Whirlwind Pyramid (On Jason Collins, Chris Broussard, Faith, Evolution of Opinion and Me)

I gave my sports take on Jason Collins' announcement at the EB Sports Report. But what I'm about to say here is better suited for this format. Especially since it involves the great battle between faith and homosexuality thanks to what ESPN's Chris Broussard had to say on the matter

As I said on the EBSR, Collins and Britney Griner's announcements this month on coming out signify that in 2013, the climate is better suited for athletes to show support for gay rights. It's better suited for gay athletes if it isn't already for lesbian athletes. And it's also a time where many have to evaluate what they believe.

Jason Collins deserves all the credit today and while it may not make as much impact as if he was younger, it's still a great moment because he's the first openly gay athlete in a Big 4 sport. It's not a Jackie Robinson moment because his career is winding down but it's still worth noting for the simple fact of what he did

Chris Broussard started off today talking about how the NBA would react to Collins and most of it was overwhelming positive. Then this happened - Broussard was asked about it as a Christian and he said what was in that link.

"Personally, I don’t believe that you can live an openly homosexual lifestyle or an openly, like premarital sex between heterosexuals. If you’re openly living that type of lifestyle, then the Bible says you know them by their fruits. It says that, you know, that’s a sin. If you’re openly living in unrepentant sin, whatever it may be, not just homosexuality, whatever it maybe, I believe that’s walking in open rebellion to God and to Jesus Christ. So I would not characterize that person as a Christian because I don’t think the Bible would characterize them as a Christian." 

The Pursuit of Arete

When I was in 8th or 9th grade, I remember studying the ancient Greeks in World History and my teacher taught us about the idea of Arete (pronounced AR-e-TAY). It was a Greek term for all-around excellence - whether it be intellect, athletics or physical - and it was the central idea of their culture. They believed in making the most of all they had to offer society and not wasting their gifts.

15 years later, that term still fascinates me. My teacher said it was a precursor to another term we all know - Renaissance Man, someone we consider to be well-rounded. It makes sense since the Italians looked back to the Greeks for inspiration during that time period.

This year has been a great journey for me as I've started a new blog and stepped up my fitness to lose some weight. I've been challenged spiritually as well and I feel like that as I approach my 30's, it's time to become even more comfortable pursuing the best that I can be. That's where Arete comes in and I figured out a three-pronged approach to help me reach that.

Why I'm Running

As most of you who know me know, I've been running most of this month. I've never really been a runner outside of playing sports although I used to run at Manhattan/Hermosa back in 2006-07. This is something as challenging as anything I've done.

Those of you I've told about why I'm doing this probably will think this is old news but I figured I'd share a bit more of the backstory. One of the things I've tried to do more here is share more of myself instead of just my opinions. So with that said, here's how I got here.

I barely played any sports in 2012 - no church league basketball or volleyball and I cancelled my gym membership to save additional money. I fell into my usual eating habits since college even though I was shopping more, drinking more water and eating out less. The worst is me eating late since I work in the afternoons. I tried to commit to walking to Starbucks to hang out and write but that didn't last past a month.

End result? I wondered why my face/body got bigger in pictures. The pic on my Google+ profile looks nothing like the photo I use at work, which was taken in 2010. I was always a big guy since my doc says I'm big boned but I prided myself on being nimble (Folks who've seen me dance can confirm this) and not letting myself act bigger than my body was. But now, I was becoming what I feared.

Reclaiming the Message of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Every year, I try to find new ways to appreciate Dr. King a bit more. Ever since I wrote an article a few years ago at my old newspaper wondering if the younger generation still appreciated him, I wonder if I’m doing enough to keep his message alive.

A week ago, I brought a message to my junior high/high school kids at youth group on King to help them realize the power of having a dream. I encouraged them to not just dream, but dream big and put some actions behind it. Don’t be afraid to evolve your dream but also realize the power of your thoughts and words.

Too often, we stick to the same narrative on Dr. King and sometimes those words lose their significance. For me, I want to keep finding new ways to remain impressed by his words, his actions so that he remains alive and relevant.

Chick-Fil-A and the 1st Amendment (Why Dan Cathy is no Bigot)

"We are very much supportive of the family -- the biblical definition of the family unit. We are a family-owned business, a family-led business, and we are married to our first wives. We give God thanks for that.

"We operate as a family business ... our restaurants are typically led by families; some are single. We want to do anything we possibly can to strengthen families. We are very much committed to that," Cathy emphasized.

"We intend to stay the course," he said. "We know that it might not be popular with everyone, but thank the Lord, we live in a country where we can share our values and operate on biblical principles."

