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The theology of Tiger Woods
By Elizabeth Tenety
Pop Theology would be remiss not to address the ongoing Brit Hume/Tiger Woods spiritual saga.
On Fox News Sunday, Fox News senior political correspondent and apparent Buddhism expert Brit Hume advised Tiger Woods that his faith was inadequate to deal with the kind of problems he faces.
"He is said to be a Buddhist. I don't think that faith offers the kind of forgiveness and redemption that is offered by the Christian faith," Hume said on Sunday's show.
Hume has been largely criticized by the press for using the wrong Sunday morning platform. But on one point, Hume is exactly right: Redemption is precisely what Woods needs. His sponsors are bailing, his family reportedly spent the holidays on a different continent, his famed golf career is on indefinite hold. From what can be determined from the outside, he led a life of great deception and demonstrated profound immaturity.
What do global figures like Woods need when they experience a fall from grace? Religion? Therapy? A better PR team? Or do they need the rest of us not to care so much? In this case, it's too late for that.
Hume is getting more advice than Woods. On Faith's Welton Gaddy thought Hume should have stuck to analyzing the news and not proclaiming the gospel.
The Post's Tom Shales also took issue with Hume's use of a news platform for his spiritual talk. "If Hume wants to do the satellite-age equivalent of going door-to-door and spreading what he considers the gospel, he should do it on his own time, not try to cross-pollinate religion and journalism and use Fox facilities to do it."
But perhaps the best critique came the godfather of news satire, Comedy Central's Jon Stewart.
In addressing the Hume affair, The Daily Show took a page from On Faith and convened what Stewart called "The best (expletive) theological team on the planet: Wyatt Cenac, Samantha Bee and Aasif Mandvi." Stewart led a politically incorrect and hilarious panelist discussion on which religious path Tiger should pursue. The correspondents made detailed pitches for Christianity, Catholicism, Jehovah's Witnesses, Judaism, Islam and the faith of the Nav'i people from the movie Avatar.
Hume said in an interview with WTOP that he believes he is being singled out because his beliefs are Christian, and he would not be condemned if he were advancing the merits of Buddhism. "You can argue that the two most controversial words in the English language are Jesus Christ," Hume said to WTOP.
If Hume is willing to dole out unsolicited spiritual advice, then he better be willing to take some himself.
Elizabeth Tenety
| January 7, 2010; 1:15 AM ET | Category: Pop Theology Save & Share:
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Posted by: DanielintheLionsDen | January 8, 2010 12:39 PM
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"Hume is getting more advice than Woods."
Well, we cannot know what advice Woods is getting, but then that is because whatever it is it comes, mostly!, in private.
Hume is getting slammed, (I trust slammed), for the very reason that he wants to take the religious schoolyard fight out in public. He is wrong for that and I hope that he gets it.
"But on one point, Hume is exactly right: Redemption is precisely what Woods needs. His sponsors are bailing, his family reportedly spent the holidays on a different continent, his famed golf career is on indefinite hold."
You do not know precisely what he needs. This is your projection. Perhaps exactly what he needs is exactly what he is experiencing now! Think for a tick on that idea!
Hey, and he has the priceless blessing that if he never went back to golf and made not one more dime from sponsors, he would still be set to live the deluxe life of the rich for as long as he lives!
We do not know what he needs, lest it be what is.
Posted by: justillthennow | January 8, 2010 5:52 PM
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Some advice for all the kings of sports to include Tiger:
Kings should have thirty wives/mistresses akin to the Muslim King of Saudi Arabia i.e. Kings, get thyselves to a mosque!!!!
Posted by: ccnl1 | January 8, 2010 6:06 PM
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Hume is said to be a Huckabee Christian. I don't think that sect offers the kind of tolerance and peace that is offered by the Buddhist faith.
Posted by: coloradodog | January 9, 2010 10:23 AM
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The comments to this entry are closed.
Brit Hume was not really giving Tiger Woods advice; he was just gossoping about Tiger Woods, in public, and then he was using Tiger Woods as a prop to promote his personal religious beliefs.
That is his choice to do if he chooses, but it makes him look foolish and ridiculous in the view of many high brow people who would regard such witnessing for Jesus Christ on a news program as a little kooky. If he does not care what high brow people may think of him, then fine.
So what is his complaint? We are all talking about him, and I am sure the Fox ratings are still good, so he has no real problem, right?