Tennessee atheists win right to distribute literature after schools give Bibles

[Dos Equis]

Well, it's easy not to have any contradictions if you "interpret" the contradiction away.

I wouldn't say it's easy. 

[Straw Man]

Or I just think my interpretation is correct.  If you're actually going to study the Bible, you have to compare numerous verses with each other (which the Bible itself says to do).  You also need to look at context, whether it's a parable, the audience, etc.  And use your head.  It's a thinking man's game.    

possibly the most ironic and funniest thing you've ever written on this board

[Agnostic007]

possibly the most ironic and funniest thing you've ever written on this board

agree... 

[Agnostic007]

There are multiple creation stories in the book that contradict each other.

What's the common sense explanation for that?

Was Jesus drunk when he wrote it?

The common sense explanation is that the bible had many anonymous authors. At least 2 for Genesis and you can see the difference in writing styles and content. When compiled, they contradict each other.

[whork]

possibly the most ironic and funniest thing you've ever written on this board

+1000000000000000000

[OzmO]

Well, it's easy not to have any contradictions if you "interpret" the contradiction away.

That's pretty much the MO of all Bible thumpers.

[Dos Equis]

EXCLUSIVE: Football coach says he will defy school's prayer ban
By  Todd Starnes 
Published October 14, 2015
FoxNews.com

Bremerton High School football coach Joe Kennedy (Courtesy Liberty Institute)

There’s a scene in the great football film “Facing the Giants” when the coach decides to implement a new coaching philosophy – to praise God no matter what the result.

Joe Kennedy, a football coach at Bremerton High School in Washington, was so inspired by the film he decided to embrace that philosophy – knowing that to do so could cost him his job. I’ll explain why in just a few more paragraphs.

Kennedy, a Desert Storm and Desert Shield combat veteran, made national headlines in September after the Bremerton School District launched an investigation into his post-game prayer.

Coach Kennedy plans on praying at midfield on Friday night.

Since 2008, Coach Kennedy would walk to the 50-yard line where he would offer a short prayer of thanksgiving for the safety of the players, the fairness of the game and for spirited competition. Over the years, students joined the coach – all voluntarily.

“I’m being investigated for thanking God for the opportunities that have been given me,” he said. “It’s absolutely ridiculous.”

The Bremerton School District eventually issued a three-page letter to the coach – forbidding him from praying before or after high school football games.

 “I spent 20 years in the military defending the Constitution and the freedoms that everybody has,” the coach told me. “All of a sudden, I realized that people who work for the public schools don’t have the same constitutional rights that everyone else has.”

The Bremerton School District took specific issue with the coach’s pre-game locker room prayer as well as his post-game inspirational talk at midfield.  “Problematic practices,” is how they phrased it.

“Your talks with students may not include religious express, including prayer,” Superintendent Aaron Leavell wrote in a Sept. 17th letter to the coach. “They must remain entirely secular in nature, so as to avoid alienation of any team member.”

The superintendent’s list of demands is, quite frankly, draconian. Consider this edict:

“If students engage in religious activity, school staff may not take any action likely to be perceived by a reasonable observer, who is aware of the history and context of such activity at BHS, as endorsement of that activity,” the superintendent wrote.

He specifically referenced that such actions would include “kneeling or bowing of the head during the students’ religious activity.”

Liberty Institute, a law firm that specializes in religious liberty cases, now represents Coach Kennedy and they fired off a letter on Wednesday to the school district urging them to rescind the prayer ban.

“There is no lawful prohibition against Coach Kennedy’s practice of saying a private, post-game prayer,” attorney Hiram Sasser wrote. “The prayers are Coach Kennedy’s private religious speech, and no reasonable observer could conclude that BHS sponsors, endorses, or encourages student participation.”

Sasser blasted the school district for “banning Coach Kennedy from bowing his head or even being physically present where students may be praying.”

He said such action is blatantly unconstitutional.

“This is tantamount to a declaration that Coach Kennedy must flee the scene if students voluntarily come to the same area and pray as well,” Sasser said.

Liberty Institute wants the Bremerton School District to accommodate Coach Kennedy’s religious beliefs. But regardless, Coach Kennedy plans on praying at midfield on Friday night.

