Football Game Prayer

	This year
	All years

This statement was read over the PA system at the football game at Roane
County High School, Kingston, Tennessee by school Principal Jody McLoud,
on September 1, 2000. I thought it was worth sharing with the world, and
hope you will forward it to all your friends. It clearly shows just how far
this country has gone in the wrong direction.

"It has always been the custom at Roane County High School football games
to say a prayer and play the National Anthem to honor God and Country.
Due to a recent ruling by the Supreme Court, I am told that saying a prayer
is a violation of Federal Case Law.

As I understand the law at this time, I can use this public facility to
approve of sexual perversion and call it an alternate lifestyle, and if
someone is offended, that's OK.

I can use it to condone sexual promiscuity by dispensing condoms and
calling it safe sex. If someone is offended, that's OK. I can even use this
public facility to present the merits of killing an unborn baby as a viable
means of birth control. If someone is offended, no problem.

I can designate a school day as earth day and involve students in
activities to religiously worship and praise the goddess, mother earth,
and call it ecology.

I can use literature, videos and presentations in the classroom that depict
people with strong, traditional, Christian convictions as simple minded
and ignorant and call it enlightenment.

However, if anyone uses this facility to honor God and ask Him to bless this
event with safety and good sportsmanship, Federal Case Law is violated.

This appears to be inconsistent at best, and at worst, diabolical.

Apparently, we are to be tolerant of everything and anyone except God and
His Commandments.

Nevertheless, as a school principal, I frequently ask staff and students to
abide by rules that they do not necessarily agree. For me to do otherwise
would be inconsistent at best, and at worst, hypocritical.

I suffer from that affliction enough unintentionally. I certainly do not
need to add an intentional transgression.

For this reason, I shall, "Render unto Caesar that which is Caesar's,"
and refrain from praying at this time. However, if you feel inspired to honor,
praise and thank God, and ask Him in the name of Jesus to bless this event,
please feel free to do so. As far as I know, that's not against the
law ---- yet."

AND...one by one, the people in the stands bowed their heads, held hands
with one another, and began to pray. They prayed in the stands. They
prayed in the team huddles. They prayed at the concession stand. And they
prayed in the announcer's box. The only place they didn't pray was in the
Supreme Court of the United State's of America - the seat of "justice" in
the one nation under God.