Tebow, religion, and eyeblack

[Jaxbuck]

Buckiprof had it right but just so no one misinterprets, I am someone who holds strong religious values. They may not be the same denomination as Tim Tebow or Muhammad Ali, but I have them.

My problem is not with Tim Tebow. It's with the whole lot of athletes who point to the heavens when they score a touchdown, hit a buzzer-beater, or finish a race. My problem with that is that it suggests that somehow God was on THEIR side and these other schmucks, well, they just didn't pray hard enough.

In my mind, it is the height of hypocrisy to assume that somehow a God who supposedly created and loves all of humanity somehow picked you out of the crowd to reward with your sporting achievement to the disadvantage of all others.

I believe that if you're religious, the best way to show it is in the privacy of your own home.

One more point about Tebow's behaviour in particular. Everybody knows that God belongs to us all. He created the world as we know it. He is above the elements. We have no idea what religion really has it right, or if any due in the final analysis. What we do know is that God isn't Morgan Freeman. God isn't George Burns. God isn't rooting for Florida to win a bloody football game.

But we can all agree that he hates M*ch*gan right?

 

[ORD_Buckeye]

My problem is not with Tim Tebow. It's with the whole lot of athletes who point to the heavens when they score a touchdown, hit a buzzer-beater, or finish a race. My problem with that is that it suggests that somehow God was on THEIR side and these other schmucks, well, they just didn't pray hard enough.

Perfectly stated. Kurt Warner is the supreme example. He has publicly stated that God takes an active role in his success on the field because when Kurt scores a touchdown he reflects the glory back to God. What that says about God's feelings towards Kurt when he was bagging groceries, I don't know.

What it says to me is that Kurt, Tebow and others like them have deep, deep narcissistic personality disorders that have led them to truly believe that they are special class of humans because of their relationship with God resulting in His spending more time worrying about their scoring a touchdown than war, poverty or disease.

 

[sandgk]

Perfectly stated. Kurt Warner is the supreme example.

... What that says about God's feelings towards Kurt when he was bagging groceries, I don't know.

Well if you go from stacking groceries @ $5.50/hr to Super Bowl MVP, in a few short years, you might be given a pass by the team psychiatrist for thinking that God works in mysterious ways ...

on your behalf.

 

[localyokel]

God isn't rooting for Florida to win a bloody football game.

Sure wasn't last night.

 

[JimsSweaterVest]

Perfectly stated. Kurt Warner is the supreme example. He has publicly stated that God takes an active role in his success on the field because when Kurt scores a touchdown he reflects the glory back to God. What that says about God's feelings towards Kurt when he was bagging groceries, I don't know.

What it says to me is that Kurt, Tebow and others like them have deep, deep narcissistic personality disorders that have led them to truly believe that they are special class of humans because of their relationship with God resulting in His spending more time worrying about their scoring a touchdown than war, poverty or disease.

You must spread some Reputation around before giving it to ORD_Buckeye again.

 

[LordJeffBuck]

I believe that if you're religious, the best way to show it is in the privacy of your own home.

What it says to me is that Kurt, Tebow and others like them have deep, deep narcissistic personality disorders that have led them to truly believe that they are special class of humans because of their relationship with God resulting in His spending more time worrying about their scoring a touchdown than war, poverty or disease.

No - and this is coming from an atheist, mind you - it's that "God" has given them talents which allow them to have a public platform from which they can spread "His Word". Christians are specifically called to spread the gospel of Christ, and some of them take that calling seriously. You may find it annoying, but they feel that they are trying to help you by selling you Jesus ... just like Proctor & Gamble feels that they are trying to help you by selling you soap. When ads come on the TV or radio, I simply turn them off ... but I don't accuse the advertisers of having "narcissistic personality disorders" because they are trying to sell their product.

 

[JimsSweaterVest]

No - and this is coming from an atheist, mind you - it's that "God" has given them talents which allow them to have a public platform from which they can spread "His Word". Christians are specifically called to spread the gospel of Christ, and some of them take that calling seriously. You may find it annoying, but they feel that they are trying to help you by selling you Jesus ... just like Proctor & Gamble feels that they are trying to help you by selling you soap. When ads come on the TV or radio, I simply turn them off ... but I don't accuse the advertisers of having "narcissistic personality disorders" because they are trying to sell their product.

I believe we had a thread along these lines in the discussion board a while back, so let's not clutter this one lest the mods smite us.

But I will say this: there are much, much better ways of spreading the Gospel than to claim that the Creator of the universe takes time out from NOT answering the prayers of starving children in Africa and tsunami victims, in order to help some spoiled college or professional athlete in a wealthy country score points in a game.

 

[shetuck]

No - and this is coming from an atheist, mind you - it's that "God" has given them talents which allow them to have a public platform from which they can spread "His Word". Christians are specifically called to spread the gospel of Christ, and some of them take that calling seriously. You may find it annoying, but they feel that they are trying to help you by selling you Jesus ... just like Proctor & Gamble feels that they are trying to help you by selling you soap. When ads come on the TV or radio, I simply turn them off ... but I don't accuse the advertisers of having "narcissistic personality disorders" because they are trying to sell their product.

So... selling "soap" for money = selling "God" for others' salvation?

Are you saying "God" is a prostitute and religious zealots are His pimps? :p

 

[BB73]

Buckiprof had it right but just so no one misinterprets, I am someone who holds strong religious values. They may not be the same denomination as Tim Tebow or Muhammad Ali, but I have them.

