Pro sports atheists, we need you.

[Brian37]

Everyone knows about Pat Tilman giving up his NFL career to later die in a friendly fire scandal in Afghanistan. But we need more pro sports atheists to be as brave with their atheism as they are on their chosen field of sport.

But if there is any current NFL or NBA or MLB player or tennis or golf or NASCAR OR soccer who is an atheist, even a closet atheist, we need you to come out.

[Annik]

You left out the NHL. They likely have a lot of at least agnostic players.

[Darwinian]

Everyone knows about Pat Tilman giving up his NFL career to later die in a friendly fire scandal in Afghanistan.

Never heard of him!

[jackman]

lance armstrong (biking), raphael nadal (tennis) and annika sorrenstam (golf) for starters.

[Brian37]

Yes I did, because I hate the adds under the ice and the fact that a hockey game often interrupts a boxing match. That, or it skipped my mind, but I did say PRO SPORTS so it should be a given.

I do like hockey, but I hate all the fucking fighting. If I wanted to pay to see boxing, I would pay for that. But the NHL lost me when they thought that the adds on the boards were not enough. I swear if the NFL ever puts a corporate add in and end zone or in the ball net for a field goal, I will stop watching that too. DAMN pro owners, do you really need that extra shit when you charge 6 bucks 8 oz for bottled water?

Corporate greed really is a separate issue here so don't derail the thread. We as atheists have made tons of gain over the past 12 years, but pro sports is one venue where we don't have a voice.

[frankiej]

Everyone knows about Pat Tilman giving up his NFL career to later die in a friendly fire scandal in Afghanistan.

Nah, not everyone. I'm sure the majority of people over here have never heard of him. I had to google him.

Anyway, I don't think it is something that is needed... I don't see why it matters to have more people "come out". If they did or didn't I really wouldn't care less. The public don't need to know about their personal lives.

[Annik]

Yes I did, because I hate the adds under the ice and the fact that a hockey game often interrupts a boxing match. That, or it skipped my mind, but I did say PRO SPORTS so it should be a given.

...

>.0

[Brian37]

lance armstrong (biking), raphael nadal (tennis) and annika sorrenstam (golf) for starters.

For starters. But Lance doesn't get a pass from me, he has had issues and I am not sure that he is as pure as the driven snow.

I'd like to see a known atheist hold up a Super Bowl Trophy, even if he only talks about it off the field. I'd fucking become a Dallas Cowboy fan being a Redskins fan if the first person to do that was a Cowboy player(not really, but I would like that person for certain)

[jackman]

i don't see it as mattering too much either, other than it intrigues me to know which of the celebs are willing to say it. if i admit it to myself, i do kinda want to patronize them for putting it out there that they're a non-believer more when i hear it - same as i tend to remove my patronage when i hear things like chic-fil-a.

just on the topic, here's raphael's quote when asked why he doesn't cross himself like a lot of atheletes do ...

Nadal was asked "Do you believe in God? We see football players crossing themselves. You don’t do that. Do you do praying?"

Rafael Nadal: It’s hard to say, “I don’t believe in God.” I would love to know if God exists. But it’s a very difficult thing for me to believe. I don’t know. It’s private and I don’t want to speak about it, but I say, “If God exists, you don’t need [to cross yourself] or pray.” If God exists, he’s intelligent enough to [do] the important things, the right things.
In an interview for the Spanish newspaper Informacion[1], he answered this when asked about his view on wars:
Rafael Nadal: "Almost every bad thing that happens in life comes from some form of radicalism, it only unleashes problems that should be fixed. You are entitled to have your likings, sympathies, beliefs, but you should always respect the opinions of others, never insult them. The same happens with religion. You can be religious, or atheist, christian, muslim... whatever, but I think the atrocities that people commited in the name of religion are too much. For me, religion is the main cause of mortality in history".

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brian37, it does seem like you are on a mission to rally the troops into atheist boot camp and spark a revolution. what is going on with you, man?

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For starters. But Lance doesn't get a pass from me, he has had issues and I am not sure that he is as pure as the driven snow.

i keep forgetting how you do things. fml! you never specified pro athletes who are as pure as the driven snow. i'm not gonna play that game (and if you think many pro athletes ARE clean, you're fooling yourself), you're too complicated even with your simplest requests. have at it dude ...

[Brian37]

Everyone knows about Pat Tilman giving up his NFL career to later die in a friendly fire scandal in Afghanistan.

Nah, not everyone. I'm sure the majority of people over here have never heard of him. I had to google him.

Anyway, I don't think it is something that is needed... I don't see why it matters to have more people "come out". If they did or didn't I really wouldn't care less. The public don't need to know about their personal lives.

Right, because if blacks or women never objected to their mistreatment we'd all be better off. So your tactic is silence is golden. Ok, don't think that works, but you certainly can remain silent if you want.

No one is talking about violating the privacy of personal beliefs, being the famous or unknown. This is a request, not a demand. But to say it is not important is absurd.

If someone is willing to thank Allah or Jesus for a soccer goal, is it a stretch for that same person to equate a victory over an "outsider" in war, where people really die, as being a benefit to their side?

Cathy Grithen(sp) the comedian who IS some sort of liberal believer, said at the Emmy awards "Suck it Jesus"!

She like me, thinks it is absurd with all the war and crime and famine in the word to thank a god for your luck.