Those are the words of Chick-Fil-A owner and Georgia native Dan Cathy. It was said in an interview with the Baptist Press where Cathy discussed his values, his business practices and professional philosophy.  All influenced by his faith as he reiterated in another interview.

Under the 1^st Amendment, Cathy has the right to believe and say what he feels. As the owner of a privately owned company, the Constitution protects him from that like it would any of us. As I’ve also written several times on here, however, it doesn’t protect him from backlash as many have done.

Electric Relaxation: Lecrae - Church Clothes (April-June Pt. 2)

I've been listening to Christian rap consistently for a decade now. I started with Grits then graduated to Cross Movement and eventually Lecrae, Flame, Trip Lee and Da T.R.U.T.H. I think I can say plainly that it's great to hear brothers on the mic rapping about faith that I believe in. Yet I always wondered if I'd ever hear one of them blow up to be on the mainstream level.

As a fan of Lecrae since 2006, I'm very happy that he released this mixtape with Don Cannon. He's been arguably the most versatile Christian rapper in terms of flow, skill and content (not just preaching Scripture, but talking about himself, his struggles and more). He's released 5 excellent albums and has been featured on the BET Hip hop Awards and several mainstream sites within the last 2 years (as well as a joint with Statik Selektah). 

Church Clothes combines all of his talents and adds them to beats behind producers like 9th Wonder, Boi-1da and more. Musically it's a stunning album considering most Christian rap albums have limited production. It's a reach for Lecrae to extend himself to secular producers as well as Christian ones but to me, it doesn't matter who you work with if you don't compromise yourself. 

Breaking Down Tim Tebow's Hype Machine

Since I had a rare Sunday afternoon at home, I got to listen to media feedback right after most of the afternoon games. That included having to watch the Denver-Chicago game and going from cheering the Bears re-enacting the Roman Coliseum to being stunned at another Denver comeback.

I salute Denver’s defense and kicker Matt Prater (he of the 50-yarders to force overtime and win the game). Tim Tebow played solid once again in the fourth quarter to compensate for playing like dog crap in the 3^rd quarter. But give Marion Barber full credit as well for two costly mistakes for Chicago.

I watched the Denver game stunned at the Fox announcers slurping up the Kool-Aid of Tebow. I listened to the media try to describe this in glowing terms instead of recognize another great team effort besides it. I heard Tebow do his best to deflect and praise the team’s effort.

It made me boil not because Denver won another game they shouldn’t. For the first time I actually saw and heard the hyperbole on Tebow in real time. And I wondered out loud why two months in we haven’t evolved to logical explanation.

It set me over the edge. I wrote something two weeks ago but it didn't go far enough. Let’s discuss this Tebow phenomenon for what it really is. Another example of the White Christian Narrative the media latches on to and blows out of proportion. It’s offensive to me as a sports fan, journalist, writer and a Christian.

(And let’s be clear, this is not an attack on Tebow as a person. I have never hated the man since I first saw him play at Florida in 2006. This is not about taking down a brother in Christ, it’s looking at the big picture – word to Big L)

First let me start by asking how many White Christian athletes do you know? Compare that to how many Black Christian athletes you know. I’m glad that I got to know AC Green and David Robinson growing up as much as I did Kurt Warner but right now, you’d be led to believe that the only Christians in sports are all White. Why is that?

(Taking it a step further, why was George Bush considered to be more a Christian than Barack Obama when by all accounts, both credit their faith very openly albeit Bush did so in a negative way catering towards conservative evangelicals.)

Tebow fits that narrative of White piety and while it’s simple, it also does Christians of all races a disservice. Not everyone wears their faith on their sleeve and those who do should be discussed, whether they look like Tebow or me. Not every Christian is the same and that’s what makes the Body of Christ so wonderful.

Why don’t they get more attention? It doesn’t fit the narrative? They assume the typical image of a Black athlete is flashy and more demonstrative which doesn’t fit the humble, Christian narrative? I’ve interviewed several HS kids of strong faith and you can tell it shines in their leadership.

To this day, AC Green remains one of my inspirations

I wish more Black Christian athletes got publicized for their faith. Maybe it’s me wishing they publicized it more but they should also get credit nonetheless. In general though, people who let their faith lead by example instead of being public rarely get the credit.

There are always great Black leaders in sports. Derek Fisher showed why handling the lockout. Donovan McNabb was a great leader in his prime. But no, we always have to praise the White leader as something extraordinary. Tebow’s speeches are inspiring but how is that any different than Ray Lewis, whose transformation into one of football’s great linebackers/leaders is one of the most remarkable things I’ve ever seen.

