Which Religion Do You Follow Mr Barney?

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Guys, this is not a poll about the religion you follow. In fact, as it would turn out, it has got absolutely nothing to do with your respective religious beliefs.

As a preface to this post, I would suggest you read this blog from a Chelsea ‘fan’ (if there is any such thing): The Chelsea Fan’s Blog

Mr. Barney in the post talks about religions and Liverpool FC and tries to establish that both are bad by trying to correlate LFC with anecdotes from religions. In the process he throws down many theological terms; most of which are beyond me, honestly!

The article talks about how religions (like LFC) are obsessed with being big; about rituals like singing; how religious followers (and LFC) are obsessed with speaking the same things; about how religions (and LFC) are obsessed with history; how religions (or LFC) are obsessed with their Saints (or heroes like Shankly); and about how they are also obsessed about the ‘way of doing things’.

Now I don’t find much wrong with any of the above. What I do understand is that both Liverpool FC and some religions of the world are not portrayed in the right spirit. Distasteful is the term that comes to mind. I am open to suggestions.

(If you haven’t yet read the article, please do.. give the guy the webclicks he desires)

Anyway, this brings us to the point. What’s wrong with religions? And what’s the big deal about? Answer is nothing. Without getting into a slanging match, I can simply summarize that the author has neither been a fan nor a religious person.

I am not an atheist. I am not a very religious person either. What’s my definition of religion? Well, I think every religion would make you believe that there are happy times ahead, would set some guiding principles for conducting yourselves and would have some examples like Saints to look upto. They also have prayers and other rituals which is just a language to strengthen your belief. Also, all religions would have a ‘history’ else they would just be classified as a cult.

I get all of the above from LFC. I have heroes to look upto, I have songs to sing, I always believe that there would be happier times ahead, howsoever happy we already are, and the language we speak is, well you can call it ‘football’.

Now, what’s wrong with any of those things you made out to be so criminal? Big? Who doesn’t want to be big? Any club, any religion, any organization, any person in his career, anyone as a human? Won’t you like a bigger TV?

Singing? Don’t you ever sing a song you like? A prayer at times? Didn’t you ever sing? Don’t you like songs at all? If you tell us that no other chant comes as close to YNWA, you’re damn right buddy. Full marks to you on that. But you didn’t need to bother about it. We know!! Do we compromise individuality? Oh hell yeah! The last I checked, football was never about individuals. More on your understanding about football later.

History? I don’t know what to say. It’s a course in school for crying out loud mate. Others being Science, Language etc.. I’m sure you could have done well with a little bit of help in all. To be honest, Chelsea has a history too pal, 100+ years (surely you didn’t know). Just that you only want to talk about it from 2005 onwards.

And heroes.. well.. I think by this time you’ve already lost it mate. It’s good to have heroes. Hence, the name ‘hero’ and not ‘villain’. Like I said, a little bit of Language course would have helped.

Begs the question, what’s wrong with terming LFC as a religion? If the above is true, LFC is my religion and I’m a devotee man. I’m not just a ‘follower’, I’m a really devout devotee.

Apart from the intention of your article and the distasteful references, I agree. LFC is a religion.

Which brings us to the point about you? Who do you support and as a what? Since there is obviously no singing, no common language, no history, no heroes, why do you even support what you support? You make everyone believe that what they always knew. You are definitely not a follower, not even a supporter. You, and people like you, are ‘patrons’. What you do every weekend is walk into an entertainment house, watch a couple of hours of some guys kicking a ball and get out of there. Obviously, you’d not talk about the game next day because that’d be ‘history’. Obviously, you’d not shout or egg your players on. You’d never sing or get into any sort of rhythm. Wait, you sure you’ve not been watching movies instead of going to ball-games Mr Barney? Ever seen a huge movie with an ensemble cast? Get the drift? Feeling closer home?

One final thought.. LFC supporters/ followers/ devotees only have/had their issues with Fernando Torres. Not Chelsea. Chelsea Football Club is just a competitor in the League for us. We don’t have historic rivalries and this is probably the first time that the game has some significance over and above the usual interest level of a football game. We have our strong rivalries, not-so-strong rivalries, historic rivalries, newly-founded rivalries etc. etc. If you guys don’t, pick someone else. We’re occupied!

