A game and a prayer
October 2nd, 2007, 12:04 am · 6 Comments · posted by rdickson
Covering Freeport’s game with Franklin County on Friday I noticed something missing, the pre game prayer.
At most schools the idea of praying before a football game has gone the way of cheap gas, but at schools in communities such as Freeport and Baker, they still offered up words asking God to protect the young men as they played their game.
However, a recent decision by the United States Supreme Court not to hear an appeal on a ruling by the Court of Appeals, 11th Circuit, has placed an end to prayer in Alabama, Florida and Georgia.
Personally, I don’t get it, and never have.
Somewhere in the last 40 years or so it seems as if society has gone crazy with trying to get God out of everything that is the federal government. It amazes me that it took 175 years or so to come up with a separation of church and state in our constitution, and how quickly that idea has been embraced as the intent of our nation’s founders.
If you’re my age or older you probably remember reading a Psalm and reciting the Lord’s Prayer along with the Pledge to the Flag at the start of each school day. If anyone objected, I never heard about it. And from what I understand, teachers had been leading their students in similar displays of faith and patriotism as long as there had been public schools.
Pre game prayers were as much a part of the program as the football game. Usually there was a public prayer, and in the locker room the football team would pray. Shortly before or after the team prayer, a couple of my teammates and I would get off to the side and pray.
I don’t ever once recall asking God to help Gulf Breeze win…not even when a game was close. I do remember asking for protection of all the players and for the game to be played cleanly and with good sportsmanship.
So tell me, what’s wrong with that?
If someone is an agnostic, atheist or of some other religious heritage, does it really harm them to hear a prayer of which the majority approve? And if they don’t agree, is it too hard for them to show respect for those who to believe in God?
It has been almost 32 years since I last put on the pads for Gulf Breeze. We lost the last game of my senior year to Crestview. I can’t tell you what the score was, but I do know after the game our head coach, Jim Smith, asked me to lead the team in prayer. It was as great an honor as I’ve ever received in my life.
It seems to me that there’s a lot more bad in schools and society since prayer was taken out of our public schools. Shouldn’t we give it another try and put it back in our schools…at least at a football game? It can’t hurt, and it just might help.
Would you like to see the pre game prayers returned? Let me know why or why not.
October 4th, 2007 at 7:39 am
I believe the team should be allowed to have a group prayer. If a player or coach does not want to particpate then stand to the side. No one should be made to feel obligated or ostrazied for thier particapation or non particpation.
October 6th, 2007 at 11:16 am
Regarding your prayer comment that you “just don’t get it”, that IS the problem, you DON’T get it. Prayer to God is fine, however respect for other religions or lack of religious belief is NOT taken into account when all prayers end with “…..in the name of Jesus Christ”, that is not acceptable, that is a Christian prayer. Just because the majority believe something doesn’t make it the correct thing to do (and I don’t mean politically). Have you ever heard of “The Tyranny of the Majority”? To strand aside in a team prayer, removes you from the team in the eyes of the players.
The climate in which you grew up did not encourage either questioning authority or speaking out, no wonder you never heard anyone complain. Think outside of YOUR box.
October 7th, 2007 at 5:23 pm
Wendy,
I apologize for not getting your reply posted sooner as I was off yesterday and don’t tend to check on things from home.
You stated the climate in which I grew up didn’t encourage either quesitoning or authority or speaking out. How do you know that? Have you ever met my parents? I was taught to respect my parents, but there was always an openess to question and speak out if I disagreed. More often than not I heard a statement from my dad such as, “I might not always be right, but I’m still the father.”
I attended the University of Tennessee and took classes that made me think outside MY box contrary to what you might think.
Did my parents take me to church every week? Yes. Was the Bible read in our home on a regular, if not daily basis? Yes, guilty as charged. Am I active in a local church at this time? Again, I plead guilty.
You speak of Tyranny of the Majority, but isn’t it role reversal when the minority can carry so much clout?
But again, I raise the question, what harm comes to someone for showing respect for a prayer with which the majority agree by standing silently as the prayer is being said?
And would you have a problem if the prayer was not voiced in the name of Jesus?
Thanks for you input in the discussion.
October 8th, 2007 at 2:40 pm
Randy,
If you’re able, put yourself in the shoes of a Jewish teenager who has to sit quietly as his “team” mates say the Lord’s Prayer or any Christian based prayer. It’s disrespectful to that child and would certainly work to put distance between players who must work together if they are going to accomplish their goal.
I would ask that you show empathy for those students who do not believe as you do. You must be able to hear perspectives from the other side of your topic to have a discussion. All I can see is that you’re repeating yourself until someone agrees with you.
Not it.
October 8th, 2007 at 3:26 pm
Charilie,
I understand your point.
I have Jewish friends and coworkers and we often discuss the issues of our differing beliefs. I cannot pretend to understand all they feel, but I do know what it is like to stand out, and be singled out, because of my religious convictions. So yes, I can empathize with others who have differing believes or opinions.
The only reason I responded to the previous message was because the person made assumptions about me and the way I was raised based on my opinion on the prayer issue.
Thanks for your thoughts.
October 12th, 2007 at 1:49 pm
No, I would not have an objection if the prayer did not include Jesus, however, what about the non-believer? I do believe that respect for everyone is necessary in this world. A moment of silence would let each person do his/her own thing without singling anyone out.
I was not personalizing your family situation, I was referring to the societal culture which was not open to much questioning of the majority position. Remember the furor at Niceville High School a few years ago when religion, and how it was practiced, became an issue and people lost their jobs? It polarized a segement of the community. Neither majorities nor minorities should rule, there needs to be mutual respect. Standing silently, or stepping aside, while the majority has it’s say, is tantamount to allowing oneself to be bullied or excluded from the team.
I know you mean well, however, If you are talking team, it has to be inclusive, or it is not a team.