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A Religion for Losers?

by Bryan Gibson

September 17, 2009

Ted Turner is perhaps best known for founding the cable news network CNN. Baseball fans remember that he once owned the Atlanta Braves. He is also a very rich man, with a net worth of 2.3 billion dollars. That makes him, according to Forbes magazine, the 190^th richest man in America. To his credit, he has donated a pretty big chunk of his money to charitable causes. Unfortunately, he has also done a lot of harm—with his mouth. Back in 1990, at the American Humanist Association convention, he said that Christianity was a “religion for losers.” He went on to say that religious beliefs have done more harm than good to mankind. He seems to have softened a little bit in the years since, but since there are many others who still have this view, let’s examine it a little more closely.

Those who choose to follow the One who died for them are not losers. The real losers are those who don’t. To prove how ridiculous Mr. Turner’s statement really was, let’s look at what a man can be if he faithfully follows the teachings of Christ (of course, the same could be said of women, with a few minor changes).

He will be humble (Titus 3:2); hardworking (Colossians 3:23); honest (Ephesians 4:25, 28), dependable (Titus 2:10); respectful (Titus 2:9; Hebrews 12:9); compassionate (1 Peter 3:8), kind (Colossians 3:12), tenderhearted (Ephesians 4:32); forgiving (Ephesians 4:32), patient (1 Thessalonians 5:14); good to all men (Galatians 6:10); hospitable (1 Peter 4:9); a loving, caring, faithful husband (Ephesians 5:25-33; 1 Peter 3:7; Colossians 3:19; Matthew 5:27-32); law-abiding (1 Peter 2:13; Romans 13:1-7); courteous (1 Peter 3:8); peaceable (Titus 3:2); gentle (Titus 3:2); thankful (Colossians 3:15; Ephesians 5:20); considerate (Hebrews 10:24; Philippians 2:4); courageous (Acts 4:19-20; 20:22-24; 1 Corinthians 16:13; Philippians 1:14, 28; 2 Timothy 1:7; Hebrews 13:6; Revelation 20:4); self-controlled (Galatians 5:23; 2 Peter 1:6).

Does that sound like a loser to you—a man with all these qualities? A man like that can obviously do a lot of good for a lot of people. We may be losers before we come to Christ, but He can make winners of us all—if we completely submit to His will. Ted Turner considers himself a winner, and he has won a lot of awards, but Christ offers a much better prize than anything Mr. Turner has ever won—a crown of glory that will never fade away (1 Peter 5:4; 1 Corinthians 9:25; 2 Timothy 4:8; James 1:12).

“So when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: ‘Death is swallowed up in victory.’ ‘O Death, where is your sting? O Hades, where is your victory?’ The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord” (1 Corinthians 15:54-58).