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29 Comments

  1. I actually sent a complaint to Chelsea themselves, I can’t believe they would want to be officially associated with such distasteful comments on their website.

    Mind you, still waiting for a reply…

  2. “patrons” – lol!!

    Have to say I read that this morning, and apart from the, as you put it ‘distatsteful reference’, I was just nodding and agreeing with most of what he said!

    And the problem is…?

  3. Haven’t read the original article but it sounds like it just about sums up the stereotypical Chelsea fan who only got on board when Abramovich showed up. Totally lacking any passion, or understanding of what it REALLY means to support a team. Great article (again!) Kaushal.

  4. Some time ago I watched a scientific program which presented the results of some sociological and human history studies. Their conclusion was that football fans were much like tribes (rather than religions). Tribes stick together to ‘fight an enemy or invader’, have their specific ‘war-dances’ and songs, wear certain colours to distinguish them from others and there are further things to identify them. They explained it better than I can do, more scientific.

    Most religions have one God, probably the same with different names. I wouldn’t put supporting a football club on the same level as religion. Really religious people will tell you that this would be blasphemy. The tribal thing really made sense to me.

  5. Oh my god, how sad is that. I feel really sorry for the guy. He clearly loves his team and is gutted the other “consumers” who he must have to sit and watch games with don’t. Almost reminds me of the “prawn sandwich” attack from Keane a few years back. I mean things must be really bad for him to have spent so much time and effort having a go at the desire, commitment, passion and energy of our supporters. He has actually highlighted one thing, take one person out of our club and we remain strong, take one out of Chavski (namely Abramovich) and they’re a bottom half Championship side.

  6. just as always

    Chelsea “fans” trying to prove a joke
    we are Liverpool

    I’m An LFC supporter

    I don’t care about what other people say
    I care about Liverpool

    Thanks mate

    YNWA

  7. All I can say is for apparently being a Chelsea fan he’s spent a lot of time thinking about Liverpool!!

  8. The problem is Chelsea’s history stretches back to 2003 when some billionaire crash-landed (obviously he couldn’t find a landing site in Serie A or La Liga), and found this little blue team just about cheap enough to dump some of his ill-gotten gains (ie money allegedly owed to the Russian Tax Authorities [1]).

    Now they think they’re the bees-knees of football, despite a failure to win Europe’s most prestigious trophy…The European Champions Cup.

    Let them have their ‘five minutes of fame’. It’ll be more interesting to see how they survive once UEFA demands they spend what they earn. With losses likely to be around 150Mil in April (their annual losses are ~70Mil, but this time around they’ve spent pretty big) its difficult to see how the Billionare will be able to help them so easily in the future.

    References:

    1. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman_Abramovich

  9. Religion is divisive, it can only thrive when people are willing to blindly follow the words of others.

    We can chart the beginnings of religious thoughts right back to the beginnings of the evolution of the human mind. Religion gives easy answers to hard questions. We live within a central paradox in that we have evolved to the point where we understand our own mortality.

    Dogs, cats, bears, fish, elephants etc have no understanding of their own mortality, we do, and therein lies madness.

    Religion is an opiate for the masses: don’t worry, when you die you don’t really die. Makes the pill a whole lot easier to swallow. Don’t do that or God will be angry and you will go to hell. A nice way of controlling the ignorant masses.

    Speaking of which, people who spout on about the Liverpool way, and loving this club when they have never been to my city, let alone been to Anfield are the definition of ignorant masses.

    This site has been winding me up for some time now, but this article is the last straw. Stop speaking for Liverpool fans as if you have some right, some anointed pedestal to do so. You don’t.

    Do you know why we Liverpool fans have traditionally been respected as decent fans? Because we were never holier than thou and took everything with a big lump of good humour. The new breed of internet based fans is killing that image and it is the writers and readers of sites such as this one which is accelerating the increasing disdain people have for MY cub and MY city.

  10. DeLauncey…with all due respect WHO THE F*CK ARE YOU to decide who speaks on LFC fans behalf you ignorant nothing of a person?

