If you don’t follow American professional football (I don’t) the hubbub over this story will seem surprising.
There’s a viral craze online making fun of a football player named Tim Tebow.
“Tebowing” is a neologism derived from Tebow’s propensity for kneeling and praying. …
… they mimic a pose by Tebow that was caught on camera following the Broncos’ improbable overtime victory over the Dolphins on October 23, 2011 …
Funny? Maybe.
But I don’t like seeing people — even millionaire celebrities — mocked for their religion.
Criticize him for being a bad football player, if you like. That’s OK with me. But religious intolerance is going too far.
I’m going to ignore tebowers from here on in. But if you want to know more, read the WSJ.
(via Gymnast Crossing)
22 comments ↓
I think you misunderstood the point of tebowing. Tebowing wasn’t started as a way to mock Tebow’s faith but as a way to support it. The vast majority of “tebowers” are either Denver Broncos fans doing it as a fun way of showing support for their quarterback, or are Christians doing it to express their own faith. The person who started this whole crazy thing defines “tebowing” as “to get down on a knee and start praying, even if everyone around you is doing something completely different”. Yes some people are using it to mock Tebow (a Detroit Lions player “tebowed” after sacking Tebow in a game earlier this year), but the overall craze is supportive of both Tebow and his faith. As a Denver Bronco fan, I find the whole thing ridiculous, but in a silly and harmless kind of way. See: http://www.milehighreport.com/2011/10/27/2519823/tebowing-the-trend-that-is-sweeping-the-nation
I’ve always thought that anyone who stops what they are doing, kneels down and starts muttering to a invisible being, is demonstrating some sort of psychological disorder.
My question: Does he pray a prayer of thanksgiving after a defeat or sack as quickly as he shows one after a success? Funny too that any Christian would be so fast to demonstrate public prayer when their own Jesus says: “But you, when you pray, go into your inner room, close your door and pray to your Father who is in secret, and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you.”
“And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward.”
As a Christian, he is kneeling after victory to acknowledge God as the source of his strength and the one who deserves the glory, not him.
I don’t know because I’ve never watched him, but does he kneel, “after (failure) to acknowledge God as the source of his strength and the one who deserves the glory, not him.” ???
Anyone who kneels and prays in the middle of a football field while cameras are on him deserves all the ridicule he gets. What would be said if it was a Muslim man doing the same thing?
…Yeah, it wouldn’t go down too well.
Whatever your religion is, keep it private, is my view.
“But I don’t like seeing people — even millionaire celebrities — mocked for their religion.”
I see it more as him being mocked for doing something totally ridiculous. Praying is not ridiculous. It’s the fact that he’s making such a big show out of it when anyone who has ever read the Bible should know that Jesus was not supportive of showy praying.
American Gymnastics wrote:
At 5:49, Tebow prays, “No matter what, win or lose Lord, give me the strength to honor you.”
Jayd writes:
And shergymrag adds:
So, what? Those who are devout to their religion have to go into the closet about it? Tolerance for all things in the public square unless it’s of a religious nature? Only secular expressions allowed to be celebrated openly?
As one of the top commenters on the video puts it,
Tebow isn’t doing this for show, pushing his religion on you guys. He’s doing it for himself.
Seriously, what’s with all the religious bigotry? I don’t believe in God myself, but the hostility and intolerance toward those who do is getting ridiculous.
Secular militant extremists, imo….
Forgot to link this video in referencing “at 5:49″ to American Gymnastics, comment #3
“Secular militant extremists, imo….”
You can think what you want but that’ll never change what’s in the Bible.
Tebow is above you all. Mock him, he doesn’t care. Your all going to hell and he will be in heaven.
LONG LIVE TEBOW.
AG, I quite remember those passages clearly from the bible though I doubt Tebow does.
Doesn’t matter since they lost again. A collegiate option offense just isn’t going to hack it in the NFL. You need to be able to pass, quick short routes (not just screen plays) and the long ball. How many QB’s can we name in the league that have can release like a whip. Probably about the same number that we can recollect were great but didn’t have great arms but could read a defense superrbly.
Tebow’s got neither. Great college QB though and no one can ever take that away from him.
Unless he gets some more wins under his belt, I see Elway replacing him post-season. Even then, his future for next year is limited.
Thank you Wordsmith for the video and answer. I guess though what I was asking was a little different. If he takes a knee after a touchdown, does he take a knee just as fast to thank “God” when he sacked. Thanking God for a great play made by a fellow human being? I wonder if God gets tired of being called down on both sides of a war, argument, or game?
Jamie, I appreciate the levity. On this day of Christmas, it great to have a sense of humor like you do. Reminding me and others that we are going to hell on the day that Jesus was supposed to have come to the world to save us is a great irony and funny. Thank you. I liked too that you added that he will rise above us all. But, as you know so well, “The last shall be first, and the first last.” Thank you for putting me/us in the “last category”. What a great compliment. Another nice irony too is your allusion to judging us, i.e. “judge not lest ye be judged” and by thus doing implicating yourself. What a masterful web you weave!!! Bravo.
Back to the subject, Tebow does this because it is easy. It is a show. Were he to really read the bible, he would give away most if not all his money, he would own only one set of clothes, and he would feed the poor. Taking a knee on TV is easy. Giving, I mean really giving say like Mother Teresa, I think is more in line with what Jesus called his followers to do. In the bible Jesus said feed the poor over 150 times, but he said explicitly NOT to pray in public. Which is of greater service? Tebow has reward, because it is for Tebow…not for God.
Merry Christmas.
American Gymnastics,
Thanks for your civil comments.
