Tebow
Cidu Bill on Feb 9th 2012
I’m actually moving a CJA discussion over here, because it drifted into a debate over whether Tim Tebow is sincerely practicing his faith or is simply in it for the attention.
And now I’ll end the discussion with a single link.
Filed in Bill Bickel, Tim Tebow | 18 responses so far
Its Justme Feb 9th 2012 at 10:24 am 1
I see what you’re implying. but there’s another interpretation. that is: he is a naive compliant guy. Not wishing to offend, he submitted to bullying public pressure. If he had known how she would later mock him, he may have refused.
ja Feb 9th 2012 at 10:51 am 2
Another interpretation: he isn’t so full of himself that he can’t poke a little fun at himself, too.
joel hanes Feb 9th 2012 at 11:19 am 3
I think Mr. Tebow is doing the best he can, by his lights, and deserves a modicum of respect for that.
Of course, one can say the same for Torquemada.
It’s hard to make good decisions when you’re delusional.
Winter Wallaby Feb 9th 2012 at 11:56 am 4
I assume he’s sincerely practicing his faith, but that doesn’t mean he’s not trying to get attention as well. Public proselytizing is a not an uncommon practice among sincere Christians.
Chakolate Feb 9th 2012 at 12:26 pm 5
Agree with Winter Wallaby. He seems genuine enough in his faith, but he’s really working it for the attention, too.
I did the same thing in Catholic school. You were praised for being pious, so you showed your piety more.
John Small Berries Feb 9th 2012 at 12:33 pm 6
It’s perfectly possible that he is being sincere in his faith, as long as it’s also true that he is ignorant of what his own Bible has to say on the topic of praying in public “to be seen by others”.
James Pollock Feb 9th 2012 at 12:53 pm 7
Another consideration, of course, is that fact that NFL players are contractually required to make press appearances, and may (or may not) be contractually required to make press appearances for the products they endorse, if they have endorsement deals.
amo Feb 9th 2012 at 12:59 pm 8
Not necessarily, John. There is nothing wrong with praying in public. The problem is when people only pray in public “to be seen by others” and don’t pray in private. Unfortunately for this discussion, that aspect of Tebow’s spiritual walk is between him and God.
felixthecat Feb 9th 2012 at 01:36 pm 9
Verse 6 makes it clear: do not pray in public. There is no ambiguity: “But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father…” Public prayer, no matter what the motivation, and Jesus was presenting an example, not just the only sinful motive, is an abomination.
Mark M Feb 9th 2012 at 02:30 pm 10
Continuing Amo’s comment…
Plus the act of kneeling and head bowing alone does not make what he is doing prayer.
Cidu Bill Feb 9th 2012 at 02:35 pm 11
I heard that he might be taking over the Jay Leno show after his playing career is over. “Coming up after the news: Tim Tebows with George Clooney and Kim Kardassian.”
Jeff S Feb 9th 2012 at 08:05 pm 12
I think any of these answers are possible, but the one thing I think ISN’T correct is — He genuflects for publicity’s sake only. Had you asked me this when he was in college, I would have said just the opposite. I wish I coupld explain why, but I HATED him when he was in college. I think my change in attitude is due to the fact all the so-called pundits said he would never amount to anything in the pros, just because he didn’t fit into their preconceived notions of what an NFL QB should be. And because he had some success, the pundits have to bring him down in other ways, like making fun of his religious beliefs.
George P Feb 9th 2012 at 08:53 pm 13
amo, unless there’s another verse that addresses this issue other than the quoted one, that’s wrong. It says that praying in public to be seen doing it is bad. It does not say “only” doing it that way is bad. It does not say that it’s OK to pray in public as long as you also pray in private.
I don’t give a rat’s ass about the NFL, so what’s going on with Tebow now is irrelevant to me, except when he is throwing to Bey Bey Thomas. When he was in college I was not a fan, because he went to Florida and played under Urban Meyer, but I had nothing against him personally. I have no reason to doubt his sincerity, either about his faith or his love for his school. He seems like a very nice kid who was just raised to cheer for the wrong school.
Mark in Boston Feb 10th 2012 at 01:40 am 14
Well, I just thank God that I am not like other men are; robbers, extortioners, unjust, evil-doers, adulterers, or even as this Republican.
John Small Berries Feb 10th 2012 at 10:10 am 15
@felixthecat #6: Not to mention that in every instance of Jesus praying in the Bible, it shows him practicing what he preached: “he went up into a mountain apart to pray”, “sit ye here, while I go and pray yonder”, “he went out, and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed”, and so on. Sometimes he brought a couple of disciples with him, but always “went a little farther” away from them to pray.
Of course, this does raise the question of how his biographers knew the content of some of these solitary prayers, but that’s another discussion entirely.
George P. Feb 10th 2012 at 06:29 pm 16
We assume for the sake of argument that the Gospels are accurate, because, if they aren’t, there’s no argument for any of this.
amo Feb 10th 2012 at 06:31 pm 17
To… everyone who responded to me. Jesus didn’t just pray in private. In Matthew 14:19 he prays in front of 5,000 people blessing the food, in Luke 23 he prays while on the cross. The point of Matthew 6:5-6 was that the hypocrites LOVE to stand on the corner and be seen by everyone. They pray just so that others will think they are really spiritual and not because they want to talk to God. The issue isn’t the location it’s the motive behind it.
Pirk Feb 11th 2012 at 04:57 pm 18
I never got that part of Matthew. He also really does seem to be saying that the lord’s prayer is the only prayer you should ever use