A private act - even when done publicly

Tim Tebow.  You either love him or hate him.  There is no in-between.  Most amazingly of all, his football ability often seems the least important factor in the decision.

Instead, it is because he publicly demonstrates his faith in God.  People with similar beliefs love him because of their agreement.  Those who do not share his faith often despise him.  In the long run, none of it really makes any sense.

That conclusion comes from someone who is dubious of Tebow’s faith.  In the overall scheme of things, it does not make much sense, at least not in my view.  But in Tebow’s view, it does, and if he wants to publicly bow to Jesus and utter a private prayer while doing so, that is his business.

The problem is that everyone else thinks it is theirs.  Fellow believers with Tebow think it is their position to proclaim Tebow to the world, much as they do Jesus.  And non-believers think it is their position to decry him.  In reality, they should both be leaving it between Tebow and his God.

The bigger, and more important in my view, question is whether he has what it takes to become a top-notch quarterback in the NFL.  Right now, the answer to that question is still undecided.    At this stage, he seems too erratic, but he has also been a starter for less than one full season.

When his numbers are compared, in terms of won-lost percentage as a starter, to other quarterbacks who are now considered stellar, he does not fare too badly.  In fact, he trails only Tom Brady in that category, leading others such as Drew Brees, Eli Manning and Aaron Rodgers.  All in all, he is not at a bad place to be.

All of that gets lost, however, in the swirl caused by his religion.  Honestly, the logic has always escaped me when athletes look to the heavens after hitting a run-scoring double, but do not do the same when striking out with the bases loaded.  Or, to put it in Tebow terms, throwing a game-winning touchdown versus a game-ending interception.

Logic, however, needs to be put aside.  That is, after all, why they call it “faith.”  Regardless of the cause, there is something amazing about the manner in which Tebow repeatedly led his team to victory this past season after they were trailing for most of the game.

As a football fan, it was fun to watch.  The question of whether it was because of his belief in God is beyond the ability to answer.  To Tebow, however, it was, and therefore he should have been allowed to respect that in the manner he thought to be appropriate, such as publicly bowing to Jesus.

Those who disagree with him do not need to publicize their feelings.  Nor do those who agree with him.  The matter is one of faith, and although he feels the need to publicly demonstrate it, it is still, in the end, a gesture that is private to him.