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Was God at the Olympics?
Posted: Mon Aug 13, 2012 1:07 pm
by _Drifting
I had the undoubted privilege of attending some of the Olympics in London 2012 and watching (courtesy of the BBC) nearly 12 hours worth of TV coverage 'sans adverts' every day of the programme.
Putting to one side the achievements of all of the athletes for a moment. I can say that during this period the country and in particular London itself, displayed a vastly more considerate humanity than I have witnessed before. Strangers from differing countries were chatting as friends, men were standing up in public transport to allow ladies to be seated (which I was taught was good manners but which has become a missing nicety), no pushing or shoving, everyone had smiles in their faces, patriotism (the right kind) was far more visible, families hugged, strangers hugged, groups laughed, no trouble resulted from large crowds of opposing fans intermingling etc.
Lord Coe, the organiser, when asked about his favourite moment of The Games, related an experience he had whilst travelling on the tube. He got chatting to one of the volunteer Games Makers about what he was up to etc. it transpires that the man was in the medical profession. "Thank you" said Lord Coe to him for helping, "No, thank you Lord Coe for giving me this opportunity to have closure". Lord Coe asked him to explain. This man had been on duty during the London bombings in 2007 and explained that on that day he lost his faith in humanity after seeing the worst of what people were capable of doing to each other. He was thanking Lord Coe for giving him the opportunity to have seen the best in humanity and he could finally put that bad experience behind him.
The whole event has been quite frankly, an outstanding display of how nice the human spirit can be.
Is that down to God?
Re: Was God at the Olympics?
Posted: Mon Aug 13, 2012 1:46 pm
by _ludwigm
Drifting wrote:It was, frankly, an outstanding display of how nice the human spirit can be.
Can be. Moreover should be constantly, not only for a week of every four years.
Drifting wrote:Was that down to God?
God?
As far as I know, during first olympics it was Zeus.
_________________
If I had the [ img ] feature, here may be found an image to support my comment.
This one.Warning: women on the picture wear traditional greek costume, which doesn't show, only stresses their gender.
Re: Was God at the Olympics?
Posted: Mon Aug 13, 2012 1:52 pm
by _LittleNipper
Drifting wrote:I had the undoubted privilege of attending some of the Olympics in London 2012 and watching (courtesy of the BBC) nearly 12 hours worth of TV coverage 'sans adverts' every day of the programme.
Putting to one side the achievements of all of the athletes for a moment. I can say that during this period the country and in particular London itself, displayed a vastly more considerate humanity than I have witnessed before. Strangers from differing countries were chatting as friends, men were standing up in public transport to allow ladies to be seated (which I was taught was good manners but which has become a missing nicety), no pushing or shoving, everyone had smiles in their faces, patriotism (the right kind) was far more visible, families hugged, strangers hugged, groups laughed, no trouble resulted from large crowds of opposing fans intermingling etc.
Lord Coe, the organiser, when asked about his favourite moment of The Games, related an experience he had whilst travelling on the tube. He got chatting to one of the volunteer Games Makers about what he was up to etc. it transpires that the man was in the medical profession. "Thank you" said Lord Coe to him for helping, "No, thank you Lord Coe for giving me this opportunity to have closure". Lord Coe asked him to explain. This man had been on duty during the London bombings in 2007 and explained that on that day he lost his faith in humanity after seeing the worst of what people were capable of doing to each other. He was thanking Lord Coe for giving him the opportunity to have seen the best in humanity and he could finally put that bad experience behind him.
The whole event has been quite frankly, an outstanding display of how nice the human spirit can be.
Is that down to God?
Perhaps everything was nice because people imagined that they were ambassadors ----- both for their country and for God --- imagine that. God can and does use events to bring healing. Oddly, in the Bible (verse by verse), we have reached the part concerning the Great 7 Year Famine and how God preserved Joseph and his family and brought healing to that family as well.
Re: Was God at the Olympics?
Posted: Mon Aug 13, 2012 3:49 pm
by _subgenius
Drifting wrote:I had the undoubted privilege of attending some of the Olympics in London 2012 and watching (courtesy of the BBC) nearly 12 hours worth of TV coverage 'sans adverts' every day of the programme.
wait! don't you have a job? how can you watch 12 hours a day of anything?!?
Drifting wrote:Putting to one side the achievements of all of the athletes for a moment. I can say that during this period the country and in particular London itself, displayed a vastly more considerate humanity than I have witnessed before. Strangers from differing countries were chatting as friends, men were standing up in public transport to allow ladies to be seated (which I was taught was good manners but which has become a missing nicety), no pushing or shoving, everyone had smiles in their faces, patriotism (the right kind) was far more visible, families hugged, strangers hugged, groups laughed, no trouble resulted from large crowds of opposing fans intermingling etc.
