USWNT

What one topic has completely dominated pastoral conversations over the past week or so? If you guessed the US Women's National Team you get a rainbow star.

From a man lying flat in a hospital bed: “I think it's hilarious that Megan Rapinoe told Trump she won't visit him in the White House!”

From a Facebook friend of many years: “What did you think of those players stepping on the American flag?!?”

Others have carefully led up to very tentative discussions of the players' sexuality, of their annihilation of Thailand, of their demand for pay equal to the men, even one guy who really surprised me with a private message containing a link to a player's website where she sells swimsuits she designs herself. I did not click on the link—not even in the spirit of research—because knowing her name and appearance I suspected I would see something that...well...uh...

Let's just say that the straight guy in me probably wouldn't have minded seeing whatever is there. But the pastor in me does not need to engage in that kind of thing.

I think we ought to be talking about the greatness of this team. But in the era of social media smack downs it seems we can talk only of everything else. So here are my deepest feelings and thoughts about everything else: I am not sure it is possible for me to care less. I don't care who's gay and who's straight. I don't care about the flag thing because it was an obvious mistake. I don't care who goes to the White House. I kind of care about the pay but reliable sources have different accountings for the income generated by the men and women and until that's sorted out I am not going to waste time worrying about it.

This is one of the greatest national teams in any sport of any time. They played hard and did not whine (overly). I am no soccer expert but I fancy I understand the game reasonably well. I could see only one weakness: direct runs or passes between the two center backs. EVERYTHING ELSE WAS ACES. This team attacked and defended with lethal precision. And what a joy to watch them. All of them. I cared more that they are OUR women than I did that they ARE women.

Isn't that supposed to be the point?