Pittsburgh Steeelers: recruiting a crime ring (Michael Vick signing)

http://kron4.com/2015/08/31/pittsburgh-steeler-fans-petitioning-to-remove-michael-vick-from-team/

The above link is a linked article that I read yesterday. Michael Vick. Again. Michael Vick getting big money deal to join an NFL team. Again. Fans choosing to put a criminal on a pedestal. Again. (Refer to an earlier blog entitled “No More Free Passes”)

I am very passionate about animal care and responsibility to us as human beings to care for the Earth’s creatures. Wild life depend on us to keep the Earth, climate, oceans, air and food supply in harmony for them. (we could do better in all of these aspects but that’s another blog for another day) . As pet owners, we choose to care for an animal. They depend on us as children do — for food, shelter, care and safety. In return they give us love, loyalty and affection. In pondering the human-pet relationship, its particularly heartbreaking when an animal is preyed upon by a human “owner” such as Vick and others who engage in dog fighting. It rakes a special kind of evil and disregard for life to commit these acts. However, Michael Vick didn’t just commit these acts. He set up an elaborate crime ring in which he hired people as his accessories to criminal behavior. He funded the building of warehouses to keep the dogs in –and to fight them in. He used his NFL big bucks that football fans contribute to giving him,to do this. In my opinion, those loyal Steelers fans cheering for his recruitment to their team are just as much accessory to any future crimes he chooses to support — as are all athletic fans who know a sports star engages  in criminal behavior and continues to throw money their way.

I have a lot to say about Michael Vick (A LOT), as anyone who has read my past blogs can probably tell. I want to comment on the Steelers’ signing of him, but I also want to discuss our country’s hero worship of athletes in general, as well as devote some time to excerpting some powerful pieces from “The Lost Dogs” a very detailed account of Michael Vick’s activities and the dogs who endured (or didn’t) them. “The Lost Dogs” was written by Sports Illustrated writer Jim Gorant who should, in my opinion, be given a Pulitzer. He instead received HUGE backlash from SI staff & fans for writing the book, clearly by people who couldn’t be bothered. Jim Gorant is a brave hero who deserves a medal in y opinion. I want to share some passages from his book because it is riveting, powerful and a near indictment of Vick. It cemented my opinions and supported them with facts. Hang on to your hats, WWOD fans, “the Lost Dogs” are coming….,

Dear Ms. Davis (email sent to Kim Davis)

Dear Ms Davis

I write to you as a fellow Christian. I’m a non denominational Christian living in California. We have had our share of wars here about the definition of marriage as well. I understand where your hearts at and that you truly feel what you say. I, unfortunately, have to disagree with your views & the way youre going about expressing them. You are presently employed by the county of Rowan and as such are paid by the people to perform job functions for which you are refusing to do. Ma’am, this is theft. You may feel the ends justify the means but committing sin to justify preventing sin (or what you view as sin) makes absolutely no sense. I feel for you, I do. However I think the right thing for you is to realize that in this country, marriages definition has changed. The law has changed. Your job duties have changed. The Supreme Court has spoken and the definition of marriage in this country, however, will NOT change. Please do the right thing, and step down.

Sincerely
Bianca May

“There is a saying, ‘Love your friends and hate your enemies.’ But I say: Love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you! In that way you will be acting as true sons of your Father in heaven. For he gives his sunlight to both the evil and the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust too. If you love only those who love you, what good is that? Even scoundrels do that much. If you are friendly only to your friends, how are you different from anyone else? Even the heathen do that. But you are to be perfect, even as your Father in heaven is perfect. (TLB, Matthew 5:43-48)

“Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye. (NIV, Matthew 7:1-5)

I John 4: 7-8 (NRSV)

Beloved, let us love one another, because love is from God; everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, for God is love.

How are you showing Jesus love by your actions today? Do people see Jesus when they see you?