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LINK The Supreme Court rewarded religious coercion by a Christian football coach

The first line of the Supreme Court ruling this morning in Kennedy v. Bremerton, about a Christian football coach who wanted to pray at midfield after games, is built on two lies. And it only gets worse from there.

Writing for the 6-3 majority, Justice Neil Gorsuch wrote, “Joseph Kennedy lost his job as a high school football coach because he knelt at midfield after games to offer a quiet prayer of thanks.” He didn’t lose his job; he quit. And there was nothing “quiet” about a prayer he staged for maximal exposure. Today’s decision nullifies the safeguards to church/state separation, including the Lemon Test and the endorsement test, creating an awful situation for students who don’t subscribe to conservative, performative Christianity. It will have the effect of coercing children in public schools to adopt the religion of their coaches if they want to remain on those adults’ good side, whether or not the Religious Right admits it.

snytiger6 9 June 27
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12

Posted, by me, on FB:
Some of us (like me) have been warning about a Theocratic coup taking place and been rebuked for being hysterical. I think it is now very clear that The Federalist Society, a Christian org set up by and for the purpose of eliminating all secular decisions from SCOTUS, has reached critical mass. They are able to achieve their religious exuberance, as a result of philosophical majority and disdain for a century of careful direction, so turning States Of America into a Christian nation. The minority of adherents in The Senate are successful in clearing the path for this goal by simply blocking any attempt to thwart it. Our warnings are being born out as we watch and, within a few years, the transformation to Theocracy will be complete. Anyone denying this truth, after this week, is being ignorant or subversive.
If Christian Theocracy is what you crave then simply do nothing. Your wish is being achieved. If not then vote for Democrats, in November, as they are historically not trying to achieve Christian dominance. They have enabled it but not for societal dominance. If you truly abhor such zealotry then any support for such enabling must end. If it's religious of nature (that is, of god rather than constitution) then it has zero place in any discussion of social matters.
Time to get real, States Of America, or perish in damnation. IMO, no amount of resistance is too strong for stopping Theocratic zealotry.

Unfortunately, you are spot on. 😱

If it takes violence to resist it, and I'm afraid it will, I am onboard with that...

@TomMcGiverin I'm already there. I don't need further convincing.

@TomMcGiverin You realize that makes us the very same as those who attacked Congress on 1/6 so far as law is concerned. Right? Now, our cause may be of more validity but that call is being made by us (so one expects that view). I agree that our cause has more validity, is of actual human importance, but accept that it's a Revolutionary thing to do. Those who lose Revolutions are usually called traitors and hung. Our Founders didn't draw a relaxed breath until The King gave up. Nobody's head is on the line today. It's all about looks and how to shield the corrupted wealthy from that. If they can take my head then I can take theirs. It's just harder and uncertain. One day it will probably happen but that day might not be mine.

Human society is not all that hard to understand. We simply can't forget that odds for survival determine tipping points. I can't imagine that most do not see the common person's odds as dropping so this may be such a time. I'd bet on it (just as our Founders bet on theirs).

@rainmanjr I get your point, if you resist violently, you are playing for all the marbles, and if you lose, you will probably be killed. But the way the election system is being rigged and the way the right is willing to use violence to get what they want, no matter how an election may come out, as well as the SC doing whatever it wants, despite public opinion and precedent, violent opposition may be our only option in the future to resist and oppose them. Non-violence is only a tactic, and sometimes it is a luxury we don't have. I don't think it worked out too well in Nazi Germany for the White Rose Society...

10

After overturning Roe, this decision doesn't surprise me a bit. The SC is now fully and openly theocratic.

And evil to boot.

10

Do Christians even read the Bible?? From Matthew 6:
5
"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 men. I tell you the truth, 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.

They probably ignore that one like they ignore others that don’t comport with their agenda. 😕

I guess as long as reference ( not deference) to Jesus is made, it's a Christian religion

9

All semblance of a desire to follow precedent, freedom from religion, and basic human rights have gone doing the toilet of Christian Nationalism.

Barnie, I like your hat.

@mischl I think he was a little to early running for president last time, though I would have voted for him. But his current job is giving him much more exposure and federal experience which should serve him well in future elections. I would have liked to see him in a higher office, but his being gay could have gotten him arrested in certain countries had he been appointed Secretary of State or Defense.

@Barnie2years He's got a tough job, with the U.S. being SO far behind in public transportation. And having backward Republicans dragging their feet so much on infrastructure, he won't be able to accomplish a whole lot in the near future.

8

And the hits just keep on coming.

So. Much. Bullshit.

8

Well said. it is a horror show.

Leetx Level 7 June 27, 2022
7

That coach is using his position to push his religious fantasies on his subordinates. He gets to decide who plays and who doesn't. He gets to decide who gets encouraged and who doesn't. It's the essence of American Christianity.

