Are Christians Allowed to Cheer for Michael Vick?
Full disclosure: I will not be cheering for Michael Vick this Fall. I hope he has the worst year statistically of his entire career, and that the Eagles as a whole implode faster than my own dreams of being a professional football player. But that’s because I’m a Cowboys fan. It has nothing to do with the dog fighting.
Because I am a glutton for punishment, I still occasionally peruse the comments section on sports articles on the internet. On articles having to do with Michael Vick this is a particularly fascinating (punishing?) thing to do. It’s clear that a large segment of the population doesn’t think Vick should ever be forgiven for what he has done, has dismissed him as having little to no value as a person, and genuinely resents him his chance at redemption. What is truly saddening is that quite a few of these people seem to be Christians, and that they seem to have reached these stances based on seemingly “Christian” values.
So here are what I think are some genuine Christian values that people should keep in mind when reacting to the Michael Vick situation:
Michael Vick bears the image of God.
Michael Vick has intrinsic value, as all human beings do, as someone who is made in God’s image. What exactly that means is a complex question beyond the scope of this particular blog entry, but what is absolutely means is that he cannot be dismissed as having no value. Christians should be cheering for his redemption as loud as for anyone else’s. Which brings me to my second point …
Redemption is always a good thing. Always.
First, Michael Vick isn’t getting away with anything. He served his prison time, and he seems to be genuinely repentant and changed by the experience. It’s odd, then, to see some Christians resenting his redemption, feeling as if he doesn’t deserve the chance to repent, to be changed. This is particularly odd given that the foundation of the entire Christian understanding of reality as we find it is the desperate need for redemption of everyone and everything. Quite simply, we cannot thank God for our own redemption, then resent the work of redemption in the lives of others. I genuinely hope Vick has changed. I’m rooting for him.
The Bible speaks about only one unforgivable sin … and it’s not dog fighting.
Look, I’m a dog person. I really love dogs. And when I think about someone abusing, torturing, and murdering dogs (or any animal for that matter) … well, my hand gets itchy for a baseball bat. It’s sick. It’s completely inexcusable. But it’s not unforgivable. Christians, as the ones who uphold the intrinsic value of humanity based on the image of God and who strive to share the hope of redemption with all mankind, ought to be screaming this the loudest. Michael Vick can be forgiven. We all can be forgiven. That’s how big the redemption of God is.
Fine, you say, he can come out of prison. Heck, he can even have a job and a normal life. But he doesn’t deserve a chance to play in the NFL again. He certainly doesn’t deserve the chance to make the $100 million dollars his new contract is worth. Granted. You think it doesn’t get to me that this guy gets to make $100 million dollars while law-abiding citizens like my family are stuck trying to stay in the black month to month on two-part time jobs in a horrible economy? Sure, it’s unfair! But the thing about God’s grace is that it is lavish. For those on the outside looking in, lavishness will often seem unfair. And, of course, I believe God will hold Vick responsible for how he handles that $100 million dollars. Let us pray he’s a wise steward of the funds.
When I see Vick’s story, I see the gospel unfolding before me. Does Vick self-identify as a Christian? If not, will he ever do so? I don’t know. But so far his redemption is beautiful to me. Make no mistake, I will be cheering against Vick and the Eagles with all my heart this Fall, but I will also be rooting Vick on as a person. For I am in need of redemption, too. And watching his unfold comforts me in thinking about my own.
(More articles at www.ThinkingThroughChristianity.com)
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Thomas Ladd
7 Comments
Heck, I’d root against the Eagles if the Apostle Paul were playing quarterback.
I’m with you all the way down the line. As a Cowboys fan and a follower of Jesus, can we root for him? Yes. Will I? Heck no.
I think the real issue with Michael Vick is that many people think he got off too easy with only a couple of years in jail. If he had done 10 years behind bars nobody would be having this discussion.
That said, I will be cheering against him, as he is a conference rival for the Cowboys.
Agreed. I can personally forgive the man – no one’s perfect – but it’s not right to see him playing in the NFL after such atrocities.
Why is it not right for him to be in the NFL again? Since there’s no body language or intonation online, let me clear that I’m asking for more information, rather than scoffing at the possibility of there being a reason.
How dare you question me! You’re fired!
But seriously. The NFL is within their right to hire anyone they want. I can’t argue with that. But I prefer seeing these guys clean out their lockers and make room for new players who won’t do the same things. In doing so, we could be teaching players to grow up and respect the game. Instead, the NFL is saying that you can keep your job when you do terrible things. I would prefer to see consequences for these choices.
I agree with Adam here. I certainly don’t fault the guy for trying to do what he loves. If anything, I fault the NFL, because they’re the ones who took a long hard look at the conduct, torturing and murdering dozens of animals, and said “You know what? That’s somebody we’re ok with employing.” It disappoints me that they decided to defer their judgment to the court system.
But, to each his own. I might feel completely different if he had been hired by the Cowboys.