Lance Armstrong on belief.

Tsyroc · Post by **Tsyroc** » 2004-05-07 11:53am

When someone in the audience asked him how his belief in God had helped him as a patient, he replied with a bracing directness: "Everyone should believe in something, and I believed in surgery, chemotherapy and my doctors."

Admiral Valdemar · Post by **Admiral Valdemar** » 2004-05-07 11:54am

N... no... not God?

Alyeska · Post by **Alyeska** » 2004-05-07 12:08pm

Exchange believe with confidence, and it sounds better.

neoolong · Post by **neoolong** » 2004-05-07 12:16pm

Alyeska wrote:Exchange believe with confidence, and it sounds better.

I think he was trying to make a point and playing on the word believe.

Spanky The Dolphin · Post by **Spanky The Dolphin** » 2004-05-07 01:32pm

That's good to here. Better than Jeff Gordon, who IIRC depends on God for his car to turn left fast enough.

Pablo Sanchez · Post by **Pablo Sanchez** » 2004-05-07 03:25pm

Spanky The Dolphin wrote:That's good to here. Better than Jeff Gordon, who IIRC depends on God for his car to turn left fast enough.

I find it highly amusing that religious people assign such absolutely ludicrous values to their almighty. If I was God, I would not be helping people with shit they can do themselves! Jeff Gordon doesn't need the blessing of an omnipotent to operate a motor vehicle. The bible tells us all about what God spends his time doing: smiting, punishment, striking down the wicked, etc. And what do these people believe to be visible symbols of God's power? Jeff Gordon's ability to turn in a circle.

Admiral Valdemar · Post by **Admiral Valdemar** » 2004-05-07 03:29pm

Pablo Sanchez wrote:
Spanky The Dolphin wrote:That's good to here. Better than Jeff Gordon, who IIRC depends on God for his car to turn left fast enough.
I find it highly amusing that religious people assign such absolutely ludicrous values to their almighty. If I was God, I would not be helping people with shit they can do themselves! Jeff Gordon doesn't need the blessing of an omnipotent to operate a motor vehicle. The bible tells us all about what God spends his time doing: smiting, punishment, striking down the wicked, etc. And what do these people believe to be visible symbols of God's power? Jeff Gordon's ability to turn in a circle.

God retired from smiting when Spetznaz was formed.

Gunshy · Post by **Gunshy** » 2004-05-07 07:34pm

Reminds me of something I said to my mom once.

While we were driving, an ambulance went past, with the siren running. She made the sign of the cross. I then said, "What do you think will do more good, the sign of the cross, or the paramedics?" Her reply was, "Shut up, son."

Spanky The Dolphin · Post by **Spanky The Dolphin** » 2004-05-07 08:26pm

I don't think something like that is really the same, more of a sign of hope than for deliverence.

Rye · Post by **Rye** » 2004-05-07 09:00pm

PFft, it's logical to believe in medicine (i.e. believe you will get better due to it), it has very real demonstratable effects.

Sriad · Post by **Sriad** » 2004-05-08 03:26am

Yep, yep... Lance is a pretty hard-core athiest

I recall an interview with him where he said something about fighting his cancer so hard because he knew there was nothing waiting for him on the other side. Or something similar.

Slartibartfast · Post by **Slartibartfast** » 2004-05-08 03:36am

I found this:

http://www.celebatheists.com/entries/ambiguous_0.html

Chris OFarrell · Post by **Chris OFarrell** » 2004-05-08 04:44am

Admiral Valdemar wrote: God retired from smiting when Spetznaz was formed.

YOINK.

Mayabird · Post by **Mayabird** » 2004-05-08 07:05pm

I don't have anything against organized religion per se. We all need something in our lives. I personally just have not accepted that belief. But I'm one of the few.
Lance Armstrong
5-time Tour de France winner
Time, Sept. 29, 2003

From here:
http://www.ffrf.org/fttoday/janfeb04/?ft=overheard.txt

Post by **Darth Wong** » 2004-05-08 07:26pm

He's in America. That's as far as he can go. For him to even say that much in public where reporters can overhear him is quite impressive.

SyntaxVorlon · Post by **SyntaxVorlon** » 2004-05-08 10:42pm

Ooooo, bet that throws a nice horseshoe into the tractor works of some fundie minds.

Robert Treder · Post by **Robert Treder** » 2004-05-09 05:52am

SyntaxVorlon wrote:Ooooo, bet that throws a nice horseshoe into the tractor works of some fundie minds.

Not really, since most Americans couldn't give two shits about the Tour de France, especially fundies.
Americans like Lance Armstrong because they heard from a blurb on a 6 o'clock news commercial that he kicked the pants off of some snooty Europeans, not because they care about cycling. I doubt that the loss of the fundie support will hurt Armstrong too much.

That said, it's always good to see an intelligent celebrity not afraid to tell the truth.