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MormonTimes.com: Mormons on N.Z. team face Sunday-play quandary

Remember Steve Young. I'm sure the team will do fine with those players committed to their team and nation.

I think it is fantastic that these ladies are more committed to the gospel than a game of basket ball. I'm sure they will be blessed for making the right choice

The Sabbath rule is for the benefit of man, not the other way around. Didn't Jesus Christ himself break the Sabbath in his day to prove that point? You don't earn special points with God by being obsessive compulsive sticklers to little rules when circumstances may call for sacrificing little rules for the big picture. If God blesses you with a chance at a great career that will support your family (the most important thing there is) it's better to keep the higher law of working for your family than to make sure you cross all Sabbath t's and dot all Sabbath i's. The spirit of the law, people!

I applaud these for therir no play position on the Sabbath. I do have a hard time with the difference between watching and playing,in a case like this where the focus is also important. Of course it is better to be there then away when the mind is focused on the outcome

LDS athletes competing on Sundays in the pros, I just don't understand why these ladies believe they have to let their team and country down by not supporting them. There are exceptions to everything. I would think this would qualify as an "ox in the mire" situation. I think it is too bad that they believe that their religion is so rigid that they cannot compete.

They should have NEVER been on the team if they had not agreed to participate in all games, including on Sunday. Their decision not to play makes the church look bizarre and demonstrates a lack of patriotism for their country. If I was a citizen of New Zealand I would not find their behavior a positive trait but rather inconsistent with other church teachings. They are representing their country!! Do church General Authorities travel on Sunday - of course they do. These b-ball players need a dose of common sense their actions makes the church look weird. Bottom line - they should have never been on the team to begin with if Sunday play was so troublesome to them!!

I applaud all behavior that permits Mormons to call themselves "the peculiar people."

Amen to Howard-they would never be on my team!

It's nice to hear about the few people who don't get caught up in fame and fortune, to follow something they believe in.

Don't bring up Steve Young... He's a bad example of somebody choosing to follow something more on the lines of being worshipped as a golden idol, as opposed to choosing the better path. Great football player, but bad example.

Every other NBA and Pro Football player also serve to fuel an industry that is a religion of its own on Sundays. Unfortunately, these games are not centered around Sunday appropriate worshipping, and the industry continues to wrap its grasp around the would be worshippers... The world continues to shun appropriate Sabbath behavior... And those who choose to take a stand are mocked...

SAD!

I've never heard a talk in General Conference that praised or even justified a professional athlete for participating in his sport on Sunday. I've heard lots of talks praising athletes for refusing to participate on the Sabbath. I think the principle we are being taught is very clear. Do no do it even if it means some sacrifice. Winning the game is not as important as keeping the promise you've made to God. That is where our first loyalty goes. I am glad to see Olympians that follow that principle.

The greatest blessings are yet to come. The day that they need to explain to their children how important it is to keep the sabbath day holy, I doubt that the kids activity will be more important than the example that their mother can give them. Some people have to get the ox out of the mire and some people put the ox in the mire on Saturday night so that they have an excuse on Sunday. These ladies told the coach on "Monday" not to put the ox in the mire because they wouldn't be available to help get it out on Sunday. What a great example to all of us.

I hope they had made their resolve not to play on the Sabbath known to their coaches before accepting their positions on the teams. If everyone was informed and accepted the "no sabbath" terms underwhich these players were willing to participate, then I have no problem with their decision. Otherwise, I think their decision was improper at best.

Don't be on the team if you know you are going to play on Sunday. Bottom line. It's the same reason byu won't be in the pac 10.

These girls should have known the expectations in the beginning. I have to believe that somewhere in New Zealand there are two female athletics that didn't make their Olympic team who would have loved to be playing today had these two 'sabbath observers' not finished ahead of them. If one was to know from the get go that the possibility of having to play on the sabbath was likely, and they wern't willing to do it, then they shouldn't have made themselves available to represent their Country in the first place.

Sounds like a future 'New Era, Ensign' article to me.

Don't join a team that plays on Sunday if you can't do it. I hope the rest of the people on their team hate them for their selfishness.

If you read the article you know a third member of the team who is LDS is playing on Sunday. I believe it is not the teachings of the LDS church that prohibit Sunday play (or watching). Instead, If I were taking that action it would be because of a desire to do the things They believe will strengthen their relationship with their God. Their not getting "extra points" Instead they are refraining from something they believe is contrary to the express wish of their creator. They value their relationship with their God and perhaps through experience they have learned that relationship is stronger and they feel closer to Him when they make such choices. Others, who have the same basic teachings, may not have had such experiences and may feel otherwise. As long as everyone new from the beginning what their position was, all can make adult choices and they are not letting anyone down.

Steve Young is not a fair comparison because his Sunday playing was a matter of his livelihood. When it's your livelihood, it IS the "ox in the mire." The Church has never told members they cannot work on Sunday when there is no choice. Christ did not break the Sabbath. He only broke with Jewish law, at the time, which had become unreasonable and fanatical. Christ, as the God of this world, set the standard of what is acceptable on the Sabbath.

These girls are not earning a livelihood at the Olympics. (Remember "Chariot of Fire?")I applaud them for their standards. They are great examples and they told their coaches in advance of their decision.

Thank you, for being such great examples.

Whether or not to let them on the team is the coach's decision, not yours. He obviously thought they would still be able to represent their country adequately. When you have your own team to coach, then you can make those decisions.

Ditto to many of the comments. They knew what was ahead of them and should not have "picked up the stick if they didn't like what was on the other end". (Elder Maxwell)

These women are obviously more interested in themselves than giving their nation the best opportunity for Olympic success. If they knew they weren't going to play on Sunday they should never have pursued a spot on the NZ Olympic team in the first place. Yes, LDS members have a responsibility to God, but when you're an Olympian you also have an important responsibility to your team and country.