Church in hot water over football field baptism

[Johnboy60]

Asking a Baptist preacher to baptize is like asking Colonel Sanders if he wants a bucket of chicken. Somebody’s going to get dunked.

So when a football coach in Villa Rica, Georgia asked to be baptized on the high school football field – the local First Baptist Church obliged.

http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2015...ver-football-field-baptism.html?intcmp=hplnws

 

[RC1970]

So the Atheist referees threw a flag on the play, and claimed too many Christians on the field.

 

[iluvatar5150]

Asking a Baptist preacher to baptize is like asking Colonel Sanders if he wants a bucket of chicken. Somebody’s going to get dunked.

So when a football coach in Villa Rica, Georgia asked to be baptized on the high school football field – the local First Baptist Church obliged.

http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2015...ver-football-field-baptism.html?intcmp=hplnws

This was before a football practice
http://www.11alive.com/story/news/l...ting-mass-baptism-football-practice/71515306/

 

[brewmama]

Not much story here, as the complainers are all from out of town and don't have much of a leg to stand on.

 

[brinny]

Not much story here, as the complainers are all from out of town and don't have much of a leg to stand on.

LOL!

 

[TerranceL]

Not much story here, as the complainers are all from out of town and don't have much of a leg to stand on.

I realize that many christians take issue with this but, the law applies everywhere.

"They isn't from here" is no more of a defense than, "Muh religion".

 

[ThatRobGuy]

I don't see much of a case here...

If this was a personal expression by the coach, then it's no more of a violation than the president expressing their faith in a speech from the white house press room.

 

[brewmama]

I realize that many christians take issue with this but, the law applies everywhere.

"They isn't from here" is no more of a defense than, "Muh religion".

It is if no one in that town is complaining.

"But, we are not sure that this baptism was the coach's religious agenda or not. It occurred before practice. She assumes that the students were not given any warning. Cavell also bases her whole argument on a fictitious person. This imaginary student felt forced to participate and act like a Christian. No one has complained about the incident, except a group who makes its living by representing 2% of the population, none of which is in the Carroll County School District.

It would be nice for once if the school district would tell these fools to mind their own business. It seems that, just like the case in Pennsylvania, there is no chance of a lawsuit, since there is no one complaining."


Read more at http://freedomoutpost.com/2015/09/g...e-is-under-investigation/#rfAHEyhRJGmMs0po.99

 

[TerranceL]

It is if no one in that town is complaining.

So what other laws should be ignored as long as "no one in that town is complaining"?

 

[brewmama]

So what other laws should be ignored as long as "no one in that town is complaining"?

You kinda need to have someone who was "harmed," or a complainant.

 

[TerranceL]

You kinda need to have someone who was "harmed," or a complainant.

Not up to answering the question? That's ok, I understand how explaining why we should arbitrarily follow some laws and not others is a difficult question to answer.

 

[cow451]

It was poor judgement all the way around. Had some group from a less popular religious persuasion done the same thing all heck would've been raised. The stadium is operated by some governmental agency and that agency will have to clarify proper protocols so that they don't end up with "battling baptisms" and other religious/political opportunists.

 

[Tallguy88]

Praise God at all the young men who received the Sacrament of Baptism that day! Praise God for putting the Word on the lips of His coaches and teachers so the students can hear the Gospel!

Outsider scaliwags need to mind their own business.

 

[AirPo]

Asking a Baptist preacher to baptize is like asking Colonel Sanders if he wants a bucket of chicken. Somebody’s going to get dunked.

So when a football coach in Villa Rica, Georgia asked to be baptized on the high school football field – the local First Baptist Church obliged.

http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2015...ver-football-field-baptism.html?intcmp=hplnws

Thanks for that opinion piece, but it seems that it's the school district that's in hot water.

The Freedom From Religion Foundation (FFRF), a group of perpetually offended atheists and free-thinkers from Wisconsin, saw the video and fired off a nasty letter to the Carroll County School superintendent.

And how is this "nasty?"

“It is illegal for coaches to participate in religious activities with students, including prayer and baptisms,” attorney Elizabeth Cavell wrote. “Nor can coaches allow religious leaders to gain unique access to students during school-sponsored activities.”

 

[keith99]

Saying that no one from the town is complaining is a valid defense is like saying that no one from the town is complaining about the whites only drinking fountains.

The places where this is a legitimate problem are the very places where no one local dares complain.

 

[brewmama]

Not up to answering the question? That's ok, I understand how explaining why we should arbitrarily follow some laws and not others is a difficult question to answer.

What "law" is actually being broken?

 

[Blank Stair]

Good for them! It wasn't compulsory of course and it was symbolic given the members that wished to be baptized.

Just like prayers before games in school locker rooms. Do it. Atheists don't have to participate. There is nothing listening in their opinion anyway. They can always leave. It's not compulsory.
Lead the prayer, bow the heads, and move on.

 

[Poor Beggar]

I realize that many christians take issue with this but, the law applies everywhere.

"They isn't from here" is no more of a defense than, "Muh religion".

I keep looking for the illegality of it in here and I'm just not finding it, dang it...

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

 

[AirPo]

I keep looking for the illegality of it in here and I'm just not finding it, dang it...

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

It respects an establishment of religion. That's the illegality of it.

 

[Ringo84]

I keep looking for the illegality of it in here and I'm just not finding it, dang it...

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

Look harder.

"No establishment of religion" means keep religion separate from government. If you're a football coach hired by the public school system, your job is not the save souls. It's to win football games. Keep religion out of it.