Seeing a Correlation

I can’t stop thinking about an article I read last week. I see a correlation…between the Lance Armstrong doping story and church politics. Odd, I know. The article described the reactions of those who have been hurt by the cover ups and untruths told by Lance Armstrong to his interview with Oprah…where he admitted to doping. The article said:

 

“…now that Armstrong has admitted in an interview with Oprah Winfrey that he’s a doper, a liar and a bully, many of those that saw their lives changed, sometimes ruined, are going through a gamut of emotions. Some feel vindicated, others remain vengeful. Some are sad, while many others are simply wrung out."

“Frankie’s career was definitely cut short. His career was ruined early,” Betsy Andreu said. “You have riders out there whose careers never happened because of Armstrong.”

“When a rider like me brushed up against a cyclist of his caliber, his fame and his worth – when I clashed with the boss – all doors were closed to me.” Simeoni said. (referring to his whistle blowing on Armstrong) “I was humiliated, offended and marginalized for the rest of my career. Only I know what that feels like. It’s difficult to explain.”

“First shunned, then vilified by Lance Armstrong, Mike Anderson had to move to the other side of the world to get his life back. Now running a bike shop outside of Wellington, New Zealand, Armstrong’s former assistant watched news reports of his former boss confessing to performance-enhancing drug use with only mild interest. If Anderson never hears Armstrong’s voice again, it would be too soon. “He gave me the firm, hard push and a shove,” Anderson said in a telephone interview with the Associated Press. “Made my life very, very unpleasant. It was an embarrassment for me and my family to be portrayed as liars, to be called a disgruntled employee, implying there was some impropriety on my part. It was completely uncalled for.” (article by Eddie Pells for the Associated Press)

 

Sadly, I see these correlations:

1. An admittance of wrongdoing or an apology doesn’t negate the hurt we’ve caused or fix what we’ve broken.

2. We can only truly understand the hurts of those who are experiencing the same hurts we’ve experienced personally…which means we often carry our hurts alone.

3. While those hurt in the politics of the church might not feel vengeful, they definitely feel sad and wrung out.

4. We should be ashamed that we cut careers short and, perhaps, prevent some from ever having a career by our actions…especially in the church.

5. Our hurts and scars follow us…even if we start over somewhere else.

6. Having the courage to disagree with those in a place of prominence can have serious repercussions, but violating your own morality by staying silent when you know the truth is more personally devastating.