Hypothesis
There are many controversial issues in the world, and many people have stances. The certainty or uncertainty of an issue can be determined by one’s ethical view. As for the Christian worldview, truth, glory, character, and being consistent with the mind are components an individual should adhere to.
Introduction
Molarity is of the highest importance – but for us, not for God (Albert Einstein). Christian ethics are guided by scripture and religious traditions through the Biblical sacred text (Langerak, n.d.) Through evaluation, religious ethics can either have a positive or negative contribution through an adherent’s decision-making process or how one approaches an ethical issue. One such problem is stated by enhancement such as steroids in achieving better outcomes in the sporting field, this contemporary issue will be examined from a Christian worldview.
Body
There are two types of steroids that an athlete can consume, anabolic-androgenic steroids od anabolic steroids (Mayo Clinic Staff, 2018), These are used to increase muscle strength and mass. Why are these drugs so appealing to athletes? How do Christians respond to this contemporary issue?
Anabolic-androgenic steroids are illegal without a specific prescription from a doctor or one in the medical system, this also means that these are endorsed for a specific amount of time. In Romans 13:1, it says, “Let every person be subject to the governing authorities.” This makes us question if we are respecting the governing authority above us, just as athletes are disobeying the government, they are disobeying their creator.
Christian ethical teachings and practice are fundamental to the community of the faithful and its life (Britannica, ). In a written article, Faith and Culture, Jeremy Bell explains the Christians' belief of an individual recognizing their body as a temple, it is a known practice to take care of our bodies in order to honor God as created beings (Bell, 2017). He goes on and explain that pursuing good eating habits, exercising, and avoiding harmful substances is a Christian’s understanding of being good stewards of what God has given each individual.
“Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.” (1 Corinthians 6:19–20)
As Christians, we believe that the Holy Spirit dwells within us, we are to attain and respect it and be physically fit and aware of what we consume in our bodies. When we were created, we were created with a purpose, God gifted different individuals with different talents and abilities, As Christians, we should refrain from harming our bodies. “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” (Mark 10:45). Christians were bought with a price and ransomed by Jesus Christ Himself. Moreover, the use of steroids would be classified as a sin in a Christian worldview, as building up our bodies beyond our capabilities is going against God's will.
The core belief of being honest to yourself and the people around you is embedded in Christian values. In Scripture, the eighth Commandment condemns lying, “Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor.” The enhancement of drugs is cheating and is a way of being dishonest. The use of this drug is merely unfair, and we are told to be fair to our fellow human beings. Isaiah 56:1 states, “Be just and fair to all, do what is right and good.” God does not give circumstances or options.
Furthermore, steroids cause enhancement to the body beyond what it is originally designed to do, As athletes take on these enhancements, the precise design that God put together is destroyed and will have a negative impact on certain parts of the body. Under these circumstances, steroids are taken for cosmetic reasons, mainly by males to become muscular and achieve a specific physique (The Mitchel Report, 2008). Luke 12:22:34 suggests that the body is something we care for rather than something we obsess over.
According to the Hormone Health Network, there are a variety of damaging effects from the use of anabolic, These effects can vary from aggressive behavior to liver damage, and a much higher risk of heart disease, prostate cancer, high blood pressure, and much more. Despite these effects, there is still a majority of athletes who still engage in taking drugs, mainly men around the ages of 20-30. Statistics from the National Institute on Drug Abuse show an estimate of the misuse of anabolic in America. The studies show that 8th and 10th graders have a lower percentage sitting around 0.4-0.8% in the year 2000. However, 12th graders have rapidly increased with a percentage of 1.8 from 2011 – 2015 and significantly decreased from 2015 to 2016.