Prayers at football games in public high school?

win231 said:
It has nothing to do with outlawing prayer. It has to do with making prayer a performance show while being in a position of authority.
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EXACTLY! People get all side tracked, emotional and...quite frankly deaf & blind to factual discourse. Nobody has ever ever advocated banning an individual's right to prayer, but due to the fatal flaw in the Constitution(ie: 1st amendment-freedom of religion) religion can't be forced on people by at a tax-payer funded institution or event. Too simple for some people to understand.
 

We have a Christian school here in our County. They play other Christian schools for the most part, however, they may play one or two public schools. They have one of the players say a prayer, which takes less than a minute, or maybe only 30 seconds. No one has ever complained to the best of my knowledge.
 

oldman said:
We have a Christian school here in our County. They play other Christian schools for the most part, however, they may play one or two public schools. They have one of the players say a prayer, which takes less than a minute, or maybe only 30 seconds. No one has ever complained to the best of my knowledge.
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That wouldn't be a problem,as it is a private Christian school and not a public school.
 
I think there are very good reasons for the separation of church and state, as provided for in the constitution. I have nothing at all against prayer, and do it daily, though to no particular religious entity. I sincerely doubt that God cares what group, if any, that I pray with. Pray in your own way on your own time, and proselytize within your own organization. Problem solved.
 
Geezer Garage said:
Pray in your own way on your own time, and proselytize within your own organization
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I agree that IF this show of thankfulness via prayer is offensive to anyone it should stop...BUT...who's to say he was proselytizing? Maybe he was sincerely teaching a moral ethic of gratitude for the group, as well as being a good example, or just sincerely expressing his gratitude period.

The definition of proselytizing is trying to convert someone. He wasn't preaching. He was praying.
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Aunt Bea said:
I'm more concerned with the idea of destroying a person's life or career over something as simple as a prayer with a football team.

Why isn't it enough to reprimand the coach and move on?
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Reread the original article, Aunt Bea. Apparently this guy has a long history of wedging his religious activities into a public school. How many times should he be reprimanded before the school district finally does something about it?
 
Gardenlover said:
Pepper, Pepper - I knew it wouldn't take long for you to reply - I enjoy our discussions.

Why does anyone have to be the judge? I pray you, you do not. Yet many condemn those who dare pray in public. Live and let live - what are we afraid of?
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Okay, Gardenlover, how about a group of Wiccans or devil worshippers running out on the field, led by their coach, to pray at half-time? Would your "live and let live" philosophy extend that far?

What if your own child was on that team and was being pressured to join in the prayers, in spite of your child's beliefs, or non-beliefs?

And what if the coach showed real preference for the students who agreed with his religious preferences? Does all this sanctimonious (and probably phony) "praying" on his part extend to all religious and/or spiritual beliefs? Or only the coach's?

The point is, there is nothing wrong with praying. But there are times, places, and situations where praying is appropriate, and those where it is not. For teachers and coaches in public schools, prayer should be a private matter within their own lives, not a performance spectacle. And certainly not an attempt to impose your own religious ideas on impressionable minds. Separation of church and state has helped make this country what it is. Not perfect by any means, but at least it's not a religious autocracy. Let's keep it that way.
 
I don't know what the big deal is? On American coins it writes, "In God We Trust." That's nice, but the Muslims also trust in God. They just call him "Ala". I will leave it at that since no one wins poltical nor religious arguements.
 
Sunny said:
Okay, Gardenlover, how about a group of Wiccans or devil worshippers running out on the field, led by their coach, to pray at half-time? Would your "live and let live" philosophy extend that far?

What if your own child was on that team and was being pressured to join in the prayers, in spite of your child's beliefs, or non-beliefs?

And what if the coach showed real preference for the students who agreed with his religious preferences? Does all this sanctimonious (and probably phony) "praying" on his part extend to all religious and/or spiritual beliefs? Or only the coach's?

The point is, there is nothing wrong with praying. But there are times, places, and situations where praying is appropriate, and those where it is not. For teachers and coaches in public schools, prayer should be a private matter within their own lives, not a performance spectacle. And certainly not an attempt to impose your own religious ideas on impressionable minds. Separation of church and state has helped make this country what it is. Not perfect by any means, but at least it's not a religious autocracy. Let's keep it that way.
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Free speech reigns or you become a slave to those who try to silence you. I guess in your case there would be more than a football game squirmish on the field. I'm far from thinking there should be peace at any cost.

Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely.

I taught my kids to think for themselves and not be sheep. Thus, I have no apologies for speaking my mind.
 
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Gardenlover, so you've taught your kids to ignore the law, and violate our Constitutional guarantee of the separation of church and state, because you want them to "think for themselves?"

Wow.
 
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