Comments on: Brit Hume, Jesus Christ & Tiger Woods

By: Nancy

Nancy — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 15:11:05 +0000

I agree– that’s why I don’t like the phrase, “become a Christian”. It avoids saying WHO Christianity is all about. Let’s not despise the small beginnings though. Like I said before, we need to pray God would lead bold believers into the jobs with the media…. politics too : )

By: Douglas

Douglas — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 15:10:32 +0000

Semantics aside, I see your point and I agree we don’t have to strive to receive something that is given to us freely. I do think, however, that pulling down strongholds and recognizing unconscious defenses is pretty hard work though. I just think that when the message of the Gospel is used as a ‘finished picture’ it is lacking, especially since many people are interested in life as a journey and not simply a destination. Jesus is alpha and omega, beginning and end, so I’d rather have heard Brit proclaim the truth of the Gospel over tiger than reduce it to a conversion experience – does this make sense? I also think that while He does change us, there is excitement and mystery in knowing that we are co-laborers with him in this process. Brit’s take on this is too ‘Boomer generation’ for me….

By: Nancy

Nancy — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 15:09:57 +0000

I see your point. I agree that receiving salvation involves seeing our need for a savior because of our sinful nature and then turning to Jesus. However, I don’t believe WE have to work or strive at all. After we are reborn our sinful nature is changed and we simply need to seek HIM everyday and He will do the work of changing us— in HIS timing. The thing that Christians don’t do enough, in my opinion, is to continue to seek Jesus on a regular basis and learn to love Him as a friend.

By: doug

doug — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 12:54:02 +0000

I think my point is that simply saying that Tiger needs to ‘become a Christian’ to fully recover’ from (his errors) makes Christianity sound like a magic wand requiring little or no work or sacrifice. Perhaps due to the incarnation and andl the implications surrounding Jesus’ life, death and resurrection, the choices that Tiger has made could … See Moreactually be the path that will lead him to a turning point. It is only when we feel our pain that we are usually motivated to make change because the Holy Spirit, I believe, empathizes with our pain and is thus present when we (too) are truly present in our vulnerability. So I say ‘Go Tiger, feel your pain’ and know that it is our pain that helps us recognize our need for a savior, but NEVER, EVER stop feeling your pain lest you forget (once you realize) your need for a savior. I guess I’m not so sure that Tiger needs to recover as much as he needs to stop and listen and be FOUND. The Gospel reveals that he nor us have never been alright to begin with – A favorite quote – ‘the path to wholeness is made up of fateful detours and wrongturns.’

By: Nancy

Nancy — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 01:57:52 +0000

I thought that facing our sin and need for a “Savior” was the 1st step in “becoming a Christian”. Personally, I prefer to say that he needs Jesus. No one else can offer Tiger the true redemption and transformation he needs. No other belief offers that– only Jesus. That’s why they call it the GOOD NEWS. In my opinion, once he accepts Jesus as his savior, and commits his life to knowing HIM who saves, he (Tiger) is on the way to restoration. We don’t need to beg God, He WANTS to be our Father.

By: Douglas

Douglas — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 00:43:28 +0000

I’ve waited to say anything…. I’m sorry – Brit’s words, while they may reflect the need for personal salvation, miss the real point of the work that tiger must first entertain, that of sober awareness of his woundedness/pain and the need for the transformative power of the Cross. The simplicity of the evangelical message that what Tiger must need to do to ‘really recover’ is to become a Christian misses the point and is exactly why some non-believers avoid the christian faith. True, completed wholeness/salvation will transform Tiger, but simply ‘becoming a Christian’ may make absolutely no dent in his problems – and who is anyone to say this man needs to change anyway? Tiger can ‘become’ a christian and then never change his behavior. I say his behavior/woundedness reveals his need for healing/wholeness which is a by-product of salvation. I wanted to hear Brit’s words be more relevant in this manner – it his words are not (our ours) then they are dead.

By: doug

doug — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 23:53:44 +0000

I don’t see how this news anchor expressing his opinion that for Woods to really ‘recover’ he must (become) a Christian is him ‘standing up for Jesus.’ Why do we feel the need to ‘stand up’ for Jesus – do we really know when we are ‘speaking’ for Him and when it is genuine? I can’t disagree that the finished, completedc picture for Woods is to find (wholeness/salvation) in Christ, but I must say that this ‘finished picture’ menatlity is often an excuse for Christians to avoid the hard work of personal transfornmation. I understand that personal transformation is a process and is not the primary message of the Gospel, but this mentality is why non-believers avoid the faith. Salavation is necessary for all, but right now at this time, isn’t Tiger managing his addictive tendencies, discovering the triggers to his behavior and ultimately, the emptiness that only God can fill the first priority? And when/if Tiger does explore this, doesn’t this make the message of salvation all the more relevant to/for Tiger? I stand for the message of the Gospel being used in the right time to be relevant and imbued by the Spirit. Outside of it being used in a relevant manner, I’d rather divorce myself from evangelical Christianity.

By: Colin Kerr

Colin Kerr — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 19:35:01 +0000

The odd part is the that the Buddhists interviewed by some media outlets don’t even address the issue Brit raised about lacking a mechanism for redemption and forgiveness. They just claim he “doesn’t understand Buddhism” and they’ll “be forgiving for his stupid comments.”

By: Laura Ellen

Laura Ellen — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 18:25:57 +0000

Britt has now experienced what happens in the world when you proclaim your faith in Jesus. He will be richly rewarded in heaven for the boldness of his stand but, for now, he will be ridiculed by mainstream media and most of the world. I’ve got a hunch he’ll continue to stand for his faith – that he’ll grow in his faith and let his light shine brightly. God bless you, Britt Hume! Jesus is most certainly the answer for Tiger Wood and all of us sinners! May Tiger see the light and love in Britt and all who know and follow Jesus.

By: Rick

Rick — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 17:35:43 +0000

Good advice.