What if Tebow were a Muslim?

That question begs to be asked, simply because Tim Tebow is a Christian. and as such, he has been and continues to be ridiculed for acknowledging God and his faith in and thanks to Jesus Christ. I say Halleluiah! God will gain the glory.....

 
This seems to be a recurring refrain in a number of columns and editorial pieces that have surfaced over the past week. Tim Tebow is seriously making a lot of people mad. He is also seriously pissing off a lot of people in the NFL and the media.

And his sin? Giving thanks to God Almighty for the day, his life and his talent. Read some of the commentary below: By all means follow the links and read the entire articles.

This from a column by Todd Starnes

Imagine for just a moment if Tebow had been a Muslim. Imagine Tullock sacking the quarterback and then pulling out a prayer rug and offering a mocking prayer toward Mecca. Imagine that. But the attacks on Tebow started long before he started playing professional football. NBC Sports reported on an incident that occurred at a Scouting Combine.

Tebow suggested the group pray. Another player told him to “shut the f*** up.” Former Broncos quarterback Jake Plummer told the Daily Mail, “I wish he’d just shut up after a game and go hug his teammates.” A particular disappointment has been the criticism levied against Tebow by his fellow Christians.

“It seems Tebow might help himself and the kingdom by getting off his knees, taking the verses off of his face, and being faithful to Christ without the public acts like all the other Christians in the NFL have done for decades,” wrote Anthony Bradley, an associate professor of theology and ethics at The Kings College in New York City, in World Magazine.

Perhaps the good professor would suggest Christians enter restaurants through the back door and use separate drinking fountains? “Put down the boldness in regards to the words and keep living the way you’re living,” opined Kurt Warner in a Washington Post story. So Warner wants Tebow to water down his boldness. Exactly, how does one do that, Mr. Warner?

Perhaps the sad part of this episode is that Tebow is an anomaly in a professional sports industry searching for a moral compass. They take great pride in putting bad boys on superstar pedestals. At the end of the day, though, which NFL star would you want your little boy idolizing? A dog killer? A guy who beats up his girlfriend? Someone who is communicable? Or a man who loves Jesus, helps orphans and builds hospitals for the needy? I’ll take Tim Tebow in my huddle any day.

And this by Jen Engel

Imagine for a second, the Denver Broncos quarterback is a devout follower of Islam, sincere and principled in his beliefs and thus bowed toward Mecca to celebrate touchdowns. Now imagine if Detroit Lions player Stephen Tulluch and Tony Scheffler mockingly bowed toward Mecca, too, after tackling him for a loss or scoring a touchdown, just like what happened in October.

I know what would happen. All hell would break loose. Stinging indictments issued by sports columnists. At least a few outraged religious leaders chiming in on his behalf. Depending on what else had happened that day, they might have a chance at becoming Keith Olbermann's Worst Person In The World.

And there would be apologies. Oh, Lord, would there be apologies -- by players, by coaches, possibly by ownership with a tiny chance of a statement by NFL commish Roger Goodell. You cannot mock Muslim faith, not in this country, not anywhere really. It is primarily a respect issue, because religion is sacred and should be off limits.

Yet when Tulloch and Scheffler dropped to a knew to mock how Tebow prays -- an action known as "Tebowing" that has gone viral among the public, too -- we yawned and told Christians to lighten up. We blamed Tebow for making a show of honoring God rather than himself in moments of joy. We excused them because Tulloch said he was mocking "Tebowing" not God.

Because ridiculing a man who chooses to honor God is so much better, right? Nor has the ridicule abated as Tebow grows in football prominence. He is 6-1 since being named Denver's starting quarterback, has engineered a string of amazing comebacks, is improving as a passer and many still rip him for pointing to heaven as a thank you to God after a good play.

His religious fervor is an easy target for the vitriol spewed from those who dislike him, but the reasons are much deeper than that. From his advocacy of abstinence and pro-life to his infamous "You will never see another team play this hard" speech at Florida, it is like he is too good to be true. He is too nice, and thereby we want him to trip up so we can feel better.

We want him to be revealed as a hypocrite or insincere, and when that fails to happen, we settle for gleefully celebrating his failures on the football field. Former NFL quarterback Jake Plummer recently opined Tebow needed to quit whipping us with his belief. And why? Because he dares to say thanks?

There is more, there is a lot more. All you have to do is Google Tim Tebow and you will come across all of it.  Americans are worshiping at the temple of egalitarianism and bearing false witness against those who testify to their faith and belief in God.

Americans are worshiping wanton paganism and denigrating the morally righteous, while at the same time collectively smirking at any and all (like Tim Tebow) who dare to profess their faith and belief  in Jesus Christ.

The authors of the two pieces above are absolutely correct. If Tim Tebow were a Muslim? There would be a thunderous cacophony of back cracking as all involved in the NFL and media would be bending over backwards to kiss the feet and hind parts of any and all offended Muslims. The apologies to Islam would rain down endlessly. But Tim Tebo isn't a Muslim. Tim Tebow is a Christian. And as a Christian, it is time for other Christians to stand and come to his defense, but more importantly, come to the defense of the one true God.

Tim Tebow is the instrument and he knows his place and he gives the praise where the praise is due. Amen.......