New York Mets second baseman Daniel Murphy said in an interview with NJ.com that he would accept a gay teammate, but said that he "Disagrees with the lifestyle, 100 percent," reports Deadspin. Murphy's comments come after Mets Manager Sandy Alderson had the first major league player to ever come out publicly, Billy Bean, spend a day in uniform with the team yesterday. Murphy says he wanted the team to meet Bean, and that he's personally wanted to meet Bean for a long time, but the Mets player's comments about the "Gay lifestyle," indicates that whatever respect he has for Bean as a player is undercut by his disrespect for his "lifestyle."
Said Murphy:
"I disagree with his lifestyle. I do disagree with the fact that Billy is a homosexual. That doesn't mean I can't still invest in him and get to know him. I don't think the fact that someone is a homosexual should completely shut the door on investing in them in a relational aspect. Getting to know him. That, I would say, you can still accept them but I do disagree with the lifestyle, 100 percent…
"Maybe, as a Christian, that we haven't been as articulate enough in describing what our actual stance is on homosexuality. We love the people. We disagree the lifestyle. That's the way I would describe it for me. It's the same way that there are aspects of my life that I'm trying to surrender to Christ in my own life. There's a great deal of many things, like my pride. I just think that as a believer trying to articulate it in a way that says just because I disagree with the lifestyle doesn't mean I'm just never going to speak to Billy Bean every time he walks through the door. That's not love. That's not love at all."
Bean is Major League Baseball's Ambassador for Inclusion, and Alderson wanted Bean to share his story of how he left baseball because he struggled to continue playing while hiding his sexual orientation, and to make the Mets clubhouse feel more inclusive for all people. Bean heard Murphy's comments after he received several emails asking how he felt about the player's "gay lifestyle" comments. Bean responded to Murphy's comments with class in an article he wrote for MLB.com.
Said Bean:
"After reading his comments, I appreciate that Daniel spoke his truth. I really do. I was visiting his team, and a reporter asked his opinion about me. He was brave to share his feelings, and it made me want to work harder and be a better example that someday might allow him to view things from my perspective, if only for just a moment.
"I respect him, and I want everyone to know that he was respectful of me. We have baseball in common, and for now, that might be the only thing. But it's a start.
"The silver lining in his comments are that he would be open to investing in a relationship with a teammate, even if he "disagrees" with the lifestyle. It may not be perfect, but I do see him making an effort to reconcile his religious beliefs with his interpretation of the word lifestyle. It took me 32 years to fully accept my sexual orientation, so it would be hypocritical of me to not be patient with others."
