There is ‘no freedom from religion': Parents rally behind WA high school coach who leads post-game p
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 couldnt lead the players in prayer and he could be fired if he continued to do so. But that hasnt stopped him, and he hasnt been fired.
I spent 20 years in the Marine Corps, and its been about protecting the freedom of other people, Kennedy told King5. Its about the freedom, and people can believe whatever they want. Im 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 isnt 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
(306 posts)sorry coach... just no.
Binkie The Clown
(7,911 posts)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
(4,211 posts)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
(2,382 posts)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
(57,349 posts)Bubzer
(4,211 posts)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
(57,349 posts)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
(4,211 posts)Owl
(3,643 posts)Binkie The Clown
(7,911 posts)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" and reap the benefits that would follow from the use of that legal term.
w0nderer
(1,937 posts)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
(460 posts)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
(1,937 posts)but but ODIN???
awwww but how about a pig...pig skin after all right?
....
*chuckle* *bows to you for catching my sarcasm* honored
YabaDabaNoDinoNo
(460 posts)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
(1,937 posts)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
(34,582 posts)suppressed by the NBA.
Welcome to DU.
WinkyDink
(51,311 posts)Lychee2
(405 posts)It's superstition.
WinkyDink
(51,311 posts)smirkymonkey
(63,221 posts)Arugula Latte
(50,566 posts)SoapBox
(18,791 posts)Isn't that a Day-Late-and-Dollar-Short?
uppityperson
(115,679 posts)concept yet people continue to not understand that.
McKim
(2,412 posts)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
(63,221 posts)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
(17,301 posts)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
(7,908 posts)profess to believe. That's some kind of deity you've got yourself.
Arugula Latte
(50,566 posts)Javaman
(62,534 posts)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
(13,297 posts)This is all about his choice of religion, not religious freedom in general.
Nihil
(13,508 posts)WestSeattle2
(1,730 posts)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
(28,270 posts)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
(16,423 posts)"Keep up the good work of keeping the forces of Jehova at bay. Your friend, Timmy."
saturnsring
(1,832 posts)Arugula Latte
(50,566 posts)WDIM
(1,662 posts)Would the parents be rallying behind him still?
rockfordfile
(8,704 posts)No religion. Stay away from the brain washed junk.
Arugula Latte
(50,566 posts)TexasBushwhacker
(20,214 posts)That's the establishment clause part of the first amendment. The freedom OF religion is the second part.
WestSeattle2
(1,730 posts)"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
(348 posts)Reason is there to stop an after game voluntary prayer? What am I missing?