Gabby Williams partial ACL tear; surgery out for year

[Geno-ista]

As Geno noted faith is a deeply personal thing. It has long been part of this board, back to the earliest days I can remember that persons offered prayers, blessings and wishes to each other in times of loss or need of healing. I have appreciated many of those when they were directed my way in the past.

Back on Patriots' Day in the aftermath of the bombing I posted an old prayer attributed to St. Patrick which included a section of prayers invoking the name of Christ. I did this, specifically, because Boston is a city with large numbers of Irish Catholic police and emergency workers. It is part of the heritage of Boston. The prayer known as The Breastplate of St. Patrick was chosen for context, for people who were busy serving in harms' way and for whom St. Patrick has as special place. Some board members did not like the repetitive naming of Christ and objected to the moderators who then asked me to stop offering prayers in a broader context. I would gladly have adapted it, but simply followed its historic form.

No one is more aware of the conflict that religious expression can produce than pastors. We see it within and between faith communities and individuals. Sometimes we, as pastors, even cause that division by nothing more than our presence. To pretend or act as if religion is not part of the world and the lives of people is nonsense but at the same time one must always ask will an expression of faith or belief help heal or divide in this context. Will prayer add or is it simply a distraction. I have seldom found it impossible to offer healing without at the same time respecting the belief or disbelief of others. I have limited my offerings of prayers since April out of the respect for the request from our moderators.

No, offering best wishes is not the same as offering prayers or blessings to another nor is it fatal to hear the expression of G-d, Father, Christ, Spirit, Vishnu, Buddha, or any other name by which someone relates to whatever greater power they perceive and whom they follow. Nor does it do me any harm when someone chooses to not belief.

Let us be patient one another and allow each a small space of freedom to express compassion for one another as we might each see fit and let us, also, limit ourselves and our personal faith that it does not become a burden upon our neighbor.

Two weeks ago I attended a memorial for a man who was tragically struck by a car and killed on Christmas Eve. Dave had been a member of the local ISHKON community. The memorial was a glorious celebration of Dave's life and his love of music as a guitar instructor. Numerous acts came and played. They included members of the ISHKON community who led a drum circle and singing of Hare Krishna. At one point another person I know who is not a part of the ISHKON community invited me to get up and dance. I refused and she wondered why. I told her that I did not dance out of respect for that community of faith. I said it is their faith and I do not know whether to join in is to respect or disrespect their tradition so I sit and listen enjoying their expression of the faith that is theirs. I believe they would do the same for me.

Let's hold each other in respect.

I apologize for the length I hope it helps us all guide our choices.

Eloquent- I appreciate the time you took to compose this- awesome IB!

 

[Geno-ista]

Holy Sprit is denominational.

There were several well wishes and prayers I did not comment on in this thread and many many other threads.

Bein a minority religious member by a lot and living in a Christian society, I prefer to have a basketball message board I enjoy to not have religious references.

I really find it more offensive that we all can't send our well wishes to everyone in the way each of us feels appropriate- I like to send them in prayers, and really can't see why a thread has to turn negative while we are all hoping and/0r praying for the same results for these amazing young women. The "minorities" also should be tolerant of the rest of us.

 

[Geno-ista]

For the record- I'm Catholic- but my two closest friends in the world are "Druish"!!!

 

[RockyMTblue2]

Perhaps.

IAC, I didn't say what my view was, I simply said that DD stated his own position. No more, no less. How this translates into my or anyone elses manners I don't know.

I did not intend to state anything about your manners. Seem fine to me. I think your view of freedom of religion and freedom of expression may be off a bit, since you have no problem with Doggy expressing offense that a member would make a religious reference to get well wishes to a recruit and a player. How many threads have been on this board offering prayers to both players and members in times of need. Guess that should be out of bounds too?

 

[doggydaddy]

I did not intend to state anything about your manners. Seem fine to me. I think your view of freedom of religion and freedom of expression may be off a bit, since you have no problem with Doggy expressing offense that a member would make a religious reference to get well wishes to a recruit and a player. How many threads have been on this board offering prayers to both players and members in times of need. Guess that should be out of bounds too?

I just expressed my opinion that I wish those references specific to a religion would be left off the board. It's just my opinion.

I didn't tell anyone they couldn't post it. I'm not allowed to express my feelings on it?

As you said, how many threads offering prayers have there been? Countless and I only posted to this specific religious reference. It just hit me when I saw it.

I was not trying to offend anyone and apologize if I did.

We just had the Jewish president of Uconn publicly apologize to a football coach invoking Jesus in the huddle. Now, if the assistan coach had said God instead of Jesus, no problem.

It's just something that bothers me.

Now, I won't get into an argument with Icebear about the Holy Spirit. I will say that the poster meant it (and I mean this nicely) in a Christian way.

I will just end it with god bless everyone.

 

[RockyMTblue2]

I just expressed my opinion that I wish those references specific to a religion would be left off the board. It's just my opinion.