    God you’re at the same level as these self-conceited Chelsea fans who think they’re the best in the world because of the very generous charity of some billionaire

  11. Hi DeLauncey, I don’t intend to come out as someone qualified in talking about religion nor was this post perpetrated to be one. Thank you for sharing your opinion about religion. My understanding was a little more basic as mentioned above.
    As for people in Liverpool – Well, as much as I would like to visit Liverpool and Anfield, I have been unfortunate to not be able to. I’m sure there are a lot of LFC fans across the world who would like to visit Anfield but have not been able to for one reason or the other. Moreover, I never thought there is a residency restriction on supporting Liverpool FC. For what it’s worth, I’ll always be a ‘Liverpool Fan’.
    I usually am able to take good humor but if you read the above mentioned post, humor was definitely not the flavor. My bad if I missed it.

  12. Ahmad Zaman

    You have just proved my point about the holier than thou breed of new (read: plastic) supporters.

    Well done young man.

    Oh, and just to let you know, “self-conceited” is a little redundant don’t you think? You are either conceited or you are not. No need for the self. If you are going to call me ignorant best to use the language properly don’t you think? Lest people think you yourself are ignorant. (Perish the thought)

  13. One small clarification folks: I am not speaking on anyone’s behalf. It’s a blog and these are my views only. Obviously all of us have our own opinions and such sites help us share.

  14. So DeLauncey has a degree in English and Theology…as for ‘holier than thou’, your ‘plastic supporters’ accusation summaries your attitude perfectly (clearly you’re made from celluloid).

    However there is major logic-flaw in your bullsh*t.

    “This site has been winding me up for some time now, but this article is the last straw…”

    Why are you on this site if it offends you so much? Perhaps you’re one of these socially-repressed individuals who needs to express themselves in some manner in order to seek attention. Anyway enough of thee and thy irrevelant rants, Kaushal please don’t feel shy or fearful of expressing your views in future, you have the same right as everyone else to speak your mind.

  15. Mr Barney…. apart from being a big purple singing dinosaur appealing to children…..is obviously religious himself having such an in depth knowledge. However it would appear he is a follower of one of these fangangled religions. So in keeping with been a Chelsea fan… I hereby state that all chelsea fans must be Scientologists. My reasons….Well like Scientology…Chelsea will bleed you dry off all your money.

  16. Oh and I forgot to state that like Scientology, Chelsea have …power hungry mad leader who gets rid or denounces those who no longer conform to his wishes. Finally…..Scientology preaches aload of bollocks. Er just like Chelsea fans and Torres is your false Messiah! ;)

  17. Delauncey,without fans outside the city,OUR club wouldn’t survive..OUR club is doing everything to go global just to make money so they can sustain one of the greatest club in the world..Luckily most of us who supports LFC thru good times and bad times chose to ignore some holier then thou attitude that came from people like you..there are fans who save money for years just to be able to visit Anfield..why chase them away with that attitude?in fact,to think about it,no fellow fans of LFC from the city that I knew would turn us outsiders away..r u sure u’re a Liverpool fans?or just a bitter from the same city WUM..?

  18. I think we should thank him, he’s basically written an article telling us we’re the best fans in the world.

    Also, someone should point out to him that reading one Richard Dawkins book and writing an sub A-level essay on religion doesn’t make you a genius, or qualified to make ridiculously speculative assertions about very complex group psychology.

    Finally, the same is surely true to some extent about England fans (among whom I would proudly count myself). Every world cup, England lights up with cries of ‘we can do it this year!’ and talk about Rooney setting the world alight – for me this is surely worse than believing that a club that last won the league in 1991, and has been relatively close consistently since then, could do it again. England last won the World Cup in 1966, for crying out loud. Also, ‘addiction to self pity’ is one of the daftest things I have ever read, so i don’t think I need to address that.

    So, yeah. Fans who are most attached to our players? That would be us. Fans who make the most noise? Also us. Fans who know most about their club’s past? Us again! Fans who care the most? US!

