Michael Vick

[John S]

Michael Vick was a star quarterback for the Atlanta Falcons of the National Football League (NFL). He was convicted of running dog-fighting rings. Quite a few dogs were killed. He spent 2 years in jail.
When he was released, he was given a second chance by the Philadelphia Eagles. He is having a fantastic year and might be the best player in the NFL this year. Here is my question.

Could you root for an athlete, in any sport, who was convicted of killing dogs?

 

[grasping the after wind]

Michael Vick was a star quarterback for the Atlanta Falcons of the National Football League (NFL). He was convicted of running dog-fighting rings. Quite a few dogs were killed. He spent 2 years in jail.
When he was released, he was given a second chance by the Philadelphia Eagles. He is having a fantastic year and might be the best player in the NFL this year. Here is my question.

Could you root for an athlete, in any sport, who was convicted of killing dogs?

Only if you believe in forgiveness, redemption, salvation and love. I think Christians are supposed to believe in such things.

 

[John S]

Only if you believe in forgiveness, redemption, salvation and love. I think Christians are supposed to believe in such things.

...but Christians are supposed to kill dogs for fun either.
THAT is the dilemma.

 

[dies-l]

Only if you believe in forgiveness, redemption, salvation and love. I think Christians are supposed to believe in such things.

So, if I forgive him, I have to root for him?

 

[John S]

So, if I forgive him, I have to root for him?

That is the dilemma that Eagles fans - myself included - face.

Tiger Woods cheated on his wife multiple times. Do people still cheer for him?

 

[Spirit_Star]

Absolutely not even more that he has no remorse at all. Regardless of what he may toot to media. I know someone that was at the same jail that Vick was at. From what this man said when he was out in the “yard” he’d over hear Vick sometimes talking to some others. He said Vick was on drugs most of the time in jail and that he boosted about his "fighting" dogs proudly.

 

[dies-l]

That is the dilemma that Eagles fans - myself included - face.

Tiger Woods cheated on his wife multiple times. Do people still cheer for him?

I can't relate. I live in the Detroit area, and we have never had a football team worth rooting for, anyway.

 

[John S]

Spirit Star - Thank You. You can truly see the dilemma.

Dies-l - It is amazing that the Lions have been so bad for so long. The Eagles have been competitive most of the time.
If they had Vick and he led the Lions to victories, how would you feel?

 

[grasping the after wind]

...but Christians are supposed to kill dogs for fun either.
THAT is the dilemma.

I see no dilemma as no one is asking you to kill dogs for fun.

 

[grasping the after wind]

So, if I forgive him, I have to root for him?

No, you don't have to but you can if you like. I don't root for him because I'm not an Eagles fan not because I hold of his past sins against him. If we refuse to root for someone because they have sinned in the past then we will root for no one ever.

 

[grasping the after wind]

Absolutely not even more that he has no remorse at all. Regardless of what he may toot to media. I know someone that was at the same jail that Vick was at. From what this man said when he was out in the “yard” he’d over hear Vick sometimes talking to some others. He said Vick was on drugs most of the time in jail and that he boosted about his "fighting" dogs proudly.

Would you root for someone that spread gossip?

 

[Vivyane]

Kibbles n Vicks? I'm sorry. I try and hope for the best. My husband is a huge football fan but even he dislikes watching Mr. Vick now. TBH I get an uneasy feeling watching him run around on the field. I'm sure he has or will paid for what he has done, and I have to remind myself that I need to forgive and let go.

 

[dies-l]

Would you root for someone that spread gossip?

Spreading gossip is not the same as fighting dogs.

 

[dies-l]

No, you don't have to but you can if you like. I don't root for him because I'm not an Eagles fan not because I hold of his past sins against him. If we refuse to root for someone because they have sinned in the past then we will root for no one ever.

