File photos
Clarke (left) and Dufour.
More clergymen have responded to the Gleaner's query about the effect of Jamaica's successes in the Beijing Olympics on the nation.
Rev Dr Stanley G Clarke, Bishop of the Moravian Church in JamaicaI believe the performance of our athletes will impact on the spiritual and social life of the nation. It is said that success breeds more success.
Our people are inspired by models of victory, triumph and success.
It demon-strated that there is virtue in hard work, discipline, resilience and patience.
Give our young people a chance to grow up and actualise their full potential. Even those who have to grow up under less-than-accep-table conditions deserve their opportunity to thrive. This moment should be used to unite our people.
The Rt Rev Charles Dufour, Roman Catholic Bishop of Montego Bay
Most of the athletes have professed a faith in Christ, publicly pray, make the sign of the cross and even in failure, have left their performances in God's hands.
This will send a message to the nation that indeed, God is in control of the lives of young, gifted and talented people, so others should not be ashamed of their beliefin God.
Like the qualification of the Reggae Boyz to the World Cup in France in 1998, the pride of their achievements is being repeated by the phenomenal performance of our athletes. The sheer joy of winning and being recognised globally for something positive will be a motivator and a relief from the bad news that the society is accustomed to getting.
There is now an opportunity to challenge the private sector and church organisations to see sports as an outlet that can bring transformational change to a society shrouded in despondency and hopelessness.
