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Tim Tebow's prayer request falls flat

KDude

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Good for them. Those kind of public prayer people are annoying. And I don't even dislike religion.
 

cafe

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I am Christian and I am not anti-prayer, in fact, when I switched from Bible College to Community College, what I missed most was the prayer time at the beginning of each class. It felt nurturing and participating in a community. That was a setting in which everybody was in a religious setting voluntarily, though.

I also believe in freedom of religion and freedom of speech, so if the dude wants to pray, he should pray.

What I don't like is the attitude that, I HAVE A MANDATE FROM GOD AND AM DOING THE RIGHT THING AND THEREFORE I CAN DO WHATEVER I WANT NO MATTER HOW SOCIALLY INAPPROPRIATE IT IS AND ALSO, OTHER PEOPLE HAVE TO HUMOR ME AND/OR DEFER TO ME BECAUSE GOD IS SANCTIONING MY BEHAVIOR. DID YOU HEAR THE PART WHERE I SAID GOD?!?!
 

Totenkindly

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I'm cool with him praying...
... to himself.

But constantly trying to get other people, many of who you know don't believe, to act like they do believe?
As cafe notes, in a Christian environment, it might make sense; but not in a secular one.

(Then again, in his defense, this is what that subculture trains you to do. He believes he is being a good witness; and that if people don't like it, it's because they're resistant to God, rather than something being inappropriate with the demand.)
 

cafe

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I'm cool with him praying...
... to himself.

But constantly trying to get other people, many of who you know don't believe, to act like they do believe?
As cafe notes, in a Christian environment, it might make sense; but not in a secular one.

(Then again, in his defense, this is what that subculture trains you to do. He believes he is being a good witness; and that if people don't like it, it's because they're resistant to God, rather than something being inappropriate with the demand.)
That is very true. Even when I was immersed in the sub-culture, it made me uncomfortable. I also specifically remember in my Baptist high school, when we were talking about Catholic and Islamic crusades, that we deplored the attitude that the ends justifies the means and I guess I internalized that idea. Unfortunately, it appears to only apply to those other people.
 

swordpath

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What I don't like is the attitude that, I HAVE A MANDATE FROM GOD AND AM DOING THE RIGHT THING AND THEREFORE I CAN DO WHATEVER I WANT NO MATTER HOW SOCIALLY INAPPROPRIATE IT IS AND ALSO, OTHER PEOPLE HAVE TO HUMOR ME AND/OR DEFER TO ME BECAUSE GOD IS SANCTIONING MY BEHAVIOR. DID YOU HEAR THE PART WHERE I SAID GOD?!?!
Right on the $.
 

DiscoBiscuit

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He didn't need to pray for his 38.5" vertical leap. (tying the record for a QB)

tebow-leapx-inset-community.jpg
 

LadyJaye

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I can respect and admire anyone who adheres to their religious beliefs, no matter how they differ from my own. But I'm much more comfortable with
" walking your talk" - I hope that people will understand what I'm all about by the way I live my life day to day. And I think it turns people off when you force a situation on them, such as declaring time to pray when others might not feel comfortable with it. It's enough to pray yourself - God hears your voice just as clearly when it's just you.
 
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For the record, the veracity of this story is highly suspect according to what I read today. If it's true, then I think he should have kept it to himself. But I'm tired of people using this guy's religion to pile on him. I'd rather cheer for him than one of the multitude of felons in the NFL. But nobody really raises an eyebrow at that, because murder is a more forgivable crime than being openly religious.

P.S. - I hate the Gators and am not a fan of Tebow.
 

kelric

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What I don't like is the attitude that, I HAVE A MANDATE FROM GOD AND AM DOING THE RIGHT THING AND THEREFORE I CAN DO WHATEVER I WANT NO MATTER HOW SOCIALLY INAPPROPRIATE IT IS AND ALSO, OTHER PEOPLE HAVE TO HUMOR ME AND/OR DEFER TO ME BECAUSE GOD IS SANCTIONING MY BEHAVIOR. DID YOU HEAR THE PART WHERE I SAID GOD?!?!

This. Completely, this. I've never warmed to Tebow, largely because of this. I feel almost bad, because by pretty much any definition he's an exemplary guy, and I know that the environment in which he grew up this sort of thing is not only normal, but praised. He's probably not had much chance to learn just where most people put those boundaries. But to me, it's rude to try to coerce others into those sorts of observances, when you know that they may or may not share your beliefs. Not *as* rude as the profanity, mocking, and laughter, but inconsiderate nonetheless.

Having said that, the other guys were pretty clearly in the wrong. Don't get me wrong -- I can understand the sentiment of the other guys not wanting to humor him, but that sort of thing just adds fuel to the fire, I think. Although there's not really any polite way to refute someone who makes a point of wanting to involve public prayer in such circumstances, a "Nah, let's just get started" would probably go over much better.
 

Synarch

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Christians are usually tone deaf about social situations. Always wearing too much celestial perfume in a small space and asking you to breathe deep. That's the problem. If there is a God, He probably wants us to chill out and get off His nuts.
 

swordpath

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For the record, the veracity of this story is highly suspect according to what I read today. If it's true, then I think he should have kept it to himself. But I'm tired of people using this guy's religion to pile on him. I'd rather cheer for him than one of the multitude of felons in the NFL. But nobody really raises an eyebrow at that, because murder is a more forgivable crime than being openly religious.

P.S. - I hate the Gators and am not a fan of Tebow.
The slant of the article is a little disappointing, yes. Any other persecution he's received, I condemn, because I have plenty of respect for religious folk who have represented their faith in a non-intrusive manner; where it's personal and meaningful to the individual but they don't have to shove it in people's faces. I think everyone should be given that respect. What happened in the story of this article, however; I think it may be what he needed. Like some tough love, minus the love. He's probably grown accustomed to playing for a team and being with a group of guys where this kind of open, religious expression is acceptable and commonplace. You'll often find though that at other places, people are uncomfortable with it and it's a put off. It's inconsiderate for him to assume that everyone else shares the same beliefs or should at least cooperate in participating with him exercising his beliefs.
 

Jeffster

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OH NOOOOOES NOT PREYERRRRS THEMS KRISTY-ANS IS GONNA KILL US ALLLLLLLLLL
 
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