He does so knowing that it could cost him his job.

“I’m not a guy who hides in a corner and does a secret prayer to God,” the coach told me. “I’m very open about my faith everywhere I go.”

And that includes the 50-yard line at Bremerton High School.

http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2015/10/14/exclusive-football-coach-says-will-defy-schools-prayer-ban.html?intcmp=hpbt4

Praying Football Coach Defies School District And Still Has A Job … For Now
CASEY HARPER
10/23/2015

The Washington state football coach who defied his school district by praying with his team after the homecoming game last week is still employed and plans to coach at the game Friday night, despite the district’s threats against him.

Bremerton School District began investigating the possible legal ramifications of coach Joe Kennedy for his post-game prayers on the 50-yard line, citing possible constitutional violations since it says he is a school employee appearing to endorse religion. Initially, the coach agreed to stop praying but later changed his mind and prayed at the school’s homecoming game Oct. 16.

Hours before that homecoming game, the district warned the coach that “violations cannot be tolerated,” clearly raising the question of whether he would lose his job. Despite this, the coach is still employed and plans to coach, and pray, at the game Friday night.

“We believe he is in compliance with all laws and regulations by praying as he did on Friday night [of last week],” Hiram Sasser, the lawyer from the Liberty Institute, which is representing Kennedy, said in a statement provided to The Daily Caller News Foundation.

The district confirmed that Kennedy is still employed and said it is continuing talks with him and his legal team to resolve the situation.

“The District continues to hope that the District and Mr. Kennedy can arrive at common understandings that will ensure that the rights of all community members are honored and the law is respected,” the district said in a statement.

So, for now, Kennedy will continue to pray at the games while waiting to see if he will be able to keep his job.

“We don’t anticipate there being much hoopla,” Sasser said in a statement provided to TheDCNF. “He will pray as he did before and go from there.”

http://dailycaller.com/2015/10/23/praying-football-coach-defies-school-district-and-still-has-a-job-for-now/#ixzz3ph48hUae

[Skeletor]

Student reaches out to Satanist Temple for postgame prayer

By Eric Mandel, Digital Content Producer | October 27, 2015 @ 2:44 pm
Bremerton High School football coach Joe Kennedy made headlines when it was discovered that his players joined him in postgame prayers. The Satanic Temple plans to follow suit this Thursday. (AP)

If Christians can pray on the field, so can the Satanists. And that's what one Bremerton High School student wants to do.

Lilith Starr, chapter head for The Satanic Temple of Seattle, told KIRO Radio's Dori Monson that a student gave a formal request for a Satanic invocation on Tuesday morning. Starr said she wouldn't release the student's name, but that the Temple is in the planning stages of the event.

"We will be at Thursday's game doing a postgame Satanic invocation on the field if Coach (Joe) Kennedy continues to pray," she said. "We won't step on the field if he is stopped or doesn't pray."

Coach Kennedy made headlines when it was discovered that his players joined him in postgame prayers after Bremerton High School football games. Students are free to pray as they wish, but teachers and other district staff are usually banned from such activity. Kennedy has reportedly taken legal action against the high school after the school banned him from praying on the field.

The Satanic Temple of Seattle sent a press release Monday, offering its services to anyone at Bremerton High School who would like to add a Satanic twist for after-game prayers. Starr said that the Seattle Satanist temple is a local chapter of global organization that promotes its brand of non-theistic religion. She said that they believe religion should be about community, connection and purpose without bringing in a god or other supernatural being.

Dori asked why Starr wanted to offer this option if she didn't agree with the Bremerton coach doing it.

"If the church-state separation is breached, we really don't think it's right for the state to be promoting one religion over the other," she said. "We really want to make the point that this is not just a Christian forum. If it's going to be open, it's going to be open to everyone, including us."

Starr said they are in the final stages of the writing the Satanic invocation, saying it will be secular and not be calling on any Gods or demons. She said they want to make a "strong, theatrical, political call to stand up for the beliefs that we believe in," such as their seven tenets and freedom to believe as you wish.

"Basically we just want a symbolic representation of that," she said.

As a Christian, Dori has been a critic of the coach's prayers, saying he would not want coaches to pray with any kids at a public school. Dori called Starr's move a "clever way to make a powerful point."

