Whitlock: ESPN is sleeping with your enemy, and so are you

American essayist Charles Dudley Warner coined the phrase “politics makes strange bedfellows.” It was written as an observation in the mid-1800s. Christians should have interpreted it as a warning.

The adoption of a political identity will eventually align you with your enemies and inevitably detach you from your faith.

We can see this process unfolding in the sports world in real time. The ultimate example of American meritocracy and exceptionalism, competitive sports, is no match for politics’ ability to divide, corrupt, and conquer. Politics is always about power and money. It cannot coexist on equal footing with faith. Politics is about the rulership of earth and has no concern with salvation in an afterlife. It is short-sighted, greedy, and unethical.

It obeys Caesar’s creed: “If you must break the law, do it to seize power; in all other cases observe it.”

Just six short years ago, NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick made arenas and stadiums platforms for political expression of dissatisfaction. He said he kneeled during the national anthem because police officers killed black men without consequence.

Soon after, soccer star Megan Rapinoe and others joined Kaepernick in protest. And soon after that, on-field protests were about far more than the value of black lives. It was about equal pay for female jocks, LGBT rights, Trump resistance, LGBTQ rights, MAGA resistance, LGBTQ+ rights, voter ID laws in Georgia, and now, finally, LGBTQIA+ rights.

Late last week, ESPN employees called for a moment of silence because Florida governor Ron DeSantis plans to sign a law that, among other things, places limits on what Florida schools can teach young students about gender and sexuality. HB 1557 is the Parental Rights in Education bill. Its critics claim it discriminates against the LGBTQIA+ community. Critics call it the “don’t say gay” bill.

ESPN anchor Elle Duncan, aka light-skin Jemele Hill, took to the airwaves to express displeasure with Florida lawmakers.

“We understand the gravity of this legislation and also how it is affecting so many families across this country, and because of that our allyship is going to take a front seat. And with that, we’re going to pause in solidarity.”

ESPN basketball broadcasters Carolyn Peck and Courtney Lyle were up next.

“There are things bigger than basketball that need to be addressed at this time,” Lyle said. “Our friends, our family, our coworkers, the players, and coaches in our community are hurting right now. Our LGBTQIA+ teammates at Disney asked for our solidarity and support.”

Parents having authority over what their kids are taught in public schools is a threat to the LGBTQIA+ community? Let’s say that it is. Why is this threat being analyzed, discussed, and combatted on Disney’s sports network? Why can't it be covered exclusively on Disney’s ABC news network?

Are there any Disney employees who see abortion as a threat to babies in the womb? And will those employees be allowed to call for a moment of silence?

Sports and religion used to be partners. Teams took knees together in pre- and postgame prayer. Churches sponsored baseball, basketball, and football leagues. The best coaches saw their profession as ministry.

Politics does not leave room for religion. Coaches now prioritize making political statements rather than religious ones. Nick Saban appearing in a Black Lives Matter commercial is good for recruiting. So is hiring female assistant football coaches. In the not-so-distant future, Saban will need to appear in a commercial vowing support for the LGBTQIA+ community.

BLM and LGBTQIA+ are the same organization, the Alphabet Mafia. They’re making offers ESPN, Nick Saban, Gregg Popovich, the NFL, and the NBA can’t refuse.

Black Lives Matter was a Trojan horse for imposing secular values on popular culture. Sports had been the most powerful tool supporting traditional, Judeo-Christian values in American culture. Men’s sports celebrated the patriarchy. That is no longer the case. Kaepernick led the invasion of politics into sports. He gave Disney and ESPN the excuse they needed to overhaul sports culture into something that pleases the Alphabet Mafia by disavowing Christian principles and values.

Securalizing American sports is the gateway drug to overthrowing the U.S. Constitution. That’s a big statement. Let me explain.

Like sports, our Constitution is infused with Christian principles and values. Live sports programming is the strongest content force in American culture. The NFL is the most popular show on five different TV networks – CBS, NBC, Fox, ESPN, and the NFL Network. If you want to communicate with a large audience, football (college and pro) is the only product that works consistently at a high level. Basketball works to a lesser degree.

Changing sports to a celebration of secular and Marxist values is preparing American minds for politicians to call for a reimagining of our Constitution. We’re deep into the process. Over the past month, corporate media pundits have called anyone who questions our strategy related to war in Ukraine as “treasonous.” How can an opinion about a war between Ukraine and Russia be treasonous for an American?

The definition of America and American sovereignty is being redefined right now. If an American doesn’t criticize Vladimir Putin loud enough, corporate media says you’re committing treason. But Elie Mystal can go on national TV and call our Constitution trash without being labeled a traitor.

It does not make sense. Unless you recognize that the social engineers are intentionally manipulating the American mind. All things infused with Christian values are under attack. Sports are a battlefield for the attack. A political identity, whether red or blue, will put you at odds with a Christian identity.

Our bedfellows aren’t strange. They’re evil.