Cornhole--a whole new way of life?

Today I attended the COGS Back to School BBQ Bash. I have to say it was an awesome event. I met some amazing students, had some great food (go Chef Dan!) and best of all, played the greatest of all games CORNHOLE. It's the kind of sport that makes one want to repeat its very name over and over... CORNHOLE,CORNHOLE, CORNHOLE. 

I think this was due to the incredible organizational talents and encouragement of COGS President (El Presidente) Lee Taylor. (Is this a Louisiana thing?) Now for the non-initiated amongst us, Cornhole is a legitimate athletic endeavor, used by many Olympic athletes to stay in shape during the off season. Here in VB, we have an entire league set aside for its enjoyment.  http://www.vabeachcornhole.com/

What, you might ask, does CORNHOLE have to do with our spiritual journey? Great question. Well, truth be told I think that some of his fellow COGS students thought El Presidente had gone off his rocker when he suggested this local popular past time for the Hoedown, and why is that? Background. Environment. Experience. (Good sense?) Certain thing seem natural to us because we grew up with them, certain things seem totally foreign because we didn't. 

That's what higher education is all about--sampling the traditions and thought systems of others who come from different backgrounds than ourselves. Take for instance something ALMOST as controversial as CORNHOLE...SPEAKING IN TONGUES. Where you come from, only the crazies did that. But you get to Regent, and somebody on your hall thinks that is the most natural thing in the world. You--you think that they have a demon and should be kicked out of your apartment. What is a student supposed to do?

Do what I did today--take a toss at a completely new game. Listen to the new rules. Examine unfamiliar equipment. Learn to keep score a completely different way. (what was the score in that game anyway, brother Lee?) In short--keep an open mind. Religious people are famous for being close minded...so don't add to the stereotype. Before you judge, listen.  Who knows, you may have found a completely new way of life. 

For instance in Mark 7-- the Pharisees were used to following strict rules of ceremonial cleansing. It was a game they played to make themselves feel holy. It was ok, in itself, but along came Jesus and his followers, and they were playing a completely new game. 

the Pharisees and teachers of the law asked Jesus, "Why don't your disciples live according to the tradition of the elders instead of eating their food with 'unclean' hands?"

 What was JEsus' response? Did he apologize and wash his hands, so as not to offend? no.

9And he said to them: "You have a fine way of setting aside the commands of God in order to observe your own traditions! 

It is possible in our geographic and religious backgrounds to invent traditions of men that supersede the laws of God. We look down at others because they don't know the rules to our local religious games... "Don't cuss, don't chew, don't go with girls who do... and other such things."  Maybe we're looking down our nose at others who don't play our particular brand of local game (religious cornhole?) and so they are just not Christians...right? Wrong. 

Maybe we're just stuck in our own local version of Pharisaism. 

Questions:

1. What religious traditions today do you think are just "rules of men" that might contradict the laws of God?

2. What religious/spiritual practices have you encountered that are unfamiliar to you? How did you respond?

thanks!