Starr agreed.

"If that's all he is asking, as not an official school representative, then OK, we can do that, too," she said. "And we're gonna."

http://mynorthwest.com/76/2834847/Student-reaches-out-to-Satanist-Temple-for-postgame-prayer

[LurkerNoMore]

Praying in public?  Going to hell for sure.  Sucks to be anyone doing this.

[Agnostic007]

"And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. 6 But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. 7 And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. 8 Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him."


Hate to keep bringing this up but this right here is why Jesus would NOT be in favor of what the coach is doing. The irony is, it is so important to the Christian to be seen as a rebel, wearing his beliefs on his sleeve for the world to see that he/she is willing to completely blow Jesus off in this regard. I can't imagine Jesus being more clear about his disdain for that kind of action.  

Christians can continue to pray in public secular places, but they really need to stop pretending it's what the bible tells them to do.

[avxo]

"And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. 6 But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. 7 And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. 8 Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him."


Hate to keep bringing this up but this right here is why Jesus would NOT be in favor of what the coach is doing. The irony is, it is so important to the Christian to be seen as a rebel, wearing his beliefs on his sleeve for the world to see that he/she is willing to completely blow Jesus off in this regard. I can't imagine Jesus being more clear about his disdain for that kind of action.  

Christians can continue to pray in public secular places, but they really need to stop pretending it's what the bible tells them to do.

"Wah! Wah! You're taking things out of context! Wah! Wah!"

[Agnostic007]

"Wah! Wah! You're taking things out of context! Wah! Wah!"

Right? It amazes me how a "Christian" can read those pretty specific instructions from the head honcho himself and still argue for public prayer. The only way I can explain it is the need to "show off" their belief system as being part of the majority. No other reason to do it.

[Dos Equis]

Right? It amazes me how a "Christian" can read those pretty specific instructions from the head honcho himself and still argue for public prayer. The only way I can explain it is the need to "show off" their belief system as being part of the majority. No other reason to do it.

That passage tells a specific group of people to pray in their closets.  I have a walk-in closet, so it's not a problem for me.  But I guess all those people without walk-in closets are screwed. 

[Agnostic007]

That passage tells a specific group of people to pray in their closets.  I have a walk-in closet, so it's not a problem for me.  But I guess all those people without walk-in closets are screwed. 

All true Christians have walk in closets.

[Dos Equis]

Praying Football Coach Defies School District And Still Has A Job … For Now
CASEY HARPER
10/23/2015

The Washington state football coach who defied his school district by praying with his team after the homecoming game last week is still employed and plans to coach at the game Friday night, despite the district’s threats against him.

Bremerton School District began investigating the possible legal ramifications of coach Joe Kennedy for his post-game prayers on the 50-yard line, citing possible constitutional violations since it says he is a school employee appearing to endorse religion. Initially, the coach agreed to stop praying but later changed his mind and prayed at the school’s homecoming game Oct. 16.

Hours before that homecoming game, the district warned the coach that “violations cannot be tolerated,” clearly raising the question of whether he would lose his job. Despite this, the coach is still employed and plans to coach, and pray, at the game Friday night.

“We believe he is in compliance with all laws and regulations by praying as he did on Friday night [of last week],” Hiram Sasser, the lawyer from the Liberty Institute, which is representing Kennedy, said in a statement provided to The Daily Caller News Foundation.

The district confirmed that Kennedy is still employed and said it is continuing talks with him and his legal team to resolve the situation.

“The District continues to hope that the District and Mr. Kennedy can arrive at common understandings that will ensure that the rights of all community members are honored and the law is respected,” the district said in a statement.

So, for now, Kennedy will continue to pray at the games while waiting to see if he will be able to keep his job.

“We don’t anticipate there being much hoopla,” Sasser said in a statement provided to TheDCNF. “He will pray as he did before and go from there.”

http://dailycaller.com/2015/10/23/praying-football-coach-defies-school-district-and-still-has-a-job-for-now/#ixzz3ph48hUae

BREAKING: High school boots praying football coach
By  Todd Starnes  
Published October 28, 2015
FoxNews.com

Coach Joe Kennedy has been booted from the locker room at Bremerton High School in Washington State, Fox News has learned exclusively.

