Washington high school coach “under investigation” for praying after games

[GBRedneck]

I'll answer that with my own question.

 

Which part of the biblical message would indicate that God does not want the message shared with the masses? There are plenty of parts encouraging evangelizing. How would organizing a public group prayer go against that?

 

 

 

Now he was sharing the message with the masses? Matt 6:5-6 says he was doing it wrong.

 

What are the verses where Jesus encouraged evangelizing and how did He suggest doing it? And where he suggested public displays of prayers in a stadium full of people?

 

I think when you fail to come up with a good answer for that, that it should indicate that maybe what he was doing does not go against the message. And I would also add that I doubt if Jesus gives two rips if the administration asked him to stop. I don't recall toeing the line with authority being high on his list.

 

 

Yeah, Jesus was big on toeing the line with authorities. "Give unto Caesar . . ."

[JJ Husker]

 

I'll answer that with my own question.

Which part of the biblical message would indicate that God does not want the message shared with the masses? There are plenty of parts encouraging evangelizing. How would organizing a public group prayer go against that?

 

 

 

Now he was sharing the message with the masses? Matt 6:5-6 says he was doing it wrong.

 

What are the verses where Jesus encouraged evangelizing and how did He suggest doing it? And where he suggested public displays of prayers in a stadium full of people?

 

I think when you fail to come up with a good answer for that, that it should indicate that maybe what he was doing does not go against the message. And I would also add that I doubt if Jesus gives two rips if the administration asked him to stop. I don't recall toeing the line with authority being high on his list.

 

 

Yeah, Jesus was big on toeing the line with authorities. "Give unto Caesar . . ."

You just want to argue. That's not my thing. Good luck.

[Danny Bateman]

 

I'll answer that with my own question.

 

Which part of the biblical message would indicate that God does not want the message shared with the masses? There are plenty of parts encouraging evangelizing. How would organizing a public group prayer go against that?

 

 

 

Now he was sharing the message with the masses? Matt 6:5-6 says he was doing it wrong.

 

What are the verses where Jesus encouraged evangelizing and how did He suggest doing it? And where he suggested public displays of prayers in a stadium full of people?

 

I think when you fail to come up with a good answer for that, that it should indicate that maybe what he was doing does not go against the message. And I would also add that I doubt if Jesus gives two rips if the administration asked him to stop. I don't recall toeing the line with authority being high on his list.

 

 

Yeah, Jesus was big on toeing the line with authorities. "Give unto Caesar . . ."

 

 

Mark 16:15-16

And he said to them, “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.

Matthew 28:18-20

And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

 

Just a couple examples, but I could come up with multitudes more if you really want me to. It's readily apparent if you digest a bit of the Bible that Jesus encourages spreading the faith with whomever possible and whomever will receive it. He does not set guidelines on when and where to do so, but to do so whenever the opportunity presents itself.

 

While he does warn against "praying like a hypocrite" in Matthew 6, it is my interpretation that there he is addressing how we choose to pray as an individual and that quote is less apt to apply to group prayers. Again, the overarching goal is to practice and share the faith, and having a short prayer with other believers is a good way to do that. Matthew 6 reads very much like Matthew 23 below, where he refers to the Pharisees as hypocrites as well. He chastises them for doing what they are doing for attention and admiration as opposed to true divine intentions. This is NOT what the coach was attempting to do by having a postgame prayer. He was trying to practice and share his faith to those who would receive it, and not force it upon anyone else.

 

 

Matthew 23: 1-12 A Warning Against Hypocrisy

23 Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples: ² “The teachers of the law and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat. ³ So you must be careful to do everything they tell you. But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they preach. ⁴ They tie up heavy, cumbersome loads and put them on other people’s shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to lift a finger to move them.

 

⁵ “Everything they do is done for people to see: They make their phylacteries^[a] wide and the tassels on their garments long; ⁶ they love the place of honor at banquets and the most important seats in the synagogues; ⁷ they love to be greeted with respect in the marketplaces and to be called ‘Rabbi’ by others.

 

⁸ “But you are not to be called ‘Rabbi,’ for you have one Teacher, and you are all brothers. ⁹ And do not call anyone on earth ‘father,’ for you have one Father, and he is in heaven. ¹⁰ Nor are you to be called instructors, for you have one Instructor, the Messiah. ¹¹ The greatest among you will be your servant. ¹² For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.

 

It is sad that we've gotten so PC as a society that people are becoming afraid to do anything remotely encroaching on controversial ground. As soon as they do, someone is bound to get butthurt and stretch the Constitution as far as possible in an attempt to bring the hammer down on the offending party, no matter how innocuous their actions. I do take serious issue with the fact that people are now trying to use the Constitution not to protect their own rights, but to try to dictate the playing field to others as well. Especially in seemingly harmless situations such as these.

[GBRedneck]

Good post, dudeguy. (Getting too long to quote it.) Thanks for the verses.

