Supreme Court rules for coach whose prayers on football field raised questions about church-state se

I have zero problem with people of faith writ large. I'm happy for anyone who can find meaning in religion or spirituality.

But when people try to force their faith on others? In a public school? That I won't abide.

 

Back in the late 60's, my high school Geometry teacher (he was jewish) wore a prayer shawl as a teacher every day. He happened to be a great math teacher and most of the students didn't think anything about it one way or another. I also remember a few teachers wearing yarmulka in college (city college). I wonder if the teachers are still allowed to wear those items in school

 

I'm sure they are still allowed. They just can't force, intimidate or coerce a student to do the same.

 

Show me where i have pined for any such thing. I'm the guy who says I dont give a flip what the state calls marriage because I was married in the church for a reason.

Saying a person has the right to pray on tax funded grass after a football game isnt support for theocracy.

 

Getting back to the original issue. There seems to be a debate qmongst the Justices over what kind of prayer meeting this was.Justice Gorsuch called a high-school football coach's on-field prayer 'quiet' and 'personal' as the Supreme Court sided with religious rights. Sotomayor said that description 'misconstrues the facts.'

 

I'll be honest, I didn't read the case, responding only to comments written here. If the coach silently prayed by himself, whether on the 50 yd line or not, after a game, this shouldn't be a problem, though time/place can create problems. But definitely see a problem if some of his athletes joined him, even if he didn't invite them. Then we start talking not of personal religious expression but a situation where athletes might feel compelled to join in for fear of consequences. As educators, that should be a concern given the power dynamics of a teacher or coach/anyone in authority and students who are required to abide by their authority.

 

No, you''re not.

 

You think most Christian businesses dont incorporate prayer? You think there are not a lot of them? Are you aware of how many Chic Fil A store staff meetings alone do it?

 

I believe they are and should be able to. At the university level, professors definitely can. My Sikh Religions of Asia professor used to wear his (pink) kurtah & chatoga to teach the course.

I have quite a few Muslim colleagues who wear their religious clothing while teaching. It's the way they dress every day. Not a problem at all. Difference would be roping students into prayer in some way....which by the way, I'm not aware of that ever happening anywhere I've been (regardless of religion).

 

By force you mean speak aloud.

 

I suppose that the students who did not do likewise felt threatened by his terrible forcing of his faith right?

 

In this particular case, it sure appears to be.

 

Seems like if you think a coach leading a prayer is harmless and doesnt compel anyone toward a view point, you'd think the same about a teacher talking about homosexuality in a classroom. But shockingly (I know) that doesnt seem to be the case.

 

1. As long as the Muslim acted fairly regardless of participation, of course I would be ok with it.

2. Gays marrying in my church? No. That is not ok. Gays can do what they want by the laws of my state, but my church is not bound to such laws. Tolerance is not equal to allowance and acceptance.

Tolerance is about treatment in my eyes. How I treat someone that I disagree with.

Treating them with love and respect is tolerance. I dont have to fall over in approval

 

They directed the question at me.
I don't claim to speak for the justices.

 

Contrary to our human design.
A product of a fallen world, but no worse than the wrongs that I commit daily.

Delusional is defined by a lapse in reality.
Generally delusion is defined in the context of a mental disorder. I have never claimed any such thing.

 

Your viewpoint is indeed intolerant. Why not just own it?

tol·er·ance | \ ˈtä-lə-rən(t)s , ˈtäl-rən(t)s \
Definition of tolerance

2a: sympathy or indulgence for beliefs or practices differing from or conflicting with one's own
b: the act of allowing something : TOLERATION

 

Not referring to the justices; I'm referring to your support for what appears to be theocracy.

 

It's a little different at the college level given the age demographic. But no, he wasn't forcing his faith at all. That said, handled differently, there definitely could be a context where lines could be crossed.

Keep in mind the name was Religions of Asia (Sikhism was one of many we covered), so we were all there to study Asian religions. He also went out of his way to assure students that he wasn't preaching his religion to us and that he wore his religious garb and invited questions by students to spur academic discussion.

Other hand, one of my mentors at UF was a very religious Southern Baptist who caused some grumbling among faculty and grad students when he was chair for crossing the line in evangelizing. This was before I got there, however and he never preached to me about it, so I have no direct knowledge.

 

Well first of all, homosexuality was once viewed as a mental disorder, and Christians have not revised their views now that it isnt. If its "contrary" to human design, that would be akin to a defect or delusion, would it not? And obviously it is worse to many Christians given all the attention to gays, and their desire to punish them by law as opposed to the wrongs you commit daily. And your own stated opinions about denying them services you would presumably sell a person exactly like yourself .