I was looking forward to hearing Tony Dungy speak. I love listening to people I know I'm going to disagree with. It gives me ammo. Anyone who knows me knows that the only time I ever really feel alive is when I'm complaining.

I was really looking forward to the disappointment of the crowd when they realized that Mr. Dungy would be speaking about Christianity that night and not football. The fantasy in my head was that hundreds of rabid Colts fans would be disappointed, but have to sit through an hour-long speech concerning religion that they didn't bargain for. It was going to be brilliant. I was going to complain about how much Tony Dungy is into his nonsense, and then follow it up with complaining about the crowd.

Sadly, only part of my wish came true. I was able to complain about Tony Dungy very easily. He was exactly as I thought he'd be. He contradicted himself a few times, talked about football too much, and had a massively overinflated sense of self-importance. The crowd was what threw me for a loop. At the point where Tony Dungy led the crowd in accepting Jesus Christ as their personal savior, I looked around. Having given up Catholicism at an early age, I get really uncomfortable with being thrust back in to hardcore religion. I gazed on the crowd of Emens auditorium and found that not only were some of them praying, but the majority were. I could only spot a few other lone souls in the crowd like myself.

I really didn't think there were that many people religious enough on campus to participate in public prayer with Tony Dungy. I was wrong, and it kind of freaked me out. I imagine it's what the Grinch felt like in the Dr. Seuss Christmas fairty tale. Except, I'm not evil. I think it bothers me that I don't know that people might be religious when I talk to them.

In my mind, it's like finding out that someone is really in to bad Pop Hip-Hop and Country music. You feel like you would know if you met that person. You feel like you would be able to avoid them, but then something happens like this Tony Dungy experience. You realize that they're everywhere, and they will sneak under your radar. It's depressing that so many people would be so into something you're philosophically against, and that you won't be able to spot them at 40 paces.

It was definitely an eye-opening experience despite Tony's speech. I learned things about myself, and about the demographics of Ball State University. I realize that it was a Campus Crusade for Christ event and that would attract religious people. I just didn't quite grasp the part where Tony Dungy had the power to fill an auditorium with people devoted enough to participate in public prayer with him.

TrackBack URI for this entry

Comments (1)

Subscribe to this comment's feed

Show/Hide comments

Comment
Name
Email
Write the displayed characters
	Add Comment