I don't know these girls and truly have nothing against them, but I'm with Kaethra on this one. Maybe not intended, but I find it nothing short of arrogant when someone in the limelight that is hurting for nothing, thanks God for blessing them......It's like, yea right, God is soooooo preoccupied with their life, career, family, that he has blessed them and to hell with starving people, dying people, babies that end up in garbage cans.......
Serena thanks "Jehovah" after US Open...
by jack2 33 Replies latest jw friends
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kenpodragon
StinkyPantz
How sad for them. No I did not know that ... I knew there was a reason I hated Tennis and never followed the news. Do you have any references to this, as I have never heard that before now.
This is what I found ...
Venus and Serena Williams as Jehovah's Witnesses
SYDNEY -- "Unstoppable Venus Williams laughed off the suggestion she had nothing left to achieve in tennis after adding an Olympic gold medal to her growing list of triumphs." [NBC Olympics.com]
The fact that Venus (and her sister Serena) are both active Jehovah's Witnesses participating in the Olympics has provoked an interesting reaction from the organization. None at all. So while many Witnesses cheer for Venus, they know deep in their hearts that they would be subject to judicial procedures for much lesser offenses. And when Venus stood on the podium to receive the gold medal to the tune of the American national anthem, she became a different kind of pioneer than to which we are accustomed.
A usual matter of contention among Witnesses is whether the Williams sisters are actually Jehovah's Witnesses or not. Their mother certainly is one of us, and has been for years. The father certainly is not. (He often takes cigarrette breaks during the sister's matches.)
It's Serena warrior princess
By Patrick Miles, Wimbledon
July 08, 2002AS a sporting spectacle, it was not of the highest order; as a psycho-drama, it was riveting. At least it was a vast improvement on the last time the Williams sisters met, in the final of the French Open last month.
This time, there was much more to admire on an athletic level and less of which to despair, as far as skills and execution were concerned.
Serena, who beat older sister Venus 7-6 (7-4) 6-3 for her third Grand Slam title and her first at Wimbledon, displayed more power and more powerful emotions on court.
Venus, hampered by a strain in her right arm, played with an expression of stone and the body language of someone who does not want to lord it over her younger sister Venus, 22, was aiming for a Wimbledon hat-trick on Saturday night, while Serena, 20, was trying for her first on the sacred grass court.
Right from the start of the fortnight, it seemed that Serena had the greater desire to win the title no matter who she met in the final.
Just as she had been at Roland Garros, the older sibling appeared subdued, to the extent that her normal weapons the serve and the backhand were lacking their usual penetration.
Venus, who afterwards played down the pain in her arm, hit one ace, two service winners and six double faults. Even though her first-serving percentage was 70, it had little effect on Serena.
The count of unforced errors, so high in Paris, was down to 25 for Venus and 22 for Serena from a total of 133 points.
However they match up against each other, there is a conviction that the sisters will dominate for years to come.
Of all the leading players, possibly only Lindsay Davenport, who was unable to play at Wimbledon due to injury, can challenge the Williams duopoly.
It is to be hoped that Davenport will make her presence felt again by the time the US Open starts on August 26.
Nine-time Wimbledon champion Martina Navratilova has warned that Serena's triumph represents the start of what could be a decade of Grand Slam domination by the American sister act.
"I think if they both stay committed they can do this for another 10 years, easy," Navratilova said.
"Right now they are dominating and they have been doing it all year. Lindsay Davenport matches up with power but not the speed, and Martina Hingis needs to get a better serve she is losing too many points on her second serve."
Serena, who will be officially installed today as world No. 1 when the new computer rankings are released, and Venus are likely to be seeded to meet again in the final at Flushing Meadows, where the former won her first Grand Slam title in 1999 and Venus is reigning back-to-back champion.
"I can't become satisfied," Serena said, "because if I get satisfied, I'll be like: 'Oh, I've won Wimbledon, I've won the US Open, now I can relax'. But now people are really going to be fighting to beat me.
"In the beginning of the year, I said: 'I don't care what happens this year, I want to win Wimbledon' and it was an extra bonus for me to win the French.
"Sure, I really wanted to win the French . . . I just couldn't even believe I won. But I just wanted Wimbledon. I wanted to become a member of so much prestige, so much history. I want to be a part of history."
That much is taken care of: the extraordinary phenomenon of two sisters becoming the two best players in the world.
The crowd for the final, though fully appreciative, was muted compared with other such occasions on centre court. No one knew quite who to support.
But there were many glad to witness Serena's win, after which she thanked Jehovah, as well as her support team.
"If you don't believe in God, it's going to be tough to live life because pretty much that's the basis of life it comes from God," Serena said.
"So being a Jehovah's Witness, obviously we believe in God and the Bible. Without Him, I wouldn't be here right now; I really thank him for everything."
