High School Football Coach to Defy School District Order to not Pray after Game

Where does the separation of church and state end? I see many that choose to pick this fight because it temporarly makes sense for certain situations but as a whole this is not at all what the founders meant or wanted by the term of separation of church and state.

The problem is that we are majority Christian nation and to completely separate church and state would leed to people getting fired because of religion and people in the military will have to not celebrate any religion on gov. grounds. Them damn soldiers and their f..ing Christmas trees on gov. property.

I bet in a couple weeks them damn heathen kids will be knocking on gov. doors asking for a handout because their pagan witch mothers send them out to beg.

To completely adhere to the separation of church and state would mean that all gov. employees be atheist.

Now if you all do not choose to define the statement of separation to that level then put it in writing cause right now it is just waiting for someone to start the debate.

Where is he forcing it on kids at the ballgame though? It's completely voluntary, no one is being forced to pray if they don't want to.

In the locker room after the game, still in uniform, carried by coaches? You know as well as I that is a school activity and everyone is expected to participate.

If a student gets up and leaves the group when the prayer starts, thats a big no no.

The have to at least pretend to bow their heads and pray. Thats what I mean by imposing ones religion on another.

Imagine for a moment if the coach was Muslim and wanted the kids to bow and pray to Mecca?

Rioting in the streets…

originally posted by: Annee

Because it's a slippery slope.

Christians will take it as a win and throw it into every school violation lawsuit as a "see this".

I am still not seeing how it violates the Establishment Clause if it is not compulsory. School prayer by individuals has been upheld by the Supreme Court as being acceptable under the Free Exercise Clause.

His "statement" that it has to be on the 50 yard line is not OK with me. Location not the praying.

Meh. I do not have an issue where he does it as long as it is not compulsory.

a reply to: AugustusMasonicus

Proselytizing is an overt act to convert someone to your religion or belief system.

I used to be a proselytizing Christian. It can be as subtle, or as overt as the one doing it needs it to be. Nevertheless, I get your point. I'm not trying to be unreasonable or overboard.

originally posted by: Klassified
I used to be a proselytizing Christian. It can be as subtle, or as overt as the one doing it needs it to be. Nevertheless, I get your point. I'm not trying to be unreasonable or overboard.

I hear you, but I think the guy is free to do what he wants.

Me personally? I do not pray over sporting events. I yell at the television as I think this is much more effective.

originally posted by: DBCowboy

originally posted by: buster2010

originally posted by: DBCowboy

originally posted by: Klassified

originally posted by: DBCowboy
a reply to: CB328

So you want to force people to express themselves in designated areas of your choosing?

No. He wants to religion out of public schools, and keep teachers from pushing their beliefs onto students.

I see. So you aren't for letting a person pray. Got it.

Matthew 6:6
But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.
Aren't people who are saying they are following the bible supposed to do what the bible says?

I don't dictate how a person should adhere to their religion. Or any belief. But again, I'm for freedom. I didn't realize that was such a negative thing here.

You are not as much for freedom as you claim. It is clearly against the constitution for a government funded organization which a public school is to promote religion. So you are clearly against the freedoms that the constitution gives us by saying it is ok for the coach to force his religion on others.

a reply to: AugustusMasonicus

Yaas Gawd! (Pun Intended)

It's just, what if after a Game they wanted to Parade a Rainbow Flag around in Support? or Talk about another Religion, or any other "Taboo Topic" Abortion etc. would people be ok with it and fight for it?

originally posted by: intrptr

Where is he forcing it on kids at the ballgame though? It's completely voluntary, no one is being forced to pray if they don't want to.

In the locker room after the game, still in uniform, carried by coaches? You know as well as I that is a school activity and everyone is expected to participate.

If a student gets up and leaves the group when the prayer starts, thats a big no no.

The have to at least pretend to bow their heads and pray. Thats what I mean by imposing ones religion on another.

Imagine for a moment if the coach was Muslim and wanted the kids to bow and pray to Mecca?

Rioting in the streets…

If you can find a team that is 80%muslim or other then they should be able to invoke their God to help them stay safe on the field or whatever they are up to short of violence.

Yes having a muslim coach getting a majority christian team to pray to alla would be a problem.

There is plenty of room at every gov. installation to allow the majority of people to highlight their beliefs in a non offensive manner.

originally posted by: Darth_Prime
a reply to: AugustusMasonicus

Yaas Gawd! (Pun Intended)

It's just, what if after a Game they wanted to Parade a Rainbow Flag around in Support? or Talk about another Religion, or any other "Taboo Topic" Abortion etc. would people be ok with it and fight for it?

If you get a group of lgbujdjgkejg kids together and manage to win a game against other people then by all means we should all go to the parade.

originally posted by: Darth_Prime

Yaas Gawd! (Pun Intended)

It's just, what if after a Game they wanted to Parade a Rainbow Flag around in Support? or Talk about another Religion, or any other "Taboo Topic" Abortion etc. would people be ok with it and fight for it?

