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“If he have faith, the believer cannot be restrained. He betrays himself. He breaks out. He confesses and teaches this gospel to the people at the risk of life itself.” Martin Luther
January 17th, 2010
On a recent segment on Fox News Sunday, respected journalist, Brit Hume, suggested that Tiger Woods consider Christianity to help the golfing great recover from his recent personal crisis involving revelations of adultery. As expected (I’m sure that Brit Hume was aware of the controversy his remarks would stir), several other nationally known commentators went absolutely apoplectic over the former anchor’s brief bit of advice.
Just in case you missed it, let me share Brit Hume’s response to the Tiger Woods situation: “Tiger Woods will recover as a golfer. Whether or not he can recover as a person I think is a very open question, and it’s a tragic situation for him. I think he’s lost his family, it’s not clear to me if he’ll be able to have a relationship with his children, but the Tiger Woods that emerges once the news value dies out of this scandal – the extent to which he can recover – seems to me to depend upon his faith. He’s 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. So my message to Tiger would be, ‘Tiger turn to the Christian faith and you make a total recovery and be a great example to the world.’”
Blatant bigoted remarks have created far less of a firestorm. Several members of the media characterized his advice to Tiger Woods as hateful, intolerant, ignorant, foolish and arrogant. Keith Olbermann, host of MSNBC’s Countdown, compared Hume’s comment to that of "Islamic extremists." Olbermann went on to assert that Hume did not know his own religion let alone "somebody else’s," presumably Buddhism. Jay Bookman, a writer for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, called Hume "arrogant" for his advice to Woods. Tom Shales, television critic for the Washington Post, indicated that Hume’s remark would be remembered "as one of the most ridiculous of the year."
Tragically, what these and other politically correct members of the media reveal with their over-reactions to Hume’s innocuous remarks is a complete ignorance of the two religions discussed and an intense hostility toward Christianity.
Brit Hume's comments came during a segment on Fox News Sunday where a panel of pundits discusses their insights – their opinions, on current events. As such, Hume was not acting as a reporter but as a commentator. His sharing of his subjective point-of-view was absolutely appropriate. In fact, it was what was expected. Add to that, Brit Hume is a journalist, not a theologian. He was doing what every Christian should do – share Scripture’s message of forgiveness and hope in the Cross to a non-believer.
When Brit Hume said that Buddhism doesn’t offer “the kind of forgiveness and redemption that is offered by the Christian faith,” he was making a theologically correct statement. A Buddhist journalist, Barbara Hoetsu recently wrote, “Buddhism doesn’t offer redemption and forgiveness in the same way Christianity does. Buddhism has no concept of sin; therefore, redemption and forgiveness in the Christian sense is meaningless in Buddhism.”
Buddhism does not have a concept of a divine being much less a personal God, thus, any-
one receiving forgiveness is a foreign concept to a Buddhist. There is also no concept of sin in Buddhism. Basically, there are only wise actions and foolish ones. Wise ones produce good karma and foolish ones bring about bad karma. Karma is the law of moral causation and is fundamental in Buddhism. In this world nothing happens to a person that he/she does not for some reason or other deserve. In other words “what goes around comes around.” A person cannot be forgiven for foolish actions; he or she must overcome them by their own effort.
What a contrast to Christianity! Christianity offers complete and total forgiveness for foolish, selfish, sinful actions. The central tenet in Christianity is that Jesus Christ died on the Cross for the sins of everyone. In fact, the Bible is very clear that a person is incapable of overcoming his or her sin by self effort. Jesus said that it is not the healthy that needed healing, but the sick. Christianity is for sin sick humans. Jesus’ death, burial and resurrection offers the hope of a fresh start to liars, cheaters, murderers, rapists, alcoholics, drug addicts, adulterers and all other sinners. Brit Hume was simply offering advice to Tiger Woods that he himself has embraced. And he was sharing a Biblically accurate truth – the exclusivity of Jesus Christ. All roads do not lead to Heaven. Most lead to Hell. Jesus said, “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it” (Matthew 7:13-14).
Brit Hume really has said nothing new. But in calling for Tiger Woods to convert to Christianity, he violated the taboo that says either say nothing publicly about religion or praise all religions as basically good. It’s the conventional wisdom of “it’s all good,” but it’s not!
The exclusivity of Jesus Christ that salvation is found in Him alone has always been explosive. Believers around the globe, and throughout history, have been martyred for that truth. And we, like Brit Hume, are called by God to share that same message. It will cost us and the price will increase as our world grows darker but we have no option. As Paul wrote, “We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God” (2 Cor. 5:20). To keep quiet is a sin and a failure in our Christian duty. Our world is going to Hell. We have the only message of hope. We dare not be silent...even if it costs us our very lives! May more of us have the courage to be as bold as Brit Hume.