Yep, I have my gripes with Dugin but this is a rarely discussed reality. Abrahamic religion has always been anti-sport. Even in the Maccabees, the Jews despise the Gymnasium and their countrymen who cave into the high culture and start going to the gym. Yes, it was partially due to the fear that those who go to the gymnasium would end up practicing idolatry — not an uncommon occurrence at such a place, but it was also because the gymnasium was contrary to Jewish culture. A good Jewish boy should spend his free time pouring over the Torah, not “practicing” or “gaming”. Nordau’s “Muscular Judaism” shows a self-knowledge of this. Jews like Nordau were completely aware, and somewhat ashamed, of their own people’s nerdiness.
Christians have also always hated Pagan sport traditions as they were heavily associated with the Pagan Roman state rituals. Although the Roman Circus remained prevalent well into the Byzantine era, but many Christians attacked it. And why wouldn’t they? What reason do Christians today have to not condemn MMA as I have seen some priests do? It seems obviously unwholesome from a Christian POV
In the Antiquity, Olympic Games were played to entertain the Gods so that they looked favorably upon the group later in life.
If you look at the funeral games upon Patroclus’ wake in Homer’s Iliad, you’ll see its primary purpose was to reclaim the name of the champion by a warrior of merit among the remaining living so that the soul of the dead champion can pass on peacefully.
Games relied on their distance to evoke the ancestors, souls and Gods to fulfill this function. And this was essentially why early Church fathers were preoccupied with taming the Games.
Just a note to clarify the concept of "Games." Unfortunately, the English language cannot fully capture the true meaning of the original Greek word "agon" (αγών), which was used to describe the athletic events during the ancient Olympics (Ολυμπιακοί Αγώνες). "Agon" is better expressed in English as "competition." It has nothing to do with games; these people were not playing. They were competing in sports, theater, philosophy, and, of course, in war since all citizens of Greek city-states, regardless of their wealth or occupation, participated in battles. This might explain how modern German philosophers and politicians drew a connection between athletic prowess and nationalistic pride. This connection was evident in the early editions of the modern Olympic "Games," which featured images of strong, "Aryan"-perfect athletes.
I am afraid that at this point, what a christian media personality like Dugin says, bears minimal significance. What polytheist China thinks about this world is of primary importance.
Yep, I have my gripes with Dugin but this is a rarely discussed reality. Abrahamic religion has always been anti-sport. Even in the Maccabees, the Jews despise the Gymnasium and their countrymen who cave into the high culture and start going to the gym. Yes, it was partially due to the fear that those who go to the gymnasium would end up practicing idolatry — not an uncommon occurrence at such a place, but it was also because the gymnasium was contrary to Jewish culture. A good Jewish boy should spend his free time pouring over the Torah, not “practicing” or “gaming”. Nordau’s “Muscular Judaism” shows a self-knowledge of this. Jews like Nordau were completely aware, and somewhat ashamed, of their own people’s nerdiness.
Christians have also always hated Pagan sport traditions as they were heavily associated with the Pagan Roman state rituals. Although the Roman Circus remained prevalent well into the Byzantine era, but many Christians attacked it. And why wouldn’t they? What reason do Christians today have to not condemn MMA as I have seen some priests do? It seems obviously unwholesome from a Christian POV
In the Antiquity, Olympic Games were played to entertain the Gods so that they looked favorably upon the group later in life.
If you look at the funeral games upon Patroclus’ wake in Homer’s Iliad, you’ll see its primary purpose was to reclaim the name of the champion by a warrior of merit among the remaining living so that the soul of the dead champion can pass on peacefully.
Games relied on their distance to evoke the ancestors, souls and Gods to fulfill this function. And this was essentially why early Church fathers were preoccupied with taming the Games.
Just a note to clarify the concept of "Games." Unfortunately, the English language cannot fully capture the true meaning of the original Greek word "agon" (αγών), which was used to describe the athletic events during the ancient Olympics (Ολυμπιακοί Αγώνες). "Agon" is better expressed in English as "competition." It has nothing to do with games; these people were not playing. They were competing in sports, theater, philosophy, and, of course, in war since all citizens of Greek city-states, regardless of their wealth or occupation, participated in battles. This might explain how modern German philosophers and politicians drew a connection between athletic prowess and nationalistic pride. This connection was evident in the early editions of the modern Olympic "Games," which featured images of strong, "Aryan"-perfect athletes.
I live in a catholic country, here football and religion go hand in hand
I am afraid that at this point, what a christian media personality like Dugin says, bears minimal significance. What polytheist China thinks about this world is of primary importance.