I didn't tell anyone they couldn't post it. I'm not allowed to express my feelings on it?

As you said, how many threads offering prayers have there been? Countless and I only posted to this specific religious reference. It just hit me when I saw it.

I was not trying to offend anyone and apologize if I did.

We just had the Jewish president of Uconn publicly apologize to a football coach invoking Jesus in the huddle. Now, if the assistan coach had said God instead of Jesus, no problem.

It's just something that bothers me.

Now, I won't get into an argument with Icebear about the Holy Spirit. I will say that the poster meant it (and I mean this nicely) in a Christian way.

I will just end it with god bless everyone.

Yes, it is a fine way to end it.

 

[cferraro04]

DD I only want to point out that you expressed your opinion with the caveat that you would probably get hammered, you then gave your permission for others to hammer away. Your comment was met with what I would call minimum objection and you have since become very defensive.

I just wish that everyone would exemplify what America used to be known for...tolerance, acceptance of everyone's beliefs based on a model of freedom of speech and expression. And, God bless you too DD.

 

[doggydaddy]

DD I only want to point out that you expressed your opinion with the caveat that you would probably get hammered, you then gave your permission for others to hammer away. Your comment was met with what I would call minimum objection and you have since become very defensive.

I just wish that everyone would exemplify what America used to be known for...tolerance, acceptance of everyone's beliefs based on a model of freedom of speech and expression. And, God bless you too DD.

I really though it was a good way to end it...lol. Oh well.

I certainly agree with you that I asked for it and the response was really minimal. I don't believe I'm being defensive. Just explaining my position.

 

[cferraro04]

No biggy DD...I get you, but I do pine for the good ole' days where political / religious correctness was in the public narrative.

 

[pinotbear]

DD I only want to point out that you expressed your opinion with the caveat that you would probably get hammered, you then gave your permission for others to hammer away. Your comment was met with what I would call minimum objection and you have since become very defensive.

I just wish that everyone would exemplify what America used to be known for...tolerance, acceptance of everyone's beliefs based on a model of freedom of speech and expression. And, God bless you too DD.

Actually, I don't think DD has been very defensive - he's merely stated his position, and tried to clarify it. And, I don't think DD has been hammered - to use your phrase, the objection/disagreements have been pretty civil and polite on both sides. My two cents in this is, I don't think the absence of a belief constitutes a belief - the absence of something doesn't necessarily imply a presence of a specific alternative. Sometimes a cigarette is just a cigarette.

 

[Icebear]

Now, I won't get into an argument with Icebear about the Holy Spirit. I will say that the poster meant it (and I mean this nicely) in a Christian way.

I will just end it with god bless everyone.

I agree it was meant in a Christian way. That's what Christians do, they do things in a Christian way. As to the Spirit or breath of God I was simply noting there is much to celebrate in common there.

 

[Icebear]

Actually, I don't think DD has been very defensive - he's merely stated his position, and tried to clarify it. And, I don't think DD has been hammered - to use your phrase, the objection/disagreements have been pretty civil and polite on both sides. My two cents in this is, I don't think the absence of a belief constitutes a belief - the absence of something doesn't necessarily imply a presence of a specific alternative. Sometimes a cigarette is just a cigarette.

Nor do I, I think he has been honest.

 

[Geno-ista]

How tall does everyone thin KML is vs her listed height???? This is a great group and a microcosm of the rest of this whacked out and great country! Go Huskies!!!
And May The "Schwartz" Be With You All!

 

[Suebird10fan]

Non-belief is a belief.

Therefore?

 

[cferraro04]

pinotbear...it wasn't my phrase...it was his phrase, I merely repeated it to show that he invited people to in his own words "to hammer him". And besides I think if you read the post before yours it sort of renders your post fairly moot as after I reminded DD of his own words, I merely did what DD did I simply stated my own position. Now can we just call it finished as there really is nothing to see here?

 

[Ozzie Nelson]

Darn...I wanted to be Boorishly chararterized too.

 

[Kibitzer]

I pray that we soon get back to wcbb.

Amen.

 

[Ozzie Nelson]

 

[semper]

Therefore?

I shouldn't have said anything, and certainly didn't want to hurt Doggy, whom I respect so much in any way. I should have said "belief system." Religion is a belief system, no matter the kind it is; and so is agnosticism and atheism, whatever the stripe. Christians pray for our folk when they think they need it; it's automatic and natural and part of their belief system. A person whose belief system doesn't include a God or gods to appeal to will say "hope you get better fast." Both are fine, and neither hurts any of us. Of course preaching and trying to force your belief system down another person's throat would be awful, and the mods would immediately step in. But a simple prayer is a natural to a Christian as "have a nice day" might be to a non-Christian. Our folks do it all the time, and I believe its harmless.

Anyway we all love our Huskies, and that's what matters. And if my simple sentence hurt anyone's feelings, esp. Doggy's I'm so sorry. I know he's a curmudgeon but he's our curmudgeon!