Scoring away from home - the Terry Affair

I was stunned by a commentator's gaffe when Chelski played Burnley last week. Having just been exposed as having had an extra-marital affair with a fellow players ex-girlfriend I was amazed when he cheerfully proclaimed that, "He's always likely to score away from home!"

It was only a few weeks that the moronic classes were baying for the death sentence rather than sacking for the fallen Mrs. Robinson and yet today I hear them baying against the sacking of Terry as captain and claiming Fabio Capello was 'conned' by the media.

There are people who are saying that if they had to choose between Wayne Bridge or John Terry in the England team, best to lose Bridge as in comparison he's useless! Another member of the footballing supporting worlds points out that there was no problem because the infidelity occurred after Bridge had finished with the woman - the rest is just 'personal stuff' that happens everyday and means nothing! The cherry comes from the idiot who points out, assuming he's speaking common sense, "All that matters is that he (Terry) continues to score for Chelsea and England. So he's had an affair, so what? After all, this is part of the lifestyle of superstars and should surprise or upset no one!"

We live in a world with the ability to produce some amazingly hypocritical standards. What one person spouted to me regarding the standards expected of politicians was changed completely when it came to a footballer. One was condemned and the other condoned. One was vilified and the other was hailed as a hero, the excesses and infidelities portrayed as a 'right' because of the pressures he undoubtedly finds himself under.

What we are looking at here is first and foremost infidelity and we should be concerned with Terry and his family, for what is at risk here and what has been acted against is the marriage and the home life of the couple's twins. Where are the calls for players to amend their lifestyles (on the same day the Terry news broke a fellow team mate was banned for speeding and another player was in the news as a result of a club brawl)?

Why do people excuse their sporting heroes, throwing away the standards that marriage and society demand, and yet feel safe to engage in hypocrisy over their attitudes over the same act with politicians. Bottom line - both were wrong. Mind you, one claims to be a person with a faith and the other doesn't.

What are we doing about this? Are we being a voice of balance and consistency or are we as hypocritical, perhaps not over footballers and politicians but with those with whom we might disagree? The blind eye and the ad hominem are destroying the witness of the Church and we need to examine ourselves before we venture out and seek to challenge, correct and restore others.

All authority has been given to us to go out and to teach people that obeying God's laws is the way to happiness, consistency and secure society. Do that and you'll be baptising loads of people and nurturing so many disciples your head will spin - and some of those will be footballers ;)

Pray for the Terry family and for those supporters who engage in variable morality - our society needs it - our God commands it!