There is ‘no freedom from religion': Parents rally behind WA high school coach who leads post-game p

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Raw Story

There is ‘no freedom from religion': Parents rally behind WA high school coach who leads post-game prayers
Bethania Palma Markus
15 Sep 2015 at 13:46 ET

A Washington public school district is investigating a high school football coach for leading prayers after games, but the coach is continuing to pray.

Joe Kennedy, the coach at Bremerton High School told King5 that he has always prayed after games, and students have voluntarily joined him. He told supporters the district said he couldn’t lead the players in prayer and he could be fired if he continued to do so. But that hasn’t stopped him, and he hasn’t been fired.

“I spent 20 years in the Marine Corps, and it’s been about protecting the freedom of other people,” Kennedy told King5. “It’s about the freedom, and people can believe whatever they want. I’m just exercising my right. The game is over, and I just thank god for every one of these young men that are out here.”

School district policy falls in line with the Constitution, barring the government from showing religious preference, stating “school staff shall neither encourage nor discourage” prayer. The district investigation is trying to determine what role Kennedy, as a school employee, plays in the prayer, because students are allowed to pray on their own as long as it isn’t disruptive, King5 reports.


Read more: http://www.rawstory.com/2015/09/there-is-no-freedom-from-religion-parents-rally-behind-wa-high-school-coach-who-leads-post-game-prayers/

[V0ltairesGh0st]

1. NO!

sorry coach... just no.

[Binkie The Clown]

2. I know we atheists hate it when people call atheism a religion, but

if we capitulated and DID agree to call it a religion then we might get constitutional protection even from those who think we shouldn't have it. If my religion calls for me to mock prayer then I have every right to exercise my freedom of religion by mocking prayer in the same schools that permit or require prayer.

[Bubzer]

5. I could be mistaken, but I think its already been deemed a religion.

A federal district court in Oregon has declared Secular Humanism a religion, paving the way for the non-theistic community to obtain the same legal rights as groups such as Christianity.

On Thursday, October 30, Senior District Judge Ancer Haggerty issued a ruling on American Humanist Association v. United States, a case that was brought by the American Humanist Association (AHA) and Jason Holden, a federal prisoner. Holden pushed for the lawsuit because he wanted Humanism — which the AHA defines as “an ethical and life-affirming philosophy free of belief in any gods and other supernatural forces” — recognized as a religion so that his prison would allow for the creation of a Humanist study group. Haggerty sided with the plaintiffs in his decision, citing existing legal precedent and arguing that denying Humanists the same rights as groups such as Christianity would be highly suspect under the Establishment Clause in the U.S. Constitution, which declares that Congress “shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion.”

http://thinkprogress.org/justice/2014/11/03/3587801/district-court-declares-secular-humanism-a-religion/

[gregcrawford]

14. Well then, I guess I'm a devout atheist

It took me five years to talk my mother out of sending money to that lying, thieving bag of rat excrement, Oral Roberts. My contempt for religious extremists has no boundaries. Those who feel the need to believe in the Great Pumpkin, or whatever they happen to call their chosen deity, will get no argument from me. But when they try to shove down my throat in any way, shape, or form... well, they do not want to do that. Ever.

[beam me up scottie]

16. Not all atheists are secular humanists.

[Bubzer]

17. I have no doubt that you're right. Still, if this could grant "religious freedoms" to atheists...

I'd count it as a pretty big win for the non-religious group. With Secular Humanists defining itself as “an ethical and life-affirming philosophy free of belief in any gods and other supernatural forces”, I'd say that's at the very least, in the same ballpark as atheism.

[beam me up scottie]

18. I think atheists would have to declare themselves SHs in order to be granted protection.

This ruling does help those that are but the rest of us are still screwed.

Thanks for posting the article, the more people who are aware of this problem the better.

[Bubzer]

22. No problem

[Owl]

40. Atheism = No religious beliefs. Not a religion.

[Binkie The Clown]

41. Absolutely NO argument on that from this atheist. However...

the point is that [font size=6]if[/font] we did [font size=6]call it[/font] a religion we might qualify for more legal respect since those who call their beliefs "religion" seem to have the right to claim all sorts of exemptions from laws that apply to everyone else.

The point of my post was not that atheism IS a religion, but that we could, if we wanted to, call it a "religion", as a legal fiction (in the same sense that a corporation IS a "person&quot and reap the benefits that would follow from the use of that legal term.

[w0nderer]

3. if...

coach wants to pray, fine
if players want to pray, fine
if i was a player and didn't want to pray, it'd better be fine

then again for xtians
mat 6:5-8
And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. 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. 7 And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. 8 Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.

and i'm not even xtian

on a side note, can i sacrifice a stallion for the game?
i mean religious freedom is it right? (wonder how far i'd get in that before someone would freak out)

[YabaDabaNoDinoNo]

6. Sorry no, bull is the only acceptable sacrificial critter; it is football after all

so nothing else will do.

