"While we believe that our promotions were poking fun at Mr. Tebow's celebrity status rather than his religion or baseball career, our intent was not to offend anyone, and for the fact that we did offend, we are sorry," general manager Dave Echols wrote in a statement to The Post and Courier.

Tebow, a devout Evangelical Christian, was in Charleston last weekend for a three-game series with the minor league ball club. The Fireflies are the Class A affiliate of the New York Mets.

Every time Tebow came to bat, the "Hallelujah Chorus" was played over the public address system. The Riverdogs' mascot wore eye black inscribed with "John 3:16" and was filmed "Tebowing" on the field. Click here to watch.

You might recall during Tebow's football career at the University of Florida, he would strike a prayerful pose on the sidelines that became known as "Tebowing."  He was roundly criticized by godless liberals for writing "John 3:16" in eye black during his gridiron days.

Echols acknowledged some of the promotional activities "were in poor taste."

Some called the RiverDogs antics trolling, others called it mocking and some called it downright disrespectful.

Mets General Manager Sandy Alderson told Newsday the non-stop badgering got under his skin.

"I guess my comment would be that it was all very minor league," he said.

Fans unleashed on social networking pages – calling it classless.

"Guy brings in the three biggest crowds of your year and you mock him relentlessly including his religion? Classless!" one fan wrote on Twitter.

"So they are proud of showing disrespect and bullying. This team may have won the game but they have lost much more. They are real losers," tweeted another. "I am from Charleston and it is not what my home town is about #VeryPoorRiverDogs."

I'll admit that I chuckled a bit over the "Hallelujah Chorus" bit – but it does appear the Charleston ball club crossed the line. Still, I think they deserve a measure of grace.

I suspect many of the RiverDogs are good, church-going folks so I doubt they meant to offend people of faith. I take the general manager at his word when he said it was nothing more than good-natured ribbing.

But I wonder if they would've been so eager to mock Tebow's faith – had he been a Muslim?

Todd Starnes

To receive daily emails from Breaking Christian News to your inbox CLICK HERE

Choices, Not Race, Determine Success in America, Says Immigrant from Zimbabwe, Now an Author, Small Business Owner

'Pray for' America: Christian Leaders React to the Derek Chauvin Verdict

Ted Cruz Exposes Double Standard on Georgia Elections during Committee Hearing on New Georgia Voting Law

'Woke' Simon and Schuster Employees Try to Cancel Pence Book: Publisher Bites Back

Apple Finally Lets Parler Return to App Store Following Republican Letter

Archaeologists Find Site of Harriet Tubman's Father's Home Where This 'Moses' of the Underground Railroad Got Her Start

'It Was A Pretty Powerful Moment': 6-Year-Old Gets Hero's Welcome Back to School after Completing Cancer Treatment

'It's Real!': Arizona Woman's Near-death Experience Confirms Famous Painting of Jesus

Verdict: Jury Finds Derek Chauvin Guilty of Murdering George Floyd

'Stop Killing Our Children': Benjamin Watson Exposes 'Hollow' Apology for Planned Parenthood's Racist Roots

Arkansas Legislature Passes Bill Banning Planned Parenthood from Public Schools

'We're Not Doing Fauci-ism': Ron DeSantis Defends Florida's COVID Response

Latest Episode of 'At Home With The Robertsons' Tackles Tough Questions about COVID-19 Vaccine Safety

WATCH: Arizona Gov. Ducey Declares Border Emergency Because Biden Won't

'Religious Freedom Prevailed': Houston Officials Agree to Permit Synagogue to Meet Following Religious Liberty Lawsuit

'I Heard God Speak to Me': Columbine Survivor Craig Scott Reflects on the Moments That Saved His Life, and How He Found Forgiveness

Biden Admin Axes President Trump's Rules Limiting Experimentation on Aborted Babies

Are Scientists Now Using Human Cells to Create 'Planet of the Apes' Embryos?

Young Pregnant Pro-abortion Leader in Argentina Dies after Legal Abortion

Report: Thousands of Reports of Menstrual Irregularities, Reproductive Dysfunction Following COVID Vaccines