For religious and non religious lovers of sports around the world the Olympic Games are a much loved experience which more than two generations of viewers have meant an increased audience owing to televisation.
Over the years we have celebrated the acts of worship with Christians and others bowing, cross themselves and or looking heavenward before picking up speed in multiple sports, races, tournaments etc… one remembers Eric Liddel in the 1920 who first raised his hand and was counted as a Christian who took his faith narrative seriously and saw his running as an act of worship.
Today millions of Christians and others raise our hands and are counted to affirm our love of our games, our commitment yo sportsmanship but our strong objection against the opening ceremony in Paris on Saturday.
It was much to our horror how the prestigious event soon became a display of disdain and mockery against 2000 years of Christian narrative, history and sacred scripture. The flaunting of godlessness and the violation of Christian sentiment was not only highly objectionable but also unnecessary in light of the heritage of sports, endurance and the striving for victory.
Pakistan’s Christian’s are no exception in our grief at the violation and mockery against Da Vincci’s Last Supper, Christian family values and the disregard for the faith of many athletes. Europe, today, stands on the shoulders of a sacred art, cathedrals and missionaries who were dismissed and canceled in one disappointing opening ceremony- in fact we all were.
May we never take this freedom of speech and expression so lightly that’s e trample the sentiments of believers and faithful worshipers by consistently re-colouring and redefine the values at the heart of human life, hope and redemption.
