‘Maybe we don’t want to encourage it if we believe in Jesus’
By Bob UnruhIt took only hours after they declined to wear a religiously objectionable pro-LGBT logo for a campaign to organize that appeared intended to coerce a small number of pro baseball players involved to relinquish their faith. Or at least violate it.
It happened after several players for the Tampa Bay Rays declined to wear a pro-LGBT patch on their uniforms.
The team was promoting “Pride” month at the time.
The ridicule of the players’ faith-based decision came from, among others, St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Jack Flaherty.
He called them out for their beliefs, calling their actions an “absolute joke.”
absolute joke https://t.co/LKzBZU77wf
— Jack Flaherty (@Jack9Flaherty) June 6, 2022
One commenter reacting to Flaherty’s condemnation said, “So, they shouldn’t be allowed to disagree? Or, they should just go along? I thought you wanted people to stand up for their beliefs. Does this only apply when they agree with you?”
Other condemnation for the faith-based decision came from Preston Wilson, a former baseball player who launched a rant on social media:
“There is a special ignorance in sports on this topic. Every person in MLB has at some point played with a homosexual teammate. They have all cheered for their success on the field. They have all felt their pain when they struggled. They just didn’t know that player was LGBTQ.”
He appeared to conflate playing on the same field as an LGBT individual with promoting that person’s choice of lifestyle.
Acceptance is not the same as tolerance. If you truly accept you will support them and you would stand up for them to be treated fairly like everyone else. #Humanity https://t.co/Es4XihHxBD
— Preston Wilson (@PrestonWilson44) June 6, 2022
There is a special ignorance in sports on this topic. Every person in MLB has at some point played with a homosexual teammate. They have all cheered for their success on the field. They have all felt their pain when they struggled. They just didn’t know that player was LGBTQ. https://t.co/Es4XihHxBD
— Preston Wilson (@PrestonWilson44) June 6, 2022
The Washington Examiner noted there was some support for the players, with sports media company OutKick founder Clay Travis explaining, “Regardless of your personal beliefs, refusing to wear these uniforms – and being willing to take the inevitable sports media crushing they will get – is far braver than meekly acquiescing.”
Regardless of your personal beliefs, refusing to wear these uniforms — and being willing to take the inevitable sports media crushing they will get — is far braver than meekly acquiescing. https://t.co/1pQocF22On
— Clay Travis (@ClayTravis) June 6, 2022
The players were pitchers Jason Adam, Jalen Beeks, Brooks Raley, Jeffrey Springs and Ryan Thompson.
They wore the standard Rays logo for their game over the weekend, not adding the politically charged rainbow logo available.
Adam spoke for the group.
“A lot of it comes down to faith, to like a faith-based decision,” Adam said. “So it’s a hard decision. Because, ultimately, we all said what we want is them to know that all are welcome and loved here. But when we put it on our bodies, I think a lot of guys decided that it’s just a lifestyle that maybe — not that they look down on anybody or think differently — it’s just that maybe we don’t want to encourage it if we believe in Jesus, who’s encouraged us to live a lifestyle that would abstain from that behavior, just like [Jesus] encourages me as a heterosexual male to abstain from sex outside of the confines of marriage. It’s no different.”
Many organizations and corporations these days are openly promoting the LGBT agenda, whether they support it or not, because of the very type of attacks that are launched on those who don’t volunteer to push it.
The media’s attack was typified by the New York Post, which charged Adam “attempted to justify the decision.”
Its implication was that the pitchers needed to “justify” a decision they made about their own personal behavior based on their own personal beliefs.
