An old article I wrote - will be updated for the Olympics

[fretmeister]

A couple of years ago I had an article called "The Apostacy of Jonathan Edwards" published.

It is my intent to update it ahead of the Olympics when we will no doubt suffer a barrage of stupid when athletes claim god helped them win.

When the article was published I got plenty of emails ranging from threats of hellfire all the way to "you claiming that Jesus couldn't help you win a race?" type crap. What I didn't get was any useful feedback. I'd like some proper feedback. I've already decided going to make it less Edwards specific and call it something else, but other than that.....

SO HIT ME!!!




The apostasy of Jonathan Edwards

Are religious athletes nothing more than cheats?

In recent months there has been rather a lot of press (relatively speaking) about World Triple Jump Champion and sometime world record holder Jonathan Edwards and his apparent 'fall from grace' and / or 'apostasy' and / or 'coming to his senses' depending on what newspaper or magazine you happened to be reading.

I suspect that if the former Christian Mr Edwards had retired quietly after his magnificent athletics career and dealt with his own faith privately then there would have been no 'drama' at all. Instead he took a position presenting 'Songs of Praise' and then quit in a storm of atheism.

His story and his famous reliance on God to guide him through his career raises an important question, both from a philosophical position, and a medical one: Is God's assistance in sporting events immoral and are devout athletes cheating?

Mr Edwards has repeatedly claimed that prior to winning the world title he prayed to God 'to do with me what you will' and clearly God's will was that he should win the title.

In my less generous and more cynical days I imagine that prayer to be like this:

"Our father. I am about to gird up my loins and enter the field of battle on your behalf. I am entering a stadium full of people to represent you. I know, understand and empathise with all the people of the world who are starving, who are in a war zone, who are diseased. I know that at any one time there are thousands of children desperately calling out your name asking for your help, your salvation, your mercy.

I need you to ignore all that for a bit.

I need you to help me to hop skip and jump really really really far over a sandpit just so I can tell other people I jumped the furthest. I know that sounds like I only want bragging rights in the pub this evening, but there is a difference – I'll get some real gold that I'll keep in a safe away from people who can't afford gold. That medal will actually be like getting a 'star' from you! Other people in the world will gaze in wonder as you help me run and hop and skip and jump!!!

So, will you help me? Amen"

I despair at the type of system that thinks 'Yes' is the correct response to that prayer.

Irrespective of the actual words of any prayer offered in such a situation the request remains utterly disgusting and repugnant: a pious person should not be asking for God's help to win a trivial (in terms of morality and suffering) sporting contest when there are real catastrophes on earth – surely the prayer should have been:

'Dear God.
I'm going out to play with my friends. You have already given me talent, now leave me alone and cure cancer or something. Or let an amputee grow an arm back, which you have never ever done. I'll tell you how I got on later.
Ta muchly.
Jonny."

Mr Edwards actually believed that God was helping him win a jumping competition. This is the heart of my enquiry. Does a strong belief, such as that of Mr Edwards, actually have a placebo effect that could be compared to performance enhancing drugs? Should God be illegal in sport?

I have been searching in vain for studies on this question and can find none. However the placebo effect is very real and has great medical benefits. Obviously there is a difference between that kind of 'medication' and an athlete taking a steroid – no one would ban an athlete for mistakenly believing he had been taking a steroid even if it did have a positive impact, and more to the point an athlete is likely to consider the drug a failure if there was no improvement. A religious athlete would never dream of considering that God had failed in an attempt to assist, particularly if the other competitors were of different faiths or none at all: that religious athlete would never accept that his one and only true God was beaten by the fakes and charlatans and even worse, the puny humans who think they can beat a warrior of God without any type of help at all.

I would very much like to read an investigation by medical experts with appropriate experience of the placebo effect. Of course finding subjects might be difficult as, taking Mr Edwards as an example, he is no longer religious but is no longer an active athlete at the height of his powers. I would welcome any psychological input on that though: there must be a valid hypothesis even if the actual experiment would be difficult to perform.

