What is Tim Duncan's religion?

[spurman20]

duncan228's a stalker. And we love her for it.

[whottt]

Duncan's really hard to peg on this.

He was probably raised a Christian in one way or another....but you know he lost his parents(especially his mom) at a young age and I'm sure that lead to some soul seaching on his part...it would for me.


You look at his foundation and it has no religious affiliation that I know of.

You at things he likes and there is fantasy or escapist element to them...D&D Ren Fairs, his favorite movie is The Crow, Video Games. His favorite color is black.


For his career choice he chose pychology...a science. You listen to him talk and you can see he has a natural affinity and inclination for positive cognitive programming. I mean you never hear Duncan say he hopes to win...he always says we're going to win. And when he does win, you never hear him giving credit to a higher power.

Most of the things he is lauded for publicly, like finishing school and being so compe ive are to me, ways of honoring his mother and promises he made to her.



About the only evidence you can find of him identifying with some form of organized religion is that he lists reggae as his favorite form of music...and that is far from conclusive.

Maybe the most revealing things about what his beliefs might be are what he doesn't say...


When asked what he would want if he could have one wish granted, he doesn't wish for his mom to have been able to see him play(inspite of obviously being extremely devoted and paying tribute to her in his actions and deeds)..he wishes for good health.

You add that to the sky gestures he makes, which to me always seems to be a message directly to his mom, sometimes his dad, and probably sometimes both...

And it seems on some level he does feel that they get to see him play.

And the fact that he never mentions god or anything after victory speeches...

To the fact that most christians will be very forthcoming with their christianity when asked...and Duncan is the sort that if that question wasn't important to him he'd just give the most boring non-controverisal stock answer he could come up with whether it was what he truly felt or not...and that would be an easy answer for him if he were a traditional christian. It'd be a question he'd be happy to get out of the way IMO.


I'd say he's probably an agnostic or has an evolving and changing belief system...he probably believes in something higher, or at least he wants too. I'd say the subject is something he feels strongly about, and it is an emotional subject for him, but it's not something he's resolved yet, and he's still searching. And whatever spiritual beliefs he does have, it's probably not any sort of organized or rigid belief system. If he does lean toward some organized system from time to time it's probably the religion of his mom, since he seems to have taken most of her other beliefs to heart.


For a "boring" dude...he's pretty mysterious when you think about it. Not a known or easy to know quan y at all.

[whottt]

I definitely don't think he's a buddhist...he inflicts way too much pain, suffering and misery on the basketball court for that to be the case.

[duncan228]

duncan228's a stalker. And we love her for it.

I prefer the term specialist. I specialize in Duncan...From a safe distance away.

[xtremesteven33]

good post....i like how you put alot of thought into it.

i hope Tim does find Truth though. I know people personally who are searching for Truth and meaning in life and its a tough road. they are always sad and depressed. im not Tim is like that,but it does sometimes appear that way..haha.

but if i had to say a religion, i would probably say hes just a Deist.

[duncan228]

You add that to the sky gestures he makes, which to me always seems to be a message directly to his mom, sometimes his dad, and probably sometimes both...

And it seems on some level he does feel that they get to see him play.

The quote from Duncan's sister that I mentioned earlier in the thread:

“Mom never got to see Timmy play ball seriously. But I think she’s looking down from heaven cheering him on—the loudest voice among all the angels. I think Timmy still hears her.”
—Cheryl Duncan Lowery

For a "boring" dude...he's pretty mysterious when you think about it. Not a known or easy to know quan y at all.

To say the least. I've been following him for years and sometimes I think I don't know anymore about him than when he was in college.

Nice post whottt, you make some interesting points to ponder.

[leemajors]

d&d is basically a religion, so you gotta go with that.

[Oh, Gee!!]

rastafari

[Supergirl]

Buddhist are not monotheists, i think Timmy is

Oy vey, how does misinformation like this get spread? Buddhists are not monotheists?

[xtremesteven33]

Oy vey, how does misinformation like this get spread? Buddhists are not monotheists?

they are not. Buddhists actually dont believe in any God...they believe in self Nirvana

[Supergirl]

I definitely don't think he's a buddhist...he inflicts way too much pain, suffering and misery on the basketball court for that to be the case.

First Noble Truth of Buddhism: All life is suffering.

[Supergirl]

OK, let's clarify: Buddhism is "non-theistic" according to Wikipedia -- which does not mean absence or presence of G-d in the belief system. It means than the belief system is constructed independent of whether the individual belief in G-d. It's essentially more of a philosophy, which is why some people describe themselves as "Jewish Buddhists" or "Christian Buddhists" - they have a Jewish or Christian conception of G-d but a Buddhist philosophy, which are not completely incompatible with one another.

I obviously have no idea what religion Timmy is, but he seems to be a deeply philosophical person. It is clear he does not see eye to eye with DRob and AJ's Christianity, but they were all grownups who could respect each other.

I thought the observation that he is clearly drawn to fantasy worlds was interesting, but this does not necessarily mean he is not a spiritually minded person as well.

[50 cent]

from his childhood experience dealing with the death of his mother at an early age and losing the only connection tim has of her when a hurricane wiped out the island's only olympic size swimming pool, i'd say he's an atheist or at the very least, a non-sectarian.

Not to mention .4 after Duncan hit that incredible shot to give us the lead.

