Kudos to Brit Hume for encouraging Tiger Woods to “turn to the Christian faith.”
Hume will likely get a lot of flak for saying that Buddhism doesn’t offer the kind of forgiveness and redemption Tiger needs. But he should be praised for having the courage to speak out. As Sarah Flashing says, “Even for Fox News, this is surprising, yet this is how every believer ought to be prepared to respond–telling the truth with meekness and gentleness.”
Update: Naturally, Andrew Sullivan takes offense: “The pure sectarianism of this comment – its adoption of the once-secular stage of political journalism to insert a call for apostasy – is striking.” The rest of his comment is equally incomprehnesible. Somehow this a corruption of politics and religion, despite the fact that neither Tiger nor Hume are political figures. Sullivan—ostensibly still a Catholic though he seems to despise everything the church stands for—has developed such a knee-jerk reaction to actual Christian belief that he can’t even bother to explain why he’s outraged. He’s become a parody of himself.
January 4th, 2010 | 1:21 pm
While Hume may have neared crossing some line of public civility (though I don’t think he did), Bill Kristol comes across as, well, a complete tool in his jocular response. It’s a pity that a liberal like Kristol would have so little concern for a person’s soul.
January 4th, 2010 | 1:47 pm
Steve, Bill Kristol is not a liberal. His words were to the effect that Brit’s concern for Tiger’s soul was admirable. It was an awkward moment that I think he defused quite well and his jocular tone did no disrespect to Hume. The Kristol family has always been very comfortable around Christian people (he was a VERY early promoter of Sarah Palin and sticks by her to this day) and generally supportive of Christian causes. You’re barking up the wrong tree.
Joe: it has conjectured (seriously) that Andrew Sullivan suffers from AIDS-related Derangement Syndrome. I don’t mean to be unkind, but the last few years of observing him leads me to believe that it may be so.
January 4th, 2010 | 5:26 pm
Arguments against Buddhism: http://kwelos.tripod.com/argumentsagainstbuddhism.htm
January 4th, 2010 | 7:07 pm
I read some of the comments about this topic at HuffPo and Media Matters and I think the word “bigotry” is not inappropriate here. It is bigoted hate that drives the absolute hatred and disdain of a Mr. Hume simply wishing for Tiger to experience the ultimate spiritual healing which can only be acquired through the Atonement. (Forgiveness, restoration to God.)
Sullivan embodies modern bigotry.
January 5th, 2010 | 10:58 am
1. Never forget Brit Hume’s son Sandy took his own life.
2. Never forget Andrew Sullivan has never been a serious individual capable of consistent critical thinking along the lines of a J. Bottum. He is merely critical. Sullivan is, at best, an apple polisher. He’s decided, largely for very personal reasons – gay marriage first and foremost, to polish the Left’s apple. This is why his reaction to beautiful women and Christianity has become irrational.
(And no, I was not polishing the apple when I complimented Mr. Bottum. Merely speaking truth.)
January 5th, 2010 | 9:31 pm
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Samuel J. Howard, gregtinsley. gregtinsley said: tiger and the truth: http://www.firstthings.com/blogs/firstthoughts/2010/01/04/tiger-and-the-truth/ [...]
January 6th, 2010 | 12:45 am
I’m confused. If Andrew Sullivan, et al can publicly call on the Catholic Church to change its teachings on homosexuality, contraception, divorce, abortion, etc., then why can’t Brit Home suggest that Tiger Woods embrace Christianity as a way to deal with his personal problems?
In our society, Woods is free to refuse, as I do while walking in Manhattan, I am often approached by young people with clippboards asking me to support or contribute to some liberal cause.
January 6th, 2010 | 8:47 am
Joe, I encourage you to explore the Buddhist tradition. In that tradition, you will find yourself able to match your rhetoric with what your senses and reason tell you. In that tradition, you are able to actually tell the truth. And in that tradition, you are able to turn away from your wrongs done to yourself and others without worrying about appeasing any ancient Semitic tribal deities.
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