So over the course of 366 days, I’m bound to run into some topics that may be controversial (I wouldn’t be honest if I didn’t). Today is probably one of those items, so I’ll start with some ground rules:
1) You may have a different opinion than me. If you do, I accept that, and it doesn’t offend me.
2) You are free to express any differently held opinions (or if you have the same opinion, you can express that too). If you do, however, do so respectfully.
3) Don’t expect me to change my opinion easily.
Yes, the headline says “God and Football,” but you can really extrapolate this topic into any sport. And yes, this has been triggered by the recent activities of a certain Timothy Richard Tebow, but keep in mind that I’ve held this belief since before I’d even heard of the man (and that was back at Florida). So what is this controversial belief with which you may or may not agree? Are you prepared?
God does not care who wins sporting events. Period.
I don’t care if it’s your local church softball league or the Super Bowl, God has nothing invested in the outcome. Jess brought it to my attention that people are saying since Tim Tebow passed for 316 yards in his playoff victory over Pittsburgh, that was a symbol of God wanting him to win the game. Because John 3:16 is a thing, you know, the verse that always shows up at sporting events? What then is the significance of 10/21 (completions/attempts) or 15.0 (passing average) or the fact that when we add in his rushing yardage we get 366 yards of total offense, a far more significant number to the overall game as it includes all of his contributions?
Keep in mind that I am not a Tebow basher. I’m not one of those people who has spent the last three months criticizing his play, ability, or religion. In fact, I have quite enjoyed the consternation he has evoked in the football establishment, the never ending stream of articles decrying his poor mechanics and unsustainable lack of turnovers (the second part of which I agreed with and played a factor in the three losses to end the regular season). On the flip side, however, was my mounting frustration with the attribution of Tebow’s football success to Divine Providence.
And here’s where I have to explain myself; why doesn’t God care about sporting events. In the moment, some of these events can seem like world shaking activities with eternal significance, but really they are footnotes in history. Unless you have a connection to the winning team or individual, no one but the history books will remember the victors in certain events. Who won the various events in the first Olympiads in the Greece of antiquity? Most of those answers have been lost to time. A story line could have been proposed in the Denver – Pittsburgh game that compared the openly religious Tebow to the quarterback of the Steelers, Ben Roethlisberger, who has been accused of rape a couple of times. Yet the Broncos were one or two bad bounces of the ball away from losing that game. If Pittsburgh had won, would that have meant that God favored an accused rapist more than a devout follower?
If God is favoring Tebow, why didn’t the Broncos go undefeated with him at the helm? Were Matthew Stafford, Tom Brady, Ryan Fitzpatrick, and Kyle Orton (the man Tebow replaced) more deserving?
Taking this example down to a more personal level, I have played in our Church’s softball league for over a decade, coaching a team for the last four or five seasons. I have won one championship and had the best record in the league (but did not win the championship, in a different year) over the time that I have coached. Was there someone closer to God than me in those seasons on a different team? I can guarantee it. Then why was I rewarded with victory? Is it some sort of aggregate scale, where the person with the Holiest team wins? Then what determines who wins city league teams? I’m certain that at some point in the past, some team of Atheists has beaten a team that included at least one Christian. How is that fair? It makes far more sense to extricate religion from sports altogether, to understand that there can be areas of life the God may not have a strong preference in (take breakfast for instance, I’m not sure God is wholly invested in your decision between toast and yogurt, and will not brand you a sinner should you choose both).
Let me set one thing straight, I am not saying that God does not have control over everything, that He could not change the course of activities if He wanted to. I am saying that God has placed the laws of physics in the universe and can allow sporting events to play out according to them because they do not have an effect on His eternal plan for mankind, regardless of what any athlete may say or do during or after any loss or win.
Just a warning, future controversial topics include my view on politics and my beliefs on Heaven. . . 🙂
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What if I want Grape Nuts? Where do I rate in your debate….
Nicely written…..
Dan 4:34 And at the end of the days I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted up mine eyes unto heaven, and mine understanding returned unto me, and I blessed the Most High, and I praised and honored him that liveth for ever; for his dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom from generation to generation.
Dan 4:35 And all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing; and he doeth according to his will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth; and none can stay his hand, or say unto him, What doest thou? ASV
I do try to not to get hung up on debates about Providence or other theological concepts of such. My thinking is these concepts attempt, even though well thought out, to bring characteristics of God down to our level of understanding. Perhaps its just an insubordinate attitude towards some great theologians, but I like to approach God with reverence and understanding that He can do anything He wills.
However, I do find a debate regarding the dividing line between Providence and Divine Providence interesting. A long time ago I ran across a book by Dr. Peter Stoner. Dr. Stoner applied the science of probability to biblical events and prophecy. Found a link:
http://www.lamblion.com/articles/articles_bible6.php
Parts of this book gave me a refreshing scientific view on super natural events. I don’t think Tebow’s accomplishments, though seeming a fine Christian man, doesn’t come close to Stoner’s definition of super natural events.
ah, a FORUM! So much to say; first off I should declare I am not a “Tebow fan” and never have been. It is the reason I find it so hard to root for him up to this point, that is he attended the University of Florida. Case closed. SEC schools think they, if not, invented college football, certainly perfected it and their fans love to tell everyone that “fact”. They can’t understand that there are other conferences and teams out there, and really think they should just hand that crystal football to which ever team wins the SEC championship game, no need to bother with that whole BCS thing. Arrogance like that is hard to embrace, and the only comfort comes in knowing a humbling will come some day.
That said, I never believed that Tebow would make it as a QB in the NFL, that his skills, or lack thereof were better served at RB, TE or perhaps on defense as a safety. But I knew immediately that as a marketing tool Denver made a HUGE coup in drafting him, that the line of cars driving up from Colorado Springs each Sunday to see him play would turn into a tailgate party on wheels!