In moral terms however the modern sporting arena is the closest most of us will get to actual conflict and as a result God needs to be banned from sport lest the winner decide that other Gods are the fakes based purely on the outcome of a 100-metre race. Sounds silly? Yes of course it does, but it is no more silly than believing that a 2000 year old Jewish zombie rose from the dead and invites you to eat his body and communicate with him telepathically so you can reserve a booking in a place that no one has seen.

Perhaps Mr Edwards will now hand back his medals in recognition of the immoral performance enhancing placebo effect of the delusion he conveniently no longer suffers from? That would at least purify the wonderful intent of the Olympics and other sporting activity where the aim is to push forward ‘human’ excellence without assistance from outside, no matter what form that assistance takes.
26 October 2007



ADDITION: I received a few emails from people who wondered if I was actually suggesting that Jonathan Edwards had cheated in gaining Olympic Glory.

Of course not. 'God' is not on the banned substance list and to believe that anyone cheated with the assistance of God I would first have to believe that God actually existed.

The article merely suggests that those people who claimed God assisted them have actually diminished their own achievements and that the message to young people is 'God made me win - so there is no point even trying to beat me'


On the other hand, athletes who stand up and say "I did it!" might sound arrogant, but they show that with hard work, dedication and no doubt some assistance from good genetics, anyone can succeed.

Men like Jonathan Edwards are the perfect antidote to the modern disease of celebrating mediocrity. Men like Jonathan Edwards should be celebrated because they are human and not supernatural.

[Bella Fortuna]

I really liked this, and don't have ay criticism, so I'm afraid that's not really helpful... I entirely agree with you.

This would be a great topic and viewpoint to do an Oniony parody of, as if god had been banned as an unfair advantage, citing this as the impetus.

[Audley Strange]

The only thing I'd say is that a lot of sports folks have superstitions, lucky jewelry or performance rituals and the like. If their faith helps motivate them fair enough, since we do not laud athletes on their
ability to reason or their intellect, it doesn't make much of a difference. I'd worry more about politicians and chiefs of police and the like calling on higher powers on the grounds of diminished responsibility.

[Bella Fortuna]

The only thing I'd say is that a lot of sports folks have superstitions, lucky jewelry or performance rituals and the like. If their faith helps motivate them fair enough, since we do not laud athletes on their
ability to reason or their intellect, it doesn't make much of a difference. I'd worry more about politicians and chiefs of police and the like calling on higher powers on the grounds of diminished responsibility.

Call in those psychics for solving murders!

[fretmeister]

I get the point about lucky talismans, and the importance of ritual. When I go into court I have a little routine I go through. Nothing too weird - just the way I like to have my papers organised, where my pens are and I have almost a bit of a pep-talk to myself.

I realise it is utterly stupid but I also feel more comfortable having done it. But my ritual doesn't claim superiority over my opponent if I win!

[FBM]

Hmm. I think it's quite good as is. When you say you want feedback, do you mean that you think something's lacking in it, or maybe you wanted a different sort of response from the readers other than pious self-righteous indignation? IOW, what effect were you shooting for? Knowing that might help us give something potentially useful.

[Audley Strange]

I get the point about lucky talismans, and the importance of ritual. When I go into court I have a little routine I go through. Nothing too weird - just the way I like to have my papers organised, where my pens are and I have almost a bit of a pep-talk to myself.

I realise it is utterly stupid but I also feel more comfortable having done it. But my ritual doesn't claim superiority over my opponent if I win!

But you recognise that the ritual makes you feel more comfortable, perhaps even more confident, so whether it be a placebo or not, you do it because it makes you feel better, gives you the edge so to speak. Now, yes it is utterly stupid, but so what?

