Jeremy Lin is anomalous in all sorts of ways. He’s a Harvard grad in the N.B.A., an Asian-American man in professional sports. But we shouldn’t neglect the biggest anomaly. He’s a religious person in professional sports….
The modern sports hero is competitive and ambitious. (Let’s say he’s a man, though these traits apply to female athletes as well). He is theatrical. He puts himself on display….
…[Yet] there’s no use denying ”” though many do deny it ”” that this ethos violates the religious ethos on many levels. The religious ethos is about redemption, self-abnegation and surrender to God.