Tuesday, July 12, 2005
Lance Armstrong beats down the Alps
To no one's surprise, Lance Armstrong claimed the yellow jersey following today's stage, the first in the Alps. Bill Hobbs, who has been following the Tour on a stage-by-stage basis, has today's latest.
Lance is obviously a great story, but he perplexes me. Victories over cancer, the world's toughest bike race, and peers that have sought to disparage his reputation by linking him to drug use should make a man thankful for his wonderful life. Lance is thankful, but only to himself. If any man should recognize the divine intervention in his life, it is Lance Armstrong. Yet he remains to this day an atheist. He believes in "I"dolotry - as in "I can do this," "I am powerful enough to do that," and "I can save myself." It baffles me that one of God's most gifted creatures can't even acknowledge that He exists.
I suppose I shouldn't be so naive. Armstrong is very much anti-Second Amendment, pro-abortion, and against the liberation of Iraq. Heck, he dates someone who is radically to the Left in Sheryl Crow (who once showed remarkable maturity when she told a stunned group of 13-year-old girls, "If you want to turn on your boyfriend, get naked and strap on an accordion"), which is a far cry from his ex-wife (you know, the one who comforted him through cancer, bore his beautiful children, and assisted his return to cycling), who is a devout Catholic. I pray that Lance realizes that the gold crucifix that hangs around his neck isn't just a piece of jewelry, and that the gifts he is blessed with don't come from human sources.
Lance is obviously a great story, but he perplexes me. Victories over cancer, the world's toughest bike race, and peers that have sought to disparage his reputation by linking him to drug use should make a man thankful for his wonderful life. Lance is thankful, but only to himself. If any man should recognize the divine intervention in his life, it is Lance Armstrong. Yet he remains to this day an atheist. He believes in "I"dolotry - as in "I can do this," "I am powerful enough to do that," and "I can save myself." It baffles me that one of God's most gifted creatures can't even acknowledge that He exists.
I suppose I shouldn't be so naive. Armstrong is very much anti-Second Amendment, pro-abortion, and against the liberation of Iraq. Heck, he dates someone who is radically to the Left in Sheryl Crow (who once showed remarkable maturity when she told a stunned group of 13-year-old girls, "If you want to turn on your boyfriend, get naked and strap on an accordion"), which is a far cry from his ex-wife (you know, the one who comforted him through cancer, bore his beautiful children, and assisted his return to cycling), who is a devout Catholic. I pray that Lance realizes that the gold crucifix that hangs around his neck isn't just a piece of jewelry, and that the gifts he is blessed with don't come from human sources.
Permalink posted by Rob Huddleston @ 2:48 PM 
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How do you know Lance Armstrong is an athiest or what his views are on abortion or the war in Iraq???
Can you provide links where he's said these things in an interview or are you just speculating?
Can you provide links where he's said these things in an interview or are you just speculating?
# posted by 
: 3:54 PM
: 3:54 PM
Anonymous -
This isn't exactly new news, but a good place to start is Alastair Campbell's interview with Armstrong conducted for the Times of London. It can be found at:
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,9910-1018310,00.html
Cheers,
Rob
This isn't exactly new news, but a good place to start is Alastair Campbell's interview with Armstrong conducted for the Times of London. It can be found at:
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,9910-1018310,00.html
Cheers,
Rob
Hey Rob love your TDF stuff, I too am addicted to the OLN and the roads of France.
Great stuff, rock on
Great stuff, rock on
# posted by : 8:29 PM
: 8:29 PM
Should Armstrong's politics even matter? Can't we just respect his ability as an athlete?
# posted by : 11:23 PM
: 11:23 PM
Anonymous -
Where did I say that I didn't respect Armstrong's athletic abilities? He is quite possibly the best athlete of my generation. To deny that would be somewhat ludicrous.
