An open letter to all professional athletic leagues:
For years and years I have been accused of being down on fun and entertainment. This is all true and I deny any of it. However, the reasons for the same are not the usual excuses and cop-outs I had to listen to for years first in the classroom then on several levels after I attained my long dreamed goal in the church. My disgust with any and all of you is the emphasis on money, the promotion of greed, the wholesale sellout on traditional values and education and the support of moral decay as well.
Let's take these issues one at a time. The issues and my objections will be listed. I could quote scripture to back my position, but I will refrain in the interest of brevity. Suffice it to be aware that I have such backing.
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Athletics is justified because “I will make more than you make in a lifetime in one season.” Well, where does the value of one's contribution to humanity and its betterment revolve in one season and the accumulation of wealth? Let's leave the number of rich athletes who end up broke because of weakness toward other excesses.
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The behind the scenes activities surrounding these games – the gambling, kickbacks, payouts and organized crime infiltration are documented on a regular basis in the day to day media accounts. I need not mention many athletes ' gambling difficulties. Pete Rose is one of many examples showing the metastasis of this cancer.
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In days gone by hero worship was one of the positive influences in the youths' lives. Today rather than values, the youth are inspired with nothing more edifying than the goal of making a six or seven figure income. This in itself is not wrong. There is nothing wrong with raising or earning money for a goal or a higher benefit. Unfortunately, this is not the case. The funds are most often for three persons, me, myself and I.
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Allowing Kobe Bryant to enter the NBA directly out of high school without any attempt at higher education was just another symptom of the decay festering from within the NBA and the said poison gurgling to the surface. This definitely undermines the message that obtaining an education is an essential. Kobe still ain't got no smarts. And he ain't got no morals neither.
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The most recent issues surrounding the Michael Vick and the NBA officials manipulating games for personal or vested interests' gain is nothing more than icing on the cake.
Open Athletic League Letter
July 25, 2007
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I am much too realistic to believe that any of this could ever be rooted out because of the corrupt values from the highest politician down through values encrusted in 21st century American culture. Indeed, I am convinced that many of our highest public officials would have too much to lose – indeed, the exposure from stripping the veil from their hidden sins would be equivalent to a 7.0 Richter scale earthquake.
My purpose here is to continue the voice crying in the wilderness for morality and sanity in these matters and a restoration to time honored values, indeed the only values that offer any long term hope of sanity and peace whatsoever.
I remain, as always,
Yours in His Service,
Most Rev. Leland J. Lannoye
Metropolitan
THEOCACNA
