I learned how to "Tebow" long before I learned who Tim Tebow was.
This is partially because I'm clueless when it comes to professional sports, but mostly because, at this point, the Denver Broncos' starting quarterback is as famous for his Christian faith as he is for his football skills.
Don't get me wrong — Tebow's game is fascinating on its own. A big portion of the Tim Tebow myth comes from the exciting, often bizarre way the quarterback manages to stage comebacks and lead his team to last-minute wins, as he did last week against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Many Bears fans are still smarting from a similarly dramatic overtime loss to the Broncos earlier this season.
But what increasingly makes Tebow such a phenomenon is his intense, outspoken Christianity, specifically his habit of thanking Jesus constantly. He points up to the sky when he or his team make a great play, thanks Jesus Christ in post-game interviews and kneels to pray — or "Tebows" — so often during games that actors, athletes, even other NFL players have begun imitating him. Saturday Night Live recently lampooned Tebow in a skit that featured Jesus visiting the Bronco locker room.
Tebow joins an ever-growing group of pop culture icons who feel compelled to credit Jesus for their fame-inducing gifts that includes Miley Cyrus, Chuck Norris and Justin Bieber.
My question isn't why these people think God or Jesus has anything to do with their success, or why a higher power would feel compelled to intervene in sporting games or the music industry. As someone who was raised Jewish, my question is much more self-centered: Why don't famous Jews thank God the way famous Christians do?
I spoke with four rabbis, one local priest and a religion professor at to find out.
Here's what they had to say.
An evangelical outspokenness
Rabbi Michael Sommer at in Highland Park suggests that, since Christianity encourages proselytizing, famous Christians like Tebow feel obligated to observe their faith publicly so they can spread it to others.
"We don't proselytize," Sommer said about Jews. "We don't believe that you have to believe as we believe or else."
Reverend David Perkins, from , acknowledges an evangelical outspokenness in Christianity, but he also points out that Jesus preached humility as well. He cites a verse in Matthew that encourages Christians to pray behind closed doors.
"We have this proclamation tradition," Perkins explained, "but we also have this humility tradition, and I think there's a tension between the two."
Jewish jokers
Because Judaism lacks an evangelical streak, according to Sommer, most Jews keep their practices to themselves.
Unless they're making fun of them.
"Jewish movie stars will go to high holidays, but they won't advertise it on TV," Sommer said. "Unless you're Larry David and you're poking fun at it."
What complicates this comparison is that famous Jews like Larry David maintain a culturally Jewish identity while disregarding any religious elements — something that doesn't happen in Christianity, according to Rabbi Michael Schwab at in Highland Park.
"You can identify yourself as a Jew and be proud of it … without being overtly connected to the religious side of things," Schwab said. "That's a little tougher to do with a Christian identity."
Rabbi Evan Moffic at in Highland Park, however, thinks the difference between how Tebow addresses his religion and how people like Larry David or Woody Allen address theirs comes down to intent.
"I think Tim Tebow is doing it as a source of pride," Moffic said, "Woody Allen and others do it as a way of making jokes."
Herbert Braunstein, a senior religion professor at Lake Forest College, agrees that Jewish celebrities, like Woody Allen, are more likely to make fun of their roots publicly than give thanks for them. These celebrities, he suggests, offer negative reflections on Jewish life that "comes from a lack of positive orientation of Jews other than bagels and lox."
Liberal Jews just don't know how
Even if Jewish celebrities wanted to thank God as theatrically as Tebow does, Rabbi Schwab argues that most wouldn't know how.
"Many of the Jews who are in the spotlight are simply not as religious," Schwab said. "Therefore, you can have a Jew who is famously identified as being Jewish who wouldn't speak in religious terms."
Orthodox Jews, on the other hand, give thanks to God all the time, according to New York-based rabbi Geoff Mitelman, a friend of Rabbi Sommer's. If you ask an orthodox Jew how they are, and they're doing well, they'll respond "Baruch Hashem," which is Hebrew for "Thank God." Aside from reggae singer Matisyahu and Kosher Sex author Shmuley Boteach, however, there aren't many orthodox Jewish celebrities.
"Liberal Jews," Mitelman said, "don't have the language to talk about God in the way that works for them."
Human agency or God's will?
Mitelman also argues that Judaism emphasizes human agency, meaning that, if Tim Tebow was Jewish, he wouldn't feel compelled to thank God after a successful play because he would assume he had done it himself.
"We are partners with God," Mitelman said, "but we have to be the ones to do it."
Yet Christianity maintains a similar ideology, according to Rev. Perkins. He argues that you can credit God for giving you a gift, but that ultimately you choose to use it to the best of your ability.
