A Coach, A Prayer, & A Forgotten Amendment

As I said last night, I wanted to comment on the article, Coach Had A Prayer. I’m not going to summarize the entire article right here. But, the gist of it calls into question whether a high school coach can pray with his team. The ruling decided was that Borden (the coach) can take a knee with his team, but he cannot initiate or pray with the team.

Some were even saying it was wrong for him to take a knee.

What I don’t get is why are we suddenly (especially in the last few years) bashing religion. We shouldn’t force people to participate in religious acts if they don’t want to. However, isn’t telling someone they can’t practice their religion publicly the same as forcing someone who isn’t religious to perform these acts?

The Bill of Rights clearly states

Amendment 1

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.

Why is the law even involved in this case if there isn’t anyone being forced to exercies religion? By telling Borden that he cannot freely practice his religion, the government is telling him that Amendment 1 doesn’t apply to him. As a coach at a high school, he has lost his freedom of religion.

“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof…”

Maybe our country has perhaps forgotten the law our forefathers established, the law that many men died for.