Gene Simmons, bassist and singer of the Rock Band KISS, definitely has his own opinion and isn’t afraid to let you know them. Simmons, during the 2012 elections, told MSNBC that Mitt Romney had more experience at creating jobs and that Barack Obama is a “piss poor president.” However, in recent days he has been the unlikely defender of Tim Tebow. Simmons has blasted the left for their attacks on the professional football player because of his religious beliefs.
Though I don’t use Facebook much for personal postings, I had to share the following video from Fox News. During this segment of Fox and Friends, Simmons said that LA KISS is “about to almost sign Tim Tebow.”
[youtube]http://youtu.be/mdqvRipB7wE[/youtube]
He went on to say, “That’s good for football, and all those pundits and the people in the peanut gallery who pick on him because he’s a devout Christian and proud of it is the heinous thing all sports reporting journalism, because here’s a guy who believes in his God and people pick on him. If he was a Jew or a Muslim and he did that, people would never dare, but for some reason if he’s a Christian you’re allowed to pick on hi
m.”
“It is the height of lunacy, and those journalists should be held accountable,” he added. “They’re never going to pick on a guy who tortures dogs, or perhaps has gone to jail for murder, but if he believes in Christ his Lord, then he’s open season. It’s like, what country are we living in?”
But that’s not where Gene Simmons stopped. He also appeared in an interview with Radio.com and added:
“He’s got a religious passion, as well he should, we’re in America. He’s proud to be a Christian, what’s wrong with that? And yet, with sports media and pop culture media, they make fun of his religion. Really? In America? If he was wearing a burqa, they wouldn’t dare say anything. But if you’re a Christian, you get to be picked on? What the hell? The guy’s got family values. I never saw the media picking on Michael Vick for torturing dogs. Or this other football player, who’s alleged to have killed, committed murder. That’s ‘cool.’ But a guy who’s religious and has got family values isn’t ‘cool?’ He’s cool to me.”
Of course, only women wear burqas in Islam….wait, no there are apparently transvestite Muslims like Muslim Brotherhood leader Bedouin-garbed Safwat Hegazy. Nevertheless, Simmons point is well taken.
I appreciate that an unlikely defendant of Tim Tebow’s faith such as Gene Simmons would stand up on his behalf. I realize it is in part because Simmons stand to make a lot of money if Tebow joins his team in the Arena Football League, but I think Simmons is honest about what he is saying.
I’ll point to an earlier example of Simmons’ honesty regarding Christianity. I was unable to find a clip on YouTube, so if someone runs across it and wants to send me a link, I’ll be glad to add it. Gene Simmons was a guest judge. When confronted with a talented contestant who was a youth pastor, Simmons said to him, “I think you’re a country artist, and I’ll tell you why. If you sing pop lyrics, you’re going to have a problem with your ministry. Because rock and roll by definition — and popular music — is about sexuality. The rules are different for country. You can sing Christian oriented lyrics and be acceptable, and you can sell millions of records.”
Granted Simmons lives his own morality, not biblical morality, and he is contradictory when it comes to how music influences people as evidenced in many interviews. So my comments are not an endorsement of his lifestyle. However, I think in both of these instances he was right on the money.
Tebow has been repeatedly attacked and mocked by the media for his open practice of Christianity and pro-life views.
Sports reporters should probably stick to reporting on sports and not looking to bash a football player simply because he seeks to honor God in his life. On this front, I say, “Well done Mr. Simmons!”
Tim Brown is the Editor of Freedom Outpost and a regular contributor to The D.C. Clothesline.