Superintendent Aaron Leavell placed the longtime coach on administrative leave after he refused to stop his post-game prayers.

“Effective immediately, pending further District review of your conduct, you are placed on paid administrative leave from your position as an assistant coach with the Bremerton High School football program,” Level wrote to the coach in an Oct. 28th letter. “You may not participate, in any capacity, in BHS football program activities.”

Kennedy, who is a devout Christian, had been under investigation since September after someone complained about his post-game prayers at the 50-yard-line.

He was directed to cease and desist those prayers on Sept. 17th. He was also ordered to avoid kneeling, bowing his head or doing anything that could remotely be seen as religious.

“You violated those directives by engaging in overt, public and demonstrative religious conduct while still on duty as an assistant coach,” Leavell wrote.

Leavell had offered to let the coach engage in “private prayer” following the football games — provided no child could see the coach petitioning the Almighty.

The district’s accommodation for the coach’s “hush-hush, clandestine” prayers would be allowed  “so long as your brief, private religious exercise would not interfere with your performance of your continuing duties as an assistant coach.”

It’s unconscionable that a progressive school district would advocate shoving people back into a closet.

Coach Kennedy is represented by Liberty Institute, the nation’s largest law firm dedicated to defending religious liberty.

Attorney Hiram Sasser said the school district is being hostile towards Christianity.

“They are sending the message to all people of faith that they are not welcome,” Sasser told me.

Leavell noted in his letter to the coach that instead of meeting with him, he ignored their directives and prayed following the Oct. 23 football game.

However, Sasser said that’s not exactly accurate.

“We tried to meet with the school officials in-person but they refused to meet,” the attorney told me. “We were only able to have a brief hour and a half call with their lawyer, and the result was a letter banning private prayer just a few hours before last Friday’s game.”

Liberty Institute has already laid the groundwork for a lawsuit against the school district — accusing them of religious discrimination.

“It is unfortunate this school district is choosing litigation instead of a simple meeting,” Sasser said.

It is also unfortunate that the Bremerton School District and Superintendent Aaron Level have shown such animosity towards a good and honorable Christian man like Joe Kennedy.

http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2015/10/28/breaking-high-school-boots-praying-football-coach.html

[Dos Equis]

All true Christians have walk in closets.

Word.

[Agnostic007]

"It’s unconscionable that a progressive school district would advocate shoving people back into a closet."

It's hilarious that people don't seem to realize THATS WHAT JESUS WANTS! 

[Skeletor]

Did they put him on leave for fear that the Satanic Temple would do an invocation if the coach continued with the prayers?

[Dos Equis]

"It’s unconscionable that a progressive school district would advocate shoving people back into a closet."

It's hilarious that people don't seem to realize THATS WHAT JESUS WANTS! 

I wonder if Jesus ever literally prayed in a closet? 

[Agnostic007]

I was really under the impression closets didn't exist back then.. maybe armoires? He was a carpenter.. so maybe..

[Dos Equis]

I was really under the impression closets didn't exist back then.. maybe armoires? He was a carpenter.. so maybe..

Would he even fit in one?  I think the common artistic portrayals of him as a skinny dude are wrong. 

[Agnostic007]

Would he even fit in one?  I think the common artistic portrayals of him as a skinny dude are wrong. 

If a picture of what he probably actually looked like was produced, I suspect he'd lose have his republican followers overnight

[Dos Equis]

If a picture of what he probably actually looked like was produced, I suspect he'd lose have his republican followers overnight

Probably all those Republicans who are not supporting a black dude, two Hispanic dudes, and a female?  Pretty weak. 

[Agnostic007]

Probably all those Republicans who are not supporting a black dude, two Hispanic dudes, and a female?  Pretty weak. 

When this came up a couple weeks ago, I did a demographics check of congress... wasn't pretty if you are trying to convince someone republicans are about diversity. But yes, the current make up of the candidates is refreshing as far as that goes.

[Agnostic007]

I was referring more to the fact it would be more difficult for many folks to worship Jesus if they didn't picture him as a anglo tall good looking dude with a swimmers body.   I'll go out on a limb and say if Jesus was depicted as Flavor Flavs look alike.. church attendance would be cut in half overnight