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Thou Shalt Not View The Super Bowl on a 56" Screen
theodp writes "For 200 members of the Immanuel Bible Church and their friends, the annual Super Bowl party is over thanks to the NFL, which explained that airing NFL games at churches on large-screen TV sets violates the NFL copyright. Federal copyright law includes an exemption for sports bars, according to NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy, but churches are out of luck. Churchgoers who aren't averse to a little drinking-and-driving still have the opportunity to see the game together in public on a screen bigger than 55 inches."
The bible also says that I should stone my waitress on Sunday.
I have nothing to say.
I think religion is pretty fucked up myself. However, freedoms being taken away from idiots are the same freedoms being taken away from you and I. So no matter how we may feel about idiot churchgoers, it's still very bothersome. Nevermind that I think all sports are a scam, as well.
Apparently you're the kind of person who would have done nothing when the Nazis went to the ghettos and started their genocide, because they weren't coming for you. THis isn't about football or religion, but something worse. I'll leave it to you to try and figure what that is, although I kind of doubt you lack the mental equipment that sort of introspection will require.
Democrats and Republicans are like AIDS and Cancer, I want neither!
One poster commented that the NFL has a hard time making money. Well, from the picture of the church property, it does not appear that the church has that problem. It would be nice if the NFL could scam as well as the average christian churches in America. Selective reading lets then demand a tithe, but forget that Jesus destroyed the temple due to money changers in the church. Have American flags and patriotic paraphernalia in the church, but do everything they can to avoid paying taxes, even on clearly profit making activities. Agree to certain political limitations in exchange for the tax exempt status, and then, like the hypocrite, ignore those limitations as they please.
This is nothing more than a whiny church complaining that once they are being held to rules of civilized society. I know it is a new experience for most churches, having to comply with the rule of law, but it happens. They can buy a smaller screen. They can choose not to have such a secular event in a sacred space, and forgo the tithe that members who are mostly interested in secular events might bring. They can, like most churches, have such secular events outside of the sacred space.
"She's a scientist and a lesbian. She's not going to let it slide." Orphan Black
Copyright is after all, a man made law. Watching superbowl on a Sunday violates, the Sabbath, God's law. Doesn't it?
sed -e 's/Chuck Norris/Rajnikant/g' joke > fact
"The churches are just seeking the same exemption that bars already have. (not that I see why anyone needs one.)"
Brewers subsidize the game with big ad buys. That's why they don't mind them showing the game in bars.
When churches start taking out big ad spots *that aren't offensive to viewers*, they'll get the same "consideration".
Churches have no right to a "free ride". Trading on the coat-tails of the popularity of someone else's product when you don't have an agreement or license is not right, and this is exactly what the church is doing - they admit they're trying to attract people by showing the game.
And jesus said that he and god were one, and paul claimed to be speaking for god, so its all supposedly the same. Or is the bible full of errors and mistakes? Well, lets look at some other "biblical teachings" Premarital sex is supposed to be evil - except jesus was an illegitimate bastard and god cuckolded joseph. And gays and lesbians are supposed to be going to hell. And so are people who don't worship god. Also those who work on the "holy day". And anyone who doesn't "give their life to jeebus."
Nice how religions prey upon people when they are at their weakest (kids, adults going through crisis, etc) and promise to solve their problems if they only believe.
Watching the super bowl on an oversized tv should be the least of your worries.