Pacific Jewish Center | Rabbi » Tim Tebow

Tim Tebow’s Relationship With His God

rabbifink — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 19:55:15 +0000

There is nothing quite like Tim Tebow.

He is one of the most decorated NCAA Football players of all time. He worked for years as a Missionary spreading the Gospel in Southeast Asia. He is arguably the worst passing quarterback in the NFL. He is by far the most talked about sports personality.

Quite a combination. Much of the talk of Tim Tebow relates to his very obvious religious beliefs. I say they are obvious because Tebow kneels in prayer during the game. He points to the sky all the time. He invokes the name of his God every time he has a chance to do so. Tebow’s antics inspired an entire internet meme called #Tebowing. People would kneel as if in prayer at the most awkward times and places and snap a picture. This is aside from the very clever #occupytebow movement which is not relevant to this blog post.

The point is that Tebow takes his religion very seriously. Whenever athletes thank God and praise God for their accomplishments it can be irksome to everyone. Religious people of the same religion, religious people of other religions and atheists can all find ways to be offended.

Does God really want the Home team to beat the Away team? Does God really give special powers to some teams and not to other teams? Does a player’s religious conviction really have an impact on a game?

I think the answer to all those questions is no. See: Whose Fault is a Dropped Game-Wininng Touchdown? for my feelings on this one.

In fact, please read that post because you’ll see that I actually agree with Tim Tebow on this issue.

Tebow was asked about invoking God as part of his athletic accomplishments and he didn’t take the bait. He answered that he doesn’t give God the credit or the blame. He is merely using his platform as a way of teaching people about his religion. He emphatically denied that his religion gives him an edge or that he can play better because of God. He focused on the opportunity to use his fame and success to glorify the name of his God.

He also mentions that football does not define him. He is defined by his morality and good acts. He is defined by his character. So his religion is not a cause. It is merely a basis for his life. It is not part of his game on the field.

I think that is a great answer. Great job by Tebow.

What is interesting to me is that Tebow invokes the name of his God, Jesus, and that is somewhat acceptable within society. Imagine a Muslim player praising Allah or a Jewish person praising God (not Jesus). I don’t think they would be as accepted.

Christian displays of religious fervor are far more tolerated than that of any other religion. It can make the rest of us feel uncomfortable. Tebow is doing it in a way that minimizes the discomfort for others but even his way has rankled many people. It would be wise for people to limit religion to religious activities and not pepper it throughout their public lives.

Watch Tebow’s interview. The religious stuff is near the end:

Sometimes Role Models Are Athletes

rabbifink — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 10:50:11 +0000

Grant Desme: Is he looking heavenward?

The two most popular posts on this blog are variants of one common theme.

Athletes as Role Models.

It makes sense. I enjoy sports, I am passionate about education and I love the moral tension created by appreciating both of those areas of life. It appears that people like reading about it as well.

Learn about what I think by reading these posts (in order of popularity):

Tim Tebow’s Pro-Life Superbowl Ad is Heartwarming and Reckless (Top post on this blog thanks to Deadspin)

Athletes as Role Models? (Second most popular post on this blog thanks to Steve Mason and Kaplan’s Korner)

The Eye Of The Tiger (Fans)

Ron Artest Is Going To The Lakers | What Do I Think?

To summarize: My opinion is that athletes are just athletes. They excel one general area of life, competitive athletic ability, and that is the only thing worth looking up to them for. One can admire work ethic, focus, quick thinking, pure athleticism of their favorite athletes, but to learn about sportsmanship, common courtesy or morality from athletes is asinine. That is not what they are known for, and usually it is for a reason. There are much more appropriate role models for those things and our job is to look to those people as role models and not athletes. When it comes to children, parents must teach their children who their role models should be as opposed to letting athletes teach their kids about morals and ethics.

There is one general exception. When an athlete clearly excels in another area of life and has experience in that area of life then even the athlete can become a role model. Or more precisely, the person is a role model who happens to be an athlete.

Take Tim Tebow for example. Tebow has spent signficant time and effort doing good work and rising above his athletic stardom and become a star of his religion. He clearly has a set of morals that guide his life and is more than just an athlete. He is a missionary and an athlete. Tebow is a worthy role model who happens to be an athlete and being a succesful athlete has given him a greater audience. Tebow’s greater audience gives him more oportunity to be that role model and that is a good thing. Tebow is using his star power to express his opinion on abortion. We can agree or disagree with the message but Tebow is a messenger whose words carry some weight. As a role model, Tebow’s fame as an athlete goes a long way to increasing his influence and impact.