That’s also why the media discussing Christianity bothers me. Reaching for clichés to discuss Tebow’s success as miraculous and divine is weak and childish. There is logical explanation for his success but instead they want to act like star struck fans who say things like “Oh I’ve never seen this before” or  reach for spiritual metaphors trying to be cute.

It didn’t bother me at first but 2 months in, it’s annoying. It insults my intelligence as a writer. If I can’t be more creative after giving up sound logic, take away my pen and paper. It’s my job as a sportswriter to describe what I see, be awestruck at times and once you see something over and over – either give up and enjoy it or look for different ways to say it.

Is it a miracle? Miracles come great and small but if the same thing keeps repeating, sometimes it's not just chance.

Also, I’m sick of the media always asking if God gave folks the victory in sports. It’s a trap question that leads to ridicule and as a Christian that hurts me  - even if I should expect as much. Let me school you on something: God is all about the intent we put into our effort. Whatever the result, God will work it out for his glory. Win or lose, God was glorified by how those who served him played, just like how we live our lives.

God cares not if we win or lose, he cares about our effort and especially our intent behind it. If we do things for His glory, that’s all He cares about. I know it’s hard for the media and most to understand this so I tried to break this down.

To Tebow’s credit, he also deflects the idea that God gave Him the victory. He has the right attitude and I salute him for that. He can’t be blamed for everyone around him being irrational. He isn't God's quarterback anymore than I am God's writer. That label is dangerous cause it implies God is with Tebow only. Not true.

What he is doing is incredible. What his defense and head coach have done is equally incredible. We can describe their playmaking with sound logic without catering to illogical fans who worship everything Timmy does. I’m not going to lead the ludicrous chorus of Tebow’s sainthood when he’s clearly taking advantage of some terrible defensive strategies and making the most of his situation.

It’s okay to be in disbelief – even if Vince Young did this as a rookie, even as Eli Manning is doing it now. I’m shocked that Tebow with his weaknesses is doing it but when you consider he’s in a system built around his strengths – a system that thumbs its nose at every previous option QB who deserved a break (mostly Black) – you need to credit his coach too.

Enough stories about Tebow inspiring his defense. Von Miller is a freaky good rookie with an incredible motor and Elvis Dumervil is one of the league’s best defensive ends. Maybe they want to play better in the 4^th quarter knowing Tebow is coming but it’s a lot easier when they’ve faced some bad quarterbacking.

That leads me to the Church of Tebow. That church that started the minute he threw that jump pass in 2006. That church that got even stronger after he won the Heisman and delivered that speech after losing. That church that has turned him into a saint and won’t bother listening to reason.

Call me beyond upset at them. Bomani Jones said it best, it’s like watching rooting for a Little Leaguer to win because he fights so hard. People want Tebow to win so much that they overlook other logical factors such as his QB deficiencies.

The fact he’s being discussed an MVP candidate is hilarious. Not when Aaron Rodgers is ascending from great young QB to the best QB in the league. Not when Eli Manning is doing what Tebow’s doing but as a mature passer. It’s great but let’s not get out of hand here. He’s no different than any backup who comes and inspires his mates with an improbable run. The man he faces next week, Tom Brady, is a clear example and he took his team to a Super Bowl win.

(Edit: Heck, Cam Newton has had a similar impact on Carolina than Tim Tebow. Only difference is that Cam can't play defense. But tell me he hasn't lit up that franchise and inspired players similar to Tebow. Go ahead)

Everything he does becomes a phenomenon. Kneeling down to pray is now Tebowing. People actually buy #15 Jerseys with Jesus on them. I jokingly call this sacrilege but it's half true. It makes no sense to me. Kurt Warner didn't have this level of hype and he actually 1.) won 2 MVPs, 2) went to 3 Super Bowls, 3) had the best team in football for 3 years in a row, 4) earned his success paying dues in the Arena Football League and struggling. 

They make excuses for him that didn’t work for Charlie Ward, Doug Flutie, Eric Crouch, Troy Smith and Michael Vick pre-prison. Check Vince Young’s winning percentage. In all those cases, their flaws were discussed way more despite their ability to win. With Tebow, it’s the other way around. Why??

Heck, Denver fans act like they never saw this before. How soon they forget that their exec of VP operations was an incredible athlete and maybe the greatest dual-threat quarterback and comeback artist in football history. 

It’s a combination of everything I said. Race, his personality, his fanbase since college, the media love fest, his faith, our quickness to praise a White Christian athlete over a Black one and our love of the gritty White athlete overcoming obstacles (i.e. Hoosiers). To deny any of this would be to call yourself a liar.

