A Jehovah's Witness, Britain's first Muslim rower, and a champion from 1992... the men going for rowing glory at London Olympics

[sianrose]

A Jehovah's Witness, Britain's first Muslim rower, and a champion from 1992... the men going for rowing glory at London Olympics

Aiming for a place in the boat, for example, are Britain’s first prominent Muslim rower, a 38 year-old who won at the Barcelona 1992 Games and a Stroke who is a Jehovah’s Witness and former junior swimming champion.

Religious faith is also at life’s centre for Dan Ritchie, a Jehovah’s Witness, whose progress since switching from swimming five years ago has been so rapid that he is lined up for the key Stroke position.

'Moe and I have quite a few long discussions about our beliefs, but we are very good friends,' emphasises Ritchie. 'We used to row in a pair together and people joked that we would win because we had two Gods on our side.'

Ritchie was an outstanding distance swimmer who was nationally ranked third in the 1500 metre event as a 16 year-old before becoming disillusioned with it and quitting, taking up rowing seriously a year later.

Like Sbihi he feels that his religious adherence is an asset in a sport that requires enormous self-discipline. The complication in his case might be that his faith precludes him from saluting the national anthem, although he stresses that he would still stand for it out of respect.

full article

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/olympics/article-1362139/LONDON-2012-Rowing-team-includes-Jehovahs-Witness-champion-1992.html?ito=feeds-newsxml

ps...he also has a beard...just sayin...

[Astrid]

ps...he also has a beard...just sayin...

there's nothing wrong with a beard if well-trimmed. We have many brothers with beards.

[sianrose]

there's nothing wrong with a beard if well-trimmed. We have many brothers with beards

for those who have not seen it there is a thread on beards...

http://www.jwtalk.net/forum/read.php?10,25484

[stuagu]

thats an interesting article... makes me wonder about representing a country, in this case gb, if they get in the top three - standing on the podium with the national anthem and all that? how does that work? is this just a conscince issue? its one i'd have trouble with.

and the beard is still on but very neatly trimmed!

[sianrose]

makes me wonder about representing a country, in this case gb, if they get in the top three - standing on the podium with the national anthem and all that? how does that work? is this just a conscince issue?

that is what I was wondering about...I really do not know...

[stuagu]

and i cant spell conscience? or can i? terrible schooling i had!

[Micah]

Wait..... So JW's can participate in the Olympics??? I always thought it was a national sporting event, meaning you are there to represent your country... Or am I missing something? The only sports person I know here in the US that is a JW is now retired pitcher for the Pittsburgh Pirates. I don't know the name....

[futurepromise]

I saw the article and decided not to post it. I am not sure he is a Witness. Many times the news identifies one as a JW and they are not. Take for example, Serena Williams, She never was baptized.

Witnesses do not enter the Olympics and represent a country.

[futurepromise]

You will hear a talk at the Circuit Assembly, "You Are No Part Of The World". If I remember correctly, the Olympics was mentioned. We are no part of it.

[futurepromise]

Here is an article that Dan Ritchie tells of his life. http://www.thisiskent.co.uk/news/Herne-Bay-Dan-Ritchie/article-1309414-detail/article.html

[destiny]

I saw the article and decided not to post it. I am not sure he is a Witness. Many times the news identifies one as a JW and they are not. Take for example, Serena Williams, She never was baptized.

Witnesses do not enter the Olympics and represent a country.

That reminds me of when I ask some people how long they have been in the truth and they would say...I was born into it...What does that mean?

Last I checked being one of Jehovahs witnesses is not akin to being born into a 'royal family' which automatically makes one royality.

Being raised as a JW does not automatically make one so, one has to make the truth their own, it's an individual thing. I don't get it.

(rant over)

[BlaqueCalalilly]

I saw the article and decided not to post it. I am not sure he is a Witness. Many times the news identifies one as a JW and they are not. Take for example, Serena Williams, She never was baptized.

Witnesses do not enter the Olympics and represent a country.

That reminds me of when I ask some people how long they have been in the truth and they would say...I was born into it...What does that mean?

Last I checked being one of Jehovahs witnesses is not akin to being born into a 'royal family' which automatically makes one royality.

Being raised as a JW does not automatically make one so, one has to make the truth their own, it's an individual thing. I don't get it.

(rant over)

I don't know if Serena wasn't baptized or not ..but she keeps iding herself as a witness....as far as some people saying that they were born in the truth ...for some people that is a way of saying I been in the truth all of their lives.

But.....true you do have to make the truth your own...

oh and as far as the olympics is conserned I though that we couldn't rep. a country due to the nationalism involved.....but then he could be a new one in the truth too......

[trottigy]

As with anything the slaves wants all of us to consider they have put this answer in print. Here is a nice article. I found it by using the index in the WTlib - under Olympic Games.

The competitive spirit leads to divisions, pride and bragging. Then the dignity of the loser is not respected. Because of this worldly spirit, Christians would not want to be involved in competitive leagues, not even among themselves. Neither would they want to play one Christian congregation against another in any sport. Remember, regardless of current philosophy, winning is not everything. As James Michener wrote: “Losing a game is not equivalent to death. Failing to be numero uno does not make me a lesser human being.”