Don't get me wrong, the idea of using some poorly defined character in a book as winning causation could be considered offensive, but only really by other competitors who are still believers because it implies God hates them or loves them less or they are somehow not worthy of his attentions. As for non believers, why would you concern yourself with this? I don't mean to be rude but it seems like a target so trivial and dare I say it petty that I'm wondering if it should be considered an issue at all?

There is of course the chance that I'm missing something obvious, since sports rate to me somewhere between Urban Planning for Nomadic Cultures and Flat Earth Cartography.

[mistermack]

What I get is that people who believe that god helped them OUGHT to feel guilty.

If they really believe it. Can it be fair that god helps you, and not your opponents?

Or worse, can it be fair if god just held back your opponent a little, and didn't interfere with you.

If Jonathan Edwards really believes either, he SHOULD be ashamed.

[fretmeister]

The critique I'm looking for is for content, style, weakness in arguments etc. I like to write but I'll only get better at it if I welcome attempts to shoot me down.

AS - I do see what you mean, but for a great many people, adults and children, sport is the source of heroes. When a footy player lifts his shirt to show "God is Great" on a t-shirt underneath every time he scores a goal some 8 year old gets a message that god can help him be good at football. I would rather that 8 year recognised the hard work any professional sportsman has to do.

Mistermack - I KNOW Edwards used to believe it. My inlaws are fundis and they went to some church gigs where he was speaking.

And judging by the lovely letter I got from his agent, his agent believed it too!! - hence the additional part.

Still - at least now he recognises that he did it himself without help from some zombie

[Audley Strange]

AS - I do see what you mean, but for a great many people, adults and children, sport is the source of heroes. When a footy player lifts his shirt to show "God is Great" on a t-shirt underneath every time he scores a goal some 8 year old gets a message that god can help him be good at football. I would rather that 8 year recognised the hard work any professional sportsman has to do.

Ahah! A Good point and one that did in fact escape me. Still would you not rather that, than them being encouraged to be violent homophobic racist misogynists (again I'm using that word in it's proper context) which is what many of football's so called role models are tantamount to, at least in the U.K. anyway. Not that the two are mutually exclusive.

[Xamonas Chegwé]

Fretmeister, I would just like to say that the last part of your sig is priceless! I am unashamed to say that I will steal it and use it regularly whenever the old argument by popularity raises its ugly head!

[klr]

Sports people don't seem to be the sharpest tacks in the box, on average. And a disproportionate number of them seem to be god-fearing.

...
AS - I do see what you mean, but for a great many people, adults and children, sport is the source of heroes. When a footy player lifts his shirt to show "God is Great" on a t-shirt underneath every time he scores a goal some 8 year old gets a message that god can help him be good at football. I would rather that 8 year recognised the hard work any professional sportsman has to do.

... and the fact that you cab make indecent amounts of money, drive fancy cars, pull all the birds you could want*, etc.

*Alright, that may not impress an 8-year old.

Speaking of fast cars: It would appear that Steven Pienaar - he of the "God is Great" t-shirt - is in a spot of bother for breaking the speed limit, whilst under the influence:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article ... liser.html

Warrant issued for Premier League footballer's arrest day after scoring huge goal against Manchester United

* Steven Piennar scored an 85th minute equaliser as Everton drew 4-4 with Man Utd at Old Trafford
* The footballer's car was twice caught speeding - and he has failed to tell the authorities who was driving
* Arrest warrant issued after he fails to appear before magistrates' court
* He faces a possible driving ban when his case is heard

...

It must be true, it's in the Daily Mail

[mistermack]

Sorry to Jonathan Edwards. I was unaware that he had worked out how unlikely the god delusion is.

It must be hard, when your own parents are so committed.
Friendly and loving indoctrination is more deadly to reason than a heavy handed approach.
You have to give him credit for having the will to face questions that he'd got used to not asking.

"Lost his faith" is an insidious phrase. "Found his reason" is more truthful and genuine.

[fretmeister]

It made the front page of the Times!!

It was clearly a slow news day, but even so - quite a shock for the faithful that the presenter of Songs of Praise could flip!