Denver has a right to be excited. Tebow should feel happy. I don’t hate their excitement.I'm happy we discuss faith in the media and God's name is discussed. I just hate when illogical fans and the media fall into traps and stereotypes that defy logic because it keeps repeating.  

The more Tebow wins, the more the train keeps churning and the more I feel I need to grow bolder explaining the lunacy behind him.

An Open Letter From a Christian (Re: Eddie Long)

To whom it may concern,

This recent situation involving Bishop Eddie Long saddens me. I'm not going to speak on whether or not he's guilty cause if I knew that, I'd be in law school with my sister right now. But it's inevitably going to cause a stain on how people view the church and its members.

No matter what happens, when a notable Christian, Catholic, person of faith stumbles (whether notable on a large scale or in a circle of friends), everyone judges them like they're supposed to be perfect people who never mess up. People put them on such a high pedestal that if they fall, the fall's so much greater than it should be.

It's so funny how people are quick to judge Christians yet accuse us of doing the same all the time. While I cannot condone many of us who judge people for what they do as opposed to judging actions (and we all do it at some point), it's even more hypocritical to do the same thing you point out in others.

Let me tell ya what we're not. We're not perfect - we strive to be as close as we can knowing that we fall short. We mess up, struggle, do good things and try to live good lives just like you. The only difference is our motivation for it.

Being a person of faith is a daily struggle. Maybe it's our fault for not showing that struggle enough. Maybe you see too much of us judging the faults in society and not us being humble and acknowledging our own in the process. We cannot just speak out against the world without correcting ourselves in the process.

The lofty standards you've given Christians should be flattering. We should be honored that people expect certain things of us and it's our duty to represent the faith properly. But it also can be an unreal burden that somehow removes personal accountability from yourself to live to that same basic standard of decency.

Before you try to judge any of us based on 1 person's stumbles, you should remember something. Are you perfect? Are you above being criticized for your mistakes? Hath not a Christian blood in their veins like you? If we both get pricked, do we not bleed? If we both lie, are we not both guilty of sin?

Bishop Eddie Long's accusations sadden me. True or not, it saddens me that here is another bigtime preacher who has done plenty of good works but has been caught up in being a CEO (his words) than just simply a shepherd. Charges or not, the way he's being reported as conducting himself is sad.

Power is a corrupting force. Many good folks as well as shady ones have been sucked in its vortex and lost sight of their mission or used it to promote one that is troubling.

At the same time, I know a lot of folks will rush to protect him and defend him. I pray for the truth to be revealed and for healing to all parties involved. Let's not rush to protect our own so much that we villainize the accusers. 

Whether Bishop Long did those things or not, it shouldn't change your view of Christians, Christianity or religion in general. As CNN's Roland Martin tweeted, 4% of Christian churches are megachurches by definition. There are preachers out there who abuse their title just like CEO's, politicians and others in power. There are Christians who are bold hypocrites but we see plenty of people who are the same in other situations.

Does this excuse them? No. They are hurting the body of Christ as well as its perception. Like it or not, the things we do as Christians will ultimately help or hurt the body based on how we are seen. We are the only Bibles most folks will read and our conduct goes a lot further than a sermon.

Nevertheless, don't judge the whole bunch by a few bad apples. Focus on those who are doing their best to set an example. If you judge all of us based on a few preachers doing wrong, then stay home from work the next time you see your boss say one thing and do another. In the meantime, I'll be watching this situation with a close eye.

Sincerely,

Virgo Kent

Burning on 9/11? What Have We Become

As a Christian, nothing incenses me more than people who share my faith but act in ignorance. Case in point, Pastor Terry Jones and his church in Florida wanting to burn Qu'rans on September 11.

Is this what remembering a national tragedy has come to? A revenge plot against a book that is near and dear to the hearts of many Muslims. All in the name of showing the terrorists that we won't back down to fear?

My faith tells me to disagree with someone but not respond with violence or hatred. Standing up for God doesn't mean kicking somebody else down in the process. God's name has been invoked for too many misguided practices and this is one of them.

This is where people go too far. I hear far too many people who call themselves Christians but act so radical that it transcends what the Word actually says. God requires us to stand for his values, live lives that are pleasing to Him and his standard of holiness as well as be His servants in noble causes such as fighting social justice and being examples of His love.

Notice I said love not tolerance. In saying that, we don't have to agree with other faiths but we respect their decision to worship as they see fit and proceed in genuine love to find common things worth fighting for.

