YOUNG VOICES: Tebow is refreshing example of sticking to principles

Tim Tebow, 24, towering at 6 feet 3 inches tall, weighing 245 pounds, is a Heisman trophy winner, selected in the first round of the 2010 NFL draft by the Denver Broncos, the 25th overall pick in the 2010 NFL draft, and a Christian. And he's not afraid to admit it.

As a matter of fact, thanks to Tebow, John 3:16 had 93 million people searching on Google to find out for themselves exactly what that verse means. He would sport different Bible verses on his cheek each week as a way to promote his faith without being overbearing.

He's not afraid to thank God before, during and after football games no matter what the outcome. He isn't ashamed or embarrassed to say he is a virgin, and plans on keeping his virginity until marriage. He has set up a platform in the NFL to show people that yes, you can be in professional sports and still keep your faith.

The problem now is that is Tebow has a direct connection to God, or so people think. A full 43 percent of people nationwide say Tebow wins most of his games through divine intervention, or the idea that God just wants him to win.

If that is the case, then a question must be presented: When Tebow loses, does God lose, too?

It seems there's a stigma around religion, typically around Islam and Christianity.

It has been said that we as Americans suffer from "Islamophobia," or being afraid of or even having a phobia of people who are Muslim, and refusing to even get to know a Muslim person. This is mainly in part due to the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.

But what if we as Americans are also suffering from "Christophobia," or rejecting and even ridiculing anything or anyone that says they are Christ-centered? Even in the face of his "Christophobic" critics, Tebow holds strong, to the point where it might be a curse instead of a blessing. Born of two missionaries, it's only natural that he is bold about his faith. However, some people might be taking his boldness to a different level.

When Tebow was on his streak of winning game after game after game earlier in the NFL season, Tebow was worshiped like a god. All I heard anywhere I went was that he was winning because he's a believer.

But once he lost, and lost hard, all of his worshipers went silent. Did God lose, too?

People put Tebow on such a high pedestal that they forgot one thing: he isn't a god, he's only human.

I can understand where they're coming from, however. It's nice to open up the newspaper or flip open a magazine and see articles written on a star athlete -- or anyone else -- who seems to have morals and values they live by. Not reading about an athlete's late-night exploits, club-hopping around with an entourage of scantily-clad women in tow, but about him volunteering at various charities, including his own Tim Tebow Foundation.

I'm not saying that other athletes who don't paint "Philippians 4:13" on their face and get down on a knee and pray during the entire game are of the devil, and I'm certainly not saying Tebow and other avid believers willing to preach the gospel are of God, either. All I'm saying is that maybe we as a society needs to be more tolerant of everyone, no matter what religion or creed they might or might not live by.

It doesn't matter if you believe in a higher deity or not. Don't antagonize people because of their faith, or lack thereof. Being Christian, Jewish, Muslim or atheist doesn't make you a good or bad person. What determines that is the way you live your life, according to principles and values that maybe are in a sacred text or that you set for yourself. Or both.

When Tebow loses, Tebow loses. Whether there's "divine intervention" involved, well, I guess we'll never know, will we?

Grace Asiegbu, of Lynwood, is a sophomore at Thornton Fractional South High School. The opinion expressed in this column is the writer's and not necessarily that of The Times.