The so called Freedom From Religion Foundation is once again spreading their venom and prejudice against our nation’s schools for alleged “unconstitutional” use of religion in a school event, in this case a football game.
The alleged crime occurred when a player was badly injured and a youth minister walked out onto the field and prayed with and for the young man. As he did, the coaches from both teams bowed their heads.
That’s it. That’s what the FFRF calls “not following the law” of separation of church and state, which by the way is a phrase that does NOT appear in the Constitution.
Apparently if such incidents occur on a regular basis, the next thing to happen will be a full-fledged worship service on the 50 yard line and the offering plates will be passed in the bleachers and someone might give up smokin’ or gamblin’ or drinkin’ or cussin’.
One man in the crowd at Hamilton County, Tennessee filed a formal complaint with the federal court saying the school district was “not following the law.”
His complaint was filed anonymously, but the FFRF helped him do it.
Sadly, as many of the small school districts do–the FFRF picks on small schools because they know they cannot afford long and expensive legal battles–they bowed to the complaint of that one individual and promised to investigate the incident.
I would ask the school officials if they thought of telling the lone complainant perhaps he should not let anyone force him to go to the high school football games anymore. It’s still a free country; he doesn’t have to attend any school events.
Unless he’s not there because he’s interested in high school football.
The complainer said “Giving a minister access to students for religious purposes during a football game is indefensible.” Apparently the well-being of the injured player was not at the top of his list, but it was foremost in the minds of the coaches, the players, the fans, and the administrators who were in attendance. And when a young man on a high school football team is laying on the field with a neck injury and he can’t feel his legs, and when a youth pastor was asked to come out and pray on the field, he did. And everyone in that stadium was praying.
Except one. He just complained.
No one else complained.
Organizations like the FFRF have one thing in mind: To rid our schools completely of any idea, semblance, or vestige of religion, particularly Christian religion.
You never hear of them threatening any other religion or religious practice. For some reason they wrongly think the establishment clause in the First Amendment only pertains to Christianity! Every time I hear about one of these confrontations, I wonder who is less informed, the school administrators or the FFRF.
An official of the school district in Hamilton County said they have to remember that the FFRF “is not our enemy.”
Someone who attacks a school district for any employees innocent and innocuous act of compassion– like praying — is not who i would call a friend, either.
I know there are people in the stands, players on and off the field, coaches, staff, teachers, and administrators who pray. They may not take a knee, bow their head, or shut their eyes to show they are praying, but they pray.
There are two people who always know when a prayer is lifted: God, and the person praying.
It’s really difficult to see those prayers go up in those stadium lights. But it’s impossible to stop them.
THE RIGHT RENDITION 