The NFL is notably conservative, and sports, in general, are few of the large, secular public events where you’ll find a prayer circle without anyone batting an eye. That’s why it’s notable that Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers is talking about his changing relationship to Christianity. Rodgers talked about his skepticism with his religion with girlfriend Danica Patrick on her podcast Pretty Intense, talking about how he came to more of a spiritual relationship to the universe, rather than one framed by the binaries offered by the Christian church.
According to Rodgers, he began to question the organization of his faith because he saw how intensely his congregation held to the binary of “good” and “evil,” or “righteous” and “heathen,” since many devout Christians believe that anyone not committed to Jesus is going to end up in hell. That’s a lot of people.
“I don’t know how you can believe in a God who wants to condemn most of the planet to a fiery hell,” Rodgers explained. “What type of loving, sensitive, omnipresent, omnipotent being wants to condemn his beautiful creation to a fiery hell at the end of all this.”
American Quarterback & Superbowl winner Aaron Rodgers has left Christianity.
"I don't know how you can believe in a God who wants to condemn most of the planet to a fiery hell".Fact: All religions who have a "hell" have it of course to scare people to follow the religion.
???? pic.twitter.com/adtEJybYJI
— The Caring Atheist (@Caring_Atheist) January 21, 2020
This isn’t the first time the subject has come up. In 2018, Rodgers discussed his faith with ESPN the Magazine, and how certain beliefs about hell really made him question it.
“I remember asking a question as a young person about somebody in a remote rainforest because the words that I got were: ‘If you don’t confess your sins, then you’re going to hell.’ and I said, ‘What about the people who don’t have a Bible readily accessible?”
“I think in people’s lives who grew up in some sort of organized religion, there really comes a time when you start to question things more.”
You can watch the full interview with Patrick here:
