Neb. Coach Ron Brown Insists He Treats Gay, Straight Players the Same
Nebraska Cornhuskers assistant coach Ron Brown, who might be facing possible dismissal from his job after stating his belief that homosexuality is a sin, has explained that despite his convictions, he would not treat gay players on his team any different.
The assistant coach has completely denied allegations of discrimination, and in a letter to the Husker Extra, explained that it was not only gay players whose lifestyles he did not approve of based on the Bible and that he still loves all on his team and would never punish them unfairly.
"Not all of my players have agreed with the Bible's views. One example, of many, would be those choosing heterosexual sex outside of marriage. Though the Bible teaches this as sin, I haven't penalized them with playing time or discrimination of any sort. Because I love them, I've invested in them even outside of football and gently asked them to consider God's view on it," Brown wrote in the letter.
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"If I coached a gay player, because the Bible says homosexuality is a sin, I would do the same. If he didn't agree, I wouldn't penalize him with playing time or any form of discrimination. I have and will embrace every player I coach, gay or straight ... but I won't embrace a legal policy that supports a lifestyle that God calls sin," the football coach explained.
When he addressed an Omaha City Council in March on a new law aiming to specifically protect LGBT students from discrimination, Brown brought up the Bible and its teachings against homosexuality.
Brown, an evangelical Christian, said, "No matter which way you go, it's going to be an unprotection [sic] because it's man's opinion. So the real question I guess I have for you all is – what does God say?
"The question I have for you all is, like Pontius Pilate, what are you going to do with Jesus? Ultimately, if you don't have a relationship with him, and you don't really have a Bible-believing mentality, really, anything goes... At the end of the day it matters what God thinks most."
Brown has since faced scrutiny over his remarks, with some questioning whether his religious beliefs mean he would discriminate against players on his own team that come out as homosexuals. Another issue suggested in an ESPN report is Brown's employment at a public university that receives 42 percent of its funding from the federal government and state appropriations. Brown is not supposed to allow any type of religious discrimination, according to the report.
Regardless of what the future holds, Brown has pledged to remain faithful to Christ, even if it means the end of his tenure at Nebraska.
"To be fired for my faith would be a greater honor than to be fired because we didn't win enough games," Brown shared with The Associated Press.
"I haven't lost any sleep over it. I realize at some point, we live in a politically correct enough culture where that very well could happen," he added.