Famous Jehovah's Witnesses
- Venus and Serena Williams - world chamption/Olympic gold medalist tennis players
- Michael Jackson - singer, pop superstar
- Prince - singer; convert to JWs
- Janet Jackson - singer
- La Toya Jackson - singer
- Jackson Five - musical group
- Selena - Tejano singer (Selena Quintanilla)
- Larry Graham - singer; member of Sly And The Family Stone between 1967 and 1972, founder of Graham Central Station
- David Thomas - songwriter/vocalist for Pere Ubu; convert to JWs
- Herman Pizzanelli - leading Uruguayan concert guitarist in the 1960's; convert to JWs
- Lou Whitaker - professional basketball player (Detroit Tigers)
- Evelyn Mandela - first wife of South African president Nelson Mandela; a convert to JWs
- Lieby Piliso - Nelson Mandela's younger sister
- Rene Montes de Oca Martija -- dissident human-rights activist in Cuba (son of JW)
- Wayans Brothers - comedians, actors, filmmakers
- Rustom Padilla - Filipino movie star
- Carmina Villarroel - Filipino actress
- Gloria Naylor - novelist, author of The Women of Brewster Place (1982, American Book Award)
- Mickey Spillane - best-selling crime novelist; convert to JWs in 1952 (still active)
- Carol Swain - political scientist; professor at Vanderbilt University; author of Black Faces, Black Interests and The New White Nationalism in America: Its Challenge to Integration
- Viv Nicholson - famous London lottery winner in 1961. She then became a devout JW. The musical Spend, Spend, Spend was based on her story.
... first time I ever hear they were on here. Now I know ... but I am wondering. Were they baptized?
Take Care
Dragon
Edited by - kenpodragon on 8 September 2002 1:26:22
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Farkel
jack,
: I think it's fine that they do so and that they are achieving great success (and making some nice $$$, $450,000 for Venus, $900,000 for Serena) but I am always bothered by the thought of all those Witness youths who never had a chance to do the same.
Obviously, you are too stupid to understand that this is all "Bible-Based(tm)."
Shame on you.
Farkel
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plmkrzy
... first time I ever hear they were on here. Now I know ... but I am wondering. Were they baptized?
Why would you even give a rats ass one way or another?
Pretend they were not, then what does the mother have to shun them?
Like Ive said many times before. I was born and raised a JW and never shuned anyone even when told to do so.
If know one likes it then tough sh**
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Guest 77
Jack2, I've played competitive golf for forty years, eleven of those years as a professional. I never once had any problems from the friends. If anything, they sought golf tips.
Guest 77
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gumby
Quote: If Jesus exists, shouldn't he be a bit more concerned with all of the babies dying in Africa, China, and elsewhere rather than whether or not Boyz to Men have a number one hit?
Good point! also....What determines which player Jesus chooses to pick as winner? Didn't the loser pray also to God, before they lost? Boxers are also famous for this. After beating the hell out of the other guy....they thank Jesus for the victory......truely horse shit.
Does anyone know the STANDING in the congregation of the two sisters? Have they been reproved as was Jackson for the thriller skit? Perhaps their playing is not condoned by others. Playing sports is not a judicial action event.
I've never known one who had a POSITION in the cong. who played active sports
Edited by - Gumby on 8 September 2002 9:52:28
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Sentinel
Simply using the name "Jehovah" does not necessarily mark these girls as JW's. There are many groups who feel that this is god's name, but they use it sparingly.
Has there been a press interview or other information that would prove they are JW's? Otherwise, without substantiation, perhaps it would be prudent not to make any snap judgements on people and their religious affiliation.
Point in case" I say "Jehovah" on ocassion during conversation, and I am definitely no longer a JW. Anyone that heard me might "think" otherwise. It would be their misinterpretation of the facts.
Sentinel/Karen
Edited by - Sentinel on 8 September 2002 10:23:16
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OrbitingTheSun
Whether or not Venus and Serena are in good standing, I think we should be happy for them. They are very talented young women and have remained true to their dreams. I know that "Jehovah" has much better things to do than follow tennis and "bless" certain players with success, but if they want to give Him the credit...let them.
By criticizing Venus and Serena and their actions, we are no better than JWs...who make sport of gossiping about other people' lives (because they have no lives of their own). Being ex-JWs and, for the most part, open minded I think we should be proud of anyone who refuses to let the WTBTS dictate what they do with their lives (active or inactive).
Edited by - OrbitingTheSun on 8 September 2002 10:28:58
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Sentinel
Ooops,
Well, had I waited just a bit longer, someone would have supplied me with the FACTS. Seems that these two girls are "active" JW's. Thanks for the info...
That leads me to wonder how in the world they managed to do what they did without being disfellowshipped???
Karen
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Big Tex
The only way you can participate in competive sports is if you become successful and contribute a great deal of money and positive publicity to the Witnesses. The same thing applies to the entertainment field (singer, actor, etc.). It's pandering at its best.