 

I guess I don't see these group prayers as evangelizing or sharing the faith. Presumably, the people in the group prayers are already believers. Seems like Jesus was talking about evangelizing to unbelievers.

 

I don't have a problem with public prayers, as long as they are constitutional. I believe Jesus's words were guidance for personal behavior, not sticks to beat others over the head with to stop behaving in ways that I think are incorrect (which I see as the biggest problem with modern Christianity.)

[GBRedneck]

 

 

I'll answer that with my own question.

Which part of the biblical message would indicate that God does not want the message shared with the masses? There are plenty of parts encouraging evangelizing. How would organizing a public group prayer go against that?

 

 

Now he was sharing the message with the masses? Matt 6:5-6 says he was doing it wrong.

 

What are the verses where Jesus encouraged evangelizing and how did He suggest doing it? And where he suggested public displays of prayers in a stadium full of people?

 

I think when you fail to come up with a good answer for that, that it should indicate that maybe what he was doing does not go against the message. And I would also add that I doubt if Jesus gives two rips if the administration asked him to stop. I don't recall toeing the line with authority being high on his list.

 

Yeah, Jesus was big on toeing the line with authorities. "Give unto Caesar . . ."

You just want to argue. That's not my thing. Good luck.

 

I do like to "argue" in hopes that someone can show me a new way to think about things.

[cornographic]

I don't see voluntary team prayer as a problem. The real problem is for God. If both teams pray for victory, how does God decide which one wins?

[GBRedneck]

I don't see voluntary team prayer as a problem. The real problem is for God. If both teams pray for victory, how does God decide which one wins?

That's not as bad as His superheated microwaved burrito problem.

[cornographic]

 

I don't see voluntary team prayer as a problem. The real problem is for God. If both teams pray for victory, how does God decide which one wins?

That's not as bad as His superheated microwaved burrito problem.

 

Is that like too hot Hot Pockets?

[GBRedneck]

Maybe the nearly unavoidable existence of these debates were one of the reasons Jesus said what He did in Matt 6:5-6? Maybe some of His other reasons were the same reasons why we have a 1st Amendment?

[GBRedneck]

 

 

I don't see voluntary team prayer as a problem. The real problem is for God. If both teams pray for victory, how does God decide which one wins?

That's not as bad as His superheated microwaved burrito problem.

 

Is that like too hot Hot Pockets?

 

Yep. Same issue. Can God microwave Hot Pockets so hot that even He can't eat them?

[cornographic]

 

 

 

I don't see voluntary team prayer as a problem. The real problem is for God. If both teams pray for victory, how does God decide which one wins?

That's not as bad as His superheated microwaved burrito problem.

 

Is that like too hot Hot Pockets?

 

Yep. Same issue. Can God microwave Hot Pockets so hot that even He can't eat them?

 

Not sure, that's a tough one, I think that involves etheric physics. But more importantly, who does He sue if it burns His tongue? Ah, the mysteries of life...

[Danny Bateman]

Good post, dudeguy. (Getting too long to quote it.) Thanks for the verses.

 

I guess I don't see these group prayers as evangelizing or sharing the faith. Presumably, the people in the group prayers are already believers. Seems like Jesus was talking about evangelizing to unbelievers.

 

I don't have a problem with public prayers, as long as they are constitutional. I believe Jesus's words were guidance for personal behavior, not sticks to beat others over the head with to stop behaving in ways that I think are incorrect (which I see as the biggest problem with modern Christianity.)

I guess in a sense I consider it evangelizing because I think that the on-field prayer has the opportunity to welcome non-believers to worship with those who already profess to be Christian and therefore reach new ears that way. I agree that it's not the same as deliberately seeking out non believers, but that can be a very daunting task, and the limited number of evangelicals I've known in my lifetime have not had the social skills or tact to do so without coming off either entirely too strong or somewhat offputting.

 

I agree as long as its constitutional, any post game prayer should be allowed, and I feel very strongly about keeping it constitutional. It's also way more likely to gather a large group of Christians than any other religion from two American football teams- just a numbers game. But anyone should be welcome to profess their faith afterwards, or with a group of fellow believers, of their own volition.

 

Agree 1000% percent about the bolded. It makes me sick to my stomach that people abuse and misuse Christianity to preach from a pulpit of superiority to other, "lesser" mortals. A perfect example would be that Kim Davis woman from Kentucky. What she did was despicable.

 

I agree that much of what's in the Bible could be interpreted as a personal guidemap for how to live your life, instead of taken literally. I also think we should exercise a modicum of common sense when interpreting the good word and need to apply it reasonably in conjunction with the world in which we currently live. Heck, the bible says having tattoos, piercings, and trimming the sides of your hair or your beards are sins. Certain things like that seem awful archaic in our world today.

 

I realize this may not be a popular opinion with other Christians, but it is simply what I believe and how I live my life.