Besides the NBA owns the rights to pre game stallion sacrifice.

Sorry to be the one to break the news to you.

[w0nderer]

8. lol

but but ODIN???
awwww but how about a pig...pig skin after all right?
....

*chuckle* *bows to you for catching my sarcasm* honored

[YabaDabaNoDinoNo]

9. Son you BBQ pig! The skin is crackelings! Why waste a nobel critter like the pig to such a

barbaric sport!

Let the millionaires play with a synthetic ball.

More folk need to be able to interpret sarcasm round these parts, it would sure makes things a lot less tense.

[w0nderer]

11. rotflmao

i'll take the cracklins and shortribs (properly deep south smoky bbq'ed) and go to a hockey or soccer game LOL


i think there is a sarcasm 'emojii' but i just use either *jk* or let people figure it out (usually takes a while)
actually

whole pig over pit roast
hawaii party anyone?

[awoke_in_2003]

10. I will not have my beliefs...

suppressed by the NBA.

Welcome to DU.

[WinkyDink]

4. Scene from "Hoosiers":

[Lychee2]

21. If they are praying for victory, that's not religion.

It's superstition.

[WinkyDink]

29. I meant the "God wants you on the floor" line. You know, Coach cutting the praying short?

[smirkymonkey]

31. It's idiotic is what it is. God, how did this country get so stupid?!

[Arugula Latte]

33. All prayers are superstition.

[SoapBox]

7. After the games...

Isn't that a Day-Late-and-Dollar-Short?

[uppityperson]

12. You can believe whatever you like, but you can not DO whatever you like. It isn't a difficult

concept yet people continue to not understand that.

[McKim]

13. This Happens Everywhere

Her in Portland Oregon my friend's daughter's coach tried to bully the team into accepting Jesus as their savior. The coach was kicked out of the league but he did get to do this. This is not the only coach who has pulled this illegal stuff.

[smirkymonkey]

32. That's insane! And so wrong!

We (meaning all of us who are not fundie nutcases) really need to start actively fighting back against this creeping christian fundamentalism in our country. And we need to get creative. Fight fire with fire. Be as ridiculous as they are. Don't tell them, but SHOW them how stupid their behaviour is by mocking it with our own insanity.

[fasttense]

15. Sheees like God cares who wins a stupid game?

The almighty, if there is one, doesn't interfere to stop children from being ripped apart by war and bombs. Why would this almighty care about some game?

[KingCharlemagne]

23. the almighty God lets children die of cancer. Take note, all ye who

profess to believe. That's some kind of deity you've got yourself.

[Arugula Latte]

34. Ours is not to question, there's a plan, mysterious ways, blah blah blah ad infinitem...

[Javaman]

19. oh coach, this is not the marines, this is a high school...

and as much as you wish to pray on school grounds, you can't. so either you keep your prayers to yourself or find another job.

I think the marines might be looking for chaplain.

[tomm2thumbs]

20. I'll bet he if lay rugs on the ground and aimed his kids towards Mecca they'd feel diffrun't

This is all about his choice of religion, not religious freedom in general.

[Nihil]

25. +1 (n/t)

[WestSeattle2]

39. Nailed it. One supportive parent called into a local radio

show this afternoon. When the host said exactly what you said, the response was "Of course I'd be upset if a Muslim coach lead my kid in prayer, this is a CHRISTIAN country, not a MUSLIM country."

That's the level of ignorance we're dealing with.

[workinclasszero]

24. So if a football player on this coach's team doesn't

participate in the prayer meetings after the game.....it will in no way effect his standing on the team?

Is that what we are suppose to believe coach??? BS!

I'm a christian myself and it is horrible to force even one kid to do something against his or her own beliefs on school property no less!

Just like the Kim Davis, this is NOT about freedom of religion!

This is about right wing militant dominunists forcing other people to bend to their brand of randian "christianity"!

[DetlefK]

26. "Dear Satan, how are you, I'm fine. Thanks for letting us win this game."

"Keep up the good work of keeping the forces of Jehova at bay. Your friend, Timmy."

[saturnsring]

27. As if god gives a shit about football

[Arugula Latte]

35. As if god gives a shit about anything, or even exists ...

[WDIM]

28. What if he was Muslim and wanted them to pray facing Mecca?

Would the parents be rallying behind him still?

[rockfordfile]

30. No religion

No religion. Stay away from the brain washed junk.

[Arugula Latte]

36. Welcome to DU!

[TexasBushwhacker]

37. Actually we do have freedom FROM religion

That's the establishment clause part of the first amendment. The freedom OF religion is the second part.

[WestSeattle2]

38. Religious narcissism. It's everywhere in this country, and it's nauseating.

"Look at me, look at me, I'm praying!"

One of our local pro footballers engages in this nonsense quite frequently. It's so juvenile.

[Snow Leopard]

42. What possible

Reason is there to stop an after game voluntary prayer? What am I missing?