Major League Baseball Discriminates Against Christians

I’ve just about had my fill of all the Pride activities going on during the month of June. Has anyone ever thought that these folks, celebrating their main achievement in life as embracing the LGBTQ++ lifestyle, is just a little odd? Forget inventing a cure for cancer or flying spacecraft to the moon. Wearing a Pride flag is their medal of honor.

But I’m letting myself get sidetracked from the real issue here: discrimination against Christians. Three pitchers on the San Francisco Giants baseball club were chastised by the MLB for using a small demonstration of their Christian faith:

Major League Baseball stirred a hornet's nest it probably had no idea it stepped on when its chief communications officer let the media know the Christian San Francisco Giants pitchers who inscribed Bible verses on their Pride Night caps last week had been ‘warned’ about their "’violations.’ The message was meant to be routine and succinct that uniform violations would be dealt with as others typically are by MLB: a warning, then fines, then something more intrusive if it continues. Except this case isn't routine and the league seems to know it caused itself some trouble.

And what was this offensive message that they had written on their baseball caps? It was Genesis 9:12-16:

And God said, ‘This is the sign of the covenant that I make between me and you and every living creature that is with you, for all future generations: ¹³ I have set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between me and the earth. ¹⁴ When I bring clouds over the earth and the bow is seen in the clouds, ¹⁵ I will remember my covenant that is between me and you and every living creature of all flesh. And the waters shall never again become a flood to destroy all flesh. ¹⁶ When the bow is in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is on the earth.’

By the way, it appears that only the reference, not the entire quotation, was written on their caps.

The most bizarre part of this entire incident is that the MLB and the Giants are clueless about the irony within their positions. Here is what the Giants management said:

‘We understand that the choices by individual players have caused pain and anger to many in the LGBTQ+ community and we are sorry for that. Those choices do not change our organization's commitment to inclusion, belonging, and creating a welcoming environment for all. We remain grateful to our fans, partners, employees, players, and coaches who help make Pride Night a meaningful celebration.’

And here is what the MLB said:

‘To be clear, this routine verbal warning not to wear the hat in future games is not disciplinary and had absolutely nothing to do with the content of the message,’ the league said in its follow-up. ‘We respect players’ right to free expression. However, writing of any kind, with any message, is prohibited per Major League Baseball’s uniform regulations which provides in part that, ‘(a) player may not write, attach, affix, embroider or otherwise display nicknames or messages on apparel or playing equipment…’

So let me get this right. It’s appropriate to pander to Pride members, and also okay to offend the players who have to wear Pride colors. And it's also okay to offend fans who don't support LGBTQ++ issues.

The solution to these issues is quite clear. Insisting that players wear Pride colors is forcing them to violate MLB rules; those colors are meant to send a clear message of support to Pride members. And I feel pretty certain that if and when that ideological message is banned, the players will probably agree not to put bible verses on their hats.

The irony in all this is that the non-Christian and Pride members probably have no idea what the bible verse says.

We have bowed to the LGBTQ++ influences for a long time. We need to ask why we are honoring a sexuality that is unacceptable to many of those who must demonstrate their support.