Aussie Rules

One of the first cultural differences I've been presented with was the version of football played in Australia.  Aussie rules football is a combination of soccer, and ultimate frisbee rules with scoring very similar to PAT's in American football or gridiron as its is classified here. 

The ball, or footy, is a red version of a rugby ball.  Points are scored by kicking the footy through two sets of posts six points for goals through the inside set and one for 'behind' the outside posts.  The remaining rules are to complicated to explain but let me assure you its entertaining to say the least. 

Atmosphere at the ASNFL Grand Final was electric. The Central District Bulldogs faced off against the Norwood Redlegs.  The Bulldogs or Doggies, as I was instructed they be called, had suffered a long drought to start their history dating back more than fifty years.  However their recent history includes 8 premierships in the last decade; a resume that would earn an American organization the fitting title of "dynasty".

The match was incredible. The wind played a huge factor as it was blowing directly from the east to west goal.  Centrals went up by twenty; only to fall behind by 30 by half.  With the wind in favor of Central they managed to scratch ahead by fifteen and hold onto the win.  My host, Robert Laidlaw, who was an avid Bulldogs fan and member of the media was ecstatic and managed to grant us access to the club's victory party. 

The whole experience left me thinking about culture and how narrow societal views can be.  In America we are brought up on the NFL or gridiron rules of football.  Australians are brought up on their own rules.  Now it would be ridiculous to consider the way I learned growing up the better way or the right way.  It is more comfortable for me to watch the Seahawks play the Rams in an NFL game-but a better game?  Essentially this is my conclusion on religion and culture.  Too many people fail to step outside their own comfortable paradigms to consider perhaps they are missing the purpose of culture.  On the field, the rules are all that important but are simply a means for participants to pursue a defined goal a means to compete.  The essence of sport is to compete-to struggle.  Is this so different from secular or religious norms? The laws, scriptures, constructs, and beliefs we are taught may differ from other systems. But aren't these rules in place to organize our struggle to give life purpose? I vote yes