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High School Football Coach Ordered To Stop Prayers
Christian Headlines ^ | February 04, 2014 | Ryan Duncan

Posted on 02/05/2014 3:53:04 AM PST by xzins

The Freedom from Religion Foundation, a Wisconsin-based nonprofit that advocates the separation of Church and State, has reportedly asked a North Carolina football coach to cease praying with his players. Hal Capps is the head coach at Mooresville High School in North Carolina, he is also an open and devout Christian. Capps has been recognized by students for his habit of praying with the football players before team events and encouraging students to attend church. While much of the community has rallied around Capps in support, the FRF has maintained its stance on the coaches activates. Their attorney, Patrick Elliot, wrote to the school system last fall saying,

“It is a violation of the Constitution for the Mooresville High School football coach to organize, lead, or participate in prayers or other religious proselytizing before, during, or after games and practices…It’s really inappropriate, wrong and unconstitutional for a coach to try to use that position to try and convert people to his religion,”

Capps has declined to be interviewed but stated that he and the team were moving forward.


TOPICS: Extended News; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: establishment; freedom; freeexercise; prayer
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To: xzins

Even back in the 1930s, teachers were given simple rules that if they followed them, they could continue being teachers. One of the most important of these rules:

No soap-boxing about politics or religion. You are hired to teach a subject, so teach that subject. Incorporating politics or religion into your subject is not doing what you are paid to do.

The argument that “I am required by my faith to preach the gospel” is hooey. If a garage hires a mechanic to fix cars, that is what he is paid to do. If instead he spends his time proselytizing the other mechanics, he is not doing his job, and he is keeping them from doing their jobs.

This is especially onerous when someone is hired to be a teacher. Though parents who share the teacher’s religious faith may not mind, it sets off alarm bells with all other parents. And it should, no matter if he is a religious person, or a wacko Marxist. It’s not his job.

Their children are experiencing a “bait and switch”.


21 posted on 02/05/2014 6:05:26 AM PST by yefragetuwrabrumuy (WoT News: Rantburg.com)
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To: xzins

Excellent post. Thank you.


22 posted on 02/05/2014 6:10:01 AM PST by kitkat (STORM THE HEAVENS WITH PRAYERS FOR OUR COUNTRY.)
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To: Slambat

Correction: My last post should have been to No. 2.

Too early, no breakfast yet.


23 posted on 02/05/2014 6:11:36 AM PST by kitkat (STORM THE HEAVENS WITH PRAYERS FOR OUR COUNTRY.)
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To: xzins

“It is a violation of the Constitution for the Mooresville High School football coach to organize, lead, or participate in prayers or other religious proselytizing before, during, or after games and practices”

It is not. This lie must be fought against at all turns. The very men that wrote the Constitution prayed over it. They opened and closed meetings with prayer. We must fight this at all costs if we are to save our Nation.


24 posted on 02/05/2014 6:39:59 AM PST by SECURE AMERICA (Where can I go to sign up for the American Revolution 2014 and the Crusades 2014?)
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To: xzins

“It is a violation of the Constitution for the Mooresville High School football coach to organize, lead, or participate in prayers “

A BARE FACED LIE!


25 posted on 02/05/2014 6:41:04 AM PST by TalBlack
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To: napscoordinator

“Ok. So why not have everyone arrive 30 minutes earlier on their own time and pray during that time. The school could not say a word.”

Because it concedes a Right to the lawless.


26 posted on 02/05/2014 6:42:55 AM PST by TalBlack
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To: yefragetuwrabrumuy

“Even back in the 1930s, teachers were given simple rules that if they followed them, they could continue being teachers. One of the most important of these rules:

No soap-boxing about politics or religion. You are hired to teach a subject, so teach that subject. Incorporating politics or religion into your subject is not doing what you are paid to do.”

Well said. I agree completely with this, but I still think we should beat the snot out of everyone associated with the FFRF.


27 posted on 02/05/2014 6:53:08 AM PST by Zippo44 (Liberal: another word for poltroon.)
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To: xzins
I happen to agree, but that want't my point.

My point was that the idiotic Freedom from Religion foundation was targeting only Christianity.

28 posted on 02/05/2014 7:37:14 AM PST by Vigilanteman (Obama: Fake black man. Fake Messiah. Fake American. How many fakes can you fit in one Zer0?)
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To: Vigilanteman

I agree with you Vman. I’m just perturbed that Christians don’t give enemies the sense that an attack on us has consequences. We might not bomb them, but we could have taken a stand and shunned them into oblivion.


29 posted on 02/05/2014 8:32:10 AM PST by xzins ( Retired Army Chaplain and Proud of It! Those who truly support our troops pray for victory!)
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To: xzins
The Establishment Clause of the First Amendment does not nullify the Free Exercise clause of the First Amendment.

A coach praying with his players is not the government establishing a state religion. It is an individual freely exercising his religion.

30 posted on 02/05/2014 10:30:31 AM PST by E. Pluribus Unum (The only way women can "have it all" is if men aren't allowed to have anything.)
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To: Zippo44

One of their big money backers in an individual named Todd Stiefel, who imagines himself as “the George Soros of atheism.”

“The Secular Coalition for America was founded in 2002 with a melding of four U.S. secular organizations: Atheist Alliance International, the Institute for Humanist Studies, the Secular Student Alliance, and the Secular Web. In 2005 the American Humanist Association became the Coalition’s fifth member organization. The Society for Humanistic Judaism and the Freedom From Religion Foundation joined the Coalition in January 2006, the Military Association of Atheists and Freethinkers in February 2007, and the American Ethical Union in April 2008. In 2009, Camp Quest joined in January and American Atheists became a member in June. The Council for Secular Humanism joined in January 2010.”


31 posted on 02/05/2014 10:35:30 AM PST by yefragetuwrabrumuy (WoT News: Rantburg.com)
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

Exactly.

In fact, the “establishment” violation is being committed by those attempting to dictate to others the “approved” way to exercise their religion.


32 posted on 02/05/2014 10:38:29 AM PST by xzins ( Retired Army Chaplain and Proud of It! Those who truly support our troops pray for victory!)
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To: Adder

This seemingly perennial controversy is due to the low-intensity hostage crisis we call government schooling. So much for government schooling.


33 posted on 02/06/2014 12:30:53 AM PST by Mmmike
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