Baylor University has been the center of controversy over the past several months due to its lack institutional control. Now, Baylor is grabbing attention as it finds itself out of the college football playoffs. To be honest, Baylor deserves to be eliminated from participating in all college sports . . . well, at least, participation by male athletes.
Yes, that seems unlikely and harsh. Yet, both the University and the young men it educates seem to have missed one of the most important lessons in life especially for a Christian institution–respect.
Jesus is not a respector of persons but He did, and does, love women. He never treated women as inferior beings, He didn’t strike them, and He would never raped one. Jesus is the ultimate role model for those who profess to be Christian athletes. However, the football players, who sexually assaulted and in four cases, gang raped women, at Baylor as well as the administration which covered up the alleged crimes forgot their Christian duty of mercy and loving their neighbour like themselves.
As Election Day ends today in the United States, it is important for us to reflect on these things. There have been so many commercials regarding respect for women . . . mud being thrown because one presidential candidate past indiscretions of groping and harassing women . . . a son standing by a parent by saying “if women can’t take being harassed in the workforce, then they should be teachers”. . . . All of these comments and actions are examples of how desensitized and callous of others we have become.
So, maybe, Baylor’s football program is just a casualty of the world in which we live. Even for the non-Christian, that may be hard to hear especially if they have daughters. Perhaps, we all have forgotten what it is like to walk in another’s shoes. How would we feel if it was our mother or child or sister or wife that was harassed, stalked or raped? How would we heal their pain and our anguish?
Baylor isn’t the only guilty party on disrespecting women. The NFL, the Baltimore Ravens, the New York Giants, the Los Angeles Kings have all turned a blind eye when one of its own has been accused of sexually assaulting or beating their partner until being forced to deal with the issue. And those who have never stricken their wife or forced themselves on another cannot escape culpability simply because they have not done so. If they care enough to raise their voices, they are part of the problem.
It’s interesting to see how many athletes, and other people, stand by while the male athletes continue to enjoy the notoriety of their on the field feats despite their illegal behavior outside of work–the abuse continuing because fear holds hostage those who know to do better. If school administrations, leagues, teams, conferences and players aren’t fighting for equality of women along with other issues, then perhaps folks are correct in the thought that protests have no place in sports.
But I have digressed. . . . the issue is Baylor University’s failure to make the playoffs. In a weird way maybe it’s God’s way to protest, or set an example, on what He will not tolerate regarding the treatment of His daughters.
Source: Showtime Sports