The power of prayer
All you're doing is trying to stir things up. The teams are doing the right thing, taking time to thank God. Why do you feel the need to denigrate that and incite unbelievers to challenge prayer?
A caller left that message for me this morning. The issue was this story about praying at sporting events. "Any prayer that a school official initiates or even participates in runs against the high court's ruling, said Wilson Parker, a law professor at Wake Forest University who specializes in constitutional law."
So now you've got the school system all ready to tell coaches they can't pray. Good for you. Job well done. I hope you're happy, the caller said before she hung up (without leaving her name).
I don't think we're happy or unhappy. At least as she means it.
We are happy when we can give people information they don't have. In this case, I learned that teams are praying, that the school system wasn't aware of the practice, and that some coaches think they are within their rights to organize the prayers. This wasn't any big investigative piece, but if the story helps the school system, parents, players or coaches to do what they think is right then all's the better. Knowledge rarely hurts.
I've gone to eight or nine high school football games this year, and I haven't noticed any team praying, but then, how would I know what they're doing down there all huddled up? Praying, discussing strategy, playing tiddlywinks, it doesn't matter to me. But I'm not a teenager who wants to play football more than anything else.
Of course, perhaps the players need to pray that the spectators contain themselves. This from CJR Daily: Since Tuesday, both CNN and Fox News have provided viewers with multiple opportunities to view video of a fracas at a peewee football game in Corpus Christi, Texas. No matter that the fight happened ten days ago when there's Adults Gone Wild-style footage -- a coach punching a referee, parents piling on -- to accompany the stale, local-news-worthy (at best) story.
Comments (2)
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Figuring you're going to hear a lot about this, I thought I'd case the "first stone."
The issue isn't about being allowed to pray before a game, test, or any other event. Any student or coach can pray (and I hope does) whenever he or she wants to.
The issue is that coach's judgment in choosing a group prayer. To invoke Jesus's name excludes non-Christian players, coaches and staff. To invoke a Hebrew or Muslim prayer excludes Christians. To invoke a particular image of deity excludes atheists.
If a coach is both smart and caring, he or she will choose an inclusive sentiment that prays for good sportsmanship, safety for players, and fair play. Isn't that enough? (and if not, why not?)
BTW, at last recall, I don't remember G-d caring who wins or loses a game. A divine being would be, IMO, more interested in sportsmanship, safety and fair play, by players, coaches, referees and fans/families than in a score.
Let's get a good prayer for our community and have EVERYONE at the game join in. The fans need it as much as the families do.
Have at it.
Posted on November 17, 2006 1:38 PM
I think the basic issue is the law and BoE rules of employment.
Posted on November 18, 2006 2:37 AM