Some attacks on Tebow go way beyond “roughing” the passer

       
        JANUARY 13 – I recently saw a political cartoon by artist Ramirez captioned “The Tebow Effect”, which pictured two Roman soldiers with shields and swords standing next to the bottom portion of what is obviously a cross. Near the top of the cartoon, just before the border, two feet were pictured, impaled with nails. On the other side of the cross stands a modernly dressed man with a microphone in one hand, a notebook in the other and a MEDIA badge dangling from his neck.
        Quoting his comments toward the crucified one above him – “Oh, stop making such a public spectacle of yourself.”
        I can’t imagine a visual presentation that could better illuminate the rancor, stupidity and bigotry of the liberal media than this cartoonist’s masterpiece.
        Of course, Denver Broncos quarterback Tim Tebow is not surprised, hurt or angered by the attacks on his Christian faith which he demonstrates by pre-and post-game prayer on bended knee at the sidelines.
        And, at the recent playoff game against the favored Pittsburg Steelers, the hand of God obviously blessed Tim with an 80-yard touchdown pass on the first play of overtime to win in only 11 seconds. I’m not sure, but it’s likely that this is a first in overtime professional football.
        Quite frankly, I can’t see what ails these propagandists, when the number of professional baseball players I have seen pointing up to heaven when crossing the plate after a homerun, numbers in the thousands.
        Yet, I have never heard or read a word of criticism against these players. Ditto for Tebow’s counterparts in football who do the heaven pointing routine; and, I have seen the same gestures in other professional sports.
        I would presume the lack of attacks is because the media is absolutely certain that Timothy is a born- again Christian, the son of missionaries to the Philippines, who participates in many mission trips himself. These trips are primarily to help the poor and neglected of the third world.
        I would imagine that if these media moguls could see what percentage of Timothy’ s $multi-million income goes toward tithing and charitable contributions, they would have heart stoppage.
        The reason he doesn’t get upset or respond to their acidic attacks is that he knows that the Lord Jesus  said in John 15:18: “If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you.” The difference, of course, between the sky-pointers and and Tebow is that they’re on their feet and he is on his knees in humble thanksgiving, And, unlike leaders of 20,000 member churches (?) like Saddleback Church’s Rick Warren, he’s not leading a “Chrislam” insanity movement.
        Like Warren, there are a small group of Jewish seekers of publicity and profit such as Connecticut Rabbi Joshua Hammerman whose column in the Jewish Voice was quoted in an article by Linda Chavez, She said Hammerman had bashed Tebow for showing intolerance.
        “While claiming to want to root for Tebow,” Chavez wrote, “who has pulled off an unprecedented string of fourth-quarter comebacks for his underdog team this season, Hammerman made the following prediction.” (Is that name appropriate, or what?).
        “If Tebow wins the Super Bowl, against all odds, it will buoy his faithful, and emboldened faithful can do insane things, like burning mosques, bashing gays and indiscriminately banishing immigrants. While America has become a more inclusive since Jerry Falwell’s first political forays, a Tebow triumph could set those efforts back considerably.”
        The Hammerman has Christians confused with Muslim Jihadists or admired-by-Obama and Pelosi Occupiers.
        I like Chavez’s response to these outrageous accusations from a man whose millions of ancestors have suffered persecution and intolerance for millennia, which, even now, is beginning to heighten again  worldwide.
        She wrote: “Tim Tebow harms no one when he bends the knee to thank Jesus for giving him the athletic gifts that that have served him so well. And, he never said anything publicly about saving anyone’s soul. So how is it offensive that his piety inspires others – even his opponents on the field – to join him in prayer? In an era when other famous athletes are better known for sexting, criminal assault or even murder, it’s a mystery why honesty and faith would be viewed negatively.”
        This episode is simply a reflection on what happened 2,000 years ago when the Apostle Paul and his faithful companion Timothy peacefully traveled the Mediterranean nations with the word of hope and were subjected to the most vile treatment by the heathens, even as thousands, then millions of them eventually received an eternal blessing.
        Some are noting that the 316 yards of passes completed by Tebow in the Steelers’ match are a miraculous connection to John 3:16, one of the Bible’s most famous verses. “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” Quite frankly, I have no trouble believing that the Creator of all things could do that.
        For that matter, I don’t doubt that Tebow’s name, Timothy, was given him before the world began. Considering his life, advocation and accomplishments, it is absolute perfection in all aspects. As Paul wrote to him:

“Thou therefore endure hardness as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. No man that warreth entangleth himself
with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who chose him to be a soldier.” II Timothy2:3 and 4.