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Supreme Court ruling on prayer case

Guitar's Cry

Disciple of Pan
Can what? Have the same privileges? In legal theory yes, but in practice Christians are selfish and greedy about their rights and hate sharing them. As I mentioned, in the case of city hall meetings their response has been just to have no more prayer at the beginning rather than share the privileges and rights with others.

I also think we need to consider that a huge percentage of this "public display of religion" will occur in states where Christianity is very much the majority and it would take a vast amount of courage and legislation for minority traditions to do their thing publicly. Unfortunately, in many areas of America, I fear this legislation is very one-sided.
 

danieldemol

Well-Known Member
Premium Member
I think this sort of thing ignores the potential dangers of some religions to indoctrinate the powerless into harmful teachings.

If it were my country I would call for all state sponsored religious displays to be banned.

In my opinion.
 

stvdv

Veteran Member: I Share (not Debate) my POV
So I am concerned if this is good for religious freedom in general or if something negative is looming behind it all... that's just me
Not just you, I am not too sure about trusting governments, esp. now they create all kinds of new laws, using corona as an excuse, and even impose childbirth now. So, I have trust issues too, but usually my feeling is not too much off..not all can be trusted nowadays

I think it's crazy to make such a fuss about someone praying. In India almost all the taxi drivers, where I was, prayed first before starting the engine. They never asked me to pray, they just did a short prayer, burn some incense stick. Of course I had to wait till they finished:D, but usually their ritual was very short (1 minute or so). I liked it. And with this crazy Indian traffic, we need all the help we can get, to drive safe:)
 

Koldo

Outstanding Member
Have all of you supporters of this ruling considered the position of authority that this coach has over his students/players -- and that he is perfectly capable of noting which of them participates, and which don't. Also, unless they're idiots, those students/players know that he can observe, and know that he can make team decisions based upon his own feelings about their participation?

This is something Justice Sotomayor pointed out for the 3 dissenters on the Court. And it is one of the reasons for the Establishment clause of the first amendment, which the decision largely ignores, while giving almost total preference to the Free Exercise clause.

In this case, a power relationship between faculty and students, the Establishment clause really must take precedence.

It seems the problem would be abuse of power rather than the prayers themselves then. Fire him away if he abuses his power, but not because of some potential danger.
 

Revoltingest

Pragmatic Libertarian
Premium Member
There's another thread that delves into the details.
This coach actually intended that his prayer include
players for the purpose of their religious embiggenment.
The coach refused accommodation for more private prayer.

I'm OK with personal prayer. It's his right. But this
decision actually broadens religious freedom to
allow public school staff to proselytize to students.
Just wait til a Satanist or Scientologist tries the
same, eh.
 
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The Hammer

[REDACTED]
Premium Member
They can do an about face and not participate, no problem. Calling for retributive action, shutting things down....very serious problem for me.

It would be the thing to have me call for total ban of anything religious on any public property. That's how you put a stop to it all.

There should be inclusive tolerance or zero tolerance for religious display/ceremony on public property. No partiality in between.


Reminds me of when on one of my last weeks of Boot camp, I decided I wanted to say the nightly prayer (one was said almost every night by a member of the division). I gave an invocation to Satan out of the Satanic Bible and read a passage I considered to fall under a prayer like format.

90% of the Division was absolutely livid, and it took the Drill Instructors to keep the order.
 

Twilight Hue

Twilight, not bright nor dark, good nor bad.
Reminds me of when on one of my last weeks of Boot camp, I decided I wanted to say the nightly prayer (one was said almost every night by a member of the division). I gave an invocation to Satan out of the Satanic Bible and read a passage I considered to fall under a prayer like format.

90% of the Division was absolutely livid, and it took the Drill Instructors to keep the order.
Dang. In the military one would think Satan would be a requirement for survival. ;0]


 

Twilight Hue

Twilight, not bright nor dark, good nor bad.
Yeah right. Tell that to a teenager. The immorality of our current Supreme Court has been topped. but probably not for a least 100 years. They are not quite in Dred Scott territory, but they are pretty dang close.
Most athletes I knew in school are not easily susceptible to coercion. Far from it. Call it that competitive aggressive quality.
 
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