My problem is not with Tim Tebow. It's with the whole lot of athletes who point to the heavens when they score a touchdown, hit a buzzer-beater, or finish a race. My problem with that is that it suggests that somehow God was on THEIR side and these other schmucks, well, they just didn't pray hard enough.

In my mind, it is the height of hypocrisy to assume that somehow a God who supposedly created and loves all of humanity somehow picked you out of the crowd to reward with your sporting achievement to the disadvantage of all others.

I believe that if you're religious, the best way to show it is in the privacy of your own home.

One more point about Tebow's behaviour in particular. Everybody knows that God belongs to us all. He created the world as we know it. He is above the elements. We have no idea what religion really has it right, or if any due in the final analysis. What we do know is that God isn't Morgan Freeman. God isn't George Burns. God isn't rooting for Florida to win a bloody football game.

Of course not - Morgan Freeman is Madiba.

 

[cincibuck]

Oh, I agree with everything you say here. From all accounts, The One is a great young man. Like Steve19, I get put off by the, I am sure unintentional, in your face religion from him at times, but that would make him not perfect. But many times, I am quite impressed with those spontaneous interviews where I see someone who is humble, gracious, and an excellent role model. Actually, I see one who is a "JT recruit".

If He were the QB at OSU, there is no doubt that many here would feel differently about Him. However, part of what fuels the dislike for this young man has been the media's love affair with him to the point where it is damn near impossible for most to simply ignore. So with that said, do you believe that if He were the QB at OSU and had the same career at OSU as at UF that the media love affair with Him would be the same?

What if he'd played basketball for Duke too?

 

[cincibuck]

Perfectly stated. Kurt Warner is the supreme example. He has publicly stated that God takes an active role in his success on the field because when Kurt scores a touchdown he reflects the glory back to God. What that says about God's feelings towards Kurt when he was bagging groceries, I don't know.

What it says to me is that Kurt, Tebow and others like them have deep, deep narcissistic personality disorders that have led them to truly believe that they are special class of humans because of their relationship with God resulting in His spending more time worrying about their scoring a touchdown than war, poverty or disease.

Here I am, sitting around in heaven, checking on falling sparrows, a bunch of guys pounding on my door demanding to know where I'm keeping the 72 virgins they claim to have been promised, I've got great armies of Crusaders and Saladin's boys still arguing over Jerusalem -- should have hit that place instead of Sodom -- then you get the Lutherans and the Catholics bitching about indulgences, TV charlatans demanding miracles, about 75 Popes lined up demanding an audience, 6 million Jews wanting to know what happened to the covenant, monks setting themselves on fire and a whole bunch of 'true believers' blowing themselves up along with innocent bystanders, nukes in the hands of Buddhists, Hindus, Islamists, Jews, Christians and agnostics, wars, floods, global warming, starvation, H1N1... and I'm supposed to give to shits about a dropped pass in a football game? Zeeeeeesh!

 

[BayBuck]

Perfectly stated. Kurt Warner is the supreme example. He has publicly stated that God takes an active role in his success on the field because when Kurt scores a touchdown he reflects the glory back to God. What that says about God's feelings towards Kurt when he was bagging groceries, I don't know.

What it says to me is that Kurt, Tebow and others like them have deep, deep narcissistic personality disorders that have led them to truly believe that they are special class of humans because of their relationship with God resulting in His spending more time worrying about their scoring a touchdown than war, poverty or disease.

I'm pretty sure that one way or another Kurt moved on from bagging groceries to becoming a Super Bowl winner and potential Hall-of-Famer who will retire richer than most of us could possibly imagine, so it could be one of those "to everything there is a season" type of things... You are willfully misreading these kind of statements if you believe players like Warner and Tebow are suggesting God spends more time on football than those other issues: omnipotence is by definition not so finite.

 

[BigWoof31]

You are willfully misreading these kind of statements if you believe players like Warner and Tebow are suggesting God spends more time on football than those other issues

Agree 100%. And I think Warner and Tebow would be quick to remark on the presence of the almighty in other aspects of life (miracles, the work of a skilled surgeon, communities coming together...etc)

 

[ORD_Buckeye]

I'm pretty sure that one way or another Kurt moved on from bagging groceries to becoming a Super Bowl winner and potential Hall-of-Famer who will retire richer than most of us could possibly imagine, so it could be one of those "to everything there is a season" type of things... You are willfully misreading these kind of statements if you believe players like Warner and Tebow are suggesting God spends more time on football than those other issues: omnipotence is by definition not so finite.

I don't know Tebow's thoughts on it, but there sure seems to be a lot of smoke there. Warner's, however, are clear. He has clearly stated that God favors him on the field ahead of other players because Kurt's glory is reflected back onto God. How Warner squares that with the parallel success of a TO or Ray Lewis, I'd be curious to hear him try to explain. Logically, if one is to take Warner's belief in an active deity that micromanages daily life down to who gets to throw a touchdown pass in an NFL game, then that deity is obvisously spending more time on Kurt's game than on whether that kid gets leukemia or not.

It's narcissism to a mind boggling level. BTW, if you're such the "arm of God" Kurt, where was he when you were selecting a wife. You would think he'd of arranged you to at least pull something this side of Barbera Bush.

 

[Chewbacca]

It's narcissism to a mind boggling level. BTW, if you're such the "arm of God" Kurt, where was he when you were selecting a wife. You would think he'd of arranged you to at least pull something this side of Barbera Bush.

Apparently you missed the makeover. I'd hit like a wookie.