Religious Censorship in the Locker Room

[From the Rick Scarborough Report of October 6, 2005]

A minor controversy in major league baseball is a telling sign of the times.

In a story in the Washington Post last month, Ryan Church, a player for the Washington Nationals, disclosed that when he asked the team's chaplain if those who do not accept Jesus (including Jews) are "doomed," Chaplain Jon Moeller nodded, indicating his assent. Whereupon, a local rabbi charged "the locker room of the Nationals is being used to preach hatred."

A few days ago, Baseball Commissioner Bud Selig [who is also Jewish] said "I was deeply offended by what happened with Ryan Church and Jon Moeller."

Someone needs to remind the Commissioner and the rabbi that all true Christians believe that salvation comes only through Jesus. Are they demanding that we deny the central tenet of our faith?

Chaplain Moeller isn't being accused of running around the Nationals' locker room shouting, "Non-Christians are going to hell!" His comment was made in response to a direct question. What was he supposed to do, lie? Refuse to answer a sincere inquiry from a Christian athlete?

Why are Christians the only believers in America harassed for their faith? If the chaplain was an imam who told a Muslim player that there's no salvation for infidels, would the politically correct be up in arms?

While we should strive to show sensitivity to others, Christians have a mission in this world. False charges of preaching "hatred" should not deter us from that great commission.