In Libya religious extremists are carrying signs and blasting US consulates with RPG's as an expression of their faith, and in Jakarta religious extremists carry signs reading "F**K America." Meanwhile, in Kountze, Texas religious extremists are carrying signs and playing high school football "for the Lord Jesus God and my teammates." No one can honestly say these contrasting expressions are morally equivalent. I see the contrast in a different light.
As a soccer coach at a Christian high school, I encouraged the pre-game prayers my team wanted. But it always bothered me a little that the players on the other side were praying to the same God with different opinions of what would be a blessed outcome to the contest. I tried to steer the boys away from asking God to give them victory over the opponents; pray for strength; pray for safety; pray that our actions would be God-honoring, but let the score be left in God's hands without lobbying on our part. "In all things we are more than conquerors" applies to winners and losers of soccer games, I thought.
It has occurred to me more than once that God-fearing people in Germany and the United States would have been in a similar position in December of 1944. As the Panzers rumbled into the Ardennes forest, both sides were praying for safety, strength, and that God (the same God, I assume) would be honored by their team. The real possibility of a life-or-death outcome doubtless motivated thousands of prayers for victory on both sides. Speaking anthropomorphically, that must have given God a headache.
Fast forward back to today. Islamic jihadists celebrate death and destruction as part of their religious creed. (Yes, I know not all Muslims are jihadists.) The death and destruction of America is at the top of their list. Knowing this, it is hard to fathom why any US official would call for understanding and tolerance when violence like we are seeing in the Mideast breaks in upon our outposts there. It is especially difficult to understand in light of the repeated gagging of free expression in the homeland like that of the cheerleaders in Kountze. You can't play football in God's name, but we understand if you want to burn our embassies for Allah. Right.
The Associated Press reports that Superintendent Weldon told KVUE-TV "while people in the stands and students are allowed to express their religious beliefs, no person officially representing the school as part of a team or school-sponsored event can." My advice to those cheerleaders is resign from the squad and keep making those banners. '"I'm actually thankful for (the controversy)," cheerleader Ashton Jennings said to KVUE-TV. "Because if someone hadn't complained, or if there hadn't been any opposition we wouldn't have this chance to spread God's word in this big of a way."' You go girl! And Go Kountze Lions!
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