I Don't Want to See a High School Football Coach Praying at the 50-Yard Line

[Mme. Defarge]

By Anne Lamott

Many of us who believe in a reality beyond the visible realms, who believe in a soul that survives death, and who are hoping for seats in heaven near the dessert table, also recoil from the image of a high school football coach praying at the 50-yard line.
It offends me to see sanctimonious public prayer in any circumstance — but a coach holding his players hostage while an audience watches his piety makes my skin crawl.
We are fighting furiously for women’s rights and the planet, and we mean business. We believers march, rally and agitate, putting feet to our prayers. And in our private lives, we pray.

Isn’t praying a bit Teletubbies as we face off with the urgent darkness?
Nah.
Prayer means talking to God, or to the great universal spirit, a.k.a. Gus, or to Not Me. Prayer connects us umbilically to a spirit both outside and within us, who hears and answers. Is it like the comedian Flip Wilson saying, “I’m gonna pray now; anyone want anything?”

Kind of.

https://www.nytimes.com/2022/07/08/opinion/prayer-supreme-court-football.html?action=click&algo=bandit-all-surfaces-time-cutoff-30_impression_cut_3_filter_new_arm_5_1&alpha=0.05&block=more_in_recirc&fellback=false&imp_id=218822129&impression_id=c7700f80-fed2-11ec-8fee-692bd5cc8696&index=0&pgtype=Article&pool=more_in_pools%2Fopinion®ion=footer&req_id=845140123&surface=eos-more-in&variant=0_bandit-all-surfaces-time-cutoff-30_impression_cut_3_filter_new_arm_5_1

[RKP5637]

1. What are there, something like 1,400 religions? So, all of them can line up

too at the 50-yard line. I would love to see that!!!!! I think they think it only applies to one religion. I suppose next SCOTUS will rule there is ONLY one religion in the US. Taliban Christianity.

[wryter2000]

3. SCOTUS already has

To Jews and Muslims, abortion should be performed to save the life of the mother. But only their perverted view of Christianity is valid.

[RKP5637]

4. Incredible!!! n/t

[Bluethroughu]

6. That's where we are going, it looks like.

[wryter2000]

2. Prayer

If you pray and win a football game, does that mean God doesn't love the other team? Not in my theology.

[CrispyQ]

9. And why does God get the glory when they win but not the blame when they lose? -nt

[slightlv]

12. In line with your question...

Was it the Aztecs or the Mayans who sacrificed every member of the losing team in their competitive ball sport? Perhaps we should bring back such blood sports to satisfy these bloodthirsty SCOTUS and R members? Or is that too Hunger Games?

[rubbersole]

11. Sport's figures thanking god for a win...

...always seemed weird to me. Thanking god for his/her athletic ability would be one thing, but to suggest your team winning was because god favored you...not what god is supposed to be, buster.

[Bluethroughu]

5. I totally agree. Forced public religious adherence.

No thank you. Keep in the church.

[Baitball Blogger]

7. Do they expect the stadium to be quiet as they're praying?

Doesn't that infringe on everybody else's speech rights?

[IA8IT]

8. Matthew 5:6 Jesus sez hypocrite!!

And when you pray, you shall not be like the hypocrites. For they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the corners of the streets, that they may be seen by men

https://www.bible.com/bible/114/MAT.6.NKJV

[Mme. Defarge]

10. THIS!!!

[msongs]

13. it's grooming nt

[czarjak]

15. Evangelism eQuals Klan. Klan eQuals hating Blacks, Jews, Catholics. Mysterious ways?