Tim Ellsworth

According to a new poll, about half of Americans aren’t sure if God exists.

The survey conducted by Harris Poll found that 42 percent of US adults are not “absolutely certain” there is a God compared to 34 percent who felt that way when asked the same question three years ago.

Among the various religious groups, 76 percent of Protestants, 64 percent of Catholics and 30 percent of Jews said they are “absolutely certain” there is a God while 93 percent of Christians who describe themselves as “Born Again” feel certain God exists.

Hat tip: Jim Toms

Fact: Chuck Norris doesn’t have to type to write a column. He roundhouse kicks the computer until the right words show up.

The Chuck Norris facts have made their way around the Internet plenty of times. On this blog, I think Jeremy was the first to point them out.

Now, Norris is writing a regular column for WorldNetDaily, and is addressing some of these so-called facts in his debut piece.

Alleged Chuck Norris Fact: “Chuck Norris’ tears can cure cancer. Too bad he never cries. Ever.”

There was a man whose tears could cure cancer or any other disease, including the real cause of all diseases – sin. His blood did. His name was Jesus, not Chuck Norris.

If your soul needs healing, the prescription you need is not Chuck Norris’ tears, it’s Jesus’ blood.

Hat tip: Laz

According to a story in the New York Post, the Yankees may attempt to sign Jeff Suppan.

Suppan, who is 106-101 with a 4.61 ERA, made $4 million this past season when he was 12-7. Since the free agent class of pitchers isn’t deep, Suppan could command $8 to $10 million a year.

If the Yankees want to pay Suppan $8 to $10 million a year, they can have him. He’ll end up winning 10-12 games for them, with an ERA of about 5.00.

Are evangelical feminists (or egalitarians) liberals who don’t believe the Bible? Not necessarily, says Wayne Grudem in his new book, “Evangelical Feminism: A New Path to Liberalism?” (Crossway Books)

However, Grudem argues, the nature of the arguments evangelical feminists use to support their position inevitably leads to an erosion of belief in the authority of the Bible — to liberalism, in short.

Here’s what Grudem says he attempts to show in the book:

1. that liberal Protestant denominations were the pioneers of evangelical feminism, and that evangelical feminists today have adopted many of the arguments earlier used by theological liberals to advocate the ordination of women and to reject male headship in marriage

2. that many prominent evangelical feminist writers today advocate positions that deny or undermine the authority of Scripture, and many other egalitarian leaders endorse their books and take no public stand against those who deny the authority of Scripture.

3. that recent trends now show that evangelical feminists are heading toward the denial of anything uniquely masculine, and some already endorse calling God “our Mother in heaven”

4. that the history of others who have adopted these positions shows that the next step is the endorsement of the moral legitimacy of homosexuality

5. that the common thread running through all of these trends is a rejection of the effective authority of Scripture in people’s lives, and that this is the bedrock principle of theological liberalism

Albert Mohler recently wrote about the new Grudem book: “This new book is one of the most urgently needed resources for evangelical Christianity, and it represents one of the most insightful and courageous theological works of our times.”

Former ESPN baseball analyst Harold Reynolds will sue the network over his firing during the summer.

“I have tried everything possible to handle this situation quietly behind closed doors. After numerous conversations and multiple mediation discussions with ESPN executives, it is clear that ESPN had no intention of solving this problem amicably,” Reynolds said in a statement.

Hat tip: Joel Maners

Here are some issues facing the Cardinals this offseason. How do you answer them?

1. What do you do with Edmonds? The Cardinals have a $10 million option to bring him back, or they’ll pay a $3 million buyout.

2. Adam Wainwright — Closer or starter?

3. Suppan, Weaver and Mulder are all free agents. Who, if any, do you attempt to re-sign?

The outlook wasn’t brilliant for the Cardinals team this year.
They faltered down the stretch, gave Cardinal Nation much to fear.

Despite a lead of seven games, the edge withered away.
The Astros pulled to within one with just three games to play.

But they squeaked into the playoffs, thanks to the Braves in part.
The Padres were the team with whom St. Louis was to start.

Would the Redbirds ride the arm of Carp and mighty Albert’s bat?
Or would they in the playoffs, like so many times, fall flat?

Chris Carpenter showed why he is the Cardinals’ pitching ace.
He won two games against the Pads, their bats he did erase.

The win over the Padres forced a showdown with the Mets.
Few people gave the Cards a chance, against them cast their bets.

Besides, the New York Mets were the NL’s winningest team,
It won’t take long for them to show the Cardinals who’s supreme.

The series tottered back and forth, until Game Seven came.
Then Yadier went deep and earned appropriate acclaim.

World Series bound! The faithful in St. Louis did rejoice.
Against all odds the Cards triumphed to hush the critic’s voice.

Meanwhile Detroit was plowing through the Yankees and the A’s,
To set up a rematch from 68’s departed days.