    YNWA

  19. Most religions teach you good. How to up hold oneself with pride, humility and morals. The love and comfort of a family bonding and to forgive those that have sinned against you and your beliefs for they do not not know what they are doing. So dear Mr.Barney and DeLauncey I on my part will forgive you for your ignorance and ego respectively.

    Mr.Barney, I believe your lack of belief is due to your misguided interpretation that in religion one just receives without any thought of giving. That I’m afraid to say is more towards Satanic and the Black Arts. You spend your life in luxury but remember the payback is ‘Hell’. Nothing comes easy. One has to work hard to be good. Suffering is part of the process. You can see that through history. Sorry I might confuse you with the mention of that word ‘History’. But even you have that. Not interspersed with spectacular life changing events but it’s still ‘History’. Once one sells their soul at the crossroads for a painless luxurious life… I guess that’s why they call it the ‘Blues’.

    Dear DeLauncey, as I am just one of a million others who feel every pain and joy that comes with supporting Liverpool but sadly from afar with a rare opportunity to ever have a chance to ever bare witness to a game on the hallowed grounds of Anfield as the chosen few like your goodself. The ones who have to watch our games at ungodly hours and head to work after. Yes I guess we are not blessed like you to be able to pack your troubles in the old kit bag and head down for a game but we believe our hopes and prayers will still be heard thousand of miles away. We hope that that the actual strength of the 12th man is actually closer to a few million than just 40 plus thousand. We believe that we are present in spirit. It’s strange that after 40 plus years of supporting staunchly from afar, this is the first time I have come across a Red who sadly doesn’t accept another with open arms. I think you must have been misguided. We are not individual supreme elitist? We can leave that to the mancs and Mr.Barney’s team. We’re a family. And I believe that is solely the reason why outsiders try their hardest to break our beliefs. To tear us down through the media and their comments. No matter what the rest will do Liverpool will always be the greatest and sadly they know that and there lies their hate and surprisingly yours too.

  20. “Speaking of which, people who spout on about the Liverpool way, and loving this club when they have never been to my city, let alone been to Anfield are the definition of ignorant masses.”

    Whhaaa? So since I have never been to Merseyside or Anfield somehow I’m not qualified to be a fan? What kind of world do you live in? You realize that no top club could sustain itself without a global fan base, right?

    What exactly are you getting at because your statement is either extremely ignorant or you are ethnocentric. You should feel fortunate that you live in the city of our great club, not hold it over other fans’ heads because honestly it has fuck all to do with being a devoted supporter.

    Get off your high horse, DeLauncy.

  21. sssssstttttt, mr delauncey is liverpool citizen, but i bet he’s not a red one, don’t you? are you the “unfortunate” blue fan, mr delauncey? that’t explain a lot tho :)

  22. I am a red fan and have been since I was old enough to understand football. Following the reds became a lot easier when the Internet came along. I live in a rural community on the island of Tasmania, which is more or less as far from England as anywhere. I’ve never been to Liverpool or walked through Shanklys Gate. Every morning and every night, and even during my work breaks I read the latest news on the reds. I watch as many games as the time difference allows and every wall in my room is adorned with reds jerseys and posters. My dream is to stand in the Kop and sing our Anthem with the other supporters.

    Am I worthy of being a devotee? Is this a religion?

    Those aren’t the words I’d choose, but I think they can be applicable. Great article :)

  23. My final holier than thou statement to you DeLauncey, ‘ Happy are those who have not seen yet believed’. You my dear man have become a bigger disappointment to Liverpool than even Torres.
    Keep it up Kaushal.

  24. He wouldn’t understand what it’s like to love a club, to cry, shout and sing your lungs out when your team is losing, and to jump up and down like a madman in joy when it’s winning. He just doesn’t get it. Precisely why he’s not a Liverpool supporter. I’ve been to anfield once, when I was young ( I live in Asia!), it’s purely magical. I remember crying during 2005 CL in Istanbul during half time, then going beserk when we won it. I would say its not a religion, its love. Love for the club, and it’s history. How could someone who thinks in such a shallow manner, and supports a club that honestly speaking, isn’t that historic, would be able to understand the feelings and love one can have for his/her club? YNWA.

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