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“Over the years, Mennonites have gone from shunning to embracing competitive sports,” says Rich Preheim in an Oct. 16 article in Mennonite Weekly Review. “Like influences such as movies, politics, and various kinds of music, competitive sports have historically been considered worldly, promoting pride and competition over humility.”
Long before Canadian MB speedskater Cindy Klassen ascended the podium to receive her Olympic gold medals with accolades from the church, other athletes had a much harder time. In 1931, after tying the world record in the 100-yard dash and claiming the title of “World’s Fastest Human,” Joe Mendel of Onida, S.D. was expelled from his Krimmer MB congregation for being “too worldly.” And high school basketball all-star T. Lee Miller’s Mennonite congregation claimed he was not in good standing with the church because his uniform shorts violated their standards on modesty.
Attitudes have changed. Preheim says Mennonites are now happy to label themselves sports fans and openly cheer for Christian athletes, such as Tour de France cyclist Floyd Landis. Denominational high schools and colleges offer athletic programs and regularly compete in sport tournaments. Dennis Janzen, athletic director at Fresno Pacific University, Fresno, Cal. says, “I think the pursuit of excellence is a very Christian thing,” adding that winning needs to be accomplished the right way, with an emphasis on teamwork and proper conduct.
—from Mennonite Weekly Review
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