| − | '''Unplug the NFL''' is advocated by ''Conservapedia'' in response to the NFL's [[paganism]], its promotion of the [[homosexual agenda]], and its [[Blacklisting Tim Tebow|exclusion of Tim Tebow]] presumably for quoting the [[Bible]] "too much."<ref>The slogan "unplug the NFL" was created by ''Conservapedia'', with this entry. Others are welcome to use this slogan with attribution.</ref> There are many additional valid reasons for opposing the NFL, which bilks taxpayers for an estimated $1 billion annually and even got the [[FBI]] to search for a player's jersey in [[Mexico]] in 2017. The NFL appeases the [[liberal media]] and encourages "[[fantasy football]]," a form of [[gambling]] and false worship.<ref>"From very early times gambling was forbidden by canon law. Two of the oldest among the so-called canons of the [[Apostles]] forbade games of chance under pain of [[excommunication]] to clergy and laity alike." See [http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/06375b.htm Catholic Encyclopedia], which continues to observe: "The 79th canon of the Council of Elvira (306) decreed that one of the faithful who had been guilty of gambling might be, on amendment, restored to communion after the lapse of a year. A homily (the famous "De Aleatoribus") long ascribed by St. Cyprian, but by modern scholars variously attributed to Popes Victor I, Callistus I, and Melchiades, and which undoubtedly is a very early and interesting monument of Christian antiquity, is a vigorous denunciation of gambling. The Fourth Lateran Council (1215), by a decree subsequently inserted in the "Corpus Juris", forbade clerics to play or to be present at games of chance. Some authorities, such as Aubespine, have attempted to explain the severity of the ancient canons against gambling by supposing that idolatry was often connected with it in practice. The pieces that were played with were small-sized idols, or images of the gods, which were invoked by the players for good luck."</ref> Genuine fans—as opposed to gamblers—are mostly irrelevant to the NFL profit model.<ref>[http://ftw.usatoday.com/2016/01/rams-chargers-raiders-move-to-los-angeles-london-nfl-owners-proposal When will fans realize that NFL owners don't care about them?]</ref> In 2016, the NFL allowed displays of defiance against the [[National Anthem]]. '''''Search on "demonic" and "NFL" on the internet and see nearly 4 million websites discussing it'''''. | + | '''Unplug the NFL''' is advocated by ''Conservapedia'' in response to the NFL's [[paganism]], its promotion of the [[homosexual agenda]], and its [[Blacklisting Tim Tebow|exclusion of Tim Tebow]] presumably for quoting the [[Bible]] "too much."<ref>The slogan "unplug the NFL" was created by ''Conservapedia'', with this entry. Others are welcome to use this slogan with attribution.</ref> There are many more reasons for opposing the NFL, which bilks taxpayers for an estimated $1 billion annually and even got the [[FBI]] to search for a player's jersey in [[Mexico]] in 2017. The NFL appeases the [[liberal media]] and encourages "[[fantasy football]]," a form of [[gambling]] and false worship.<ref>"From very early times gambling was forbidden by canon law. Two of the oldest among the so-called canons of the [[Apostles]] forbade games of chance under pain of [[excommunication]] to clergy and laity alike." See [http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/06375b.htm Catholic Encyclopedia], which continues to observe: "The 79th canon of the Council of Elvira (306) decreed that one of the faithful who had been guilty of gambling might be, on amendment, restored to communion after the lapse of a year. A homily (the famous "De Aleatoribus") long ascribed by St. Cyprian, but by modern scholars variously attributed to Popes Victor I, Callistus I, and Melchiades, and which undoubtedly is a very early and interesting monument of Christian antiquity, is a vigorous denunciation of gambling. The Fourth Lateran Council (1215), by a decree subsequently inserted in the "Corpus Juris", forbade clerics to play or to be present at games of chance. Some authorities, such as Aubespine, have attempted to explain the severity of the ancient canons against gambling by supposing that idolatry was often connected with it in practice. The pieces that were played with were small-sized idols, or images of the gods, which were invoked by the players for good luck."</ref> Genuine fans—as opposed to gamblers—are mostly irrelevant to the NFL profit model.<ref>[http://ftw.usatoday.com/2016/01/rams-chargers-raiders-move-to-los-angeles-london-nfl-owners-proposal When will fans realize that NFL owners don't care about them?]</ref> In 2016, the NFL allowed displays of defiance against the [[National Anthem]]. '''''Search on "demonic" and "NFL" on the internet and see nearly 4 million websites discussing it'''''. |
| | While a star NFL player, Aaron Hernandez committed murder and later reportedly hung himself in prison while serving a life sentence for it. His team, the New England Patriots, quickly gave outspokenly [[Christian]] [[Tim Tebow]] a phony tryout apparently as away to deflect from the scandal. | | While a star NFL player, Aaron Hernandez committed murder and later reportedly hung himself in prison while serving a life sentence for it. His team, the New England Patriots, quickly gave outspokenly [[Christian]] [[Tim Tebow]] a phony tryout apparently as away to deflect from the scandal. |
| | There is also a growing concern that watching or supporting the NFL may be immoral, in light of a study revealing that 96% of deceased NFL players test positive for [[chronic traumatic encephalopathy]], or CTE.<ref>http://www.forbes.com/sites/dandiamond/2015/09/18/96-of-surveyed-nfl-players-test-positive-for-brain-disease/</ref> Other studies suggest that the "average life expectancy of a retired NFL player is 55 years," and that "retired NFL players suffer from Alzheimer's at a 37 per cent higher rate than average."<ref>http://www.cbc.ca/strombo/news/the-average-life-expectancy-of-an-nfl-player-is-55-years.html</ref> Some have compared watching NFL games to what the Romans did in watching the brutal gladiator fights, which is widely recognized to have been immoral and harmful to the society.<ref>The NFL exaggerates its audience sometimes. For example, the NFL exaggerated ratings for its internet streaming, initially claiming that “33.6 million” watched a worldwide live stream of a Bills-Jaguars game in late October 2015, and then downgrading that estimate to less than half, or 15.2 million, which is still probably an exaggeration. [http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2015/10/27/nfl-exaggerated-sundays-bills-jags-internet-numbers/]</ref> | | There is also a growing concern that watching or supporting the NFL may be immoral, in light of a study revealing that 96% of deceased NFL players test positive for [[chronic traumatic encephalopathy]], or CTE.<ref>http://www.forbes.com/sites/dandiamond/2015/09/18/96-of-surveyed-nfl-players-test-positive-for-brain-disease/</ref> Other studies suggest that the "average life expectancy of a retired NFL player is 55 years," and that "retired NFL players suffer from Alzheimer's at a 37 per cent higher rate than average."<ref>http://www.cbc.ca/strombo/news/the-average-life-expectancy-of-an-nfl-player-is-55-years.html</ref> Some have compared watching NFL games to what the Romans did in watching the brutal gladiator fights, which is widely recognized to have been immoral and harmful to the society.<ref>The NFL exaggerates its audience sometimes. For example, the NFL exaggerated ratings for its internet streaming, initially claiming that “33.6 million” watched a worldwide live stream of a Bills-Jaguars game in late October 2015, and then downgrading that estimate to less than half, or 15.2 million, which is still probably an exaggeration. [http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2015/10/27/nfl-exaggerated-sundays-bills-jags-internet-numbers/]</ref> |