U.S. Triathlete Hunter Kemper Says God Healed Injury
115 replies, posted
[quote]A race referee should have stopped him before he darted onto the road where the other athletes were already speeding along on their bikes. But he didn't. Hunter Kemper slammed into him with his bike, sending Kemper tumbling and skidding along the pavement for several feet.
"It was just a freak, crazy accident," Kemper said. "The guy in front of me swerved so fast. I tried to get out of the way, and I couldn't do it. I never saw him until he was right there in front of me."
Kemper sustained an injury to his arm that required surgery, with a plate and 13 screws inserted into his elbow. Two months later he developed a staph infection. He began to think that his chances for a 2012 Olympic appearance were over.
But Kemper says God healed him from the injury and enabled him to compete in the Olympic trials, where he earned a spot on the Olympic team for the fourth time. He will compete in the triathlon event on Tuesday (Aug. 7) -- one of only two athletes to participate all four times since the sport became an Olympic event in 2000.
"What a journey I've been on the past six months," Kemper said. "For me to overcome that, and feel like I have God every step of the way with me, it's been real eye-opening."
Kemper is not one to hesitate in talking about the Lord's work in his life, although that wasn't always the case. He attended church every weekend as a child, but the Bible wasn't read at home, and Christianity wasn't a major influence in his family away from church. His church attendance dwindled through high school and college.
Late in his years at Wake Forest University, however, Kemper had a group of friends who were believers. He was somehow drawn to them, and wanted what he saw in their lives. He began attending church more frequently, and a year after graduating from college, broke down in his apartment, surrendering his life to Christ.
"I felt like for the longest time I had been trying to do it on my own and by my own abilities," Kemper said. "I felt like I couldn't do it anymore."
He remembers weeping uncontrollably on the day of his conversion, and says since that day he's been trying to walk with the Lord faithfully. He admits that's not always easy in triathlon -- a sport that combines swimming 1,640 yards, cycling 26.7 miles and running 6.2 miles.
One of the challenges for him has been how he relates to sponsors. As one of the nation's top triathletes, Kemper depends upon the revenue from sponsors for his livelihood.
"I always get the sense that if I'm too outward and too open about my faith, that maybe sponsors will back away and they won't like that," Kemper said.
But he's decided that he needs to be open and upfront about his Christian beliefs, even if it may cost him sponsors. He knows that if that happens, God will provide for him in other ways.
"I want to do well for Him, but also to be able to share my faith," Kemper said. "It's something I pray about a lot, that if I can go out there and win, and when I win not to shy away."
The October accident, and the subsequent complications that resulted from it, proved to be another challenge for Kemper. It humbled him and forced him to evaluate whether he had been relying on himself too much, rather than relying on the strength that comes from God.
Through the ordeal, he was able to refocus his life, putting more emphasis on his faith and his family and less on triathlon. Still, even with his priorities properly aligned, he desperately wanted to make the Olympic team again.
That looked less and less likely in the spring, as the injury cost him several months of training and competition. He prayed that if God would allow him to come back, that he would never forget that God was the one who got him back.
The Olympic qualification came in May. Kemper hadn't participated in a triathlon since the accident in October, but he performed well enough to earn a spot on the team.
Now as he prepares to compete in London, Kemper has his eyes set on a medal. That's been his dream ever since he was an 8-year-old boy watching the Olympics on TV. His performance in the Olympics has steadily improved, from 17th place in 2000 to ninth place in 2004 to seventh place in 2008.
At 36, Kemper knows this year will probably be his last chance to win that prized medal. But he also knows that the only thing he can control is his own effort and doing everything he can to get the best result possible.
If that result is a medal, great. If it's fifth place, then he'll kindly acknowledge the superior performance of his opponents -- because he knows that his relationship with Christ is more important and is unaffected by his showing on the field of competition.
"Triathlon doesn't define who I am as a person," Kemper said. "It doesn't define me, and that's what's so comforting in my life. I'm not defined by wins and losses."[/quote]
[url]http://www.opposingviews.com/i/religion/us-triathlete-says-god-healed-him-injury[/url]
I didn't know mentally insane could participate in the Olympics...
Well if he prays instead of actually training and warming up no shit he's gonna get injured
Because anybody who isn't a complete materialist is insane right?
[QUOTE=Zenreon117;37135122]Because anybody who isn't a complete materialist is insane right?[/QUOTE]
When you're doing professional rank sports, you are supposed to know how the body works, how muscles function, how you can hurt yourself and how you can heal from those injuries.
Being religious to the point of praying for success and healing rather than simply using common sense and knowledge to know why and where you fucked up and how to heal faster is kind of idiotic. It's not really about belief as much as it is about knowing what the hell you're doing.
[QUOTE=znk666;37135101]
I didn't know mentally insane could participate in the Olympics...[/QUOTE]
Talk about uncalled for...