You can do all of those fun activities, as long as they are not mandatory.

a reply to: schuyler

Two issues here. How is he "imposing" if joining in is strictly voluntary?

Is that it, he called only those that want to pray everyone else can go, or gathered all together and said, let us pray?

Secondly, if we must have a strict separation of church and state, how can the school district open its facilities to churches on weekends to allow "homeless" churches a place to worship? Isn't that hypocritical? Why is it not OK to pray on Friday night, but it IS OK to pray on Saturday morning, a few hours later?

I agree, hypocritical. School is reading writing and arithmetic.

Church is for worship and prayer , never the should mix. Big slippery slope.

Organized religion is a cult anyway, man made. What they call prayer and worship is simple rote recital, far wide of the mark, imo.

a reply to: AugustusMasonicus

Exactly, and you shouldn't be forced to Pray, and or made to feel like you have to, even pretend

a reply to: deadeyedick

So there is a Gay College Basketball coach, is it Ok for him to make his Team engage in GLBTQ+ related things after a Game?

you can't "Force" that, and you shouldn't be allowed to force any Religion on people either, or shame them into it

It’s called peer pressure psychology.


It might lead some students to feel as if their being subtly compelled

Other students might even start looking down on the non believers.

Also some might feel their placating the coach if they participate


The coach may not realize what he’s doing, in other words his intention may not be to do that but the reality is that this likely is a form of compulsion.

a reply to: buster2010

So you are clearly against the freedoms that the constitution gives us by saying it is ok for the coach to force his religion on others.

And how is a prayer after a game forcing religion upon anyone?

originally posted by: AugustusMasonicus

originally posted by: Annee

Because it's a slippery slope.

Christians will take it as a win and throw it into every school violation lawsuit as a "see this".

I am still not seeing how it violates the Establishment Clause if it is not compulsory.

Neither is a bible sitting unopened on a teachers desk.

But, that is illegal violating separation of church and state by suggestion.

originally posted by: Willtell
It’s called peer pressure psychology.


It might lead some students to feel as if their being subtly compelled

Other students might even start looking down on the non believers.

Also some might feel their placating the coach if they participate


The coach may not realize what he’s doing, in other words his intention may not be to do that but the reality is that this likely is a form of compulsion.

Lot of "ifs" and "mights" and "what ifs in there

And if a frog had wings he wouldnt bump his @ss when he jumped

Its not compulsory, its not an issue.....

Its funny, I see progressives throwing fits for Muslims when they want the right to keep their face covered, or do their own prayers in school because its a tenant of their religion, you guys are ALL about their religious freedoms, because its "hip" and "Politically correct" to come to their aid...

yet when a christian prays people lose their freaking minds

The hypocrisy on a regular basis is dumbfounding

a reply to: deadeyedick

it means that the gov't can't hold one religion up as being more worthy as another....which by your next statement,

The problem is that we are majority Christian nation

you seem to not comprehend,....
even if it is true that we are majority christian (which, I am sorry, but you'd think that if we were, we'd be a little more kinder and compassionate one to another) it would be acceptable to exalt the religion of the majority over the minority.

and, ya know what, I have to say this....
any christian who is having a problem keeping their job, or following their religion, just aren't following the religion correctly!!
you are told to obey those who have authority over you....
**** it's amazing how some of the churches will preach that till the cows come home when it comes to the wives obeying their husband but seem to forget it also means that the men should be obeying the authorities over them!!!

you are told that godly acts that are done in secrecy are more valued in your god's eyes than those done in the open.

quite frankly yours is a religion that was formed during a time when the christians were actually persecuted and a great deal of care was taken to ensure it could survive that persecution and grow!!!

I bet if I went to a wal mart today, I would see plenty of christmas crap around, no, the christmas trees on the military bases have about as much chance of being gone as the one in the white house! and it's time for the christians to realize that that separation of church and state, if left standing, will protect your right to hold your own religious values just as much as it does everyone elses, unless of course, you manage to tear it down, then all bets are off, and I am pretty sure many christians will end up losing in the end along with many other groups!

I bet in a couple weeks them damn heathen kids will be knocking on gov. doors asking for a handout because their pagan witch mothers send them out to beg.

???????? hmmm, that's really funny, considering, how many churches in my area are having trunk or treat nights!!! then there are the malls, and what not. we haven't had any trick or treaters in years knocking on our door really...
maybe because we have no outside light to turn on, don't know. don't care really.

a reply to: ManBehindTheMask

No, i think it's the hypocrisy of Any Religion person who wants to parade around their Religion and get upset when it starts to infringe upon other people and someone says something about it, and yet are the ones who want to deny and ban people from expressing themselves.

So as usual i see the same people who bash islam when ever they can, but defend this coach because its ok for him to pray after a football game.

You just cant have it your way and tell everyone else what to do.


Keep your religion at home.