Far more important than any accomplishments in the field of sports are the qualities we develop as imitators of Christ. Defeating others in a sport does not make us better people. We might even become worse. As the apostle Paul counseled: “Let us not become egotistical, stirring up competition with one another, envying one another.” “But let each one prove what his own work is, and then he will have cause for exultation in regard to himself alone, and not in comparison with the other person.”—Galatians 5:26; 6:4.

And they always have a nice scriptural reference for us to meditate on. I was surprised to see this was printed back in 1984. They have been feeding us well for over 100 years. May Jehovah continue to bless the work they do.

[futurepromise]

Why is it that if a news article mentions that somebody is a Jehovah's Witness, it gets us 'excited'?

What if their actions bring reproach on Jehovah's name? Is that upbuilding to post? How many of us look to a spiritual weak person as an example to follow? Hopefully our answer is. . . no

The actions of the so-called 'brother' in this topic has actions that may stumble others. Actions that go against what the slave has warned us to avoid. His actions do not contribute to our unity. It is a direct conflict with actions a spiritually mature one will heed.

It doesn't matter if he is new in the truth, or just spiritually weak, the issue is WHY do we want to discuss the way he is representing Jehovah.

[futurepromise]

I don't know if Serena wasn't baptized or not .

Both Serena and Venus Williams competed in the Olympics. Both proudly carried the American flag in front of an international audience. And Venus stood at attention and sang the national anthem.

The Olympics are considered by the slave to be a nationalistic event, and therefore to be avoided. Carrying the flag is considered to be an act of idolatry. Singing the anthem, or giving a standing ovation, for that matter, is tantamount to offering prayer to another god.

[stuagu]

hi barbara,

i wasnt excited, i was interested for the reasons given in my post, which were quite non specific to the person mentioned in the article.

and i wasnt dicussing the way he or anyone else represents Jehovah , its not my business, just making the point that i couldnt do that.

we should all be concentrating on how we represent our happy god

brotherly love to all,

stuart:D

[Dages]

The Williams sisters are "students".

The journalists use to say that a student is a Witness... but they are wrong and they can put a bad image of Jehovah's people.

[futurepromise]

The Williams sisters are "students".

The journalists use to say that a student is a Witness... but they are wrong and they can put a bad image of Jehovah's people.

>< Very well expressed.

In the world, if you are in a household that practices a certain religion they presume you are of that religion, same goes if as a child you went to a certain church with your parents, you are of that church. That is where journalists don't understand us.

The way anybody who studies with Witnesses, or has attended the Kingdom Hall is marked as a Jehovah's Witness.

It is better if we refrain from falling into their trap. Unless a person is of good standing in a Congregation and we know they are indeed a dedicated baptized servant of Jehovah, it is best not to post and circulate misleading information from the news media.

We shouldn't find it necessary to have to research from the slave a persons actions that is viewed as a 'brother', to inform 'spiritual babes', what is right in Jehovah's eyes, contrasting their actions.

[Brother_Bliss]

The Williams sisters are "students".

The journalists use to say that a student is a Witness... but they are wrong and they can put a bad image of Jehovah's people.

And with that in mind, there are 2 types of "Jehovah's Witnesses" you could say.

1) Real people witnessing to other about Jehovah, having made their mind over, put on the new personality, dedicated and baptized and publishing the good news of something better.

2) A person raised around or thinks of themselves as part of some religion commonly known as Jehovah's Witnesses.

Some people will call themselves a Witness in the same manner that one identifies themselves as a Catholic, but never ever attends church.

[futurepromise]

I am trying to find an article that I have recently read, maybe it was in the KM? It warned about not paying attention to the news media reports about Jehovah's Witnesses. I remember it saying that sometimes it is a deliberate attempt to undermine or smear us with false misleading stories.

[BlaqueCalalilly]

As far as Serena being a witness ( baptised or not ) she keeps saying that she is......interview with Serena Williams

also here again

serena going off on official

[destiny]

As far as Serena being a witness ( baptised or not ) she keeps saying that she is......interview with Serena Williams

also here again

serena going off on official

in those article she does not say anything...the reporter is doing all the taking/writing.

i did not see an interview. maybe i missed it:huh:

[Grummit]

All that being said..............I wonder how many of us will enjoy watching The Olympics on T V next summer?

Don't ask me, I'm not saying ;)

[BlaqueCalalilly]

As far as Serena being a witness ( baptised or not ) she keeps saying that she is......interview with Serena Williams

also here again

serena going off on official

in those article she does not say anything...the reporter is doing all the taking/writing.

i did not see an interview. maybe i missed it:huh:

In one of the Ebony magazines she stated that she was a witness dealing with the voting issue....I don't have the mag. anymore (read the article and threw it out.)

but she ided herself as a witness...

that link is the closest to what I found dealing with the issue....I guess they don't have archives of interviews..

[BlaqueCalalilly]

All that being said..............I wonder how many of us will enjoy watching The Olympics on T V next summer?

Don't ask me, I'm not saying ;)

I like certain sports....won't play them but I like watching others do it.