world series
Here's why I'm not rooting for the Colorado Rockies in this year's World Series. It's from June 2006, but the main characters remain with the team this year.
Particularly galling quotes:
"I don't want to offend anyone, but I think character-wise we're stronger than anyone in baseball. Christians, and what they've endured, are some of the strongest people in baseball. I believe God sends signs, and we're seeing those."
--founding owner and CEO Charlie Monfort, who "became a Christian three years ago"
Because Christians have such a hard time in this country. It's not like a Christian has ever been President. And Christians have never had a majority in Congress or on the Supreme Court. Gosh and golly, they've endured so much. Maybe we should make one of their holidays a national holiday to make them feel more included.
"You look at some of the moves we made and didn't make. You look at some of the games we're winning. Those aren't just a coincidence. God has definitely had a hand in this."
--General Manager Dan O'Dowd
The Rockies were 27-24 at the time the article was written, with some real hope of contending for the postseason after enduring seven losing seasons in the previous eight. They finished that year in last place, 76-86. I wonder if he thought God had a hand in that, too. It can't be a coincidence.
You know, I don't have a problem with evangelicals playing baseball. I don't have a problem with players getting together and having Bible study or prayer meetings or whatever. We have freedom of religion and assembly in this country, so knock yourselves out. I believe religion is a personal matter, a conversation between you and God that no one else is privy to, so I get uncomfortable when people insist on sharing their beliefs with everyone else; but it isn't a problem for me until they shove it down my throat in inappropriate settings or against my will (see: Kurt "JESUS! WOOOOOOOO! JESUS!" Warner).
I do have a problem with an organization that hires people based on a certain morality. I have an even bigger problem when that group claims that God has a special interest in them specifically because of their (self-)righteousness. Especially when it's a sports team.
Let me explain: I have a direct line to God. Seriously. Not the Christian Coalition. Not the President. Not Focus on the Family. Me. And God told me He doesn't give a good goddamn who wins a baseball game, not even the World Series. He's a little busy in Darfur at the moment and doesn't have the time or inclination to keep an eye on FOX Sports's stupid coverage. Tim McCarver annoys the hell out of Him, too. Besides, He needs to help His peeps on Survivor and America's Next Top Model. 'Cuz that's reality, yo.
And one more problem I have with this. The Rockies are a privately held company, but they get a whole helluvalot of money from the Colorado taxpayers (I hear they play in a really nice stadium; I wonder who paid for it). This isn't Chik-fil-A we're talking about here. If you don't want to give Truett Cathy & Co. your money, you can get a chicken sandwich somewhere else. The Rockies have a monopoly on Major League Baseball for a thousand miles around, even for people who want to see another team. If they're clearly discriminating in favor of a certain religion -- and a certain denomination of a certain religion -- they need to be held accountable. They're creating a quietly hostile workplace based on religion, and that's illegal. Or at least immoral.
And God doesn't like that. He told me so Himself.
Particularly galling quotes:
"I don't want to offend anyone, but I think character-wise we're stronger than anyone in baseball. Christians, and what they've endured, are some of the strongest people in baseball. I believe God sends signs, and we're seeing those."
--founding owner and CEO Charlie Monfort, who "became a Christian three years ago"
Because Christians have such a hard time in this country. It's not like a Christian has ever been President. And Christians have never had a majority in Congress or on the Supreme Court. Gosh and golly, they've endured so much. Maybe we should make one of their holidays a national holiday to make them feel more included.
"You look at some of the moves we made and didn't make. You look at some of the games we're winning. Those aren't just a coincidence. God has definitely had a hand in this."
--General Manager Dan O'Dowd
The Rockies were 27-24 at the time the article was written, with some real hope of contending for the postseason after enduring seven losing seasons in the previous eight. They finished that year in last place, 76-86. I wonder if he thought God had a hand in that, too. It can't be a coincidence.
You know, I don't have a problem with evangelicals playing baseball. I don't have a problem with players getting together and having Bible study or prayer meetings or whatever. We have freedom of religion and assembly in this country, so knock yourselves out. I believe religion is a personal matter, a conversation between you and God that no one else is privy to, so I get uncomfortable when people insist on sharing their beliefs with everyone else; but it isn't a problem for me until they shove it down my throat in inappropriate settings or against my will (see: Kurt "JESUS! WOOOOOOOO! JESUS!" Warner).
I do have a problem with an organization that hires people based on a certain morality. I have an even bigger problem when that group claims that God has a special interest in them specifically because of their (self-)righteousness. Especially when it's a sports team.
Let me explain: I have a direct line to God. Seriously. Not the Christian Coalition. Not the President. Not Focus on the Family. Me. And God told me He doesn't give a good goddamn who wins a baseball game, not even the World Series. He's a little busy in Darfur at the moment and doesn't have the time or inclination to keep an eye on FOX Sports's stupid coverage. Tim McCarver annoys the hell out of Him, too. Besides, He needs to help His peeps on Survivor and America's Next Top Model. 'Cuz that's reality, yo.
And one more problem I have with this. The Rockies are a privately held company, but they get a whole helluvalot of money from the Colorado taxpayers (I hear they play in a really nice stadium; I wonder who paid for it). This isn't Chik-fil-A we're talking about here. If you don't want to give Truett Cathy & Co. your money, you can get a chicken sandwich somewhere else. The Rockies have a monopoly on Major League Baseball for a thousand miles around, even for people who want to see another team. If they're clearly discriminating in favor of a certain religion -- and a certain denomination of a certain religion -- they need to be held accountable. They're creating a quietly hostile workplace based on religion, and that's illegal. Or at least immoral.
And God doesn't like that. He told me so Himself.