Missouri All-American Michael Sam says he is gay, and the defensive end could become the first openly homosexual player in the NFL. “I am an openly, proud gay man,” he said. There have been a few NFL players who have come out after their playing days, including Kwame Harris and Dave Kopay. In interviews with ESPN, the New York Times and Outsports that were published Sunday, Sam said he came out to all his teammates and coaches at Missouri in August. Sam told the Times he dated a man on the Missouri swim team and came out to teammates L’Damian Washington and Marvin Foster about a year ago, before letting the whole team know during last preseason.
“Coaches just wanted to know a little about ourselves, our majors, where we’re from, and something that no one knows about you,” Sam told ESPN. “And I used that opportunity just to tell them that I was gay. And their reaction was like, ‘Michael Sam finally told us.’ ”
Missouri coach Gary Pinkel said in a statement Sunday night: “Michael is a great example of just how important it is to be respectful of others, he’s taught a lot of people here firsthand that it doesn’t matter what your background is, or your personal orientation, we’re all on the same team and we all support each other.”
“We admire Michael Sam’s honesty and courage,” the NFL said in a statement. “Michael is a football player. Any player with ability and determination can succeed in the NFL. We look forward to welcoming and supporting Michael Sam in 2014.” Sam will participate in the NFL combine later this month in Indianapolis and is currently projected to be a mid-round NFL draft pick in May. The 6-foot-2, 255-pound Sam participated in the Senior Bowl in Mobile, Ala., last month after leading the SEC in sacks (11.5) and tackles for loss (19). He was the conference’s defensive player of the year.
Sam’s announcement comes at a time gay rights issues and sports have collided at the Sochi Olympics. Russia’s anti-gay law has received much criticism because of the games.
In light of this announcement, several things are worthy of consideration. First, the sodomite agenda is aggressive. As my pastor friend Artie Dean tweeted, “The sodomites have destroyed the Boy Scouts, smeared Cowboys, infiltrated the military, and now are after the NFL.” Why is it that anyone considers it a bold act of courage to state one’s sexual preferences before a job interview? Giants defense back Charles James was right when he tweeted, “When did this become an heroic act?” No one feels compelled before a job interview to say, “I am heterosexual.” It is clear that the sodomites want us to think primarily about their sexual desires. For all their vaunted talk of being mainstream, they want to shove their deviances down our throat with their barrage of announcements about their sexual lusts.
Second, such announcements will produce division rather than unity. Patrick Crayton, an NFL free agent wide receiver and former Dallas Cowboys player, spoke for many when he tweeted, “Oh wow!! There goes the NFL.” Jeremy Shockey, former Giants tight end, echoed this sentiment more than a decade ago when he stated, “They’re going to be in the shower with us and stuff, so I don’t think that’s going to work.” Just last week, Jonathan Vilma, with the New Orleans Saints, said gays would not be accepted in most team NFL locker rooms. “Imagine if he’s the guy next to me, and you know, I get dressed, naked, taking a shower, the whole nine, and it just so happens he looks at me, how am I supposed to respond?” Football is a team sport, and bringing homosexuals into the locker room brings a dimension that does much to destroy that team camaraderie.
Third, and most importantly, openly espousing homosexuality is not an act of courage; it is an espousal of deviancy. “That took some courage but man his draft stock is going to plummet even though it should be based on production and how he can contribute,” Chad Johnson, a former NFL receiver, tweeted Sunday. This sentiment is gaining momentum. Kansas City Chief’s backup quarterback Chase Daniel, a Mizzou graduate, revealed he had multiple conversations with Sam to help the young player reach a decision about revealing his sexual orientation. Daniel took to Twitter to say he was amazed by Sam’s “honesty” and “courage.” So now sodomy is viewed as the courageous thing rather than the carnal thing. Those who still hold to Biblical values believe that homosexuality is an abomination (Leviticus 20:13). The New Testament is clear that homosexuality is a “vile affection” that is against nature (Romans 1:26). It is unstrained lust that is “unseemly” and will receive a fitting recompense (Romans 1:27). Therefore, when Christians disagree with those who see homosexual affirmations as acts of honesty and courage, they should not be viewed as homophobic. They should rather be viewed as men and women who have the courage to honestly speak their religious convictions.
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