What about THIS Penn State Scandal?
You’ve heard about the sex scandal at Penn State, but nobody’s talking about the other scandal. It’s huge. Here’s the story. Brace yourselves; it could be big. There was public prayer before the Penn State/Nebraska game:
During a week shrouded in controversy over charges of child sexual assault and cover-up at Penn State University, at least one thing became clear for the college’s football program and its opponent Nebraska on Saturday before the game started – it was a time for prayer.
Shortly after the coin toss and just moments before kickoff, players and coaches from both teams, including former Penn State players at the game for Senior Day, and a throng of those credentialed with sideline passes, met in the middle of the field.
In a somewhat surreal setting, more than 100,000 fans in attendance became silent as those on the field dropped to one knee to listen to Nebraska running back coach Ron Brown lead the teams in prayer.
The action was part of a college community trying to heal in the wake of child sexual assault charges against Jerry Sandusky, the former defensive coordinators for Penn State University’s football team, and the subsequent firing of both head coach Joe Paterno and the university’s president last week.
Brown, who is a co-founder of a ministry called Mission Nebraska, was approached by the Fellowship of Christian Athletes during the week, reported PennLive.com. He then talked to a representative of Athletes in Action, also a Christian organization, for Penn State Friday night.
The assistant coach also talked to Nebraska’s director of football operations, who had talked to Penn State’s director. He was told that both head coaches thought it was a great idea. Brown also spoke to the interim defensive coach and friend Larry Johnson and the pre-game prayer was set. (Source)
That’s right. There was prayer at a University that receives government money. The players dropped to one knee and bowed their heads so everybody knew they were praying. Not only that, there was no announcement before the game so the 100,000 attending the athletic contest could make a decision if they wanted to be present when the offensive prayer was said. The prayer was made to a captive audience, a clear violation of previous court determinations. The crowd was so stunned by the offensive action of the coaches and players that they stood in stunned silence.
We all need to get on the phone and contact the ACLU, Americans United for the Separation of Church and State, American Atheists, and Atheist Alliance International. Tell them that players who are going to a government-subsidized university were involved in an unlawful religious ritual before a crowd of tax payers.
The coaches were also involved. They should have been dragged off the field and fired on the spot for violating the constitutional doctrine of the separation of church and state. Of course, there is no such doctrine. The First Amendment was designed to keep Congress out of the religion business. Not only can’t Congress establish a religion, but it can’ “prohibit the free exercise thereof.” Moreover, there is no prohibition against offending people.
The ACLU knows when to keep its mouth shut. I suspect that they’ll let this infraction go. But don’t count them out. They prowl around looking for some kid who brings a Bible to class, shares the gospel with a fellow student, prays with him, turns his life around, while the teacher didn’t do anything to stop him. This type of case is easy pickings for the tough guys at the ACLU.
I may offend some people with this next statement. But prayer is not enough (Joshua 7:3–11). God calls on us to act on our prayers: “Rise up! Why is it that you have fallen on your face? Israel has sinned, and they have also transgressed My covenant which I commanded them” (7:11). It’s time that we get our houses in order, beginning with ourselves and everything within our reach. Penn State should serve as a wake-up call to a nation that has stood by as our freedoms have been taken away and some of the most ungodly proposals have become law.