S
chool officials in Celina, Texas have not only decided to violate federal law but they have decided to flaunt their refusal to comply with constitutional rulings of the Supreme Court. The school continues to incorporate Christian prayers into its games. In a recent game, Celina coach Butch Ford said: “Our goal (against Liberty Hill) was to play with the joy of the Lord in our heart so we’d play excited all of the time, and we wouldn’t be down no matter what happened….” They might not be the only ones “excited all of the time” that they play.
What is fascinating is that school officials usually teach children that they must comply with the law. Yet, here the officials are telling students that it does not matter if the Constitution and the federal courts prohibit conduct: religious beliefs trump federal law.
The students clearly understand that the Celina is different: a self-exempted community that lives outside the requirements of the United States Constitution. Senior running back Troy McCartney noted “In our community we stress God and Jesus very, very much, and I’m very thankful to live in a community like that. I’ve never lived anywhere else in my life, but people who move in say there’s no other place like Celina. I’m very thankful to live where I live, have what I have and do what I do, and I just want to give all the glory and thanks to the Lord.”
After the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit ruled in 1999 that schools could not use games for sectarian prayers, the school reacted by openly defying the ruling, even having student wear t-shirts reading “Celina Bobcats Pray Before They Play.”
What if the officials believed that desegregation rulings would not apply to them? Would they be justified to exclude black players? Yet, city and school officials all supported this defiance of the law — a curious lesson for the students in their charge.
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Я подписался на вашу РСС ленту, но посты почему-то в виде каких-то квадратиков 🙁 Как это исправить?
Amen, Amen and I say unto thee, that is why Louisiana was on its own. I am a part of my fathers house that has been cast out and I am looking for new members. You see and know some of the best disciples that we have had in this century giving you directions to the ways. Please note GW was appointed as my divine disciple, The Prince of Softness. Cheney as the Prince of Manly Men and Obama as the prince of Darkness.
The above was meant only as humor.
How about this actual sign I saw in front of a church in rural Louisiana (and you have no idea how many times I wish I’d had a camera that day)?
“Jesus Loves blank blank Church –
The rest of you are on your own.”
I laughed so hard I had to pull over to the side of the road to finish. When I told Jesus about it, he didn’t see the humor in it.
mespo,
it could be inferred that they are special. But some would say that God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son. Which I think conflicts with Genesis which states that we are all created in gods image.
How about this for a Bumper Sticker “Jesus Love You, But I am his Favorite.”
“im sorry, but i have to disagree. the bible says that God takes a PERSONAL interest in our lives.”
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I have read the document cover to cover and never seen those words. Maybe you could show me where is says God cares one wit about anything we do.
Mike Spindell 1, December 22, 2008 at 2:39 pm
Blasphemy is taking God’s name in vain and/or diminishing the deity. How is it not blasphemous to believe that the creative force behind the universe is involved in a high school football game? These religious loonies are so self-involved that they do not realize that these prayers serve to diminish the God they profess to believe in. By the standards of the teachings of their own religion they are manifestly guilty of both blasphemy and heresy. I could just see Jesus cheering at a football game, or taking sides. How stupidly sad.
im sorry, but i have to disagree. the bible says that God takes a PERSONAL interest in our lives. If that means High School football games, then so be it. It is blasphemous to think that God can’t be saving someone’s life while cheering for a High School team. Is He not up for the task? And i don’t think that these kids are asking God to help them “kick ass”. I think these kids are asking God to let what they do with their bodies in the game they play GLORIFY HIM.