re: #497 Kragar (Proud to be Kafir)

Finally!

Athlete blames God for bungled play

That reminded me of an article I read in the laundromat yesterday. Wingnut Christians are hoping Lance Armstrong gets taken down a peg or two.

It will be a terrible blow to many people if it turns out that cycling great Lance Armstrong was a doper, but there could be a silver lining | Mark Bergin

The nation’s preeminent sports columnists are wringing their hands. If doping allegations against seven-time Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong prove true, what will become of the thousands of cancer patients who draw strength from his story? If the man who overcame a brain tumor to become the most successful cyclist ever is a lying, cheating fraud, might that birth cynicism in the minds of people once filled with hope?

It’s a valid question, one no doubt weighing heavy on Armstrong’s mind. He recently completed what may prove his final Tour ride and has now secured legal counsel to guide him through a forthcoming investigation. Whether guilty or innocent, the charges alone will do nothing but sour the image of the most respected athlete in the country, a man responsible for raising millions of dollars in cancer research and providing resources and inspiration to help thousands beat the disease.

Much global good could well result if officials clear Armstrong of the charges levied by his former teammate Floyd Landis, a convicted doper himself. But should the charges stick, should Food and Drug Administration agent Jeff Novitzky prove that the cycling great juiced his way to victory, could any worldwide benefit emerge from that?

On the heels of two sparkling sports megastars suffering public image collapses—namely, swimmer Michael Phelps and golfer Tiger Woods—a third such scandal could awaken people to the folly of elevating athletes to angelic status. An Armstrong fall from grace would carry more weight in that regard than those of Phelps or Woods, neither of whom ever claimed moral superiority. For Armstrong, the moral high ground is central to his appeal, his brand, his identity.

In the minds of millions of fans, Armstrong is more than great. He is good, and now intent on employing that reputation to avoid undue scrutiny. “As long as we have a legitimate and credible and fair investigation, we’ll be happy to cooperate, but I’m not going to participate in any kind of witch hunt,” he said. “I’ve done too many good things for too many people.”

So he’s too arrogant. What they don’t say is that he’s public about being an atheist. He doesn’t credit his cure or his athletic success to God. I think that’s why they want to see him fall.