Oklahoma City just legit had a Christian pastor come onto the floor and give a random prayer before an NBA game. Wtf was that?
Edit: short video I got of the prayer https://streamable.com/psugev
by DrOzmitazBuckshank
@National Basketball Association
36 Comments
They do it every game.
You’re in gods country boy
It’s Oklahoma, what do you want? They love fascinating remodels.
What did they ask them to remodel their hats into?
Get religion and politics away from my sports
Redditor learns about the heartland
> Before the plumes of smoke and the shimmering pyrotechnics, before the two dozen or so dancers gyrating in microscopic shorts and the hip-hop, before the hairy mascot on stilts and the sponsorships — “Tonight’s free throws are brought to you by Hooters!” — there is prayer.
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> Chesapeake Energy Arena, home to the N.B.A.’s Oklahoma City Thunder, so fully incorporates the complete assortment of flashy sports entertainment that the building has been called Loud City.
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> But amid the cacophony here, there is one significant difference: Preceding each game is a stadiumwide prayer of invocation that on most nights briefly turns a raucous sports event into something resembling a megachurch gathering.
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> “We feel people’s faith is important to them,” said Dan Mahoney, the Thunder’s vice president for corporate communications and community relations, who noted that the prayers were nondenominational and that those offering them had ranged from Protestant and Roman Catholic clergy members to rabbis to Native American spiritual leaders. “Gathering to support our team, we feel it’s appropriate to build in a time of reflection.”
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> Public, pre-event prayers are not uncommon at private college games and auto races. But no other N.B.A. team conducts a pregame invocation, and across all of North America’s major men’s professional teams — there are 141 in all, if one includes Major League Soccer — it is believed that only one other organization, the Carolina Panthers of the N.F.L., has an invocation as part of its normal pregame presentation.
https://www.nytimes.com/2014/02/28/sports/basketball/praying-for-the-home-team-in-oklahoma-city.html
BK v Knicks on Boxing Day a few years ago had a big Hanukkah celebration. I was very confused. Coming from Australia there is no religion tied to sport at all.
they pray to purify the stadium. all the non-christian’s actually combust in to flames if they don’t partake
Jesus loves basketball! he is a huge OKC fan didn’t you know?
The first time I experienced this in OKC, I was definitely taken aback, to say the least. I wasn’t bothered, it was just one of those “wow, yeah, okay. I shouldn’t be that surprised” moments.
That’s super fucking weird
Dude, it’s Oklahoma.
Idk what to tell you
American Christianity is weird especially when it takes place in a publicly subsidized arena
International players must be wondering wtf is wrong with these people. It’s a sporting event not a church service.
If I wasted the early 20’s of Westbrook, Durant, and Harden, I would probably switch gods
They do this every game. And they have as long as I can remember.
I doubt God gives a shit about a preseason basketball game, now regular season maybe.
Are they asking them to put shiplap on their hats or something?
Any chance the church offered a few 2nds in exchange for opening prayer rights?
Never been to a game, but isn’t the prayer something they do every game? I feel like I’ve seen this happen before
Jonathan Isaac YOU ARE an OKC Thunder
This happens before every home game homie, threads like this have been posted before.
Sounds like Presti is angling for Jonathan Isaac.
Welcome to Oklahoma.
Have you ever been to Oklahoma lol
It’s oklahoma…
Happens at every NASCAR race and all short track racing around the country.
I mean the vast majority of people don’t have a problem with that because they live in the real world, but I imagine in this comment section you will find some of those Reddit weirdos who hate anything they don’t believe in. Tolerance is only theoretical to them because they don’t really live in the real world
Like I ain’t religious but why tf would I care if someone else is…especially in Oklahoma like yeah religion is pretty important down there 🤣🤣
They have had many different religious opens the game. It’s weird, but it’s not just Christianity
whole bunch of nothing, just a harmless prayer 🤷
And?
Went to a game last year while visiting from CO. Was absolutely mind blown when they did this. But based on everyone’s reactions it was a normal thing. Do they not do this every game?
Based.
Redditors when religion is literally anywhere in public have an aneurism every time and it’s the funniest shit.
If it was a Muslim prayer, then everyone else would be complaining, and you all would be arguing how bigoted they are.