"Michael Vick Makes Me Sick"

First published in The Daily Sentinel, Friday Aug. 24, 2007

I caught a few minutes of a talk radio show this week. Its funny how at night, AM radio can do strange things. I somehow managed to get a station from Boston, and the topic of conversation was the Michael Vick dog fighting case.

Michael Vick is the star quarterback for the Atlanta Falcons. Over the last several years, the Falcons have become contenders in the NFL – largely because of Vick’s athleticism and leadership on the field. Now his off-the-field behavior has put him under the microscope. Reports of dog death by drowning, electrocution and other morbid, violent behaviors have surfaced in recent weeks. He entered a plea agreement with federal prosecutors for dog fighting conspiracy after his co-defendants agreed to testify against him.

“Michael Vick makes me sick!” said the caller. She couldn’t believe how cruel Vick’s behavior had been towards his dogs. In this caller’s opinion, Vick has done something unforgivable; he should be banned from every playing professional football again.

The call raised two moral questions in my mind. First, what are the boundaries of acceptable, or at least tolerable, behavior? Second, what are the consequences for those whose behavior crosses the line?

Vick clearly crossed the legal line, and the commonly accepted moral line. But what consequences should he face? Is what he’s done truly unforgivable?

The Bible tells us that there is only one unforgivable sin: “I tell you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven. Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but anyone who speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come.” (Matthew 12:31-32 NIV)

Ever since Jesus said this, there’s been ongoing debate on what “blasphemy against the Holy Spirit” really is. But it would be very difficult to argue that what Vick did is blaspheming the Holy Spirit – however severe his cruelty against the animals, no matter how much money he won or lost betting on the dogs.

Sports columnist Michael Wilbon of the Washington Post recently wrote this about Vick:

If he says what arrogant athletes in trouble usually say, that this is behind him and it's time to move on, his penitence will be insufficient. He'd better take the approach, and publicly, that his god isn't finished with him yet and there's a better man at the end of this regrettable process than at the beginning. Vick, clearly a man used to taking what he wants without fear of consequence, had better start begging quite literally for mercy and forgiveness. In public. Every chance he gets.

Sounds to me like Wilbon wants Vick to have a “born-again” experience. Or at least to put on a “born-again” act. When Christians talk about being “born again,” they are describing the change God makes in a person from the inside out. This isn’t something that we do – it’s something God does in us. I’m not sure if that’s what Wilbon means.

I pray that Vick WILL have a legitimate “born-again” experience. I haven’t followed his career; I know nothing about him except what I’ve read in recent weeks. From that, it sure seems he needs to be born again. If he simply pretends the experience, then I think he’s doing something much worse than animal cruelty. If he spends the rest of his life pretending, then he HAS blasphemed against the Holy Spirit.

In the meantime, we Christians should pray for him. We should also forgive him. But forgiveness doesn’t mean sin’s consequences aren’t felt during this life. Forgiven Christians still face the consequences of their sins in this age (earthly life), but they are spared the consequences in the next age (eternal life).

Remember that the next time you’re ready to condemn. Remember that the next time you’re the one who crossed the line. Michael Vick doesn’t make me sick – just sad.