Tiger's Language Problem

The Big Dope had a question for me this morning that I couldn't answer. Is there anyone out there who can enlighten him on this? I will pass your thoughts along if they have any merit whatsoever. Here is what he asked me, with a little background (he was grousing around a lot over this, as only he can do when he gets worked up over stuff like this):

Tiger Woods has a language problem and he always has when in the thick of battle against a golf course. When things go wrong, Tiger's mouth goes haywire. Now, don't get me wrong, he is not the only one who spews sin out of his mouth. I dare say we all sin that way from time to time. It is sad to say, but I, too, manage a good curse on occasion when the mood strikes. But my question goes a little deeper than just that. I have a question about Tiger's choice of curses.

At the Masters last weekend, after having told the world on Monday that he was going to be better behaved on the course, Tiger had juuuust a few miscues. In fact, at one point, he said, "Tiger, you suck!" which was followed shortly with, and please excuse me, "God damn it!" Later, he spit out "God, Tiiiigerrrr! ... Jesus Christ!"

Now, much of the media out there is hitting Tiger hard over the hypocrisy of saying one thing (that he was going to avoid bad language and temper tantrums) and doing another. I don't have a problem with that. We all struggle with our free will and often fall, most of us more often than we would like to admit. So, the media is being a little unfair with this because even those in the media fight that fight with themselves on a daily basis, as do we all.

Now, the "Tiger, you suck!", if said on air by any news or opinion person, would have resulted in the firing of anyone, including CBS icon Jim Nantz and probably even Bill O'Reilly (Maybe Keith Olberman could get away with saying something like "George Bush, you suck!" and he probably has said that at least once, though maybe not, but that would be on MSNBC and almost no one would see it, so no one would really care.) But that is not what is troubling me.

I am a little puzzled over the use of Jesus' name in vain. According to Tiger Woods, he is a Buddhist. Why is it then, that Tiger feels it necessary to take the name of God in vain? If he doesn't believe in the Christian God, why invoke His Name? It is offensive to all Christians, and it means nothing to him. Why doesn't he say, "Buddha!" or some similar Buddhist curse? I am sure that would be just as bad to Buddhists as saying "Jesus Christ" is to Christians. So, Tiger's sin would be more religion specific, more poignant for him.

I am not saying, of course, that only Christians can take the name of Jesus in vain. Of course, they can't. It is a sin spelled out in the Ten Commandments. (Bonus points for which commandment.) But what could it possibly mean to Tiger, a Buddhist, to utter such language?

Anyone?

Perhaps now would be a good time to pause and say the Litany of the Holy Name of Jesus in reparation for sins committed against Jesus' name. It will only take a few minutes, and it can't hurt. Consider it a well-spent work break.