Around the 'Shoe

Jag, I do not know you and I want to speak fairly to your reponse knowing you are probably a great person, but why is it that people of faith have to dissect themselves so that when they are a coach or player they can not be a person of faith when they coach or play? The coach was not there representing Nebraska at the council meeting. If he had made this presentation in the locker room then there may be an issue. That is a huge difference here.

Savage is a friend and supported by President Obama, so what gives him the right to bully teenagers about sexual issues, says they should all be on birth control and then you just dismiss this as acceptable just because he is not a "coach?" I see a double standard here. How can he call teenagers names in a formal setting, (targeted at the Christians by the way) as a friend of US government officials and yet he is to speak as an authority. Why is he preaching to these kids like this? Please acknoweldge that he went too far not because he is not a coach, but because he stepped over the line of decency when addressing teenagers at conference on journalism.

Hey coach, you can not speak about a social issue to adults at a city council meeting because you are a coach at Nebraska, so be quiet. Hey Mr. Savage, you can cuss, swear, berate, call teenagers "XXX" in public jounalism forum. Where is the sanity in all of this?

Sorry my computer is acting up so I have had to edit a few times for spelling.

(I know I wrote too much, just try to read if you can)

Go Bucks, I would like to respond to your comment. You started off OK speaking of grace but when you indicated Jesus said not to Judge as if in a final statement on the topic, you actually practiced what is called “Isogesis” which means to takes verses out of context and without respect to other portions of scripture. This is how many get in trouble when they read only portions of the Bible instead of reading it thoroughly. Matthew 7 is part of the Sermon on the Mount (Chapters 5-7). Jesus is not saying, “Do not Judge, period” but he is warning about judging without humility and not to be like the Pharisees who judge by the “letter of the law” and not by the “spirit of the law.” Yes a person should be careful, as we do not make any final judgment about a person’s eternity. Some Christians may need to work on this too. But if you will kindly read on through Chapter 7 you then come to verses 15 to 20 that conclude, “Thus by their fruit you will recognize them.” Here He is saying you have to use discernment or judgment to make sure you watch out for those whose lifestyles or teachings stand as an indictment against them. There is “good” fruit and “bad” fruit. So how do we judge the fruit without judging the person?

Mr. Brown is not wrong from a biblical standpoint, because he is only saying what the Bible already says. He would be wrong if he added or subtracted what the Bible actually says. He is not judging anyone as God already has indicated how we will be judged and by what criteria. The only thing yet to be determined is our actions in this life that will be revealed at the final judgment.

I have a thought on this topic, many times a government passes laws or makes things legal that Christians disagree with and even the Bible seems to directly speak out against. For example, the Bible says “do not get drunk” but there is no law in the U.S. society about getting drunk (only if you drive while drunk is there a law). The Bible seems to respect life so that many oppose abortion but the law of the land may permit it, people may smoke since it is legal even though the Bible says take care of the body, there is no law against lying (except under oath), but the Bible is pretty clear about we are not to lie. The Church and Christians have spoke out and preached against many of these and others for many years and will continue to do so, and no one said, “Hey you must hate drunks, smokers, liars, adulterers, etc. etc.” But the Christian response is, “No we do not hate anyone, we love them very much and pray and hope they will change the way they live. We are here to help if they need it.” This does not mean Christians have not tried to deal with these social issues by working through government policies or laws (there was prohibition before in parts of the U.S.), and what is troubling now is that Christians feel under attack in the U.S. directly. Why is this so? Well, to this point the Church was free to speak out against all types of issues or what is seen as sins (alcoholism, abortion, adultery, gambling, adultery, divorce, and many other issues). But with homosexuality and the move to list anyone speaking out as judging or committing a ”hate crime,” we then have entered into a completely different arena. Will the government allow the Church to speak out against what the Bible calls “sin”? The homosexual movement is not happy just to get legal status from the government it appears, but is also wanting to quiet the Church, and the Bible per se, and as seen by many posters here. The other issue is that God is the one who initiated marriage between a man and a woman, not the U.S. government. The government “chose” to recognize “marriage” early in the formation of the U.S. So how can the U.S. government say it is now has more authority than the Bible on marriage? That is why there are recommendations to use other titles for other sexual orientations, but not “marriage.” Also, understand that many here in Africa are concerned as we watch the U.S. Many of these issues are against the law here. The fear here is the West will force us to trade our culture for yours. If you understand the culture and language here, it is entirely built on the family structure. To adopt a western culture would totally destroy the African culture, especially sub-Sahara Africa. Recently, the Nigerian parliament voted 100% that marriage is between one man and one woman. The European Union (backed by the West) said, you must change this stance or lose funding in the future. The Nigerian government told the EU and west to stay out of its business. Do you really think the west will stay out of Africa’s business? So we are watching this with great interest. You may think it is only the U.S. dealing with this issue, but it is really much larger and yet none of you probably care about what Africa thinks on this topic. I hope that statement does not offend anyone. When President Obama was elected many here wore their pictures on buttons with pride. But lately you do not see them worn anymore as we have learned more about him. Sorry to say that.

