Who’s More Courageous: Chris Broussard or Jason Collins?

Courageous. Brave. Heroic. Groundbreaking. Trailblazer. Inspirational. These are but a few of the accolades heaped upon Jason Collins, the NBA center who announced on Monday that he is gay. Never too busy to comment on popular culture, White House Press Secretary Jay Carney chimed in:

White House spokesman Jay Carney called that decision courageous and says the White House supports Collins. He says he hopes the 34-year-old center’s NBA colleagues will also offer support.

“We view that as another example of the progress that has been made and the evolution that has been taking place in this country,” Carney said.

By the end of the day, President Obama had called Collins, congratulating him on his “courage,”  and First Lady Michelle Obama took to Twitter (as did many sports figures and celebrities) to offer her own words of encouragement to Collins:

So proud of you, Jason Collins! This is a huge step forward for our country. We’ve got your back! -mo

With all due respect to the First Lady, I beg to differ. She and her husband espouse a view — much like their view on abortion — that is simply contrary to the eternal truth found in God’s Word. On the contrary, Collins’ announcement is not “a huge step forward for our country.” This is yet another monumental step away from worshiping the Creator. We have become a nation much like the one the Apostle Paul wrote about in his letter to the Roman Church in the 1st Century:

Though they know God’s decree that those who practice such things deserve to die (spiritually), they not only do them but give approval to those who practice them.” (Romans 1:32)

We should not be surprised — saddened perhaps — that the President, First Lady and a who’s who of political, sports, and entertainment figures have given their hearty “approval” to Jason Collins. Of course, in giving such approval, the word of the day used to describe Collins’ “coming out” announcement is “courage.”  As someone who absolutely loathes professional basketball, I had never heard of Jason Collins before his “historic” proclamation. In some respects, I could care less whether or not he is gay or straight, married or single. But, when sports becomes the new venue for advancing the radical gay rights agenda and, when everyone and his brother is ready to bestow sainthood on a basketball player for his supposed “courage,” such complete and utter foolishness cannot go unchallenged.

When a teenager, who has been duped by the lies of the homosexual community, comes out to his parents, that might be considered courageous. When a 34 year-old multi-millionaire basketball player admits something that our godless culture — including the most powerful man in the world — increasingly (and heartily) approves, I hardly call that an act of courage. To be courageous is to stand boldly for righteousness and holiness in a culture that redefines good and evil by the minute. A courageous act would be to wade against the polluted stream of culture and speak the truth, even when you know you’ll be hated and when speaking the truth will very likely cause you to lose your job.

That’s why I believe that ESPN analyst Chris Broussard was truly courageous when he called sex outside of marriage (homosexual or heterosexual) a “sin.” Of course, Broussard was not relying upon his own opinion in the matter. He was standing firmly upon the Word of God. That’s not politically correct and it’s frowned upon, even by some so-called Christians, but it is courageous. I fully expect that the “tolerant” gay rights groups in this country will call for Broussard’s firing. And, I would be shocked — even stupefied — if ESPN did NOT fire Broussard. And, what would have been his crime? Daring to declare on national television that what Jason Collins did is not courageous — but instead sinful — is itself a true act of courage. Will ESPN have the courage to allow Broussard’s opinion to be heard? Will ESPN give in to the pressure to fire Broussard for making such “bigoted, mean-spirited remarks?”  Sooner or later, ESPN will capitulate and show themselves to be anything other than courageous.

Who’s more courageous: Chris Broussard or Jason Collins? That’s an easy question to answer. But, unfortunately, most people in our culture — from the President on down — will get the answer wrong. But, then again, anyone who thinks that God will bless Planned Parenthood will get most — if not all — moral questions wrong. But, President Obama is not alone. Over half the country approves of his worldview. That’s progress. Just not the kind that the Creator of the Universe approves!