[xtremesteven33]

OK, let's clarify: Buddhism is "non-theistic" according to Wikipedia -- which does not mean absence or presence of G-d in the belief system. It means than the belief system is constructed independent of whether the individual belief in G-d. It's essentially more of a philosophy, which is why some people describe themselves as "Jewish Buddhists" or "Christian Buddhists" - they have a Jewish or Christian conception of G-d but a Buddhist philosophy, which are not completely incompatible with one another.

I obviously have no idea what religion Timmy is, but he seems to be a deeply philosophical person. It is clear he does not see eye to eye with DRob and AJ's Christianity, but they were all grownups who could respect each other.

I thought the observation that he is clearly drawn to fantasy worlds was interesting, but this does not necessarily mean he is not a spiritually minded person as well.

yea i see what you mean but the original religion of Buddhism does not involve a "God".
sure there can be different branches of Buddhism but originally there is no monothism or polytheism. just atheism to its root. that we are "Gods" in a sense. Buddhism started with teachings. Not a belief in God

[Supergirl]

yea i see what you mean but the original religion of Buddhism does not involve a "God".
sure there can be different branches of Buddhism but originally there is no monothism or polytheism. just atheism to its root. that we are "Gods" in a sense. Buddhism started with teachings. Not a belief in God

Not atheism, that is the distinction I am trying to make. Have you met many Buddhists? Most that *I* have met are quite definitely NOT atheists. One can be an atheist and be a Buddhist, but many Buddhists are not atheists. But I also know many Jews who describe themselves both as Jewish and atheist, and a few Catholics who describe themselves as atheists. But I don't think anyone here would suggest that Jews and Christians are ALL atheists.

[porksword]

I don't know what religion TD belongs to but after seeing that clip in 50 cent's sig I am converting to the Church of Jessica Biel.

[xtremesteven33]

Not atheism, that is the distinction I am trying to make. Have you met many Buddhists? Most that *I* have met are quite definitely NOT atheists. One can be an atheist and be a Buddhist, but many Buddhists are not atheists. But I also know many Jews who describe themselves both as Jewish and atheist, and a few Catholics who describe themselves as atheists. But I don't think anyone here would suggest that Jews and Christians are ALL atheists.

-Jewish is an ethnicity not a religion only
-i talked only about the origin of Buddhism, i specified that not all Buddhists are the same, and yes i know some.
-a catholic cannot be an atheist. it is theologically impossible
-Christianity has a monotheistic theology, Hinduism has Polytheism, and Buddhism(originally) does not base its beliefs in a single God or Gods

[Summers]

Good gravy, I can't believe this thread popped up again.

He was raised Episcopalian. He attended St John's Episcopalian church and went to St Dunstan's Episcopalian school. What he practices and believes now, however, is not something that he shares publicly.

[Newton]

Good gravy, I can't believe this thread popped up again.

He was raised Episcopalian. He attended St John's Episcopalian church and went to St Dunstan's Episcopalian school. What he practices and believes now, however, is not something that he shares publicly.

Which is fitting, since it is no one's damned business but his.

[Extra Stout]

I wouldn't assume that. David Robinson (and AJ) are a very specific brand of Christianity - they're both born again, Pentecostal Christians. Tim could very well be a Catholic, a Methodist, a Lutheran, a Congregationalist...etc, etc.

Neiher Robinson nor Johnson are members of Pentecostal churches.

[whottt]

First Noble Truth of Buddhism: All life is suffering.

I realize that...

Now do any of the other noble truths of buddhism involve going and kicking the out of people on the basketball court by being dominant, better than the others, and winning championships?


Plus...it was a joke.

[whottt]

OK, let's clarify: Buddhism is "non-theistic" according to Wikipedia -- which does not mean absence or presence of G-d in the belief system. It means than the belief system is constructed independent of whether the individual belief in G-d. It's essentially more of a philosophy, which is why some people describe themselves as "Jewish Buddhists" or "Christian Buddhists" - they have a Jewish or Christian conception of G-d but a Buddhist philosophy, which are not completely incompatible with one another.

I obviously have no idea what religion Timmy is, but he seems to be a deeply philosophical person. It is clear he does not see eye to eye with DRob and AJ's Christianity, but they were all grownups who could respect each other.

I thought the observation that he is clearly drawn to fantasy worlds was interesting, but this does not necessarily mean he is not a spiritually minded person as well.

Um...if Duncan wasn't somewhat accepting of Christianity he'd have gone utterly bat crazy playing with Drob and AJ...

I'm not saying he embraces it, but he is somewhat accepting of it and familiar with it, it's at least comfortable to him...he'd have been on the first bus out of SA if it wasn't.

Because DRob and AJ were extremely religious and it was felt on the team. They pushed it...

[whottt]

The quote from Duncan's sister that I mentioned earlier in the thread:

“Mom never got to see Timmy play ball seriously. But I think she’s looking down from heaven cheering him on—the loudest voice among all the angels. I think Timmy still hears her.”
—Cheryl Duncan Lowery



To say the least. I've been following him for years and sometimes I think I don't know anymore about him than when he was in college.

Nice post whottt, you make some interesting points to ponder.

Thanks...yeah I figure Duncan's beliefs are somewhat electic like himself. I don't think he's overly religious, but I do think it is an important subject for him...he has all the earmarks of someone searching spiritually IMO...but he hasn't found what he's looking for yet. I get the feeling he is openminded on the subject...if not yet satisfied. That's just my opinion though.

[LakerHater]

Ask the magic eight-ball.

[Dramon]

Sorry to revive a dead thread but I found this and thought i'd post it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kRX_x...eature=related

Right at about 5:45.