More Christians like Trevor Williams, not Anthony Bass, are needed.
MLB Pitchers Take Different Approaches to Defending Christianity
On Tuesday, Washington Nationals pitcher Trevor Williams did something that most of his fellow MLB players are afraid to do: speak the truth.
In a lengthy statement posted to Twitter, Williams, a devout Catholic, criticized the Los Angeles Dodgers for their decision to honor the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, an openly anti-Christian drag group, at their upcoming “pride night.” Williams blasted the franchise for its hypocritical pledge to foster an environment of “inclusivity” for fans, saying that “to invite and honor a group that makes a blatant and deeply offensive mockery of my religion, and the religion of over 4 million people in Los Angeles county alone, undermines the values of respect and inclusivity that should be upheld by any organization.”
Williams called on Catholics to “reconsider their support of an organization that allows this type of mockery of its fans to occur.”
While Williams’ call to boycott the Dodgers is admirable, the latter part of his statement deserves special attention. In concluding his remarks, Williams reminds Christians that suffering at the hands of their fellow sinners — while unpleasant — ultimately brings us closer to Christ.
“As Catholics, we look to Jesus Christ and the way He was treated and we realize that any suffering in this world unites us to Him in the next,” he wrote.
Now, contrast such bravery with the cowardice displayed by Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Anthony Bass. This past weekend, Bass caught flack from America’s “rainbow everything” crowd for sharing a video on Instagram that called for Christians to boycott companies such as Bud Light and Target for their “evil” and “demonic” promotion of transgenderism. Rather than stand by his faith, Bass caved to the LGBT mob.
As if he were being held at gunpoint, Bass repeated the played-out “I’m sorry for offending people, and I’ll do better” statement soulless corporations force their employees to issue during “controversial” moments because they’re afraid of the blue-haired, miserable leftists that occupy social media.
Unlike Bass’ pitiful groveling, Williams’ reminder — to place one’s faith in Christ above worldly suffering — is a profound truth that’s seemingly gotten lost in the wake of the Dodgers controversy. At numerous points in the Bible, Christ makes clear that Christians who “deny themselves and take up their cross and follow [Him]” will endure suffering in this world, but that “whoever loses their life for [Him] and for the gospel will save it” (Mark 8:34-35).
While standing firm in the face of an angry mob isn’t easy, abandoning Christ when confronted with such vitriol is the exact opposite of what Bass should have done. During times of hardship, Christians should rely on Christ to empower them and help them overcome the sinfulness of this world.
Christians Must Have Conviction in Christ
Sadly, this seemingly universal assault against Christianity is nothing new. It only takes a quick Google search of world history to see the relentless persecution Christians have undergone for simply following God’s Word. In today’s world — which supposedly prioritizes human rights more than previous generations — Christians are the most persecuted religious group in the world.
While nobody’s perfect, Williams’ conviction in Christ is something Christians should look to as an example of how to respond when confronted by the left’s spiritual jihad. Leftists have no intention of relinquishing their LGBT obsessions, which should give Christians all the more reason to double down on their faith as they refuse to bend a knee to this sinful world.
Shawn Fleetwood is a staff writer for The Federalist and a graduate of the University of Mary Washington. He previously served as a state content writer for Convention of States Action and his work has been featured in numerous outlets, including RealClearPolitics, RealClearHealth, and Conservative Review. Follow him on Twitter @ShawnFleetwood
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