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look at theír hístory amply demon–
strates.
An Overview from
Hlgher Up
But as we look behínd the curtain at
these revelatíons about the Olympic
games and what they mean to the
world, suppose we take an overvíew
of Olympíc history, down to its pres–
ent nationalism, as seen from higher
up-from the vantage point of the
Almighty Creator?
Let's view the
whol~
thing from
that Higher-up "camera-setting."
Bear in mind, first, that the Gov–
ernment of God had once been
administered earthwide. The first
human, Adam, had the opportunity
to accept for himself, and to adminis–
ter, that dívine government WORLD–
WIDE. But he rebelled and rejected
the principie of outflowing LOVE,
turning, instead, to the principie of
"GET" ínstead of the outgoing
"mvE" principie.
Few know Adam accepted the
philosophic way of Satan-SELF-cen–
teredness, exemplified by vaníty, lust
and greed, jealousy and envy, compe–
tition, rebellion and destruction.
Few know that God then barred
mankind-untíl Cbrist-from Hís
Holy Spirit- the attitude of God–
centeredness- "GIVE," serve, coop–
erate, share. This world had been
based ever since on the "GET" or
competitive philosophy.
Few know that in barring humani–
ty from God's Spirít, that the Cre–
ator of all said, in effect: "Go form
your own governments, develop your
own way of life, based on your com–
petitive principie."
So nations are competitive. Sports
arecompetitive.Society is competitive.
Notice, now, as God Almighty looks
down upon this world, how he sees the
governments of MAN, and society's
sports, following the self-centered
competitive principie. See this Olym–
pic situation
as God sees it!
Prestlge on the Line
Step back into ancient Greek history
for a moment. The Olympic Games
traditionally date from 776
B.c.,
when the first Games are said to have
taken place at Olympia, Greece. At
first the Games were a local, one-day
16
affair. B.ut before long they became
national in scope, encompassing tbe
majority of Greek city-states and
colonies. They were held every four
years.
With their prestige on the line, the
competing city-states vied strenuous–
ly with each other in the splendor of
their equipment and their athletic
prowess. Each sougbt to outdo the
other in every way.
At times the fríendly fields of
amateur sports became virtual bat–
tlefields. In 420
B.C.,
for example,
tbe Spartans were banned from
competition. Seeking revenge, they
threatened to mount an army and
attack the Games. Other city-states
assembled a guard to ward tbem
off, and the Games went on as
scheduled.
The Games continued through the
period of Roman domination, becom–
ing increasingly cosmopolitan 'in
character. In A.D. 394, they were
terminated by Roman Emperor The–
odosius
l.
The reason? They had so
degenerated into commercialism,
corruption and divisive rivalry that
the professing-Christian emperor de–
nounced them as pagan.
A reviva! of the Olympic Games
was inaugurated in 1896 through the
efforts of French Baron Pierre de
Coubertin. The first meeting of the
modern Games took place in Athens.
Only 10 natíons were represented
tbat first year.
Baron de Coubertin's vision of the
Games was one of an
apolitica/
con–
test of individual mettle, designed to
foster the cause of international
peace and cooperatíon. The funda–
mental Olympíc premise was tbat no
discrimination was to be allowed
against any country or person on the
grounds of race, religion or política!
affiliation. The baron stressed that
the various events were to be re–
garded as competitions among ama–
teur athletes as
individua/s,
rather
than representatives of nations.
Propaganda Coup
The history of the modern Games
demonstrates that the rhetoric of
Olympic idealism- the "Oiympic
Spirit" of Baron de Coubertin- is
largely unrelated to reality. Coun–
tries have used tbe Olympics as plugs
for their political systems almost
from the start.
Possibly the most blatant use to
date of the Games to further natíonal
political aims was seen in 1936. The
XI Olympiad in Berlín was a careful–
ly orchestrated spectacle designed by
Adolf Hitler both to impress and to
fríghten the world wíth the dyna–
mísm of German power.
lt
worked. The Berlín Games
scored a major propaganda víctory
for Adolph Hitler. Despíte tbe Führ–
er's much-publicízed embarrassment
over tbe sterlíng performance of the
black American athlete Jesse Owens
(shown in pboto on page 15), Germa–
ny stíll walked away with the largest
overall number of medals.
Countless journalísts, politicians
and ordinary people carne away
from the Games with alfavorable
ímpression of Nazi Germany. The
prestíge of tbe Third Reich soared
at borne and abroad. Joseph Goeb–
bels, Adolph Hítler's propaganda
minister, claimed that tbe 1936
Olympics were worth 20 dívisíons to
Nazi Germany!
Polítics were also introduced into
the '68 Games wítb the expulsion of
South Afríca from competition be–
cause of its interna! racial . polícy of
apartheid.
Blood on the Olymplc Symbol
The 1972 Games became a forum not
only for política! protest but for political
assassínation as well. "Black Septem–
ber" Arab commandos invaded the
Olympic Village in Munich and seized
the Israelí team's residence. After 20
bours of high drama ending in a police
sbootout, 11 'Israelí athletes and five
terrorists laydead.
Also in Munich in 1972, tbe natíon
of Rhodesía was barred from the
Gámes in the wake of pressure from
black African nations, which opposed
Rhodesia's racial policies. Avery
Brundage, then president of the
International Olympic Committee
(IOC) declared: "The African de–
mand ís political blackmail-we will
not allow Olympíc principies to be
destroyed."
But i'n the end, the IOC backed
down and compromísed íts principies
to avoid a wholesale walkout by the
African nations. Many obsetvers saw
The
PLAIN TRUTH