Since I posted about this article, this issue, Lance Armstrong has made a “de facto” admission of drug use, he didn’t say it, but he stopped fighting the issue. I still think that Armstrong is a great athlete. As a man, he has overcome cancer and has made a huge impact as a great encouragement for others dealing with the same problem as well as raising a great deal of money. I still do admire Armstrong as an athlete. However it certainly does change my perception. Armstrong passed hundreds of drug tests over the last ten plus years, we can only surmise that somehow he beat the system, but the system finally caught up. By God’s grace I’ve never had cancer, never been seriously ill, never really had any significant medical issue, no question I have been blessed. Nonetheless, I saw Armstrong as an inspiration, as someone who didn’t let the circumstances get him down, which frankly is pretty much the mode today, but he rose above them, he was an inspiration. How did Armstrong really benefit others, yes he raised millions of dollars and did great work, but I can’t help think that this is just another regular mortal who put gain ahead of integrity, who did great things, but did so to what? Atone for the sins he knew he was committing? My faith has been dinged, yes I should realize that my faith should be exclusively in the Triune God, but did Armstrong contribute more as someone who rose above it all, or as someone who raised the bucks. I would argue that, he contributed more to humanity as that great example and now he has only reinforced what the cynics claim, that everyone really is out for themselves at whatever cost, even the lost faith of millions of people and even more underscores Rich Karlgaard’s opinion that this is “The Age of Cheats”. I don’t know about you, but I really don’t want to go down in posterity associated that way.