Thanks to Fox News analyst Brit Hume we now know the real issue of Tiger Woods adultery and subsequent fall from grace in the public eye. The problem is that Tiger's a Buddhist. Hume said he didn't "think that faith offers the kind of forgiveness and redemption that is offered by the Christian faith".
Tiger's problem isn't that he cheated. Tiger's problem is that his philosophical view doesn't allow him to move beyond it.
Hume has put his finger on the great attraction of U.S. brand Christianity. The public brand of faith that Americans adhere to gives the worshiper a perpetual Get Out of Jail Free Card, and if you are a public figure you may get to advance straight to Go and collect $200 million dollars as well.
American Christianity is the whiter-than-white brand of religion, washing your life sparkling clean of all stains if you publicly go through the spin cycle for all to see. Look at George W. He had an alcohol addition and used illegal drugs on a regular basis for years. You'd think that would preclude a political career. But, bingo, presto, change-o, he gets born again and his past life is gone, twirling down the sinkhole with the other stains and grey water of his old life. God forgave him, folks. That means you have to as well. Or are you better than God? Didn't think so.
W. was even guilty of that most unforgivable of sins in the U.S. public consciousness; he was a failed businessman. He had an appalling record of collapsed and bankrupt companies. In a country that worships business success with perhaps more overt frenzy that it does God, where the almighty dollar and capitalism are as iconic as the cross, failing in business again and again is a cardinal sin. Bingo, presto, change-o.
Brit Hume has a point. Plenty of other public figures in the U.S. have been caught cheating but have all turned potential career ending infidelities into mere road bumps by invoking the forgiveness of God. The sin isn't the problem. Adultery is almost expected of public figures. Babe Ruth, Wilt Chamberlain, Magic Johnson, Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, Bill Clinton, John Edwards, JFK, David Letterman, Jimmy Swaggert ... these are just the tip of the penis-shaped iceberg of those who have cheated on their wives and yet remained famous and even beloved by the American public.
No, Tiger's problem is that he is unable to forgive himself. He is trapped within his own Buddhist mind, seeing himself as unworthy and unforgivable. He sees the fault for his indiscretions are lying entirely within himself. He needs the cleaning action of U.S. brand Christianity to wash those sins away and leave him if not whiter-than-white, then at least a smooth shade of brown.
If Tiger were to become a Christian, as Hume would have it, he would then be able to demand forgiveness from the public, as once God forgives someone the rest of us are compelled to follow suit least we look like heretics.
Go on Tiger, give it a go. Let forgiveness into your life. Not forgiveness from your wife, your mistresses, your friends, your sponsors, your fans, or anyone earthly, but rather forgiveness from a higher, more powerful, incontestable source. After all, if you continue to blame yourself and stay out of the golf arena we all lose. Let Brit Hume's God wash you clean and tumble dry your image.
Also check out the Tiger Woods as Role Model website. How history makes fools of us all ...
Tiger thinks that being a good role model to others is even more important than his golf. He thinks his golf is just a vehicle for him to influence people. He wants to influence kids in a positive way. Tiger feels that's what it's all about ...It even contain the address of his fan club.
Tiger says that his religion [Buddhism] has given him self awareness. He says his religion has taught him that he is here to work on flaws in his personality ...
No comments:
Post a Comment