eautomags%2eorg/forums/showthread.php?threadid=72174

[Jaasper]

Well I would look at it this way.

Paintball is a team sport, something you do with a group of like minded individuals from diferent backgrounds and beliefs. You come together as a group for a single goal.

Motorcyle Clubs - Coming together as a group to do one thing together that takes no special ability to do. Fellowship etc..

Snowboarding, more of an individual sport, no team involvment, judged on individual skill and talent, not everyone can do it.

Heck my grandmother could go play paintball or ride a motorcyle, snow boarding on the other hand...

Thats what makes church so popular, not religion but community fellowship. Religion just happens to be the theme of the club that they are in, and anybody can do it.