Lord Coe, the organiser, when asked about his favourite moment of The Games, related an experience he had whilst travelling on the tube. He got chatting to one of the volunteer Games Makers about what he was up to etc. it transpires that the man was in the medical profession. "Thank you" said Lord Coe to him for helping, "No, thank you Lord Coe for giving me this opportunity to have closure". Lord Coe asked him to explain. This man had been on duty during the London bombings in 2007 and explained that on that day he lost his faith in humanity after seeing the worst of what people were capable of doing to each other. He was thanking Lord Coe for giving him the opportunity to have seen the best in humanity and he could finally put that bad experience behind him.
The whole event has been quite frankly, an outstanding display of how nice the human spirit can be.
Is that down to God?
Yes, it is. (if i understand you colloquial of "down to" correctly)
Re: Was God at the Olympics?
Posted: Mon Aug 13, 2012 3:53 pm
by _subgenius
ludwigm wrote:Drifting wrote:It was, frankly, an outstanding display of how nice the human spirit can be.
Can be. Moreover should be constantly, not only for a week of every four years.
it is for TWO weeks, and it is constant...just not consistent with regards to location.
ludwigm wrote:Drifting wrote:Was that down to God?
God?
As far as I know, during first olympics it was Zeus.
its pronounced differently now.
ludwigm wrote:This one.Warning: women on the picture wear traditional greek costume, which doesn't show, only stresses their gender.
weren't original Olympians nude during competition?
Re: Was God at the Olympics?
Posted: Mon Aug 13, 2012 4:52 pm
by _ludwigm
subgenius wrote:ludwigm wrote:This one.Warning: women on the picture wear traditional greek costume, which doesn't show, only stresses their gender.
weren't original Olympians nude during competition?
Ask Paul...
The picture I referenced (because
I am denied to show one) was a simple
Olympic Flame scene.
Re: Was God at the Olympics?
Posted: Mon Aug 13, 2012 6:07 pm
by _Albion
Drifting, could it be simply that the innately traditional British values of politeness and courtesy, seemingly floundering under a rising tide of surliness, were not so deeply buried as perhaps thought? The British always have a way of rising to the occasion when the big tests come....and surely they did with these Olympics.
Re: Was God at the Olympics?
Posted: Tue Aug 14, 2012 5:53 am
by _madeleine
Drifting wrote:I had the undoubted privilege of attending some of the Olympics in LondonG 2012 and watching (courtesy of the BBC) nearly 12 hours worth of TV coverage 'sans adverts' every day of the programme.
Putting to one side the achievements of all of the athletes for a moment. I can say that during this period the country and in particular London itself, displayed a vastly more considerate humanity than I have witnessed before. Strangers from differing countries were chatting as friends, men were standing up in public transport to allow ladies to be seated (which I was taught was good manners but which has become a missing nicety), no pushing or shoving, everyone had smiles in their faces, patriotism (the right kind) was far more visible, families hugged, strangers hugged, groups laughed, no trouble resulted from large crowds of opposing fans intermingling etc.
Lord Coe, the organiser, when asked about his favourite moment of The Games, related an experience he had whilst travelling on the tube. He got chatting to one of the volunteer Games Makers about what he was up to etc. it transpires that the man was in the medical profession. "Thank you" said Lord Coe to him for helping, "No, thank you Lord Coe for giving me this opportunity to have closure". Lord Coe asked him to explain. This man had been on duty during the London bombings in 2007 and explained that on that day he lost his faith in humanity after seeing the worst of what people were capable of doing to each other. He was thanking Lord Coe for giving him the opportunity to have seen the best in humanity and he could finally put that bad experience behind him.
The whole event has been quite frankly, an outstanding display of how nice the human spirit can be.
Is that down to God?
I experienced the same at the 2002 Olympics in SLC. Also volunteered, doing so at less than a year after 9/11. I was in D.C. on that day. I worked in the Olympic Village, attended many of the games, the opening ceremony, and was at the OLV the night of the closing ceremony where I watched athletes swap their uniform jackets, hats, pins, photos with athletes from other countries. I saw the daily musical celebration in the OLV, that was for the athletes in recognition of their accomplishments that day. It was for them, and only them, never seen outside of their village. I watched them walk, so happy, to the Olympic stadium, all in their closing ceremony uniforms, walking together. It was indeed very healing. I realize now, at the close of the London ceremonies, that it is rooted in the invitation that is given every four years. For the youth of the world to gather at the next games. Youth is always the hope of societies.
Fair warning to the Oly volunteers at London. Youth fades, and so does the Olympic high, and it is an incredible high. The world goes back to how it was. Which is more difficult than it was before the Olympics, in some ways. But watching it all again in coming years, you'll be reminded of that time when the world came together, and you were there.
Re: Was God at the Olympics?
Posted: Tue Aug 14, 2012 7:22 am
by _palerobber
Drifting wrote:Is that down to God?
no, the equation still works even without that variable.
Re: Was God at the Olympics?
Posted: Tue Aug 14, 2012 12:24 pm
by _subgenius
palerobber wrote:Drifting wrote:Is that down to God?
no, the equation still works even without that variable.
no it does not...and it is not a variable, it is a constant.
But feel free to prove otherwise
