How can giving thanks be wrong?
I disagree with Robert Benne that when a player prays or gives public thanks for a victorious deed, he implies that his success is the result of God's benevolent action ("Trouble with 'tebowing,' " Sunday). No, the player is giving thanks that he is successfully using the talent that God gave him. How can giving God thanks be wrong, however we choose to do it? Denver quarterback Tim Tebow is merely doing it both in thought and action.
Benne is right that God does not promise athletic victory, and I do not believe he gets involved. He has given all of us free will, and we make the choice to use our God-given talents to whatever degree we choose.
I would never criticize anyone displaying his thanks and love of God.
Judy Gould, Lester, judygould@msn.com
More should follow Tebow's lead
Robert Benne's suggestion that God doesn't care who wins or loses a football game seems trivial. Of course, God doesn't care. The problem is that too many people care too much about who wins not only a football game, but any game. Stories that belong on the sports pages often make it to the front page.
Perhaps Tim Tebow is thanking God for the strength and ability to play a game and get paid way more than he should for it. Or maybe he's thanking God that someone in his family who has overcome a near-death illness and has survived is able to see him play and make a touchdown. Yes, I'd rather see a small prayer than a ridiculous dance, but who are we to say what an individual should or should not do? There are no serious problems with praying in public.
Dan Busichio, Doylestown
On praying for victory
I, too, have often wondered if God flips a coin when two teams are both praying for victory. It reminds me of a tale related to me by a religious person:
As a priest at a boxing match was watching one fighter cross himself, he was asked if he thought that would help the boxer. He replied, "Not if he can't fight."
Ralph D. Bloch, Warrington, ralphdbloch@yahoo.com
Coverage for birth control
The first 32 years of my life, I was Catholic, but I left the church 30 years ago because I did not agree with many of the concepts. As a Catholic, I used birth control pills, as did many of my Catholic friends. We were responsible. We did not want to have more children than we could handle physically, emotionally, or financially.
