Apparently, aside from randomly (or perhaps not so randomly) blowing up those who pray to him, God also likes a fastball:
No copies of Playboy or Penthouse are in the clubhouse of baseball’s Colorado Rockies. There’s not even a Maxim. The only reading materials are daily newspapers, sports and car magazines and the Bible.
Music filled with obscenities, wildly popular with youth today and in many other clubhouses, is not played. A player will curse occasionally but usually in hushed tones. Quotes from Scripture are posted in the weight room. Chapel service is packed on Sundays. Prayer and fellowship groups each Tuesday are well-attended. It’s not unusual for the front office executives to pray together.
On the field, the Rockies are trying to make the playoffs for the first time in 11 seasons and only the second time in their 14-year history. Behind the scenes, they quietly have become an organization guided by Christianity — open to other religious beliefs but embracing a Christian-based code of conduct they believe will bring them focus and success.
Unlike the Air Force, I really have no problem with this sort of thing (although I do find it amusing that this is happening in Colorado again), and actually encourage it- if very religious baseball players want to congregate (to borrow a term) at the Rockies, more power to them. Open displays of religiosity don’t bother me in the least. Attempting to force me to adopt your moral code does.
Some reports claim that this characterization of the Rockies is over-the-top:
Character, not religion, is the critical factor in the Rockies’ chemistry, according to the players. That explains why so many players reacted negatively to the portrayal of their clubhouse in a USA Today cover story in Wednesday’s editions that stressed the importance of Christianity.
“It was just bad. I am not happy at all. Some of the best teammates I have ever had are the furthest thing from Christian,” pitcher Jason Jennings said. “You don’t have to be a Christian to have good character. They can be separate. It was misleading.”
Todd Helton and Jennings were quoted supporting the article’s premise regarding religion’s role in the clubhouse. But both said they never were asked about religion, and were questioned only in general terms about the clubhouse environment.
“I wouldn’t say it was accurate. (The writer) asked me about the guys in here and I said it’s a good group. We work hard and get along well,” Helton said.
Regardless, the Rockies are 27-26 (they have lost two games since the story was originally printed), with well over 2/3 of the season to go. We’ll see if God really likes them in the long run.