A Modern Day Daniel

Coach Kennedy

Coach Kennedy

Have you heard about Joe Kennedy; the assistant football coach for Bremerton High in Washington?  He has had a long-standing practice of going to the 50-yard line after a game and having a prayer.  He does this personally and silently.  He doesn’t require his players to attend, but has simply gone to the middle of the field, bowed on one knee and prayed.

The school board believes this to be an unconstitutional act.  They have given a directive to him to not pray, believing this is a public display of faith violating the separation of church and state.  He was also forbade from mentioning anything religious to the team, kneeling, or bowing his head.  This new directive was put to the test this past Friday night at their homecoming game.  At the close of the game, he went to the 50- yard line and kneeled in silent prayer.  Many of the opposing team players witnessed his actions and chose to join him in prayer.  The school board has since said they are in negotiation with him regarding the issue and his employment status is unchanged.

This story provoked a few thoughts in my mind I wanted to share.

  • I believe our founding Fathers would be traumatized to realize that the principles they established in the constitution are being used to forbid individual silent prayer by a citizen just because he is an employee of a public school.  He is not forcing his beliefs down anyone’s throats, he is simply going and having a prayer at the close of the game.
  • Are we really here in our nation?  I knew we had these issues with not leading prayer or having public prayer at football games, but can a coach not even kneel and pray silently anymore?  Don’t we have bigger issues to deal with regarding our kids and their education than the “supposed” damage that might occur if they saw a coach practicing his faith and living by conviction?  I don’t even understand the liberal mindset on this of pushing against it.  It must come down to the school board fearing they will get sued and cost them lots of money because an employee displayed faith!
  • My sarcastic side thought, “we sure wouldn’t want a public display of faith!”  That would ruin our country and all those people leaving in the stands to see a man kneeling at the center of the field.   Really!?  What are the secularist so afraid of when it comes to faith?
  • This man reminds me of Daniel in the Old Testament.  I don’t know anymore about him than this story, but he was told not to pray.  It was his custom and habit for years of doing this, so he continued to do it!  When you study Daniel, we ask why didn’t he just pray in secret.  Why did he go to the open window and bow towards Jerusalem?  Because it was his custom!  He would not deviate from his practice, as it would be a compromise of his principles and devotion to God (Daniel 6).  Coach Kennedy would not deviate from his custom either.  He was bold in his faith and an inspiration for the rest of us!

What are your thoughts and reactions to this story?

Articles online:

http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2015/10/19/high-school-thou-shalt-not-pray.html?intcmp=hpbt2

http://www.cnsnews.com/news/article/washington-school-district-negotiating-praying-coach

 

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