God put a rainbow in the sky as a promise that God would never again destroy the earth through a flood. You can read all about it in Genesis chapter 9, especially verses 15:
And God said, “This is the sign of the covenant I am making between me and you and every living creature with you, a covenant for all generations to dome. … Whenever I bring clouds over the earth and the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will remember my covenant between me and you and all living creatures of every kind. Never again will the waters become a flood to destroy life.”
This is a wonderful promise and has been treasured by many people.
Since 1978, the rainbow has also been the symbol of the gay culture. “It represents the diversity of the community and the full spectrum of human sexuality and gender.” So says Wikipedia, and further explains the colors: red is for life, orange is for healing, yellow is the sunlight, green is nature, blue is serenity and violet is spirit.
These two traditions clashed last Friday night (June 12, 2026) in a major league baseball game between the San Francisco Giants and the Chicago Cubs.
Major League Baseball (and many other sports and business operations) sometimes express support for social causes through special events, special apparel, or special monetary donations. For instance, the entire professional baseball world honored Jackie Robinson a few years ago and every player wore Robinson’s number (42). Annually, sports teams join the fight against breast cancer by wearing something pick. There are many other examples.
In June of every year, organizations and enterprises of all types join the effort to recognize the LGBTQ community, seeking to affirm gay people as visible and valuable members of the human community. This is not without controversy, as some people (including many religious people) continue to condemn gay people as unworthy of recognition and protection as both individuals and community. In recent years, this pushback against the civil and human rights of LGBTQ people has intensified.
So it was last Friday. Three baseball players for the San Francisco Giants printed the Genesis Bible verses on their baseball caps, right beside the team issued caps that featured a rainbow-themed team logo. It was Pride Night at the ballpark, a time when many gay people show up for games.
The ballplayers knew this was a violation of policy. Professional ball players in sports at all levels are prohibited from using their uniforms to advance any message: any message regarding products, politics, religion, or even personal crisis or achievement (like the birth of a baby). The same is true for others, such as military and public safety personal, astronauts, and many performers (such as marching bands). That is a reasonable policy.
But I can understand and appreciate a person’s resistance to being forced to promote a social message that does not cohere with his or her convictions. Alcohol, for instance. Or Guns, or Religion (of any particular kind). Or even the Bible. And there is a fight in some places over the appropriateness of people being forced to read, recite, or even see quotations from the Bible.
The baseball cap controversy has gone national, as they say. Authorities of all kinds are weighing in, some suggesting that the policy prohibiting personal messages violates the First Amendment rights of people, especially because referencing a verse of scripture can also be taken as an act of religious expression (and hence protected by the constitution).
This particular situation is a perfect example of the upsurge in complaints about persecution: religious people protesting their rights are being violated because they oppose abortion, or civil rights, or gay marriage, or evolution, or anything. The current federal administration is eager to support these complaints of persecution as is the current Supreme Court.
I understand all these things. But I also know this: gay people have a very long history of persecution and violence, especially at the hands of religious people. Even now, religious people have focused their anger and energy against surely the smallest and most vulnerable population in the United States, the transgender people. Even as they claim persecution against themselves, religious people are organized to stigmatize and segregate LGBTQ citizens and deny them basic rights of life, love, employment, and service.
I support the gay community. I am an ally. I am not afraid of wearing their colors and walking in their parades. We need to do more to honor them as people, as neighbors, as citizens, as leaders, as friends. As Christians, Jews, or Muslims. As people who have suffered long. As people created by God and redeemed by Jesus and filled with the Holy Spirit. I support the gay community.
I will wear one of those San Francisco caps, partly because I support gays and partly because their great player Willie Mays was my childhood hero, but mostly because I think Jesus would put his arms around each and every gay person and say, “Come unto me, and do not forbid them, for of such is the kingdom of heaven.” Then, he also, would put on that baseball cap.
God put a rainbow in the sky as a promise that God would never again destroy the earth through a flood. You can read all about it in Genesis chapter 9, especially verses 15:
And God said, “This is the sign of the covenant I am making between me and you and every living creature with you, a covenant for all generations to dome. … Whenever I bring clouds over the earth and the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will remember my covenant between me and you and all living creatures of every kind. Never again will the waters become a flood to destroy life.”
This is a wonderful promise and has been treasured by many people.
Since 1978, the rainbow has also been the symbol of the gay culture. “It represents the diversity of the community and the full spectrum of human sexuality and gender.” So says Wikipedia, and further explains the colors: red is for life, orange is for healing, yellow is the sunlight, green is nature, blue is serenity and violet is spirit.
These two traditions clashed last Friday night (June 12, 2026) in a major league baseball game between the San Francisco Giants and the Chicago Cubs.
Major League Baseball (and many other sports and business operations) sometimes express support for social causes through special events, special apparel, or special monetary donations. For instance, the entire professional baseball world honored Jackie Robinson a few years ago and every player wore Robinson’s number (42). Annually, sports teams join the fight against breast cancer by wearing something pick. There are many other examples.
In June of every year, organizations and enterprises of all types join the effort to recognize the LGBTQ community, seeking to affirm gay people as visible and valuable members of the human community. This is not without controversy, as some people (including many religious people) continue to condemn gay people as unworthy of recognition and protection as both individuals and community. In recent years, this pushback against the civil and human rights of LGBTQ people has intensified.
So it was last Friday. Three baseball players for the San Francisco Giants printed the Genesis Bible verses on their baseball caps, right beside the team issued caps that featured a rainbow-themed team logo. It was Pride Night at the ballpark, a time when many gay people show up for games.
The ballplayers knew this was a violation of policy. Professional ball players in sports at all levels are prohibited from using their uniforms to advance any message: any message regarding products, politics, religion, or even personal crisis or achievement (like the birth of a baby). The same is true for others, such as military and public safety personal, astronauts, and many performers (such as marching bands). That is a reasonable policy.
But I can understand and appreciate a person’s resistance to being forced to promote a social message that does not cohere with his or her convictions. Alcohol, for instance. Or Guns, or Religion (of any particular kind). Or even the Bible. And there is a fight in some places over the appropriateness of people being forced to read, recite, or even see quotations from the Bible.
The baseball cap controversy has gone national, as they say. Authorities of all kinds are weighing in, some suggesting that the policy prohibiting personal messages violates the First Amendment rights of people, especially because referencing a verse of scripture can also be taken as an act of religious expression (and hence protected by the constitution).
This particular situation is a perfect example of the upsurge in complaints about persecution: religious people protesting their rights are being violated because they oppose abortion, or civil rights, or gay marriage, or evolution, or anything. The current federal administration is eager to support these complaints of persecution as is the current Supreme Court.
I understand all these things. But I also know this: gay people have a very long history of persecution and violence, especially at the hands of religious people. Even now, religious people have focused their anger and energy against surely the smallest and most vulnerable population in the United States, the transgender people. Even as they claim persecution against themselves, religious people are organized to stigmatize and segregate LGBTQ citizens and deny them basic rights of life, love, employment, and service.
I support the gay community. I am an ally. I am not afraid of wearing their colors and walking in their parades. We need to do more to honor them as people, as neighbors, as citizens, as leaders, as friends. As Christians, Jews, or Muslims. As people who have suffered long. As people created by God and redeemed by Jesus and filled with the Holy Spirit. I support the gay community.
I will wear one of those San Francisco caps, partly because I support gays and partly because their great player Willie Mays was my childhood hero, but mostly because I think Jesus would put his arms around each and every gay person and say, “Come unto me, and do not forbid them, for of such is the kingdom of heaven.” Then, he also, would put on that baseball cap.
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