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WILLIAMSBURG, Ky. (WYMT) - A Whitley County teenager refused to run in her regional cross country meet last Saturday after being given the bib number '666.' Codie Thacker sat the race out refusing to wear what she says many see as the "mark of the beast." She told a local reporter, "I just don't believe that 666 should be a number that's anywhere on your body and I did not want that number associated with me. It kind of made me sick."
Whitley County High School Track Coach Gina Croley said, “I'm very sure that the number was computer generated. I don't think it was any type of you know let's give somebody this number, but when it was brought to their attention, I feel like if it were possible, it could have been changed.”
Despite Thacker's objection, Kentucky High School Athletic Association officials wouldn’t change her number. Her religious principles then trumped her passion for running: “I was upset, because I'd trained all season for it. But in another sense I stood up for my beliefs and I stood up for God."
Joe Angolia, a representative for KHSAA claims meet officials were not told Thacker objected for religious reasons, saying, “We've made adjustments to uniform codes and things like that in the past when it's known that religious reasons are in play. Maybe had that been made more clear to meet officials, they would have made that decision.”
Both Thacker and her coach maintain that they clearly cited religion as the reason for the objection.
Thacker says she has received lots of support from the community, and when asked if she'd make the same decision, she said, “Yes i would, I would definitely stand my ground on this.”
Coach Croley said, “I wouldn't have been more proud of her if she won the entire meet. She stood on her principles; she stood for what she believed in.”
Coach Croley said, “I wouldn't have been more proud of her if she won the entire meet. She stood on her principles; she stood for what she believed in.”
2. The numerals 666 stand for the devil
...
Most people think 666 stands for an anti-Christ-like figure that will deceive humanity and trigger a final battle between good and evil. Some people think he’s already here.
Pagels, however, says the writer of Revelation didn’t really intend 666 as the devil’s digits. He was describing another incarnation of evil: The Roman emperor, Nero.
The arrogant and demented Nero was particularly despised by the earliest followers of Jesus, including the writer of Revelation. Nero was said to have burned followers of Jesus alive to illuminate his garden.
But the author of Revelation couldn’t safely name Nero, so he used the Jewish numerology system to spell out Nero’s imperial name, Pagels says.
Pagels says that John may have had in mind other meanings for the mark of the beast: the imperial stamp Romans used on official documents, tattoos authorizing people to engage in Roman business, or the images of Roman emperors on stamps and coins.
XionZap
Teen Refuses To Run In Cross County Meet After Being Given the Number '666'
Those in 'authority' should hang their heads in shame. This brave young woman is a fine example to her school, community, and most of all to her faith in Jesus Christ - AMEN AMEN Codie - we are proud of you.
edit on 6-11-2013 by XionZap because: (no reason given)
olaru12
Obviously it was Whitney's strategy to win favor from her Evangelical Church, friends and family.
Clever young woman to solidify her position in her Christian community and get her 15 min.. of fame at the same time. She could have asked for another number but used the 666 as a soap box to promote her religious agenda.
It takes real talent to be clever and lame all at the same time.
edit on 6-11-2013 by olaru12 because: (no reason given)
Zerobizarro
reply to post by AmberLeaf
Numbers can have a variety of meanings to all people around this little mud ball. Lucky or unlucky numbers, hotels omitting or renaming the 13th floor and many other examples.
Considering the runner in OP's article didn't hurt anyone (other than herself), what matter is her belief to you, me or anyone else?edit on 6-11-2013 by Zerobizarro because: (no reason given)
usernameconspiracy
XionZap
Teen Refuses To Run In Cross County Meet After Being Given the Number '666'
Those in 'authority' should hang their heads in shame. This brave young woman is a fine example to her school, community, and most of all to her faith in Jesus Christ - AMEN AMEN Codie - we are proud of you.
edit on 6-11-2013 by XionZap because: (no reason given)
Look, I agree with her right to refuse to run, for whatever reason, but it's pretty selfish that she took a spot in the Regional meet that another runner could have had, and then refused to run. You have to qualify for regionals and she screwed someone else out of their opportunity to run. She screwed her entire team over, but I guess that part is ok.
And if she was on such shaky ground with God that she thought He might choose worrying about the stupid number that she was running under, rather than what is in her heart, then she was just following religious dogma and bs rather than really knowing God. Bottom line, God has a trillion bigger issues to concern himself with other than whether one girl in kentucky runs with a 666 as her assigned runner number.
The next time the family is playing Rummy and I have trip sixes to play, I better just refuse to play them, because God watches when we play cards...
AmberLeaf
reply to post by XionZap
I take the warnings in the bible as seriously as the warnings on my cereal packet...not very seriously.
You must be so proud of your god, condemning billions of people to an eternity of pain and suffering because they were born on the wrong continent so were taught about the wrong god (LOL) or god wasnt powerful enough to show himself to those with a little more grey matter...the non gullible types.