School Prayer                      link to kitchen door link to home page
                                                [prayer explained]
Jackie, I agree that it is not really school prayer that is at issue.
Here's an analogy: If the attendees of the Mariner/Ranger game
July 23 vote to suspend the designated hitter rule, it won't
matter what the vote count is. Changing the rule is not the
right of the attendees, no matter how much they pay for
their tickets or how long they have been fans or what their
reasons are. The First Ammendment to our Constitution
prohibits the establishment of a religion by vote or any other
means. The rule can be changed only through further
ammendment to the Constitution, or by a ruling of the
Supreme Court  that leading a prayer at a government funded
school does not violate the First Ammendment. Two to one
the court has ruled that, as harmless as it may appear to be,
the Texas case of prayer at football games is unconstitutional.

One of the ways that it can be determined that the prayer is
an establishment of religion is that, as you have suggested,
people will want to be absent during that portion of the
event for religious reasons. All those who leave during the
prayer do so because a religious service that excludes their
religion (or freedom from so-called religion) is about to take place.

The Supreme Court ruling protects prayer and other religious
aspects. Because Jesus (in the Greek Bible aka the New Testament)
tells people not to pray in public like those who make a show
of prayer do, some Christians or believers see the ruling as one
that protects against the corruption of prayer.

As you suggested on the air, there might be limitations on what
a prayer before a public school football game could include. But
if, as you suggested, mention of Jesus were not allowed, that would
amount to government dictating a limitation or censorship of a religion.
If it were seen that way, even more people might leave during the
prayer to protest government censorship of what language is used
by people addressing the Supreme Being.

It is useful to note that religious fanatics and football fans may have
some things in common. People may become either for a variety of
reasons that may not be at all healthy for their personal development
or society. The excitement or the thrill of a competition without the
benefits of fair play come to mind. A them-and-us situation that
disregards the Constitutional protection is likely to be more appealing
to those whose interest is unwholesome than those who have well
thought out religious conviction.

Although I have been using the word religion here, much of what is
called religion is not religion at all. You recall Isaac Bruce's claim that
uttering Jesus' name saved his life in his automobile accident and his
assertion that, had others done the same, they would not have died
in other automobile accidents. At a football game, where serious and
even fatal injuries may take place in the normal course of the game,
Isaac Bruce would be likely to be among those who would walk
out (or maybe raise a ruckus) if the name of Jesus were excluded
from the pre-game prayer. The Romans made a distinction between
superstition and religion that is not made in our world. Too bad
for us.

Of course, as you point out, anyone can pray at any time. A prayer
can be a very quick event, a few words or even one uttered by
Isaac Bruce. So why, if individual praying is available to everyone,
is group prayer necessary? Do prayers regarding football games
have to be conducted in a certain way to be effective? Is there
a sports theology? Is sports theology superior to that of any
individual whose views conflict with those of Isaac Bruce or the
high school football team captain? As the scene of people of some
religious conviction leaving the stands during the pre-game prayer
indicates, group prayer may often conflict with individual prayer
convictions, who like, Jesus may see a corrupting influence in the
practice.

Religion and politics, being what they are, it is not necessary for
a prayer to include "Dear God, please kill all fags" (your example)
to be mixing the two. During a campaign such as Prop 22 an inclusion
of words such as "and protect our families" if not "and protect marriage"
would serve as well.

By the way, the full faith and credit provision of our Constitution has
not been before the Supreme Court where same sex marriage or civil
unions are concerned. That full faith and credit provision requires that
every state recognize the legally constituted entities of the other states.
That is, the State of Washington is required to recognize the marriage
of my nephew and his wife, even though they were married in Nevada.
This was an issue when I was in high school because it was at that time
not legal for blacks and whites to marry in the State of Washington.
It was in part  the full faith and credit provision that led Washington and
other states to change their laws.

Jackie, I know that your experience with religion and sports has been very
different from mine and that it is probably not as easy for you to see how
offensive a prayer might be (even one conceived with the middle of the
road in mind). I am going to offer a glimpse of a conceivable offense,
not because it is likely to happen, but merely to help you appreciate that
things that you might not think offensive could be to a person with
equally strong religious conviction. I have selected this example because
you wrote and said that people of different churches "probably" think
the people of other churches are going to "rot in hell".
Glimpse this:  Before Emperor Justinian I used the means of  his
office to re-organize Christianity, many Christians believed as Origen
did that God's power to redeem was limitless. Origen said that not even
Satan could resist God's goodness forever. Therefore, to Origen and
Christians like him, the them-and-us kind of thinking that leads to the
belief that those folks of that church are going to rot in hell, while these
in this other church are going to heaven, is nonsense and not a way of
thinking that credits God or promotes a heavenly rule on earth. Origen's
Christian view (which I think is one you have yourself) was made
anathema thanks to Justinian I in about 543 CE. Now today:
The football team captain is also president of the high school Latin
Studies Club and has been elected to lead the prayer before the game.
In the prayer he leads he asks God to bless the teams in the name of
Lucifer. Jackie, do you think the home coming crowd is okay with this?

In order for you to experience the kind of upset another might feel,
I am going to leave this question with you for a while before providing
the foundation of the football captain's religious conviction. So picture
that scene for now, let me know what you think and feel and I will
complete the picture in reply. Tom@hailMaryShelley.com

Here is the explanation of the team captain's prayer when you are ready
             >>>>>>>>> [Lucifer explained] <<<<<<<<<

you might find Monster Conflict interesting - you can find it at
the kitchen door below
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