Dear Editor: Reports of post-competition partying and condom hand-outs at the Olympics show the need for athletes to be more grounded in their religious faith and the need for the sporting world to recover the idea of athletics as a forge for virtue.
Olympians have a “play hard, party hard” reputation. The massive condom distribution seems to be evidence of that lifestyle and sends the message that such a lifestyle is permitted and even encouraged at the Olympic Village. On the contrary, athletes should be grounded in their faith and encouraged to engage in prayer and spiritual reading. They should also have a discipleship-relationship with a spiritual mentor to help combat the dangers of off-the-field activities.
Historically, sports were considered to be a virtue-making machine. The values that correspond with sports were considered to go hand in hand with those that go into being a person of integrity and faith. Vince Lombardi, the former NFL coach of the Green Bay Packers football team, was a good example of that. He lived his faith and it was integral to his coaching.
Today, however, sports are increasingly associated with vice. It should be a vehicle to develop good character, to make a man courageous, a generous loser, and a gracious victor. We have to recover these original principles of sports so that we can work to forge greater bonds between people and help overcome the real, terrible social problems of our time such as genetic manipulation, human trafficking, the depletion of the earth’’s resources, poverty, famine, and illness.
With respectful and cordial best wishes, I remain,
Sincerely Yours,
Paul Kokoski.
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As an athlete you attend a competition you compete- fine made your country proud by being your best. You be your best at the competition medal or not
With the age of camera phones, digital cameras and all other cameras we have (technology that is) – this is the window to what happens at the parties TODAY IN THIS AGE. The window had been closed all along now people can take pictures on the spot and have it online sent across the world in seconds – Now we know so I do not think it is new.
who is the idiot who wrote this. Last time i checked the olympics was not about religion but about atleticism. IF you want religion then hold a damn conference. In the meantime seriously you need to SHUT UP!