Cheerleading Coach Finds Prayer Not a Team Sport

[CatWoman]

Judge says the University of Georgia doesn't have to reinstate a woman fired for requiring girls to participate in religious activities.

By Jenny Jarvie and Ellen Barry, Times Staff Writers


ATLANTA — A federal judge on Monday denied an appeal for reinstatement by a University of Georgia cheerleading coach accused of mingling religion with team activities. Marilou Braswell was fired in August, according to university officials, for retaliating against a Jewish cheerleader who had complained about pressure to participate in Bible study and team prayers.

The case has drawn attention to sports in Georgia, where coaches often lead players in prayer or worship.

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-cheerleader21dec21.story

[KurtNYC]

1. Where in the Bible does it say that God decides sports contests?

Wouldn't a truly reverent person trust that God has better things to do than decide the victors of minor sports contests?

I fail to see what is spiritual about a material victory.

[Xipe Totec]

6. Actually, its in the Popol Vu, the Mayan creation story

As well as the Olmec version:

The term "sudden death" could become more dangerously literal. The coach of the losing team, by the fate of the gods, is chosen to die; in the tradition carried from the Olmecs, the loser is decapitated in sacrifice. The Maya, Aztecs and the Huaxtecs (the latter producing this stela) all performed a ritual decapitation of losing coaches. (Other interpretations argue that the winners were in fact the ones worthy of this highly esteemed ritual death.) The streams of blood emerge from the severed neck as serpents. This is an interesting metaphor because the serpent has a profound association with its embrace with the life-giving earth, and here the serpent is also compared to the streams of life-blood that return from Man to the earth. NMAH



http://www.pacaritambo.com/culture.html

So if you want to mix sports and religion, go ahead (or, ah... headless as the case may be).


:evilgrin:

[fryguy]

2. good ruling!

the incessant creeping of religion into so many aspects of government, whether that be a court house in Alabama or a publicly funded university, is eroding the foundation of the establishment clause right before our very eyes....

[Liberal Veteran]

3. I think she abused her position as a coach.

And any person who supports this should ask themselves how they would feel if the coach had required or pressured them to bow to Mecca three times a day.

[TlalocW]

4. Our Lord who art in Heaven

Hallowed be Thy Name
Let our breasts be perky while we bounce about
Let our pom-poms bring glory unto You
And let each of us remember to wear our panties so we don't have a repeat of that incident back in 02 when Mary-Lou did a handspring and showed everyone she's not a natural blonde.
Amen.

TlalocW

[American Parnell]

5. What America needs.

I think it's clear that we need a separation of chuch and state.

Oh wait....

[Radical Activist]

7. Did she also find that cheerleading is not a sport?

just wondering. ;)

[CatWoman]

8. Heh

Gene Lyons went on a rant about NASCAR.

Rule #! -- if it involves a motor, it AIN'T SPORTS!!! :D

[Moderator]

9. Duplicate

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=1088196