However, his views do matter. In fact, they matter more than Lance's athletic accomplishments. When all is said and done, it is what you stood for and for what you fought that matters in life, not the awards, the money, the titles, or the fame. Lance has had more obstacles in life than most. My prayer is that he arrives at a better place before the end - an even better place than Paris, for sure.
Cheers,
Rob
Where did I say that I didn't respect Armstrong's athletic abilities? He is quite possibly the best athlete of my generation. To deny that would be somewhat ludicrous.
However, his views do matter. In fact, they matter more than Lance's athletic accomplishments. When all is said and done, it is what you stood for and for what you fought that matters in life, not the awards, the money, the titles, or the fame. Lance has had more obstacles in life than most. My prayer is that he arrives at a better place before the end - an even better place than Paris, for sure.
Cheers,
Rob
As I said last night, love your TDF stuff and I hope that you are enjoying the tour as much as I am.
Now to your real question, Armstrong and his faith and politics. I am a conservative Christian and LONG time cycling fan (back to the day's of Jonathan Boyer in France (i.e. pre Lemond)) and I too am bothered by Armstrong lack of concern about God, and the issues of morality and safety of the US. You are correct to id him as a atheist, and as a "I"dialogue.
In the end though I have reached the conclusion with Lance Armstrong that he is like most athletes, stars, and politicians - I can respect him / them for their accomplishments in their chosen professions, but not for their personal lives or faith. Armstrong is the best TDF rider ever, he is maybe one of the top 10 or 15 cyclists ever, but as a individual I would not want to have him over to dinner, and I would only want to talk with him if the topic was cycling. He is a single topic person, solely focused on self and what he can do. Nothing more and nothing less.
The simple truth of the matter is that I know of few famous people that I would really like to meet with in person and fewer even that I would want to break bread with. With that said, I must end this by adding that I have prayed for Lance, his soul, and for a life transforming meeting with Christ in the past, I will continue to do that after the 2005 TDF is over as well. I also regularly pray for other public leaders and officials that have less then stellar personal lives and habits.
At the end of the day I have just decided that I can respect people for their public accomplishments without respecting them and their personal life. The vast majority of people that I respect personally are far less visible, most are virtually unknown, and they are all humble. The last trait is something that few popular people have.
Again thanks for the TDF post and ROCK ON FOR THE KING!!!
Now to your real question, Armstrong and his faith and politics. I am a conservative Christian and LONG time cycling fan (back to the day's of Jonathan Boyer in France (i.e. pre Lemond)) and I too am bothered by Armstrong lack of concern about God, and the issues of morality and safety of the US. You are correct to id him as a atheist, and as a "I"dialogue.
In the end though I have reached the conclusion with Lance Armstrong that he is like most athletes, stars, and politicians - I can respect him / them for their accomplishments in their chosen professions, but not for their personal lives or faith. Armstrong is the best TDF rider ever, he is maybe one of the top 10 or 15 cyclists ever, but as a individual I would not want to have him over to dinner, and I would only want to talk with him if the topic was cycling. He is a single topic person, solely focused on self and what he can do. Nothing more and nothing less.
The simple truth of the matter is that I know of few famous people that I would really like to meet with in person and fewer even that I would want to break bread with. With that said, I must end this by adding that I have prayed for Lance, his soul, and for a life transforming meeting with Christ in the past, I will continue to do that after the 2005 TDF is over as well. I also regularly pray for other public leaders and officials that have less then stellar personal lives and habits.
At the end of the day I have just decided that I can respect people for their public accomplishments without respecting them and their personal life. The vast majority of people that I respect personally are far less visible, most are virtually unknown, and they are all humble. The last trait is something that few popular people have.
Again thanks for the TDF post and ROCK ON FOR THE KING!!!
# posted by : 4:41 PM
: 4:41 PM
I'm surprised by theist's reactions to Lance Armstrong's atheism. For example, most of you want to "pray" for him. Don't bother! He's in the very best place he can be right now ... not the least of which is his freedom from religion. See my post, Lance Armstrong, American Atheist Athlete.
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