Have you heard Nebraska assistant football coach Ron Brown’s stance on homosexuals yet? He is not afraid to give his opinion. Brown recently testified against an anti-discrimination ordinance that gave protections to gay and transgendered people. Brown’s positions is based upon his religious beliefs.
“The question I have for you all is, like Pontius Pilate, what are you going to do with Jesus?” Brown asked. “Ultimately, if you don’t have a relationship with him, and you don’t really have a Bible-believing mentality, really, anything goes… At the end of the day, it matters what God thinks most.”
photo credit: krvn.com
Brown is a minster and he admits that he uses his profile and help extend his platform. He is also unapologetic about his positions.
“The same thing that was a sin 2,000 years ago is a sin today,” Brown said. “The thing that was right 2,000 years ago is right today.”
The name of Brown’s ministry is called FreedMen Nebraska and he feels that gay people don’t deserve the same treatment as African Americans and women.
“The scriptures teach that blacks were created by God, that women were created by God, but that homosexuals … that is not what God had in mind at all,”
Ron Brown has been blasted by gay rights and other civil rights groups for his position. Many are calling for his firing, but it doesn’t seem as if Bo Pelini is interested in making a change. Brown is steadfast in his position and takes his faith very seriously. Ron Brown has every right to state his position but here’s the problem. As a coach on a staff at a public institution he is representing the entire school. Being a high profile program, Brown garners far more attention than an English professor would if he or she had a side ministry and held these same positions. That means the message is far more reaching.
Hate to break it to Coach Brown, but not everyone is an Evangelical Christian in his state. What he is doing is proselytizing. We do have freedom of religion in this country. Everyone is free to practice his or her religion without fear of being persecuted for their beliefs. The problem is that Brown is using his influence to push across his agenda to block policies that would protect others from discrimination. Despite his beliefs and what he thinks are his rights, he isn’t being a responsible representative of the institution. He should be removed from his position. We have the division of church and state for a reason.
I have always advocated for people in sports to speak their mind and stand behind their beliefs. In this case I do not support Ron Brown. Anytime someone takes the position to discriminate they have to be called out. This has nothing to do with political correctness as Brown would like for us to believe. We are talking about policies that protect members of the human race from being discriminated against for who they are. Ron Brown doesn’t want those protection for the “others” because he believes God thinks being gay is a sin. Is this really a wise way to govern?
For people who dream of a society ruled as a theocracy, they should buy a one way ticket to Iran and live over there for a while. Ultra religious positions are scary for those of us who prefer to live in a civil society of reasonable laws. Having your religious beliefs is one thing, but ramming it down everyone’s throat in the name of your God is something else. Ron Brown clearly doesn’t understand that, and it’s our problem if we don’t hold his position.
What would Brown do if he found out one of his players was gay? Would he treat him differently than everyone else because his religion tells him to? If that’s the case he shouldn’t be coaching, because he has more important things to tend to, like preaching discrimination. I hear if you are good, it pays better than being an assistant coach. If Brown feels it would be an honor to be fired for standing up for his beliefs then firing him will be doing him a favor. Maybe he should be forced to watch Bravo TV for 36 hours straight with his eyelids forced open A Clockwork Orange style instead. That may set him straight (no pun intended). Then again you can never fight cruelty with cruelty. What would Jesus do?
Ari Russell
I served with a black man in Vietnam who people said was a homosexual. I do not know for sure if he was. I had nothing but respect for the man. He was three feet from me when the RPG hit. I lived but he did not. His name was George Myers. Ron Brown must know a different Jesus than I do. Love thy neighbor. Do not judge or you too will de judged.
Ed,
Thank you for your service to our country. I appreciate your take in this matter. It really hits home and is a much stronger way of stating the position than the way I portrayed it in the article.
I stand by Ron Brown and his conviction, and could care less about gay rights and freedoms. I find it odd that you chstise Mr. Brown about his stance on gays, yet ywould you do the same if he spoke out about the KKK, or Muslim Extremists?
They are in essence the same thing, a group of people believing their acts are right and for the greater good…….
My guess is you would be praising him if he said….“The scriptures teach that blacks were created by God, that women were created by God, but that Muslim Extremists … that is not what God had in mind at all,”.
You sit here JUDGING Mr. Brown for his comments, trying to convince us that he has no room to judge! Go back to blogging about sports and leave the political jargon to the other idiots.
Any intolerance is unacceptable whether it’s from Ron Brown the Klan or Muslim Extremisim. If there were a coach who had other intolerant views of other humans I would call them out too. Feel free to get in this argument with me As far as logic is concerned you lost it on your assumption that I would let a Klansman or islamist go free. Nope I am consistent. Thank you for your comment I love debate.
Wait a second after reading your comment again it seems you are comparing gays to the Klan. Please clarify that isn’t what you are saying.