Tebow or Not Tebow...

Tim Tebow.  Has there ever been a more polarizing figure in professional sports?  Probably not since Muhammad Ali, or maybe Pete Rose.  But Tebow is different case altogether.  He's not purposely doing anything controversial to earn that kind of reputation.  He isn't a loudmouth like Ali or John McEnroe, or a criminal like Rose, or an unfaithful husband like Tiger Woods.  Hell, he's not even a superstar.  He's a mediocre quarterback for a mediocre team - until those final few minutes, anyway.  What's garnering him all the attention is a simple gesture he makes when he scores a touchdown.  He simply takes a knee, and pauses for a moment to offer a prayer of thanks.  That's right.  Tebow's name on everyone's lips has less to do with football and more to do with the fact that he is unashamed to be a Christian.  If he was Billy Graham or the Archbishop of Washington, we'd leave it at that.  But this Tebow guy is a professional footballer.  He's a role model for young people.  He's a celebrity.  And celebrity and Christianity just don't seem to mix anymore, do they?

To be fair, let me clear up two things.  First of all, I'm not a Tim Tebow disciple, nor am I a fan of the Denver Broncos.  Especially not this week, as they prepare to square off against Tom Brady and my New England Patriots (I'm hoping "Tebow Time" doesn't have any effect on the outcome of this game).  Secondly, it isn't accurate to say that Tebow is only just now getting this kind of attention.  He WAS a superstar quarterback at the University of Florida, earning the Heisman Trophy in 2007.  He also made sports headlines when he claimed/admitted he was still a virgin, saving himself for marriage.  And then there is the infamous Focus on the Family Super Bowl ad in which he appeared, drawing ire from the pro-choice faction (though the abortion issue was never mentioned in the ad).  When he was drafted to the Denver Broncos in 2010, many expected him to become an instant success, based on his accomplishments in college, but the Broncos had a very lackluster year, though Tebow's numbers weren't that bad at all for a rookie non-starter (he played in nine games his rookie season, only three of which he started, throwing for 654 yards, five touchdowns, and three interceptions, and rushing for 227 yards and six touchdowns).  In his second season with the Broncos, he began as Kyle Orton's backup, but with the Broncos at a 1-4 start to the season, head coach John Fox put Tebow in the starter's position.  Since then, Tebow has lost one game, and managed to win the rest, often against overwhelming odds. Football is a great reason for this young man to be on everyone's mind.  Yet it's his faith that seems to get the most attention.  Why?

Let's switch gears for just a moment, as we look to Riverhead, NY, where two high school athletes have been suspended for "Tebowing," mocking Tebow's post-score prayer stance.  Wait a minute, what?  Suspended?  Yes, that's what I said.  The principal and other school authorities claim that students have been talked to on several occasions about Tebowing, claiming it disrupts the flow in the school halls and is likely to incite a riot.  That last part confused me, too, so don't worry if you had to do a double take to make sure you read it correctly.  What kind of a riot is going to be started by kids striking a prayer stance?  Now, I'm not naive.  Do I believe that these kids are making their own expressions of piety, just as Tebow does?  No, not for a second.  This is a prank, something funny to do between classes.  But is suspension really necessary?  They're not fighting, or doing anything illegal.  I'd be willing to bet there's nothing in the school's by-laws that restrict students from Tebowing.  So why such a harsh punishment for a harmless prank?  My buddies and I used to walk four abreast down the halls of our high school, flashing the sign of the WCW's (at the time) Four Horsemen wrestling team.  We never got in trouble.  I've seen other kids doing popular dances in the halls of their schools, everything from the Running Man to the Cat Daddy, without getting in trouble.  Why is Tebowing rubbing people the wrong way?  

The answer is the same as the one to the previous question about Tebow's faith getting so much attention.  It's because in this progressive society, the only thing less popular than being a patriotic American is being a Christian .  Adherence to Christian values and morals, especially by very public figures like professional athletes, makes people uncomfortable.  And any reference to public displays of Christianity recalls that discomfort, which is the case with the students in Riverhead, NY.  This is a disturbing phenomenon.  Despite what the liberal pseudo-intellectuals on college campuses will tell you, this country was founded on Christian principles.  Yet, today, it's as though Christianity was never welcome here.  Continuously persecuted for their beliefs and values, criticized for their holiday traditions, and ridiculed in the mainstream media, Christians are increasingly prevented from living their lives according to their faith.  Prayer has been taken from schools and Christian iconography has been removed from public venues.  Before long, all traces of the faith in this country will be outlawed or destroyed.  It's a sad state of affairs.

For now, though, we have Tim Tebow.  And I'm glad we do.

Thanks, Tim.  God bless you.