How do we know he does this “for show”? If the cameras weren’t around along with the media and atheists making a lot of hay over this, would he still be doing this? Why is this any more or less offensive than someone doing a non-religious, actualized act? Like showboating a victory dance after a touchdown? Doing a back flip? Who cares?
shergymrag writes comment #11:
As for how he chooses to express his faith and interpret his Bible, that’s for him to decide. Not for others to tell him how to be a good Christian and impose their own beliefs about what the Bible says and commands. This reminds me of how Islamophobes want to tell moderate Muslims what’s in their own Koran ’cause they’ve read from Robert Spencer and politically incorrect guides. “No, no…you aren’t practicing Islam correctly- the salafists, Qutbists, and violent jihadis get to define the faith”
Are religious fanatics making brouhaha over the many players who don’t pray and show thanks to the Almighty? They can’t publicly wear their faith on their sleeve? Advertise somethinng they are passionate about, unless it’s a non-religious message? It would be as ridiculous as Christians saying, “Athiests are free to practice their ‘non-religion’, but they should do it in the privacy of their own homes. It would also be nice if they would stop forcing their secular beliefs down everyone’s throats.”
American Gymnastics writes:
To reiterate, my opinion- and that’s all this is- is that we shouldn’t stand in judgment and impose our own beliefs about how a devout Christian should behave and what pages of the Bible he should be following. There are Christians who realize everyday that they fall short and what they hope and pray for is to have the strength of character and the wisdom to know how to live a virtuous life, in keeping with God’s wishes. For people to suggest that he live the life of a saint and compare him to Mother Teresa or claim he is no real servant of God is above and beyond anyone’s pay grade, ‘cept maybe his pastor’s. Who’s done more on behalf of humanity, btw? Mother Teresa or Bill Gates? If Gates gave away most of his fortune instead of investing and job-creating, will that be the smartest use of his money to benefit the most amount of people? Would he be in o position to keep generating more wealth, empowering him to consistently give a portion of it away to charitable causes year after year?
Whether you agree or disagree with his interpretation of his faith, I think it’s difficult to question his sincerity when the evidence seems to indicate he is sincere in his devotion to God, whether you personally agree or disagree with it.
Is he charitable?
Maybe Tebow is falling short of living up to his own expectations for himself as a Christian. His own ideals. But what matters is whether or not he is sincere in in trying to live up to them. At least he has set a moral standard for himself to pursue. Some of us don’t even bother.
Merry Christmas, all!
Um. Christians DO tell atheists to keep it to themselves. All the time. And protest atheist billboards and get mad about nonChristians being against prayer at state sponsored events. And then there’s all the stuff that atheists in the military put up with.
*doesn’t actually care who prays where, so long as they’re legitimately ok with other religions and non religions being equally public, which is pretty rare*
Anya, I agree with your asterisk comment.
And not ALL Christians impose their religion on others. These days, it feels just the opposite extreme, to me.
As a non-Christian, I love Christmas time, in all its religious, secular, and commercialized glory. Just because I’m exposed to religious faith around me, doesn’t give me cause for offense and anxiety.
Tolerance from both sides of the fence would be nice.
Wordsmith, thank you.
I really like the nugget you’ve given me to think about. Please let me know if I got it right, “Who are any of us to judge whether or not a person is living up to their own standards?” And, “The interpretations of one group adhering to one text are not necessarily the same interpretations of all who ascribe to the same text, and therefore judgement of their actions must be seen accordingly.”
If I have understood correctly, I think that is something I haven’t wrestled with before and food for thought. I don’t believe the earth was created in 6 days, but I do believe that the golden rule is true. Both are found in the same religious text.
The question exists then, “Can I pick and choose which texts I believe just as easily as the person who claims homosexuality is an abomination, but doesn’t believe touching the skin of a pig is, even though those verses appear in the same stanza.
As with anything, the greatest way to convince another of your truth is by living an example, so I am off to go and love some people. That is my only truth—Love.
Thank you for comments brother/sister.
Peace
I think in the end, that’s the key: That whether our values come from secular or religious sources, we do good in the world.
Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!
“Not for others to tell him how to be a good Christian and impose their own beliefs about what the Bible says and commands. ”
The Bible should be able to tell anyone how to be a good Christian. Some things in the Bible are a bit murky and up for interpretation. Other things are Crystal clear. It’s not a “belief” of mine that the bible says what it says about public prayer. It’s a fact.
Hey Shergymrag,
Let’s start with this: If we look at the one passage provided by American Gymnastics in #4 [from Matthew]
This is a prime example of how everything ever writ in the Old Testament, New Testament, Koran, etc. is indeed up for interpretation.
You might interpret this as forbidding public prayer. The way I read it, it says those who pray in public for show, just for the appearance of being a good Christian to garner praise, are being hypocrites (insincere, doing something they don’t actually believe).
If Tebow is doing this for public show and not praying in earnest to God for strength and guidance, then Matthews applies to him. But from what I can sense, he is doing this for himself. The public and the cameras, and the media, and the spotlight…they just happen to be there, drawing more attention to it and making a big deal out of a mole hill.
I think he even said as much, himself. My dad was talking about some interview he did, asked about the “tebowing” phenomena. According to my dad, he said if they are sincere, then he’s all for it. It sounds like he’s not a fan of the “fad” in mimicking his physical act, whether to mock or in a show of support.
“You might interpret this as forbidding public prayer. The way I read it, it says those who pray in public for show, just for the appearance of being a good Christian to garner praise, are being hypocrites (insincere, doing something they don’t actually believe).”
No, our interpretations of the scripture are the same. Our interpretations of praying for show are not.
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