It’s often said American’s love an underdog in sports and politics. If that’s the case, then there is good reason former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum and NBA newcomer Jeremy Lin are riding high. What is ago getting attention is they are crediting God for their success.
“I’ve survived the challenges so far by the daily grace that comes from God,” Santorum said shortly after the Iowa caucuses. “For giving me His grace every day, for loving me, warts and all, I offer public thanks to God.”
Since then, Santorum has had much to be thankful for. After being discounted shortly after the South Carolina primary in late January, Santorum has steadily risen to the top of state and national polls in the GOP quest for the White House.
Lin’s success has taken a similar path. After a standout career at Harvard, few if any thought he would have an impact in professional basketball. Initially signed as a free agent, he was cut by a couple of clubs before being picked up by the New York Knicks.
Then, after shooting a winning three-pointer last week to win the game, Lin commented, “I just thank my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ for that shot.”
Yet for all the credit both have given God for their success, their detractors have come out of the woodwork to criticize their faith.
David Brooks, a noted columnist for The New York Times, addressed Lin’s use of religion and even compared it to politics in his Feb. 17 column. Brooks questioned how crediting God with athletic and political success is possible when both are filled with self-absorption and putting ones self ahead of the greater good.
“Jeremy Lin is now living this creative contradiction,” Brooks wrote. “Much of the anger that arises when religion mixes with sport or with politics comes from people who want to deny that this contradiction exists and who want to live in a world in which there is only one morality, one set of qualities and where everything is easy, untragic and clean. Life and religion are more complicated than that.”
For Santorum, the stakes may be even higher. As he seeks to remain atop the GOP polls, his faith will more likely become an even greater issue.
Not only is his chief rival, Mitt Romney hitting him hard on his support of past legislation, the Obama campaign team has already started reminding voters of his support for Terri Schiavo when her husband was fighting to take her off life support.
NBA fans seemed more than infatuated by Jeremy Lin’s prowess on the basketball court. However, voters in will most likely determine Santorum’s public confession of his faith, along with his political success, over a dozen states within the next two weeks.