[QUOTE=znk666;37135101]I didn't know mentally insane could participate in the Olympics...[/QUOTE]
you talk more about religion than most religious people
[QUOTE=Zenreon117;37135122]Because anybody who isn't a complete materialist is insane right?[/QUOTE]
believing you were magically healed by god does
[editline]8th August 2012[/editline]
i can't figure out if what i said makes sense but you's get what i mean right
[QUOTE=Cone;37135393]you talk more about religion than most religious people[/QUOTE]
why shouldn't we? we have an obligation to society; if most of our people are brainwashed into believing in fairies and magical healing and that the world was created by a bearded man or whatever, then why shouldn't we tell them that they're wrong? i would happily stand by and leave them to it if religion wasn't the cause of so many deaths and false pretenses in the world, but it is.
i admire the philosophies, but when shit starts to get organised is when there is always a man who strives for more power than is ethical (even frowned upon in their own holy book). i have no problem with the peaceful non-pushing-their-views-down-your-throat religions, but I wouldn't want them running a country or making any political/medical decisions based on their beliefs.
these olympians are downright idiotic for involving god into the olympics and it's an insult to the men and women who have worked their ass off to achieve the same amount of smug satisfaction that these religious nuts have, just for uttering a couple of meaningless sentences with their hands stuck together or whatever
I think you guys are a bit stuffing him with straw.
It's not like he refused medical help and rehab and instead went with belief.
He prayed to god for help. He probably prayed for the treatment to work. It did. He is happy.
There are cases where the people turn down real help for beliefs, but this doesn't seem to be one.
Cut him some slack.
[QUOTE=Awesomecaek;37135680]I think you guys are a bit stuffing him with straw.
It's not like he refused medical help and rehab and instead went with belief.
He prayed to god for help. He probably prayed for the treatment to work. It did. He is happy.
There are cases where the people turn down real help for beliefs, but this doesn't seem to be one.
Cut him some slack.[/QUOTE]
Well if he was healed by doctors and he's giving god credit I'm more inclined to think he's thick.
[QUOTE=Zenreon117;37135122]Because anybody who isn't a complete materialist is insane right?[/QUOTE]
what
[QUOTE=Cypher_09;37135646]why shouldn't we? we have an obligation to society; if most of our people are brainwashed into believing in fairies and magical healing and that the world was created by a bearded man or whatever, then why shouldn't we tell them that they're wrong?[/QUOTE]
What do you believe?
Have you ever considered that it was taught to you in precisely the same way that religious people learn about God?
With that in mind, what makes it any more valid than any other belief?
[QUOTE=Janus Vesta;37135698]Well if he was healed by doctors and he's giving god credit I'm more inclined to think he's thick.[/QUOTE]
[quote]
Kemper sustained an injury to his arm that [B]required surgery, with a plate and 13 screws inserted into his elbow.[/B] Two months later he developed a staph infection. He began to think that his chances for a 2012 Olympic appearance were over.
[B]But Kemper says God healed him from the injury and enabled him to compete in the Olympic trials,[/B][/quote]
The article doesn't say how the doctor's obviously went on to cure the staph infection too.
He very much [I]is[/I] thick
[editline]8th August 2012[/editline]
[QUOTE=SCopE5000;37135722]What do you believe?
Have you ever considered that it was taught to you in precisely the same way that religious people learn about God?
With that in mind, what makes it any more valid than any other belief?[/QUOTE]
It wasn't, I don't have a theistic family; and went to mixed religion schools.
[QUOTE=Ganerumo;37135110]Well if he prays instead of actually training and warming up no shit he's gonna get injured[/QUOTE]
So because he didn't warm up, he hit a guy and broke his arm? Is that what you are trying to say?
Sure, it's stupid to pray to get better and not doing anything about it, but prayer isn't what got him the injury in the first place.
The guy still willingly received medical treatment, so I don't really see what the big deal is.
[QUOTE=valkery;37135746]So because he didn't warm up, he hit a guy and broke his arm? Is that what you are trying to say?
Sure, it's stupid to pray to get better and not doing anything about it, but prayer isn't what got him the injury in the first place.[/QUOTE]
of course it isn't, because prayer doesn't work.
[editline]8th August 2012[/editline]
[QUOTE=Meller Yeller;37135755]The guy still willingly received medical treatment, so I don't really see what the big deal is.[/QUOTE]
just because he's one of those guys we see in the comics -"I'm healed, thanks God!" and discrediting the surgeons whom without them, he wouldn't even be in the Olympics today
Well they say a lot of recovering from medical issues is outlook and optimism.
It seems someone like this guy who believes an omniscient presence is helping him would have an advantage in that area.
[editline]8th August 2012[/editline]
[QUOTE=Cypher_09;37135765]
just because he's one of those guys we see in the comics -"I'm healed, thanks God!" and discrediting the surgeons whom without them, he wouldn't even be in the Olympics today[/QUOTE]
Who's to say he didn't thank the surgeon?
"Please make me better god" is not the same thing as "I will get better", and it really doesn't help as much as you seem to think.
[QUOTE=Cypher_09;37135724]The article doesn't say how the doctor's obviously went on to cure the staph infection too.