I bet if that school is in some area where open enrollment is available for players to transfer to other nearby schools, the better players and the less religious ones, are getting the hell out of there to play somewhere else, rather than put up with this horseshit...

@TomMcGiverin Doubt it, not that easy to go to other schools for most. My football coach did the same shit with prayers, I just tuned the shit out….🤷🏻♂️

@TomMcGiverin the school district instructed the coach/groomer to stop but the religious horde paid for high-powered lawyers.

@BitFlipper Yup, that's the way it always works in America's legal system. The side with more money and better lawyers almost always wins, no matter who has the better case and no matter what the law says...

7

The Minority has spoken again.

MizJ Level 8 June 27, 2022

Up to this point, they have been more clever about using and abusing the laws to gain power. And as they gain power, they work at changing the laws to give them even more power. Several famous fascist dictators in history did exactly the same thing. And way too many of the "nice guys" sit on the sidelines and watch.

7

Wait until a Muslim gets his prayer rug out. Plus those players we’re taking a knee. So unpatriotic.

This was my hometown and when the Satanists showed up (and prayed -off- the field) the xtians shat themselves. I have known I feel like my whole life thwt the goal is Christian supremacy.

@FreethoughtKaty Yes, Katy. Christian supremacy exactly equals Theocracy. And it would be just another version of the Taliban.

7

We saw this coming.
It was coming the minute the radically religious gained a majority of spots on the court.
I'll bet the courts would not support an minority religion on non religious person from similarly coercing students.
Mandatory practices on Sunday morning for example.

5

It's nakedly unconditional. It's disgusting. 🤮

5

A travesty to have to watch such a spectacle. Watch the ones that actbs9 damned pious. You are right TomMcGiverin

The biggest phonies are always the biggest showboaters in staying in the spotlight...

5

This coach is just such an asshole pretending to be a pious good guy....

Most of them are great at play acting, and I think this guy just wanted to see his name all over the internet so he could brag about how important he thinks he is.

4

Freedom of religion is not just about freedom of religion for the individual, but for the freedom of belief for all of us. It is not just about the freedom of the coach to express himself, but also for all the the other student players who are under tremendous social pressure to join this state-sponsored authority figure in his public display for his individual religion. This decision has weakened the constitutional establishment clause against state-sponsored religion at the expense of others of different beliefs.

Welcome shit machine plus high speed fan that is SCOTUS.

It should equally provide freedom FROM religion...

4

Again, overturning decades of precedence and even going against the 1st amendment. These people deserve to be disbarred.

4

SCOTUS is an embarrassment and entirely in keeping with Putin's interests.

2

There should be no praying at sports events. Not like this was done anyway. If you do pray then do it silently in your head. This reminds me of a time that I told a believer "god sure does like football and baseball games" I did this in mockery and she wanted to use it claiming that I really do believe in god. When it comes to god and sports some people just do not get it.

2

US Supreme Court: Should this coach have been punished for praying?

[bbc.com]

The guy is simply another hypocrite who wanted his 15 minutes of fame.

@Redheadedgammy He loves playing the martyr...

He was offered a private place to pray but insisted on making a public display of it. Maybe he should read the parable of the widow's mite in the bible.

2

Many Christians love their football. Lots of alcohol and watching players get their heads smashed in.

A bloody head smashing celebration for the lower IQ.

That is why I have lost interest in football, both college and pro, decades ago, since the game seemed so grossly violent. Then the news came out about concussions and dementia, along with other brain damage, and I had even less interest in watching the modern version of gladiator fights... I think that latter discovery has also turned off a lot of people from the game, same as with boxing...

2

We no longer have a Supreme Court!!!

We now have a white supremacists Christian fascists are court being used to create and deny the rule of law to suit a very few white men who only care about having and going power and wealth!!!

It is now beyond having any type of moral or ethical consequences for the very few who feel they are the law and above the law!!!

Time to eliminate all Christian Fascists and any other religious groups who want to dominate the majority of us!!!

If by eliminate you mean vote them out of office, I’m all for that. Murder them? Not so much.

@Redheadedgammy
Why not they will not hesitate to let you die for lack of medical care!!!

You are not protected from the militarized police from breaking down your door and killing you or a family member without probable cause or a warrant because they have applied immunity awarded n
By this white Fascist Christian Supreme Court!!!

It seems they have overtly more rights and are above the law than you and I were granted under the Constitution!!!

Imprisonment would cost too much, why should we profit off of their discriminatory, racist legal system like they do!!!

@of-the-mountain I am not like them, nor would I commit murder to get my way. I still believe in the rules of law, not of men/women that want their way.

@Redheadedgammy
They are the law and they enforce it!!!

You do not not!!!

Good luck!!!

2

This is a very bad decision that hopefully will soon be overruled.

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