And I should add I think Tebow has done little if nothing to fan these flames of adulation that surrounds him. His post-game comments about “his Lord & Savior” can sometimes come off as if a button has been pushed, or by rote, and this can make them seem insincere, but only he and God knows. Just how it appears. He seems to be a humble guy and readily credits his team mates. His now legendary. “this will NEVER happen again!” and “I promise” speech back at Florida sounded silly and contrived but in a region where college football borders religion, I’m sure he was preaching to the choir. They ate that and him up.
Earlier this season in one of the first games he started or relieved, he and a teammate kneeled arms locked in prayer, as the opposing kicker attempted a last second FG to win the game and I believe prevent OT. When the kick failed, Tebow and his teammates rejoiced. Now I have no problem with a pre-game prayer, that asks God to protect players from injury, to ask them to give the maximum effort in their pursuit, to guard their attitudes and tongues and honor Christ in all they do that day. And a post-game prayer to thank God for everything is perfectly acceptable to me. But to pray during a game when an opponent is trying to defeat you? I guess they could have been praying “Thy will be done.” but that is certainly not the way it appeared on TV, and their reaction only furthered that appearance. Praying for an opponent to fail so you may triumph in a game in my opinion is contemptible. I don’t know their hearts but that is certainly the way it came across.
But much like my antipathy toward the SEC because of the attitude of their fans, I feel much the same way about Tebow’s faithful. He’s OK, I guess, they’re NUTS!
It speaks to so much that is wrong with today’s American evangelicalism. First, their attachment to “magic”. Call it what you will they seem to believe that Tebow’s victories have less to do with skills and performance of him (and his teammates, yes people there are others helping him!) or the failure of his opponents to perform as it does in some kind of special anointing that manufactures these victories. Just like evangelicalism has bought whole hog into healings, miracles and signs, they now see “the Hand of God” in something as insignifcant as football victories. So much more satisfying to believe in miracles and signs than to simply trust in something as “mundane” as God’s providence.
And of course American evangelicalism cares only for RESULTS. It is so much more important (and necessary) to be successful than it is to be something as boring and uninspiring as faithful. Every disease must result in healing (the more spectacular the better – and better to be televised!) every problem, trial, must be solved (preferrably by being touched by an angel who appears visibly or by God Who speaks audibly and tells them exactly what they must do to escape the burning building, solve their financial trial or get them that role in the latest TV reality show!) and the bottom line (and believe me, American evangelicalism is in LOVE with the Bottom Line!) if you don’t win, they don’t care. Lot easier to fill your church when a star QB gives his testimony than it is when the 3rd stringer does so, talking about trying to faithfully work hard-er and honor Christ, when no one ever asks (or will ever ask) you how it felt to throw the game winning touchdown, trying to ward off temptations like jealousy, bitterness and anger at those above you or those who decide your fate, backing up, sitting or being cut. Nobody cares about faithfulness, because that doesn’t “sell” only “winning sells.”
The total lack of perspective so many of his fans show. Denver #15 jerseys with “Messiah” or “Jesus” on the back. Really?! The furor caused by HBO host atheist Bill Maher when he DARED to criticize “our Timmy”, drawing calls and signatures toward a boycott. THAT’S what got you jacked about HBO, not the content they have purveyed for decades but he said something about “your boy”? Seeing some kind “divine intervention” in passing statistics? A good healthy dose of perspective is in order here, people. Scripture said our MESSAGE would appear as foolishness to unbelivers not our fawning adulation of a temporal pop icon, who will pass from the scene and the headlines quicker than you can imagine. A mere breath, a blink of an eye and they will move on to “the next thing” They will think we are nuts anyway, lets just make sure it is because we tell them a Man died for their sins and rose again, not because Tebow averaged 31.6 yards per completion on certain Sunday afternoon. By the way, who determined “God meant” John 3:16 by that? Could it not have been II Tim 3:16 “All Scripture….” or even Dueteronomy 3:16 (He wrote the OT too!) That’s too much to ask of American evangelicalism, to bind it’s actions and reactions to Scripture, much “sexier” to believe in things like magic!
I do have to disagree with you though on one point, and a minor one. I truly do believe God causes one team to triumph and the other to lose in any competition. In the sense that He is sovereign and omnipotent. He causes the breeze that causes the fly ball to clear the wall or fall into the fielders glove. He made the molecules that compose the blade of grass that tips the ball just slightly so it only rims the cup, but fails to go in. He made Ike Taylor’s arms shorter than Demaryus Thomas’ so Thomas’s stiff arm sprung him to a victorious TD. The problem is we think God causes us to win and them to lose because of US! How much He loves US, how faithful WE are to Him. In our sinful egocentricity we think it is all about US! He has His purposes in EVERYTHING that comes to pass and He uses EVERYTHING that happens to bring about that purpose. To humble, to lift up, to teach, to chastize, to enlighten, to prioritize, to motivate, to bring about an infinite number of purposes, to a myriad number of individuals, both believers and non, on the field, in the stands or watching at home, on a single PLAY let alone a single game or season. We will never know this side of eternity all those purposes. Maybe for a player to work harder in practice, a coach to give as much focus to meeting his family’s need of him as he does preparing a game plan, a player to humble himself and subjugate his talent to that of another team mate, to get someone in the stands to drink and eat less, or waste discretionary (and non) funds on gambling on his team. Maybe it is just to make him aware that his place on that Sunday should have been in a church pew giving a much effort and time in worship instead of shouting and cheering for his favorite team, God has His purposes in EVERYTHING and He brings them about, how He wants, when He wants and by whatever means He chooses to do so! Good post!