"I don't think God takes sides in athletic disputes," Perkins said. He added, jokingly, that he refuses to say "Go Bears" from the pulpit on Sundays, despite protests from some in his congregation.
"If you lose the game, does that mean God wanted you to lose? It brings up all types of questions of the intentions of God."
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As I understand it, a Christian who loses his faith is no longer a Christian. As the rabbi stated in the article, Orthodox Jews never stop thanking God. The very first thing we say when we awaken in the morning is "I give thanks before you, living and everlasting King, who has returned my soul to me in kindness, for your faithfulness is great." After performing the basest of bodily functions, we say a prayer thanking God for the marvels of the human body and how miraculously it works. Before eating anything we say a blessing, praising God as the creator of the food we are eating. After we eat we say other blessings of thanksgiving. God is always present and we have many ways of reminding ourselves of his presence. The reason Jewish men wear a yarmulke or a hat on their heads at all times is to remind them that however high they think their brain is, there is always Someone above them. But we should always remember "vocatus atque non vocatus, Deus aderit"... God is present whether or not He is called upon!
Thanks for another thought-provoking article, Jacob.
Drew, what traditional Jewish values are you referring to specifically?
Because they're not so obnoxious as to think the supposedly all powerful creator of the entire universe gives a crap about their little football game? Just a thought.
"Seems Jews, Buddhists and Hindus value quiet expression of their faith, unlike Tebow and other Christians that I call "Lookatmevangelicals": religious peacocks" So let me see how you define quietly....Buddists: I guess burning yourself up and starving yourself is a quiet expression. I am assuming that Jewish Ultra Orthodox throwing rocks at cars or at an 11 year old Jewish Girl who attends a regular school or for that matter attacking IDF forces are also quiet expressions of faith? Again, as I am somewhat neutral having attended many different services with no vested interest in any particular religion, I also know many Christians that also quietly practice their faith. I am a believer in a foundation of our country, allowing and accepting everyones practices as long as it does not step on anothers right to practice as they see fit. Football is a form of the entertainment business and in the entertainment business , any publicity is usually good publicity so I say, Rock On Tebow and I am still waiting for the Dalai Lama to unleash a seconds left 70 yard "Hail Mary" pass! "Hail Mary", now where is that from and how did that get into the game?
Every day Jews around the world say the famous passages referred to as The Sh'maa, three times per day. Morning, Evening, and just before going to sleep. In the beginning of the first paragraph, we state that we are to love the Lord G-d, with all our heart, with all our soul, and with all our might. What does that mean, to "love" God? It means that I must conduct myself in such a way that I become a conduit for others to love G-d, too. We call this "sanctifying the name of G-d", or in Hebrew, "Kiddush Hashem". There are Jews thoughout history that have caused this to happen in a big way, each using the talents and abilities given to them by G-d. When you, as an obviously religious person, go to the post office or other place of business, and you receive more change back than you should have received, and you say, excuse me, you gave me too much change back, you have, in a not too small a way, sanctified the name of G-d. If G-d forbid, a person does the opposite of a "Kiddush Hashem", that is called a "Chillul Hashem", disgraciing the name of G-d. That's when a person causes another to distance himself from G-d due to some disgusting or otherwise reproachable behaviour.
I also disagree with the statement by Rabbi Geoff Mitelman because I think many people will misconstrue what he said: "Mitelman also argues that Judaism emphasizes human agency, meaning that, if Tim Tebow was Jewish, he wouldn't feel compelled to thank God after a successful play because he would assume he had done it himself." "We are partners with God," Mitelman said, "but we have to be the ones to do it." As a believing Jew, of course he would feel compelled to thank G-d after a successful play! An important Jewish principle of faith is that G-d is the only real power in this world. Another important principle is that G-d cherishes our prayers and answers them. Sometimes, the answer is "yes", sometimes, "no". But no one should ever think that their prayer was not heard. Therefore, yes, a believing Jew knows in his heart that any achievement, any success, any failure (in our shortsightedness we sometimes incorrectly think of failures as divine disapproval) can only be through G-d's Will. So that yes, we are physically executing an action or deed, but, as written in scripture, "G-d is our Shadow" , meaning as we "move" G-d "moves" (so to speak) with us. to be continued...
If Tim Tibow is serious and sincere about his faith, then what you see on the outside, should be the same person on the inside. The fervor he exhibits while praying publicly is equal to or less than his fervor when he prays privately. Since I do not know Tim at all let alone well, I certainly can't comment on his sincerity. Rather, I think it more important for each and every one of us to work on our own individual sincerity, and leave the issue of Tim's sincerity to G-d and Tim!