Hamilton talking about God

[TheNamelessPoet]

Yeah not going that route....

a rattion thought from an irrational fan

[filihok]

He's an irrational fan, not an irrational person.

Though, one could easliy argue that ANY fan is irrational. Why do we cling to a team that constantly changes. Players, managers, owners, identities, even uniforms change. But we stay fans...what exactly are we holding on to.

But this is a Hamilton talking about god thread.

What Hamilton was able to overcome was great. Too bad that he can't see that the power came from within himself and family and loved ones and not from some 2000 year old super hero story.

[RickD]

a rattion thought from an irrational fan

Yeah I have those now and then.

[RickD]

But this is a Hamilton talking about god thread.

What Hamilton was able to overcome was great. Too bad that he can't see that the power came from within himself and family and loved ones and not from some 2000 year old super hero story.

Some could say your statements are borderline intolerant.

The man said God helped him to overcome. I fully believe God can do that. I would rather see him thank God than still be on crack!

Really the whole argument that this is a problem shows the same level of intolerance that people say Christians have. Totally double standard. So the man thanks God. It isn't killing you. He's happy. Leave it alone.

[OldFatGuy]

Some could say your statements are borderline intolerant.

The man said God helped him to overcome. I fully believe God can do that. I would rather see him thank God than still be on crack!

Really the whole argument that this is a problem shows the same level of intolerance that people say Christians have. Totally double standard. So the man thanks God. It isn't killing you. He's happy. Leave it alone.

It may very well be a double standard, but I wonder if you too would have one. Just suppose (and I hope you think hard and give an honest answer), that almost every athlete you watched on TV started the interview with this statement.

"Man, I'm so glad I gave up the mythology of God. Once I did that, I was able to focus on the important things, like practice, conditioning, etc. I just can't say how thankful I am that someone FINALLY cleaned my consiousness of that gosh darn religious bullcrap."

Now, I'm betting if one said it, you'd overlook it. But I'm ALSO betting that if just about EVERY time you watch a sporting event and an interview occurred and this same thing was said you'd be bothered, no???

The thing is it DOES get old. It's an athletic competition, and the interview is about athletics. If I watched a person interview a great plumber, I'd hope he'd talk about the different tools and ideas on plumbing he's discovered. Is that so much to ask??? When we watch athletes interviewed to hear about athletics???

[RickD]

Would I be bothered....yeah I would. However not enough to condemn them. People have a choice to make and though I may not agree with those choices, may feel differently myself, I am not the ultimate judge. I try to extend grace as I feel it was extended to me by God.

Yeah it can get old when anyone says anything repetatively but in the same aspect people like to acknowledge things they feel help them and maybe all these athletes who thank God might be on to something!

Seriously though I am sure a large % just do it because it's the cool thing. Some though may do it because they have a genuine relationship with God and feel He has improved their life.

I say if people don't like it they can turn it off. Hit mute. I don't watch basketball anymore because I don't care for some of the shenanigans I see but I don't go out and condemn the sport or it's players because of their poor choices.

[jcbarr]

Some people truly do look to god for strength for everything that they do in life. My mother-in-law is that way. Everything she does in her life relates to god in some way and she can make anything that happens relate to him. When she lost her husband she found comfort in this "2000 year old super-hero story". When she lost her 21 year old son she once again found comfort in this "fake" entitiy that lives in the sky above us.

I'm not trying to preach to anyone, because I myself do not live my life this way, but we are free to if we want. We are also free to preach about it if we want to. You however are free to believe whatever you want. Something as simple as "I would like to thank god" should not be a problem. What is so different than saying that you would like to thank the fans for really being behind you, or you would like to thank your mother for giving you strength when you were younger?

The fact that he said it should not be a big deal. He is free to do so, and he wasn't trying to convince you that christianity is the only way to go and he surely wasn't trying to recruit you to join his church.

The main point I am trying to make is that as long as he isn't trying to push his religion on you then there is nothing wrong with that. I drive a Chevy, some people don't like Chevy, heck some people hate Chevy, they would much rather drive a Ford. Me simply driving it down the road every day is in no way infringing on their right or decision to drive whatever they want. As long as we maintain that balance in sports then I see nothing wrong with it at all.

[Alloutwar]

Man - OldFatGuy, that was a pretty good point. I usually come down on the side of athletes being able to say whatever - it's their right as an interviewee and successful player, after all - but that is totally a different way to think about it.

