Ben Roethlisberger Says Faith Helped Him Get Over Addictions
Written by SOURCE on June 24, 2020
This past weekend Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger spoke at a virtual conference for Christian men and talked about how his faith has helped him get past a porn addiction. Roethlisberger also said he got over an alcohol addiction through the same means. It seems like a time to link to this article.
“It’s not always easy,” Ben said to one of the event’s hosts, ex-Steeler Tunch Ilkin, according to ESPN. “People don’t realize all the time that us athletes, we’re human. We sin like everybody else. I am no different. We make mistakes. We get addicted to things. We sin. We’re human. I think sometimes we get put on this pedestal where we can’t make mistakes. I’ve fallen as short as anybody. I’ve been addicted to alcohol. I’ve been addicted to pornography, which makes me then not the best husband, not the best father, not the best Christian I can be.”
Not surprisingly, if you have any knowledge of his backstory, references in a number of outlets (and now this one) were made to the multiple past sexual assault allegations that have been leveled at Roethlisberger, which resulted in a six-game suspension for a violation of the NFL’s personal conduct policy at the start of the 2010 season.
“But you have to dedicate yourself and understand that you can get out of it because of the grace of God and him saying, ‘Listen, you’re good enough for me the way you are. You don’t have to be perfect,'” Roethlisberger added during the event.
ESPN reports that the event, called ManUp Pittsburgh, is an annual affair that takes place on Father’s Day. It “encourages and teaches men to be godly leaders for their families, and raise awareness of the devastating impact of fatherlessness among youth today.”
Roethlisberger went on to talk about last season, specifically the elbow injury he suffered in Week 2 that led to surgery and no more games after that point.
“I’m so thankful that this injury happened during my walk that I’m in now,” he said. “I don’t know that I would’ve been able to handle it a few years ago, five, six, seven, 10 years ago. I know that my faith wouldn’t have been as strong. Now that I know what it’s about, it’s easy to say, ‘Hey, God, this is in your hands. I’m going to go train my butt off to get back out there, and whatever you have for me, I’m ready.'”