The issue is not that he sinned. The issue is that he made sport out of torturing animals to the extent that he was convicted of a crime. Especially, if it is true that he does have remorse for having done so, then it is perfectly reasonable to think that a person would not want to financially support him in any way. And, let's face it, when you root for or celebrate a professional athlete, you have an impact on the renumeration that he receives. If football fans universally said that they would not support a team that paid a large salary to a convicted dog fighter, then Vick would not have a job within the NFL, no matter how good he might be.

I say this to point out that there is a reason that a person might hold Vick's past against him that is not just about being petty, vindictive, unforgiving, etc. Rather, those of us who believe that dogfighting is particularly barbaric and cruel might reasonably want to avoid providing money and resources to a person whose past conduct indicates that he uses his resources to fight dogs. Additionally, we might reasonably decide that we don't want to give such a person a person whereby he might be seen as a role model for our children.

Just like I wouldn't want my kids' small group leader to live a life of brazen, open, and unrepentant sin*, I don't want their role models to be people who openly snub their noses at the minimum moral norms of secular society. I don't see anything in this that is at all unreasonable or inconsistent with the Christian notion of forgiveness.

 

[John S]

I see no dilemma as no one is asking you to kill dogs for fun.

Michael Vick killed dogs for fun.

 

[grasping the after wind]

Spreading gossip is not the same as fighting dogs.

Sin is sin. Do you have a hierarchy of sin that you adhere to?

 

[John S]

Sin is sin. Do you have a hierarchy of sin that you adhere to?

Could you root for Michael Vick?

 

[grasping the after wind]

Could you root for Michael Vick?

If I could root for a serial womanizer or a drunk driver why would the sin of cruelty to animals stop me from rooting for someone? If he was currently engaged in the activity I would say you would be wrong to root for him but that is not the case. Whether he is remorseful or not is not something anyone knows but God and himself no matter what gossip someone has heard. Unless he confesses his lack of shame to you or in a public forum I don't think that you can make any assumptions. If it still bothers you to root for him then don't do it. Why should you torture yourself over a game? It seems to me that there are several NFL players that have done really bad things like the ones mentioned above, spousal abuse, cheating both on their spouse and in the game(No one seems to mind this one at all). Some athletes have even bragged about how many children that they have fathered on different women, but only the thing that Michael Vick did seems to bother anybody.

 

[John S]

If I could root for a serial womanizer or a drunk driver why would the sin of cruelty to animals stop me from rooting for someone? If he was currently engaged in the activity I would say you would be wrong to root for him but that is not the case. Whether he is remorseful or not is not something anyone knows but God and himself no matter what gossip someone has heard. Unless he confesses his lack of shame to you or in a public forum I don't think that you can make any assumptions. If it still bothers you to root for him then don't do it. Why should you torture yourself over a game? It seems to me that there are several NFL players that have done really bad things like the ones mentioned above, spousal abuse, cheating both on their spouse and in the game(No one seems to mind this one at all). Some athletes have even bragged about how many children that they have fathered on different women, but only the thing that Michael Vick did seems to bother anybody.

I have NOT stated any assumptions nor is there any gossip about the man. He was convicted of ruthlessly killing dogs. He spent 2 years in jail for his actions. Not everyone can forgive him for this behavior - as you can see from others who have posted on this thread.
You would have no problem rooting for him - O.K.
You asked - "Why should you torture yourself over a game"? - You may not agree with it, but this is what football fans do.

 

[grasping the after wind]

I have NOT stated any assumptions nor is there any gossip about the man. He was convicted of ruthlessly killing dogs. He spent 2 years in jail for his actions. Not everyone can forgive him for this behavior - as you can see from others who have posted on this thread.
You would have no problem rooting for him - O.K.
You asked - "Why should you torture yourself over a game"? - You may not agree with it, but this is what football fans do.

If you cannot forgive the man for his behavior you cannot root for him. Why can so many people forgive others whose behavior is equally heinous yet not this one? Are people more concerned with cruelty to animals than they are concerned with cruelty to humans?