ESPN analyst Chris Broussard has come under fire for articulating his personal opinion concerning homosexuality. This conversation took place on the sports talk show “Outside the Lines” concerning the recent announcement by NBA free-agent, Jason Collins, of his sexual orientation. This is news worthy because he is the first professional athlete to “come out” while still professionally active.

The interesting part of this controversy is the way Broussard is being attacked and maligned for articulating a RATIONAL and PROPER definition of tolerance.  Broussard never degrades Collins or any homosexual, but coherently states that it is HIS belief that the practice is sinful. And if he can tolerate a homosexual in the NBA without disrespecting anyone, he should receive equal tolerance from those who believe he is wrong without being disrespected on account of his lifestyle choice. Seems to make sense to me. Yet he is being attacked for the very act of suggesting that homosexuality is not perfectly normal.

Here is a quoted section of their conversation:

[Appearing with ESPN senior writer LZ Granderson, who is openly gay, Broussard was asked by the host], “How ready is the NBA and the locker rooms for having an openly gay teammate?”

Broussard answered, “The climate in society is very set for this thing to happen …. A lot of people feel like if you come out and say you don’t agree with homosexuality, you are viewed as a bigot, you are viewed as intolerant. So I think the climate is right for somebody to come out and say they are gay. I’ve been texting with players, GMs, coaches, agents throughout the day … and it’s been overwhelmingly supportive of Jason, from former teammates to guys who have played against him.”

[Later in the conversation, Granderson said], “If we really want to move toward progress and toward full acceptance, we have to have this conversation and this process.”  [Broussard then seconded that motion, and gave an example of that conversation and how it could be productive:] “I’d like to second what LZ said. “I’m a Christian. I don’t agree with homosexuality. I think it’s a sin, as I think all sex outside of marriage between a man and a woman is. [ESPN’s] L.Z. [Granderson] knows that. He and I have played on basketball teams together for several years. We’ve gone out, had lunch together, we’ve had good conversations, good laughs together. He knows where I stand and I know where he stands. I don’t criticize him, he doesn’t criticize me, and call me a bigot, call me ignorant, call me intolerant.”

“In talking to some people around the league, there’s a lot Christians in the NBA and just because they disagree with that lifestyle, they don’t want to be called bigoted and intolerant and things like that. That’s what LZ was getting at. Just like I may tolerate someone whose lifestyle I disagree with, he can tolerate my beliefs. He disagrees with my beliefs and my lifestyle but true tolerance and acceptance is being able to handle that as mature adults and not criticize each other and call each other names…”

“Personally, I don’t believe that you can live an openly homosexual lifestyle or an openly premarital sex between heterosexuals, if you’re openly living that type of lifestyle, then the Bible says you know them by their fruits, it says that’s a sin. If you’re openly living in unrepentant sin, whatever it may be, not just homosexuality, adultery, fornication, premarital sex between heterosexuals, whatever it may be, I believe that’s walking in open rebellion to God and to Jesus Christ. I would not characterize that person as a Christian because I do not think the Bible would characterize them as a Christian.”

From this 45 seconds of conversation Broussard’s career now hangs in the balance. Much debate has raged over this outward display of one person’s beliefs, that happen to contradict the new social norm.

How the tables have turned in our culture. The liberal media seems to be saying  – “We need to be tolerance of every person’s beliefs and lifestyle, and if you don’t agree with us, we will blacklist you and destroy your career! ”

Does anyone else see the self-contridiction here! They are changing the definition of tolerance to be accepting what they believe to be correct and nothing else! That is the opposite of tolerance!

Here are some interesting links to follow up on this issue! Check them out.

Albert Mohler’s Podcast on 4/30/13  – “The media has an unqualified celebration over NBA player declaring homosexual lifestyle. Meanwhile, those who refuse to celebrate full normalization of homosexuality are cancelled from events, protested, and ridiculed.”  – listen for free.

Bubba Watson thanks Chris Broussard through twitter for his words.

And excellent commentary on the events by Ben Shapiro – “When it comes to tyranny and tolerance, the case of Chris Broussard is far more telling than that of Jason Collins.”

Hang in there Chris. This is an uphill battle.

– Adam