First, four Long Island high school students were suspended for ‘Tebowing’ – dropping on one knee and taking up a prayer post to mimic Denver Broncos quarterback Tim Tebow.
Now, a rabbi says that should the Evangelical quarterback’s wins the Super Bowl for his team, Christians could use that as fuel to do 'insane things, like burning mosques, bashing gays and indiscriminately banishing immigrants.
The article, published by Rabbi Joshua Hammerman on The Jewish Week Wednesday’s website, was entitled My Problem with Tim Tebow and predicted fanatical religious chaos if he were to lead his team to Super Bowl victory.
He added: ‘When you combine the religion that is football with the religion that is religion, the mix can be dangerously flammable.
Tim Tebow – called ‘God’s Quarterback- by fans - has become a national and viral sensation and has brought the Broncos to several incredible victories.
Mr Hammerman’s column was posted December 14, and removed from the site later that day.
The publication pulled the article down, saying they regretted posting it and called the piece ‘more inciting than insightful,’ USA Today reported.
Mr Hammerman’s blog link also addresses the absence of the story, and mentions ‘additional reflections will be forthcoming.
The rabbi also apologised to Mr Tebow himself, in the form of a statement.
He wrote: ‘I realise the way in which I attempted to make my points was clumsy and inappropriate, calling to mind the kind of intolerance and extremism my article was intended to disparage.
I sincerely apologise to Mr Tebow, his family, the Broncos and Patriots and all those whom I have offended.
Conservative Christians are livid at the claim, taking to the Internet to air their complaints against the rabbi’s claims.
One unidentified blogger on conservative website Human Events wrote the article was in part so offensive because the rabbi believes what he wrote. ‘He thinks people on the right, and Christian conservatives in particular, are capable of such violence.
The rabbi could be correct in his assumptions... he could also be mistaken. It would be no surprise if he was correct. I don't know the full extent of what he said in his blog but there is one truth that remains. It is not a matter of religion or lack of religion. It is a matter of humanity. More to the point it is a matter of belief and humans holding onto a belief too strongly. Emotions and the inability to control them. To build connections to beliefs and environments too strongly. This is where humanity goes wrong, life needs balance. It's not about religion... it's about lack of balance and loss of self restraint.
ReplyDeleteAnd it isn't restricted to a rabbi, a Christian, an atheist, a policeman, or a judge... These are conditions that everyone capable of reasoning are subject to. That is the result of our level of being. To say that we are incapable of more is deluded. We are capable of unbelievable things.
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