So if the modern culture or government decides to legalize something the Bible speaks out against, just like any other so called sin, expect the Church and Christian to speak out against it. It is not hating a certain person, but making sure God’s word has been made clear. If you read the Bible you will see that is what Christians are instructed to do.

Thanks again for allowing me to share. I wish there was a way we could sit and talk on this. I know if I sat next to you or the others on here at an OSU football game we would have lots of fun rooting for the Buckeyes. I may never get to do that though since the costs are too great.

The gays discriminated against TOSU football team by being angry the team was using "their" color. They didn't want to share it.
They get all the cool colors > lavender, rainbow...

No harm at all, this is a diversion from the Buckeyes, but religion being openly exercised in sports is so huge at this point that it is a topic worth discussing.

But by the same token, you have conflated too many issues (you are all over the place in discussing politics, religion, homosexual rights, the bible, etc) that will start a never-ending debate.

We will have to agree to disagree on what constitutes poor judgement and lack of discretion by a football coach at a public university in exercising a right to free speech.

You are familiar with Don't-Ask-Don't-Tell aren't you? Was that some sort of technicality as thousands of people were being discharged right and left that they weren't actually being fired?

If Jesus Christ were alive today in human form, a single man in his early 30s who had never slept with a woman and liked to drink wine and attend weddings and was persecuted for advocating love for his fellow man and had a lot of female friends and single male friends, he would probably be labeled gay. And men like Ron Brown who be the first ones throwing stones at him.

also from the article...

It was no accident that when Brown spoke to the Omaha City Council he listed his address as Nebraska's Memorial Stadium. And there is no separation of church and state on Brown's Nebraska football office voice message:

"I praise the Lord Jesus Christ for today. I hope you're having a blessed day. Not able to answer my phone right now. Give me a try back and Lord willing, I'll get back to you as soon as possible. Have a great day."

Brown, as well as Nebraska athletic director Tom Osborne, has said that Brown's city council testimony reflected only the assistant coach's personal views. But those views were made by an employee of a public university that receives 42 percent of its funding from the federal government and state appropriations.

It is also a university that prides itself on inclusion, whose Office of Equity, Access and Diversity Programs features the school's non-discrimination statement. And there in that statement, in boldface type, by the way, is this: "It is the policy of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln not to discriminate based upon age, race, ethnicity, color, national origin, gender, sex, pregnancy, disability, sexual orientation, genetic information, veteran's status, marital status, religion or political affiliation."

I’m an atheist….. You twat!

I just don’t agree that one’s sexual proclivities need to be elevated to a protected civil right. Why can’t I disagree with your collectivism ideology and still be a decent, caring human being? I just don’t agree that homosexuality is discriminated against in the same way that those of color were. What is so hard to understand about this…..?

Go fuck yourself.

What a completely Fascist remark. I can't wait for you to attack the Jews because they "dominate" Hollywood and Wall Street. You really are a manboob, aren't you?

And now I've heard it all--a homophobe complaining about he's being discriminated against by gays! Kept you from tap dancing and designing clothes, did they? That's like slave owners bitching that they couldn't get any exercise because their slaves kept doing all the hard work. Hey, here's an idea--let's pass a law that NBA teams can only have as many blacks on their rosters as match the % that blacks comprise of the total population. I mean, c'mon, why limit the below the rim game to pick up games at the Y? Or American NHL teams can only have so many Canadians or MBL so many Dominicans and South Americans. American jobs for Americans only, I say!

Sweet Jesus, save me from these morons! Forgive them, Father, for they know not what they do!

What he is saying is that your side would label him gay. Do you not recognize context? Jesus! What dumb-asses.

If I were Brown's supervisor, I would advise him that while he is certainly free to express his religious position outside of work time, he is exercising poor judgement in doing so. This is because his words are highly offensive to some and could be construed as promoting discrimination. I would make it clear that he is being paid to coach football for the University, not to use his position to engage in a religious crusade.

I would formally warn him at the same time, tell him that if he continues on this crusade, he would be required to incorporate a clear disclaimer statement that he is representing his personal views, and not those of University of Nebraska. If he does not incorporate the disclaimer, he should be fired.

So I have to accept Kim Kardashian making a joke out of a the sanctuary of marriage but I have to condemn a man who contributes to society, is peaceful to his neighbors, and has been loyal to his significant other for years because he's gay? The gay community just wants insurance and benefits for their significant other, their not asking us for permission.

With the gang and violence wars in our own inner cities, with the troops still in the middle east while CEO's get rich, while our housing market still being a disaster you'd think we'd have better subjects to get emotional about.