Prayer or moment of silence?
- Thread starter CowboyP
- Start date
smokeyjoe53
Six-man pro
I was attending a crowded field game last Friday and they did both.
Shad Kline
Six-man fan
I thought it was against the rules. Might talk to our sup. about that!
smokeyjoe53
Six-man pro
My understanding is that it is up to the administration and board of each school. I could be wrong on this but I am not aware of a rule forbidding prayer. The threat of costly lawsuits may be the determining factor.
smokeyjoe53
Six-man pro
OK evidently I'm wrong. This from http://www.allaboutpopularissues.org/prayer-before-sporting-events-faq.htm
Can we legally have prayer before sporting events?
Public school officials and employees may not offer prayer before sporting events. In addition, they may not invite a guest, such as a religious leader or professional athlete, to offer prayer before sporting events. The Establishment Clause of the United States Constitution provides that the government may not establish a religion. The U.S. Supreme Court has interpreted this clause to mean that public school districts, which are operated by the government, must remain neutral on the subject of religion. Therefore, their officials and employees cannot encourage or discourage prayer. The Supreme Court specifically said that this requirement of neutrality includes the pre-game ceremonies of school sporting events.
Can we legally have prayer before sporting events?
Public school officials and employees may not offer prayer before sporting events. In addition, they may not invite a guest, such as a religious leader or professional athlete, to offer prayer before sporting events. The Establishment Clause of the United States Constitution provides that the government may not establish a religion. The U.S. Supreme Court has interpreted this clause to mean that public school districts, which are operated by the government, must remain neutral on the subject of religion. Therefore, their officials and employees cannot encourage or discourage prayer. The Supreme Court specifically said that this requirement of neutrality includes the pre-game ceremonies of school sporting events.
SPREAD
11-man fan
God bless Texas, God bless John Wayne and God bless the schools who's administration's stand up for our freedom of Religion. What happens in Washington can stay in Washington.
smokeyjoe53
Six-man pro
I recall hearing a PA announcer say something to this effect: "Ladies & Gentlemen, the Supreme Court has ruled that we can no longer say, " and then proceeded to ask the Good Lord to watch over and protect the participants and fans. He closed with "Amen" and finished by saying "I don't agree."
rainjacktx
Six-man fan
If you don't want prayer, don't go to a Paducah home game.
The law can go to hell along with 99% of all the over reaching rules of the federal government.
Would not be surprised to see our current President institute SWAT teams to prevent and/or intercept unlawful communication with God.
They already have SWAT teams in the Department of Education. They're part of the "loan enforcement" division.
The law can go to hell along with 99% of all the over reaching rules of the federal government.
Would not be surprised to see our current President institute SWAT teams to prevent and/or intercept unlawful communication with God.
They already have SWAT teams in the Department of Education. They're part of the "loan enforcement" division.
Shad Kline
Six-man fan
Well, I'm not a public school official or an employee. Just a dad who likes keeping the clock at the games. Does booster club president count as a public school official? I would think not, my biggest decision is whether the frito pie should come with nacho cheese or shredded cheese.
Old Bearkat
Six-man expert
hornkeeper12":3seru2wa said:
No PBCP?? (Petroleum Based Cheese Product - the runny stuff in the cans)
Old Bearkat
Six-man expert
smokeyjoe53":zwnc1joa said:
If you read the intents of the founders, it was Federal employees only. The states and local governments were free to do as they or their constituents pleased.
rainjacktx
Six-man fan
I think the intent of the founders was not to have a state sponsored religion. I don't think they were against public prayer in any form, or from only non-government people.
But the original intent of the founding fathers has been so bastardized and ignored over the last 100 years that trying to go back to that original intent is almost an exercise in futility.
But the original intent of the founding fathers has been so bastardized and ignored over the last 100 years that trying to go back to that original intent is almost an exercise in futility.
Old Bearkat
Six-man expert
rainjacktx":3gac6fej said:
10-4 on that, but it would be fun to make the attempt and watch liberal heads explode.
The founders' original intent of " separation of church and state" was an attempt to keep a single denomination from having governmental power. If the supreme court would get some history lessons they would know this. They have simply given in to a few loud mouth whiners.rainjacktx":343vbxyo said:
If enough people were to stand up for their rights/beliefs things could be changed.
smokeyjoe53
Six-man pro
Most of the time the Constitution is misinterpreted by individuals to meet their own agenda. In the case of Prayer in school, I believe the Constitution states "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.."
My interpretation is Freedom of Religion, not Freedom from Religion.
My interpretation is Freedom of Religion, not Freedom from Religion.
smokeyjoe53
Six-man pro
By the way Cowboy, "Separation of Church and state" is never directly mentioned in the Constitution.
Jefferson wrote about a "hedge or wall of separation between the garden of the church and the wilderness of the world" in a January 1802 letter addressed to the Danbury, Connecticut, Baptist Association, and published in a Massachusetts newspaper echoing the language of the founder of the first Baptist church in America, Roger Williams.
From that our beloved "Supremes" thought "Hey that sounds pretty good, let's throw it in the mix."
Jefferson wrote about a "hedge or wall of separation between the garden of the church and the wilderness of the world" in a January 1802 letter addressed to the Danbury, Connecticut, Baptist Association, and published in a Massachusetts newspaper echoing the language of the founder of the first Baptist church in America, Roger Williams.
From that our beloved "Supremes" thought "Hey that sounds pretty good, let's throw it in the mix."
rainjacktx
Six-man fan
smokeyjoe53":12oicedl said:
Oddly enough, I don't think Congress ever has made a law respecting an establishment of religion, nor have they ever passed a law prohibiting the free exercise thereof.
Most all of the changes and loss of religious freedoms have come directly from the Judicial Branch. ACLU sues some church, or some state or local government, and the court gives them what they want. Also, congress has ceded the majority of their legislative duties to the bureaucracies. The alphabet soup brigade runs this country thanks to the spineless leadership of congress.
The courts have, for the last 100 years, completely misconstrued the intent of the framers.
Yes, freedom of religion was the original intent of the law. The early colonists came to America because they could have freedom of religion and woship how they pleased without fear or retribution or punishment. In England, they had to conform to the Church of England or be punished in some way. That same form of freedom has been so skewed by the supreme court and past presidents that it means something totally different than what the founding fathers originally meant it to mean. Just less than forty years ago, prayer wasn't just allowed, but recommended in all schools. When prayer and the Bible became banned from public or state sponsored schools, private and christian schools began popping up in big numbers almost overnight.
I coach football and basketball and teach history at a small christian school. We still do have prayer at our games, and we circle up with the other team afterwards and have a word of prayer. It is something I am not ashamed of doing, I just wish more people would take the stand. However, I can see why some won't with how easy it is to sue someone over the littlest issue nowadays (again, thanks to the liberal decisions made by our supreme court).
Just my thoughts
I coach football and basketball and teach history at a small christian school. We still do have prayer at our games, and we circle up with the other team afterwards and have a word of prayer. It is something I am not ashamed of doing, I just wish more people would take the stand. However, I can see why some won't with how easy it is to sue someone over the littlest issue nowadays (again, thanks to the liberal decisions made by our supreme court).
Just my thoughts