Russia and FIFA World Cup
Dear CoaH,
FIFA World Cup matches are in progress. The excitement of the World Cup, which draws more attention than the Olympics, is truly unique. The budget is astronomical. Qatar, the host, invested for this tournament around US$ 229 billion. This tournament is the 'most expensive tournament' in World Cup history. The contest is held during the more moderate season at the host country's request, starting November 20th. From a believer's point of view, the tournament is way too close to the Christmas season, overlooking the importance of Christmas. Advent is supposed to be a time to remember the first and the second coming of the Lord, but it is entirely overshadowed by football fever. Being held in the Middle East, where Islam is the strongest, Christmas seems even farther away.
But we should remember the first and the second coming of Jesus Christ and meditate on their meanings during Advent. The world needs true hope more than ever. While Ukraine suffers setback after setback, the world focuses on the World Cup. Putin's senseless and brutal war leaves millions of innocent victims homeless and downtrodden. Lately, Putin's forces have been retreating from the front lines, but they are cowardly firing missiles and destroying key Ukrainian installations. By hitting the power plants around the country, the Russian forces want innocent people to shiver in cold and dark winter. Talk about the evil villain. Yes, you have it in the person of Putin.
The last FIFA World Cup was held four years ago in Russia. Putin was not a symbol of evil then. How unfortunate that he chose war to resolve any dispute with Ukraine! How nice it would have been if, as a politician, he had found a way other than war. Think again of the word 'politics' in Chinese (政治), which means to rule correctly. Politicians must put down all self-interest and govern properly. Not only the people of Ukraine but also the people of Russia are huge victims. Because of Putin's invasion, the team Russia was kicked out of FIFA World Cup last March. I wonder how the Russian people feel when they watch the World Cup games.
Blessings,
Pastor Minho Song
