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Can't help but wonder about The New York Times...
Its self-perception, as well as the perception of many of the "educated class", is that it carries the gravitas of the national newspaper of record with the motto "all the news that's fit to print".
As most know, famed UCLA Coach John Wooden went home to his Maker this past week. Chronicling this event, why would this paragon of journalistic excellence choose to omit the words "especially the Bible" from Coach Wooden's famous creed? The NYT listed only the beginning of that particular sentence of the creed - "drink deeply from good books" and omitted the end, "especially the Bible".
Is the "Bible" a word that is unfit to print? Were the authors of the article engaged in soft censorship, nudging the facts to fit into their world view?
Here is what the New York Times reported as Coach Wooden's creed, in quotes, mind you:
Be true to yourself. Make each day a masterpiece. Help others. Drink deeply from good books. Make friendship a fine art. Build a shelter against a rainy day."
You'll see there are only 6 points listed in the quote from the New York Times. The article totally eliminated the 7th point of Coach John Wooden's 7-point Creed. Perhaps the words "pray" and "blessings" are too closely associated with the Bible to be fit for print.
Here is Coach Wooden's actual creed as told in his own voice on his official website www.coachjohnwooden.com, and as reported by other news outlets as well as the UCLA Newsroom.
Be true to yourself. Make each day a masterpiece. Help others. Drink deeply from good books, especially the Bible. Make friendship a fine art. Build a shelter against a rainy day. Pray for guidance and give thanks for your blessings every day."
John Wooden, who read his Bible every day, wrote in his 2003 autobiography They Call Me Coach:
...I always tried to make it clear that basketball is not the ultimate. It is of small importance in comparison to the total life we live. There is only one kind of a life that truly wins, and that is one that places faith in the hands of the Savior. Until that is done, we are on an aimless course that runs in circles and goes nowhere. Material possessions, winning scores, and great reputations are meaningless in the eyes of the Lord, because he knows what we really are and that is all that matters."
Shame on the New York Times. Its deliberate excising of relevant facts, (remember they printed the creed in quotes) wiped from their historic record the one thing that mattered most to Coach Wooden -his faith as taught in the Bible. Shame.












Comments
Shame on the New York Times. If they don't believe God and the Bible, which is His message of hope and help to humanity, then why are they afraid to put John Wooden's direct quote into print. Their omission shows they ARE disturbed by a reference to a God they fear....and fear they should. He is our judge or our Father. It is a choice.
Good catch, and I called the NYT's ombudsman on it-- let's see if they correct the original piece!
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