Early Christian church pioneers would gasp at Artificial Intelligence’s twisting Jesus’ image and, from it, growing the popularity of the religion of sports. AI’s seamless grafting of the heads of footballers like Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo and Marta onto the body of Jesus, or the face of Jesus cropped atop a Mr. Olympia physique nailed to the cross, seemingly humorous or harmless portraits, but with repeated viewing these slick digital images acquire a spiritual power of their own.
The seeds of this emerging sports-religion date from the ancient Olympic Games, when winning athletes were feted, state paid and statues built in their honor. Some Olympians even healed the sick. But it never reached religiosity. With the 1969 book, “Manchester United: The Religion,” followed by similarly worded banners hung at the football club’s Old Trafford stadium, it did. Its fanatical, ultra-devoted fans, those who never miss a home match in 40 years, call it ManUnited-ism. For the more singularly devoted, there’s Iglesia Maradoniana. Aware of such intense faith, dictators, including the Greek Junta, used it to polish their image and to detract from the less savory parts of their reign. Vladimi Putin did it twice with the 2014 Winter Olympics and the 2018 World Cup.
In America, the mixing of sports with Christianity produces Sportianity. From high school to college to professional football, Friday to Sunday are holy days. Mass takes place at huge, glistening stadiums cum cathedrals, along with the rituals, prayers, fanaticism, and insane passions that go with it. In these houses of worship, beer is allowed and hysterics encouraged. Beginning in 2026, this fervor will reach new pinnacles as the US unprecedently hosts the Men’s and Women’s World Cups, followed by the Summer Olympics in Los Angeles in 2028. As new devotees to the faith and new digital Messiahs emerge from these spectacles, sports-religion benefits. So will clubs and franchise owners.
AI disrupts many societal sectors; institutional religion could not escape the onslaught. But the Great Disruptor is also the Great Distorter. Jesus was a homeless man, while the new Messiahs live in luxury and splendor. He preached to the multitudes, but Messi and company pitch products and travel as brand ambassadors. Overturning the moneychangers’ tables? Today’s Messiahs invest in startups and park their loot in hedge funds. Help the meek? Digital Messiahs can’t donate to folks who lack Venmo accounts. As for the hungry poor, “Let them buy shares of Nvidia.” Sports-religion is real and, fueled by addiction, grows. Is it good for our souls and the environment AI damages to meet its exploding energy needs ? Praying to Messi or Marta provides no answer.
Dr Taso G. Lagos lectures at the University of Washington, Seattle, and co-directs the Greece study abroad program.
