You may or may not be aware of the scandal swirling around the National Basketball Association and LA Clippers owner, Donald Sterling. Recordings of Mr. Sterling making racist remarks were released and the entire NBA was outraged. NBA Commissioner, Adam Silver, responded with this:
"Accordingly, effective immediately, I am banning Mr. Sterling for life from any association with the Clippers organization or the NBA. Mr. Sterling may not attend any NBA games or practices. He may not be present at any Clippers facility, and he may not participate in any business or player personnel decisions involving the team.
He will also be barred from attending NBA Board of Governors meetings or participating in any other league activity.
I am also fining Mr. Sterling $2.5 million, the maximum amount allowed under the NBA constitution. These funds will be donated to organizations dedicated to anti discrimination and tolerance efforts that will be jointly selected by the NBA and its Players Association.
As for Mr. Sterling's ownership interest in the Clippers, I will urge the Board of Governors to exercise its authority to force a sale of the team and will do everything in my power to ensure that that happens." (Full transcript here.)
As I listened to the press conference on Tuesday, I was disturbed by the severity of this punishment. I have not heard the recordings and don't know the complete history of Mr. Sterling, but banning a person from a public place such as an NBA game for something he said seems too harsh to me. Are racist remarks okay? Absolutely not. Does that mean there will be no racists attending NBA games in the future? Highly unlikely!
I do find it interesting that the comments were recorded by a woman many are calling Mr. Sterling's girlfriend and no one blinked an eye about that. Many professional athletes are fornicators, they get arrested for DUI, and the list goes on. Because they can shoot a basket or throw a football or hit home runs, they get a free pass many times.
This is a country that believes and supports freedom of speech until you say something they don't like.
So why am I bothered by this? I don't even like basketball! But when will our pastors be banned from our churches for preaching that sin is sin? When the man of God preaches from God's Word and tells it like it is, many call it hate speech. Who will ban my pastor from his pulpit when he points his finger at sin?
As far back as the prophets in the old testament, men of God have been persecuted for speaking the truth. Jesus said in Matthew 24:9, "Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name's sake." The disciples rejoiced "that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name." And while we know Jesus came to give His life for us, the religious leaders of His day had Him arrested and crucified because of what He said.
Again, I want to say that racism has no place in this world. But when preaching the truth of God's Word is considered hate speech, we need to be on our knees in prayer for our pastors.
So tell me what you think...
Have you been following this story? Agree or disagree with the lifetime ban?
Have you noticed a trend toward intolerance of preaching truth?