Recently, another athlete who could have been just like Tebow in that respect bowed out of competitive sports. Oakland Athletics prospect Grant Desme left his baseball dreams behind to enter the priesthood. Projected as an above average Major League player, Desme bows out of the game he loves, for the God he loves more. Desme was going to be a good baseball player. But now he hopes to be a great priest. Instead of using his baseball related fame to teach and be that rare athlete worth treating like a role model, Desme leaves sports and is devoting his life to his religion.

Two athletes with higher moral standards and two different approaches.

Who will have a greater impact, Tebow or Desme?

Which is the better path? The athlete who uses his fame to be a super role model to millions of adoring fans? Or the former athlete who gave it all up to pursue a “higher calling”?

Tebows audience will be much bigger. But Desme’s potential is greater because he can devote more time to personal growth.

I find this question very interesting. What do you think?

RETRACTION: Tim Tebow Ad WAS Harmless NOT Reckless

rabbifink — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 04:38:50 +0000

So like everyone else, I bought into the hype.

I thought the Tebow ad was going to “tell his mother’s story”. It did not.

She still called him a “miracle baby”, but that is not that big a deal.

I apologize for the previous blog post. I wrote what I wrote based on speculation that others made about the content of the ad. They were wrong.

But I am leaving the previous post up. The reason for that is that in my opinion Focus on the Family wanted us to think they were going to send the message that was speculated. They wanted us to form opinions and discuss the potential ramifications of an ad featuring a “miracle baby”.

I had an opinion and I stick to it, despite the ad falling short of what everyone assumed it was going to say.

And I am not going to Focus on the Family’s website to read the Tebow’s story. I don’t really care.

The actual ad is below. Judge for yourself…

Tim Tebow's Pro-Life Superbowl Ad is Heartwarming and Reckless

rabbifink — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 17:03:53 +0000

This post has been crossposted to DovBear.

UPDATE: RETRACTION AND APOLOGY HERE

The most well-known athlete in America might be Tim Tebow.

Tebow is possibly the most celebrated, successful college football player of all time. He was a 2 time national champion with the Florida Gators and a Heisman Trophy winner. His success, as well as his good looks and supernatural physique has made him a household name across the United States. Oh, there is one more thing, Tebow is the son of missionaries who is very religious and (at this point) celibate.

Tebow has used his star power to advocate for Christianity. He spent a couple of summers working with missionaries in the Far East and has always been vocal about his religiousness. Tim Tebow is an athlete who is using his star power to make a difference in the world. We may not agree with his message, but he is certainly a better role model than felon Gilbert Arenas or even LeBron James.

During the upcoming Super Bowl, Tebow will be featured in a $2.6 Million ad for a strong Pro-Life Organization called Focus on the Family. This has set off a firestorm of reactions from groups that oppose Focus in the Famliy, like the National Organization for Women (don’t you love these names?) who do not approve the message of the ad. Additionally, advocate groups like PETA are up in arms because they have been denied Superbowl air time for their causes.

Honestly, the reason CBS approved this ad are probably related to the economy. IF you’re willing to pay $2.6 Million for an ad in the economy – they’ll take your money.

What is interesting to me about all this are the circumstances of Tim Tebow’s birth. In the ad Tim is expected to tell the story of his mother’s pregnancy. Mrs. Tebow became very ill during a mission to the Philippines and was advised to terminate the pregnancy to save her life. She ignored the doctor, Tim was born and Mrs. Tebow survived.

First, Jewish Law does not share the same views as Christian Law on abortion. In a situation where the mother’s life is in danger, many traditional authorities hold that the mother MUST abort the pregnancy. There is an assumption that fundamentalist Christians and Orthodox Jews agree on abortion. That is just not true.

Second, even those that hold that abortion is immoral and should never be allowed, is this a wholesome message? To ignore a doctor’s strong recommendation? Isn’t reckless? Don’t we look at Scientology with disdain when a life is lost because of their refusal to see a doctor? What if Mrs. Tebow lost her life in the pregnancy and Tim dies before birth?

It seems that advocating for the sanctity of life is a fair cause to support, but advocating in a manner that breeds recklessness… That seems irresponsible.