Here's a hypothetical question. What if there was a radical group that wanted to have a Bible burning day on Ramadan or Yom Kippur? What if someone wanted to burn the Torah on Easter to show that Judaism has no relevance? There'd be just as much outcry over that as there is over this.

There's a scene in "The Book of Eli" that is worth noting. Eli is responsible for carrying the Bible on a mission and he reads it nightly. At one point, he and his companion are attacked and the Bible is stolen from him. But as they walk on their mission, Eli realizes that for all his study of the Word, he had overlooked the main principle - apply it to his life in front of him as well.

Instead of holding a book burning, why not hold a memorial service where all could come and reflect on the tragedy. Why not discuss what we as Christians can do to not forget what happened but remind ourselves that the enemy is not Islam, it's the Devil who wants to use this tragedy to encourage hatred, division and false pride. There are so many more productive things to be done that show the Body of Christ at its best.

People like Jones are so passionate about being God's servants in actions like these but they forget that His word says love those who hate you. Turn the other cheek and be examples of love. Pray for those who persecute you. Vengeance is mine, I will repay. This goes against everything the Bible speaks of and I'm embarrassed he's using Christianity as his umbrella for it.

I pray he comes to his senses and realizes the foolishness of burning these books isn't just going to agitate Muslims around the world (a large portion of whom are peaceful), it's a disservice to many Christians around the country and world by painting us as fanatics. Our job is to preach God with our actions not slander it with hate.

This says it all. 15 years old and this song is still so relevant.

What Inspires Me? (Ideals/Things)

This is Part 2 of letting you the readers discover what makes me tick. Sometimes we are inspired not by someone but by ideals we hold dear to our heart. These are mine.

Passion - My last semester of college, I took a leadership class that was designed to help us seniors discover what made us passionate in order to refine our goals for being in the real world. No matter what we did, we had to find what we cared about and not let go of it.

This drives me everyday. The passion to be a great writer. Not just about sports but about myself, my times and those around me. Everything I do in life has to be something I care about and occasionally my heart is on my sleeve.

Every time I discover something new, I jump full steam into it. History, video games, music, schoolwork, whatever. I'm passionate about the things and friends who matter to me and that passion will one day drive me once again into a beautiful relationship with someone.

Dreams - I'm no Sigmund Freud but I believe dreams say a lot about us. I love analyzing them when friends tell me about them and it's no surprise that one of my favorite Bible characters is Daniel, a man who saw visions.

Before anyone can see anything for me, I have to follow my own dreams. I used to live in a world of ideals, dreaming of what a girlfriend, college, journalism and growing up would be. When I got to college, I realized that reality doesn't go according to plan and I had to mesh my dreams with what I saw and experienced.

That's why Inception has such a big effect on me - I'm fascinated by the psychology of a dream state as well as the ideas that come to us there.

Now I believe that meshing dreams with reality is the best way to be. But I still dream on, reflecting on my past, wondering about my future while living in my present.

Nature - Something about in God's Grandeur is peaceful. The trees, the birds, the sky. The world mostly untampered by us. If you ever get to take a retreat in the woods, do it.

The Journey/The Process - Too often we celebrate the goal instead of appreciate the process to get somewhere. If school taught me anything, you don't enjoy graduation until you look at how you got there. Even when I was little, I liked challenges and if I couldn't figure it out right away, I'd keep trying after some time.

Embrace the struggle and the potential for growth. That's what I've learned/applied all my life. Like the Ataris said, "Being grown up isn't half as fun as growing up"

History - Those who fail to know their past are doomed to repeat it. I've been a fan of history since I was a kid just wanting to know all of the Presidents and state capitals. Maybe it was reading those encyclopedias but I got started early and often. I had a 5th grade teacher who helped develop that love and it blossomed in high school and college.

If you don't know your past, you won't understand your present or help change your future

Satisfaction - I once wrote about how I chase this instead of perfection. Instead of chasing an ideal that you will never reach, search to be satisfied in accomplishing your best and finding imperfect people who will be your closest friends. This is different than settling - settling mean happy with getting by. Satisfied means striving for perfection and accepting that although you won't reach it, you still accomplish a lot.

Sunsets - You haven't lived until you've seen a sunset in San Diego. And you really haven't lived til you stood on the shore of a beach and watched it up close with the waves crashing at your feet. I've been inspired by many a poem because of it.

It's interesting. In New York, the sun sets and you can still see it setting nearly an hour as it makes it way around the country. In Seattle, the sun doesn't set til almost 10 in the summer. Blows my mind.

Faith - It's my inspiration that I try to tap into more every day. Without faith or hope, I feel like my life is meaningless.

Next up, Music.