The founder of the Mount Jab Church of Mars wants to pray to Satan on a high school 50 yd line

[thewayne]

I do so love irony.

The Supreme Court said a high school football coach could freely exercise his religion immediately after a game, when he has a captive audience, and pray to Christ. This guy wants to lead a Satanic prayer, I'm not quite sure what that is, at the 50 yard line - and will allow people plenty of time to leave. The comments to the article are great!

What is sauce for the goose is also sauce for the gander. Ramen! He's much like the people who run the Church of Satan, flipping political hypocrisy back on its head. More of this needs to be done. I really would like to see him challenged and it taken to the Supreme Court and their noses to be rubbed into it, but they would probably refuse to hear it and just remand it back to the lower level.

https://www.comicsands.com/florida-activist-lead-satanic-prayer-2657650939.html

Comments

[thewayne]

He is asking for permission.  But if he's denied permission, then he deserves an explanation as to why the other football coach gets permission and he doesn't.

[rain_gryphon]

Is he also a football coach? Affiliated in any way with the school? If not, then I don't think the school owes him any explanation, so long as they're not welcoming other unaffiliated people to come pray.

[thewayne]

Valid point.

[motodraconis]

But the court ruling does not specify that you only gain the right to pray if you are already an employee... you have the right to pray anywhere, at any time.

"Respect for religious expressions is indispensable to life in a free and diverse Republic—whether those expressions take place in a sanctuary or on a field, and whether they manifest through the spoken word or a bowed head."

The guy is asking permission to pray at the end of the match as people are leaving, he has already attended the match, so he is not trespassing and no one is forced to stay and witness or participate (unlike the coach, who is obliging people to participate.) Technically, if you read the court ruling, he doesn't need to ask for permission, but he is doing it because he expects to be refused and thus can expose the hypocrisy.

[rain_gryphon]

Everyone has the right to pray as they wish, but not to trespass. Buying a ticket to watch a football game lets you into the grandstands, hot dog shack, restrooms, etc. It generally doesn't give you the right to stand on the field. If he wanted to pray in the grandstand, he'd be entirely within his rights. The coach is entitled to stand on the field - he could hardly do his job otherwise. And like the satanist, he's allowed to pray as he wishes, but not to trespass. And while I confess that I didn't read the judgement, I don't think he was obliging anyone to pray along with him.

[thewayne]

I'm honestly curious if he had a public address microphone and was broadcasting his prayer through the stadium like the opening National Anthem.  We have some access to Lexis/Nexis at work, I should see how much access we have and what I can find, if I think to do it.