Goalie Adin Brown Dropped From Olympic Team

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"There's no rule against Christian Scientists seeing doctors, having surgery," he says. "It's just that we usually choose not to. Our religion wants us to be the best people we can be, [to] strive to be like Jesus through healing and prayer. But the goal is to simply be the best person you can."

Christian Scientists emphasize that their form of healing does not involve hypnotism or suggestion. It employs no chants, rituals, or secret writings. Instead, one establishes spiritual communion with God through prayer.

He realized if he opted for surgery "God wouldn't love me any less."

With the knee still bothering him and the media accounts growing about his dilemma, Brown heard from retired National Football League running back Tommy Vardell. A member of the Church of Christ, Vardell underwent knee surgery after putting it off for many of the same reasons Brown was concerned about.

"You don't have to feel like you have to take a stand for the church," Vardell told Brown. "That's not really involved here. Do what you need to do with the knowledge that nobody, certainly not other Christian Scientists, are going to look down your nose at you."

Vardell's advice rang true to Brown. He realized if he opted for surgery, "God wouldn't love me any less."

On June 30, in Denver, Brown had his knee surgically repaired and he was back on the practice field within three weeks, his spot on the Olympic team seemingly assured. But compensating for the knee injury took its toll, Brown injured his quadriceps and then his hip flexor and was dropped from the Olympic team weeks before the Summer Games opened in Sydney.

"It's frustrating," Adin says. "I went through all this and still couldn't compete."

Does he regret having the knee operated on?

"No, I made the best choice I could at the time," he says. "I'm at peace with that decision.

"Things happen for a reason. Maybe somewhere down the life I'll be able to see how this helped me somehow. But right now that's a little tough to see."