Violence is our Game

A young rugby player who is an All Black has been charged with assaulting his partner and the mother of his baby. Appearing on television with the head of the rugby union and the manager of his rugby franchise standing beside him, he tearfully mumbled and apology. It was so well orchestrated that something had to be wrong.

The irony is that this young man was used to front a campaign against domestic violence. The slogan for the campaign is “Violence is not our game!” The problem is that violence is their game. Rugby is a very violent game. The game is a based on physical intimidation, with the most forceful team winning. Defenders throw their bodies against attackers with violent force to stop their progress. Coaches psych up their team to hate and dominate their opposition.

Supporters will say that this is controlled force. I am more concerned about the spiritual effect. Evil spirits love a mixture of emotion and physical violence, because they are able to intrude themselves. So I am not surprised that a young man who is encouraged to be violent on the rugby field behaves in the same in an emotionally charged situation at home. If you give a spirit of anger and violence a home, it does not go away when you walk off the field.

Our society has become quite unbalanced. Parents who smack their children are treated as criminals. Rugby players who use violent force in a rugby game are national heroes. We want to get rid of domestic violence, but violence is our game.