By Ryan Kelly –

I myself love sport. I grew up playing sports, I have children who compete in sports now, and my family and I enjoy watching sports both live and over television. I believe that sport is a fantastic way to build teamwork, let loose energy in a constructive way, and to learn to complete in a healthy manner that can translate into all aspects of life. Sport is truly wonderful in my opinion.

The ancient Greek’s agreed with this philosophy, having established the Olympic games in 776 BC as a way to set aside political differences and allow athletes who represented different nations to complete in a friendly manner without the need for war or political unrest. The goal of the Olympics was peace and unity. The ancient Olympics ended in 393 AD and was re-established in 1894 under these same ideas of peace and unity.

Fast forward to today, one can visit the official Olympics website and find the goal of the games to be much the same. The goal reads as follows: “The goal of the Olympic Movement is to contribute to building a peaceful and better world by educating youth through sport practiced without discrimination of any kind and in the Olympic spirit, which requires mutual understanding with a spirit of friendship, solidarity and fair play.”

Without being long winded, let’s dissect a few elements. First, “build a peaceful and better world”. Is it more peaceful to make fun of the world’s most historic and largest religion in the opening ceremonies in a wildly innappropriate and offensive manner? Next, “without discrimination of any kind” and “a spirit of…fair play.” Who exactly gets to define what discrimination is? Who decides what is fair play? Is it the athletes, the collective voices of the nations competing, the government of the host nation, or the Olympics committee?

I absolutely agree with the goals and ambition of the Olympics, and I applaud our many athletes for representing the US in these games as well as all athletes throughout the world. But from all that I have seen from the promotional side of the Olympic games, they have fallen far short of the goal of unity and peace. Rather, I would say they just lobbed metaphorical bombs of intolerance and hate all over the world under the banner of “tolerance and human rights.” In a word…wokeism.

Moving forward, I would like to see politics completely removed from the Olympics as it was originally intended. Athletes can share their beliefs lovingly with one another and create bonds across the world, and we as fans can watch and support our nations without being ostracized and offended. But if this is not the case and we’re going to start being political and controversial with each session of the games, then I look forward to lobbying for the next Olympics to celebrate Jesus Christ as the savior of the world who conquered death for all that believe and worship in Him. We’ll then see what is more effective…a bunch of men in drag making fun of the Last Supper, or a celebration of the Lord God who created the universe and who deeply loves all of His people. For the sake of moving hearts and saving souls, I’d put my emphasis on the latter.