RIP Muhammad Ali

[Era Might]

RIP to a great athlete and a greater man who transcended sport and became part of American and world history. He had a lot in common with John Paul II. Both were sportsmen and actors, both battled religious persecution in their countries, both led brave lives with Parkinsons disease, both go down in history with the title of Magnus (the great and the greatest, respectively), and both were profoundly humble and generous.

Edited June 4, 2016 by Era Might

[BarbTherese]

A truly great human being and humanitarian - probably the greatest athlete ever that had influence on the whole world and for the good.  RIP MA.  Prayer.

[Seven77]

 I'd be interested to know the story behind this picture.

[CatherineM]

I'm not sure about calling Ali humble. 

[Era Might]

21 minutes ago, CatherineM said:

I'm not sure about calling Ali humble. 

He was incredibly humble, he was a devout Muslim and saw his own greatness as a reflection of the greatness of God. As he said, it's not bragging if you can back it up. Of course, his showmanship as a young man was partly just good theatre, but that's the nature of showmanship and theatre. His humility was revealed in his great generosity and compassion, for the suffering of his people and for the global audience that looked to him for hope.

1 hour ago, Seven77 said:

 I'd be interested to know the story behind this picture.

I think he was signing his autograph for the Pope lol.

[Seven77]

That's amesome. Actually it looks like they are exchanging autographs!

I think that you bring up a great point about greatness. Some people think about Ali and wonder how it can be said that he was humble. But the thing is, wanting to be the greatest,  fostering the mentality and doing  everything in one's power to attain it–– willing and even to some extent believing it. That is a noble thing. I  can think of countless places in the New Testament where pursuing greatness is extolled: “be perfect as  your heavenly Father is perfect,” “unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees," " I have chosen you to bear much fruit that will last," etc.  This attitude is not at all opposed to humility--- it's complementary to it. It even has a name, the virtue of magnanimity. Being "great souled." I've been thinking and reading a lot about this recently. I think that this is one of the greatest lessons that Ali can teach us.

[Era Might]

57 minutes ago, Seven77 said:

That's amesome. Actually it looks like they are exchanging autographs!

I think that you bring up a great point about greatness. Some people think about Ali and wonder how it can be said that he was humble. But the thing is, wanting to be the greatest,  fostering the mentality and doing  everything in one's power to attain it–– willing and even to some extent believing it. That is a noble thing. I  can think of countless places in the New Testament where pursuing greatness is extolled: “be perfect as  your heavenly Father is perfect,” “unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees," " I have chosen you to bear much fruit that will last," etc.  This attitude is not at all opposed to humility--- it's complementary to it. It even has a name, the virtue of magnanimity. Being "great souled." I've been thinking and reading a lot about this recently. I think that this is one of the greatest lessons that Ali can teach us.

Yeah, it's what we admire most about the Greeks...think of Michelangelo's David sculpture and the entire Renaissance return to the classical aesthetic, and even before then, Dante was praising Beatrice and that ideal of love. But the Greeks also knew that even heroes are beneath the gods, and had to pay the price of tragedy for their glory. Ali was human, no doubt there was real pride mixed in his his theatrics, but he also lived a tragedy in later life, but he did so nobly and as an ambassador to the world. His boxing career was just one act in his play. I don't think that's what made him great, but the entire story of the man (if anyone's interested, I suggest Thomas Hauser's biography). There's also a new book out I've been wanting to read about Ali's friendship with Malcolm X. I don't think you could write a history of America without Ali in it...he made history and was part of it.

Edited June 6, 2016 by Era Might