He very much [I]is[/I] thick
[editline]8th August 2012[/editline]
It wasn't, I don't have a theistic family; and went to mixed religion schools.[/QUOTE]
I disagree, you believe in science and stuff you learned in school right?
Stuff that was taught to you in the same language that religion was taught to him.
Language, words and meanings themselves also came from other people telling you about them.
All beliefs? Very much so.
How can 'original thought' or 'truth' (the opposite of belief) involve words, when the origin comes from other people?
We can't validate anything for ourselves because it involves more words in order to do so, only pretend that we can.
[QUOTE=Janus Vesta;37135698]Well if he was healed by doctors and he's giving god credit I'm more inclined to think he's thick.[/QUOTE]
Do you seriously fucking believe that? Of course he's thankful to the doctors as well.
[QUOTE=mobrockers2;37135805]"Please make me better god" is not the same thing as "I will get better", and it really doesn't help as much as you seem to think.[/QUOTE]
I'm not saying optimism is some miracle that will cure you of cancer, but it is something
[QUOTE=Meller Yeller;37135788]Well they say a lot of recovering from medical issues is outlook and optimism.
It seems someone like this guy who believes an omniscient presence is helping him would have an advantage in that area.
[editline]8th August 2012[/editline]
Who's to say he didn't thank the surgeon?[/QUOTE]
Why should we assume something not stated, and not debate purely on what we're given here in the article? That's what this threads about, otherwise it's Mass Debate.
IMO he thanked the doctors, but he isn't giving them the credit when they absolutely deserve the full amount. 7+ years of medical training and having it shamefully discredited is a mockery.
[QUOTE=SCopE5000;37135817]I disagree, you believe in science and stuff you learned in school right?
Stuff that was taught to you in the same language that religion was taught to him.
Language, words and meanings themselves also came from other people telling you about them.
All beliefs? Very much so.
How can 'original thought' or 'truth' (the opposite of belief) involve words, when the origin comes from other people?
We can't validate anything for ourselves because it involves more words in order to do so, only pretend that we can.[/QUOTE]
except the stuff you learn in school encourages you to learn more and to make up your own mind based off those things you learnt. religious learning basically amounts to 'accept what there is and that's that'
[QUOTE=Janus Vesta;37135698]Well if he was healed by doctors and he's giving god credit I'm more inclined to think he's thick.[/QUOTE]
not as thick as he's made out to be though, giving God credit for something some doctors did isn't anywhere near as thick as turning down treatment.
[QUOTE=Lachz0r;37135834]except the stuff you learn in school encourages you to learn more and to make up your own mind based off those things you learnt. religious learning basically amounts to 'accept what there is and that's that'[/QUOTE]
I'm not saying one thing is better than another, simply that both are beliefs and neither are truth.
[QUOTE=SCopE5000;37135852]I'm not saying one thing is better than another, simply that both are beliefs and neither are truth.[/QUOTE]
the things you learn in school aren't beliefs.....
[editline]9th August 2012[/editline]
school is not about teaching belief?
[editline]9th August 2012[/editline]
in fact that's pretty much the major thing about school? the big reason why they kept religion out of state schools?
[QUOTE=SCopE5000;37135852]I'm not saying one thing is better than another, simply that both are beliefs and neither are truth.[/QUOTE]
the majority of things taught in school are the truth, or at least they are certified to be the truth
[QUOTE=Lachz0r;37135834]except the stuff you learn in school encourages you to learn more and to make up your own mind based off those things you learnt. religious learning basically amounts to 'accept what there is and that's that'[/QUOTE]
this is correct.
go to a christian church, and you can be damn sure they will try their hardest to persuade you against joining any other faith; because their god is "the only true god"
does this not say anything? the difference is with learning science and religion at school (given that we are all told to think for ourselves); is that almost half of people in schools aren't intelligent enough to absorb complicated subjects like Maths and Physics, i think you'll find that these people are usually always religious.
i'm not to say that one is caused by the other, but i am saying that believing in a God and finding the same sense of contentness with the universe (like scientists and students like myself are striving far), that we can somewhat understand how it works, and understand the science debunking mythological nonsense like the Earth being flat, or that witches exist, is what we all subconsciously seek. it all stems down to an innate desire to know our place in the universe. [B]some (not all)[/B] people just wrongly choose religion instead of science.
[QUOTE=Thom12255;37135819]Do you seriously fucking believe that? Of course he's thankful to the doctors as well.[/QUOTE]
Saying god healed his wounds doesn't sound like he appreciates the doctors who made sure he was cured. There's a difference between thanking god that he's better and claiming god healed him, which is what he's doing.
[QUOTE=SCopE5000;37135852]I'm not saying one thing is better than another, simply that both are beliefs and neither are truth.[/QUOTE]
A belief is totally unfounded, and requires faith to maintain. You believe in a belief because you are told to, or want to believe in it. There is no empirical proof, logic or reason behind it, it's personal.
We know with scientific results, as we have tested and found the result to be repeatable, factual and testable by peer review, and drawn a conclusion that is based on the empirical facts, is logical, clear and consistant; which other scientists agree with.
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