Brit Hume’s Advice to Tiger Woods: Become a Christian

This is interesting because I know of several people (myself included)who explored a non-theistic buddhism as a step in the journey away from Christianity. I found a sense of consolation, forgiveness (of myself), and redemption from the madness that is Christianity in the writings of Pema Chodron and Thich Nhat Hanh.

And what would be even more interesting would be an anchor person urging urging Tiger to turn to Islam or Scientology.

That sounded like something that you’d hear in church! That’s a “news” program?

(Notice the christian style scare quotes.)

Turning to pop-Christianity probably would let Tiger redeem his image.

We could make a spectacle out of it. He’d go on a TV show, seem all humble, say the right words, and get Hollywood-forgiven over the course of a half-hour special.

@indyfreethinker
You don’t really expect a bigot like Hume to know or learn anything about what he says, do you? He has no idea about any benefits that might accrue from Buddhism, of course, that doesn’t bother him a bit.

How rude. He wouldn’t dare say this about islam or judiasm. What a jerk!

He does have a point though, for practical purposes that is, and I think its even been mentioned here before: when you do something bad in the public eye, claim you begged for jesus’s forgiveness and all will be well again. The public loves the fake humility and begging that this promotes, because they love seeing celebrities get their comeuppance, while being brought down (to a HUMAN level)

Of course it does nothing for his wife, but no one that is focusing on this scandal cares about her anyway.

Did Kobe Bryant get all Christian-like after his infidelity? If he did, I don’t remember any mention of it. He seems to be doing fine now.

Tiger converting to Evangelical Christianity would solve his problems with his evangelical Christian fans, but it probably won’t solve his actual interpersonal relationship problems with the people in his personal life.

Someone should remind Britt Hume that it’s not his forgiveness that Tiger needs.

Don’t worry about his wife; even with the pre-nup, she’ll get millions, plus she’s still a hottie.

Let’s not forget the possibility that she might have actually loved him.

Wow. Who knew that Fox News could delve even deeper into WTF’ness

Other have said it above already, but turning to Christianity didn’t do much for helping overcome addiction and infidelity. Guess Brit Hume missed those news stories.

Hume’s advice is better understood if you see it as cynical PR suggestion rather than sincere spiritual advice. Have a public conversion/confession and see if it can repair your image.

These days this is more commonly done by checking into rehab or some such, but ol’-time religion still has its PR advocates too.

Actually, I did read “More Than A Carpenter”, and found it to be nothing but a bundle of ad hominem attacks, straw man arguments, and appeals to emotion. I have no desire to read it again.

The first christian emperor Constantine murdered his wife and son after he became a christian. But, here’s the ‘good news’; he waited until he was on his deathbed to be baptised and have his sins forgiven. Oh so convenient. Presumably, if Tiger were christian he could cry on camera and proclaim he’s “sinned before God” or any of the other cute soundbites famous christians offer when they get caught cheating on their spouses or having sex in airport men’s rooms.

I wonder where Kristol gets that “caring for someone’s soul” is admirable. They’re talking about an immortal force occupying a persons brain that can be cleansed from thoughtcrime by making telepathic contact with a dead preacher. This is galloping superstition, and nobody minds, and everybody smiles. Yuck.

That’s right. Christianity provides redemption. You can lie, cheat steal, and even murder, and then all you have to do is ask God for forgiveness. Seriously, what kind of morality is that?

But if you’re gay or an atheist who’s living a responsible life, that’s just evil and unforgivable according to Fox News.

Reflexxx, thanks for condemning us to hell.

Really great religion you got there, when your only recourse is threats.

Says a lot more about you than it does about us.

See that, you Atheist here, I’m an agnostic so I don’t count 🙂 got it all wrong. If you are Christian, you can have lots of fun cheating on your spouses and then cry out Cheesus save me, and all is forgiven. Ho, ho, what a lark.

@dwasifar:

You beat me to EXACTLY what I wanted to say.

I think it would be a hoot to see Tiger embrace Christianity, and be forgiven by everyone (EXCEPT his wife) and then it can be all good. I just hope they catch a pic of him with his fingers crossed and a wink for the cynics!

super, now beginning to understand why the romans used to feed ’em to the lions. grrr!

I think that any one who has experienced the Buddhist tradition can say that it is very helpful to the soul if one actually tends to the practice of it. If I were giving advice to Tiger — I’d advise him to return to his practice and leave the world for a while (which he does seem to be doing) to see what he’s being called to do in order to heal himself and his situation. As for Brit Hume; I feel sorry that the guy is so sheltered that he has no experience outside of his version of Christianity. But — if he is happy with his Christian fire insurance that’s up to him.

I was raised in the Christian tradition — I do believe that I was filled with spirit, what Christians often call “the holy ghost” when I was only seven — and it came via that belief system. But as I’ve grown older, I’ve also experienced other spiritual traditions and find them equally valid. It is not forgiveness that is offered us by any of these traditions; it is wholeness — being rejoined with Spirit. Humans are naturally inclined to believe that they are separated from God, nature and from other human beings, and it does often seem to take some kind of ritual to reconnect those things. But there are so many ways to do this and sometimes, religion is not even a factor.

Things get sticky when religions begin to believe their own dogma so literally that they separate themselves from everyone else. This is the original problem we all face — separation from Spirit; separation from each other. I sometimes fantasize that if there were no religion, we’d all get along better. But I’m sure that’s probably not true. It’s in our human natures to split things this way — but its also in our human abilities to mindfully understand that we’re not separated, that we’re all One.

Hey siamang, talking nasty says something about you also….

Actually, this entire story has been taken out of context to what was being discussed.

…but doing that does make for great comments from the “me too’s”

Great Job Mr Athiest-
you do a real good job
at stirring ’em up.

Yes, Kimmer, because there’s ANY context that makes Hume’s remarks anything but douchey.

This is incredible… the fact that even Fox News would allow such crap to be spewed forth from one of their so-called broadcasters is beyond my comprehension. I know little of the Buddist faith, but I have no tolerance for the sheer arrogance of anyone that thinks that Christianity is the solution for all ills. This is just the kind of nonsense that is killing the Republican party and driving moderates like myself away. But to where? The Democratic party is equally corrupted… they are just more blatant in their corruption. As for Fox News… this just gives me another reason not to watch.

Why would an atheist care what Brit Hume says regarding Tiger Woods. He was just giving his opinion of what he believes. I guess if he had said that Tiger needed to become anything else but a christian, no one would have given a crap. I have yet to understand why we are so fearful of Christianity, and when did being an atheist and a left winger become the same. You mean I can’t be an atheist and like Fox News ?

Reflexx 175 says:

This really is an issue of faith. You will learn the truth when this life is ended, at which point it will be too late.

And what truth is that? I’m sorry but I get a bit annoyed when Christians try to patronize people as though they are privy to the truth.

If, at the end of our lives, your belief system turns out to be true, and mine is not, there is no down side for me. However the opposite is not true

Just another form of Paley’s Wager. The falacy in your argument is that you assume that Christianity is the correct religion. If it turns out to be Muslim, you could be in trouble since they believe that it is blasphemous to worship Jesus as a God, since they do not believe he is.

Instead of Shirley McClain, try reading Bart Erhman’s Jesus Apocalyptic Prophet of the New Millenium and Karen Armstrong’s History of God.