One thing that DID always concern me is, I'm pretty sure both teams have a roughly equal number of devout religious folk. So if the winning team praises and thanks God...what does the losing team do? Can they be justified in blaming God for the loss? Did God weigh in the baseball contest, and choose the 5 or 6 devout guys on the Royals, and not the 7 on the Indians that day to win? Seems kind of arbitrary.

I don't think the losers blame God...God always gets the praise, but not really the blame. Doesn't seem fair.

Either way, at least Hamilton was doing it in a personal sense - God helped me get here, overcome adversity, etc, which is much mroe acceptable, to me at least. The other way is a backhanded slap - "sorry, Delgado, maybe if you prayed a bit more, God would have favored you this day!" Either way, it's free speech, and I have my mute button. As annoying as it may get, I will fight for their right to say it.

[filihok]

Some could say your statements are borderline intolerant

some can say a lot of untrue things

There are a gods

***

The man said God helped him to overcome. I fully believe God can do that. I would rather see him thank God than still be on crack!

Religion is the opiate of the masses

[OldFatGuy]

As annoying as it may get, I will fight for their right to say it.

I will too. The first amendment is the MOST critical one, in my viewpoint. However, my point isn't whether he (or anyone) has a right to say it. It is merely questioning the wisdom of whether they should be saying it over and over.

We have a right to be a racist. Yet, if every white baseball player started out the interview by saying (which is his RIGHT) "Man, I'm so glad I'm white" that would create a big stir.

If (and I suspect RickD and others aren't being completely honest with themselves on this point), if almost EVERY sports interview started with the statement I just mentioned, and IF every time they attended a NASCAR race the crowd was asked to stand and disavow God, they would in fact become VERY agitated, and would be posting on these very forums for these outrageous acts to cease. It's easy to say you would tolerate it in the hypothetical, but I really wonder if THAT'S what they lived through whether they would be so tolerable.

And that's my point. I wish we could just remain neutral, because in the absence of neutrality, one side or the other is going to slowly build up disgust and hate until it boils over. All you have to do is look throughout history to see this effect. Those of us who are tired of having God thrown at us every time we turn on the TV, radio, take out our money, or attend a public event are merely letting out steam now. After my days on this planet are done, I wonder whether that pressure will build up to more dangerous levels. I hope not, because that would be a shame. Life is too short and precious for us all not to at least respect each other in public enough to understand our differences so we can live out that life in relative peace.

[jcbarr]

I don't think the losers blame God...God always gets the praise, but not really the blame. Doesn't seem fair.

That is a whole different theological conversation. That is the basis of all christianity belief.

some can say a lot of untrue things

I think that came from your overall refusal to believe and you constant mockery of it.

It is one thing to feel a different way but it is another to mock and poke fun at it. I'm not saying that is what you were attempting to do, but it came off that way.

As far as if they should say something or not, that is an argument that will never be won. Personally I feel if the person is not blatantly attempting to belittle or offend anyone then there is nothing wrong with it. If that person says something and is completely ignorant of the situation then they need to be educated. Simply thanking God though is not blatantly offensive and I see nothing wrong with it. I've said it over and over again, but it's just a word to someone who doesn't believe, right? If not then you may want to look in to some things because you might have some curiosity. Otherwise, just treat it as such and move on if it isn't infringing on your rights as a human being and an American.

[filihok]

"Man, I'm so glad I gave up the mythology of God. Once I did that, I was able to focus on the important things, like practice, conditioning, etc. I just can't say how thankful I am that someone FINALLY cleaned my consiousness of that gosh darn religious bullcrap."

Now, I'm betting if one said it, you'd overlook it. But I'm ALSO betting that if just about EVERY time you watch a sporting event and an interview occurred and this same thing was said you'd be bothered, no???

No...remember when this ONE person said it.

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/...n3251028.shtml

That garnered mega-controversy

[jcbarr]

I would like to propose some homework for someone out there. Watch as many interviews as you can in the next few days and see how many people say that they would like to thank god. Then come back here and report how many it was and what percentage of interviews that this happened in. I am willing to bet that it isn't nearly as many as people seem to think that it is.

[RickD]

OFG....I would think the person who said they are glad they are white was making an ignorant statement. I would be bothered but again their statements would not affect me personally. I may think they are ignorant but it doesn't affect my life. If people want to open their mouth and let their brains fall out that is their problem.

jcbarr...I like your homework and look fw to seeing the result.

[HoustonGM]

No...remember when this ONE person said it.

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/...n3251028.shtml

That garnered mega-controversy

Yeah, this is an example of hypocrisy. The media says its okay to thank God, but not okay to say anything against God. Really, it should be okay to say either.