You know, I learned a lot about Americans since living in Canada for the past 5 years. When you are away from somewhere and can look back it it, for some reason you can see a bigger picture. I have watched Americans become “patriotic” when it best suits their agenda and I have watched these same “patriotic” people bash people for living the american way.
Last year when Becky Hammon decided she was playing in the Olympics for Russia there were people that knew nothing about women’s basketball and nothing about Becky at all that came out to criticize her and bash her. The sentiment was… how un-american!
But now, fast forward a year and I am reading message boards and blogs and it seems that some of the same people that claimed how un-american Becky was for PLAYING BASKETBALL, are now some of the same people that are criticizing her and other athletes for wearing their religion and faith in God on their sleeve.
Amazing that they can call someone un-american, but yet criticize because of the way someone who chooses to be religious. I thought Americans have the freedom of religion…. guess not if you are an athlete.
Sidney Spencer has been criticized for writing a bible verse with her autograph…. she has been known to do this, it is what she does. If you don’t like the verse, or you dont like her… don’t get the autograph, it is as simple as that.
People have said that they think that her choice of verse wasn’t respectful to the Jewish community….. ummmmm…. yeah…… sooo basically they want her to put her religious beliefs to the side to satisfy another religion… which in its self seems sacreligious to do! I say GO SIDNEY and keep doing what you do, if they don’t want the verse, they don’t need the autograph!
Seriously if we are going to try to satisfy every religion and every group of people out there then priest shouldn’t wear their collars, nuns shouldn’t wear their habits, jewish people shouldn’t wear their yarmulkes when they are outside the church…. and they DEFINITELTY shouldn’t wear any of that stuff to ANY sporting events!
(BTW… you will NEVER here me say ‘Go Sidney’ in any other context haha!)
There are so many other WNBA players that acknowledge God on their shoes, their websites, their autographs, etc.
Some of these fanatics believe that with autographs and players including God in their everyday lives and by talking about it, that their religion is being crammed down their throats!
Betty Lennox has given her testimony and has let everyone know that God led the way for her to be successful in her career.
Chantelle Anderson and Sophia Young both are very religious women and bless Twitter everyday with some kind of inspirational Tweet….. and even Cappie Pondexter is pretty vocal on Twitter with her thoughts about God and his/her role in her life.
The way I see it is… you don’t have to have that players autograph. If you don’t ask for it, it isn’t like they are going to run up to you and stick it in your pocket!
You don’t have to follow them on Twitter.
And if you have an issue with a team having Faith Night…. don’t stay, it is as easy as that.
If you feel these things are aggressive and being crammed down your throat, then you are one passive son of a bitch and need to stop worrying about what religion people are and get a damn spine!
It is what it is. Athletes and God seem to go hand in hand for some athletes.
There are even people that have an issue with athletes thanking God after games where they get a win and then not thanking him after a game they lose…. get real. You also don’t see them yelling out HI MOM after a loss neither. But that doesn’t make them less religious or have less faith when they lose. It is a different state of mind after a loss. And …. it isn’t like these athletes in their post game interviews are giving their testimony after a win. You may hear God mentioned once in awhile during that time, but not often. When it comes to big games, then yes, God is brought up more, the emotion is more intense, and I’m sure that they feel God has shined down on them. But in the end of the day whether they win or lose, if they are truly living their lives through God then he/she is still getting their praises.
It is so funny how so many people have a problem with athletes being religious and living their lives through God, but yet these same people don’t have a problem with the American dollar bill saying “In God We Trust” or the pledge of allegiance (ridiculous) has them pledging a damn flag like a damn idol and talking about being under God. And in reality people should be more pissed off at people that rock the spiritual jewelery and are going out acting like total fucking idiots.
And yeah and I said it, the Pledge of Allegiance is ridiculous and I stopped doing that shit when I was in 4th grade!
and……………………… I think that some people just like to find something to bitch about.
agree with you on the last line
Does Spencer really write a verse? i’m assuming you mean the passage page/number but still that has to hurt the hands after a while with all the extra writing lol
personally i love that so many of these girls have the freedom to express there religious faith and should be able to do so without critisum. Sometimes it may feel like too much but i choose to ignore their message at those times
I have an autograph from Becky that says “God Bless you in Canada!” and i couldn’t be more thankful for it to say that because that is who she and so many of these athletes are. Their religion is a HUGE part of them
Comment by ap01 — August 7, 2009 @ 4:19 pm
Yeah just the name and numbers relating to the verse.
I just dont understand how some people feel it isnt politically correct for them to express their faith.
You know, before Christmas, I actually got an email from Becky’s mom that talked about how on the news they were saying it wasnt politically correct to say Merry Christmas anymore and she was basically sendidng out an email telling people to keep saying it………… all I could think of was WOW!! Has it really come to this?
I am not a very religious person, but I am an open minded person and I just dont understand how someone can get mad at these athletes for expressing their faith.
Religion isn’t for everyone, but for some people it is a way of life.
Comment by STL — August 7, 2009 @ 4:45 pm
Athletes are real people too. They believe or don’t believe in God/Goddess/Universe/Whatever. I think it is their right to be their own person with their own belief system. I am always glad to hear when someone is a believer because I know it will help them thru the hardest parts of their lives. I am not a religious person but I am spiritual and for me it is important to believe in something. I am always proud of athletes who stand up for and live their beliefs.
Comment by shrrew — August 7, 2009 @ 4:56 pm
Maybe that is the problem with some of the fanatics that criticize them, maybe they dont see them as real people :shrug:
Comment by STL — August 7, 2009 @ 5:01 pm
I love that you said God is “his/her”…I’m Indian and she is pretty amazing. I was just confronted at the gas station for being young and needing reprieve from heroine. Do I LOOK like I do heroine? That’s cramming down someone’s throat. Let me get my gas and sleep in on Saturdays and keep your pamphlets to yourself. If I need one, I know where you are. But seriously, athletes have every right to be spiritual. I agree with you…if you don’t like it, watch the games but don’t ask for autographs. It’s really quite simple.
Comment by Kinita — September 3, 2009 @ 2:47 pm