Again the Cards were underdogs before Detroit’s fine crew.
The experts said the Cardinals would soon say their adieu.

But something happened to the Birds that words cannot define.
Perhaps it was the stars above beginning to align.

Scott Rolen’s bat finally awoke from its untimely rest,
While Edmonds also came to life, to help the Cardinals’ quest.

St. Louis took Game 1 behind the rookie Reyes arm.
Pujols smacked one and drove in two, to do much of the harm.

Detroit bounced back to win Game 2. Yes, Rogers pitched quite well.
Two hits are all that he gave up, the Cards’ offense to quell.

Don’t worry ’bout the brown gunk seen upon the gambler’s hand.
The act was not enough to get the Tigers’ pitcher banned.

Back to St. Lou the Series went, games three and four and five,
Our ace, that guy named Carpenter, would keep our hopes alive.

And sure enough, he dominated in his Game Three start,
To give the Cards a 2-1 edge, and fans a hopeful heart.

Game Four saw Suppan take the mound against young Bonderman,
As Eckstein’s late heroics spurred the Cards to win again.

One win away! The Cards fans overflowed with sheer delight.
After twenty-four empty years, would Friday be the night?

It was Weaver for the Redbirds, Verlander for Detroit,
Each pitcher hoping to display his prowess more adroit.

But the defense was the story, as the Tigers couldn’t throw.
Eight errors for the whole series cost them as they well know.

Molina, Scott and Little Eck came through to spark some runs.
Few could have guessed at season’s end that they would be the ones.

Weaver put on a grand display, through eight allowing two.
He gave it over to the pen to pull the Cardinals through.

The rookie Wainwright took the ball and shut the Tigers down.
He struck out Inge on pitches three, to give the Cards the crown.

Oh, somewhere in this favored land the sun is shining bright.
Champagne is flowing somewhere, and somewhere hearts are light.
And somewhere men are laughing, and children freely play.

That place is Cardinal Nation, for the Cards are champs today.

By Tim Ellsworth
Adapted from “Casey at the Bat,” by Ernest Thayer

Can the Cards close it out tonight?

Call me a skeptic. Call me amazed. Call me flabbergasted. Three weeks ago, I’d never have believed the St. Louis Cardinals were one game away from winning the World Series. No way. Not on your life.

Read the rest of my column this week.

Great story about Tennessee mascot, Smokey the dog, who allegedly bit an Alabama player prior to last week’s game.

Stephen, a die-hard Vols fan, says “Good dog.”

Anybody else ready to get baseball finished so we can get on with the NBA?

Yeah, I didn’t think so.

Daniel Randle has a great post about the incredibly stupid idea of some liberal Christians to call themselves “red-letter Christians,” while they refer insultingly to conservatives as “black-letter Christians.”

Their reason for doing so? They emphasize and follow the teachings of Jesus, often designated in red letters in various Bibles, while all those mean conservatives only believe the “black letters” and don’t follow the teachings of Jesus.

Talk about snooty. And talk about childish. That sounds like something an 8-year-old would come up with.

Daniel writes:

“I find that these sort of distinctions only blur the debate that should be the focal point of discussion between moderate, liberal, and conservative Christians - and that is the authority of the Bible. What we have seen throughout history is that the axis upon which all of Christianity turns is the Biblical witness. When Christians have been made to emphasize one aspect of the Biblical record to the exclusion of another, then the Gospel itself has been compromised.”

Amen, brother.

My dad sent me this column from the Post-Dispatch’s Dan O’Neill, who writes about a curse the Cardinals are battling — the Curse of Keith Hernandez.

The signs are everywhere, if you care to look. For instance, the Tigers will send Kenny Rogers to the hill for Game 2 Sunday night. Rogers wears No. 37, the same uniform number Hernandez wore in St. Louis. Rogers won 17 games this season, the number Hernandez wore in New York. Rogers also lost eight games this season; if you subtract eight from 17 you get nine, which is the number of letters in the name Hernandez and is the number of years Hernandez played in a Cardinals uniform.

It’s a great piece of writing.

Over the past couple of days I’ve been getting a few hits from people doing Google searches for “Jeff Suppan” and “Christian.” In fact, I’m the top hit on Google for that search.

Of all the interviews I’ve done with Christian athletes, I’ve never written anything about Suppan being a Christian. Nor have any of my contacts in baseball ever told me that Suppan is a Christian. But I’ve often wondered it myself, simply from observing the way he acts. He’s one of those athletes who carries himself in such a way that it wouldn’t surprise me to find out that he was a Christian.

I presume he’s a Roman Catholic, based on his bio at the Cardinals website. According to that bio, he serves as a member of the Pontifical Council of Church and Sport. This past offseason, he had a chance to visit Pope Benedict XVI at the Vatican.

So, that’s what I know about the topic. I hope it might be of some use to those finding me through these searches.

We’ll see if Jeff Suppan’s NLCS success carries over to the World Series. Bonderman was better on the road this year than at home.