Coach resigns after high school bans pregame prayer

[waltjp]

I think the point should be whether a player on the team feels compelled to sit in on this prayer session or not. These are still kids. They look to the coach as an authority figure. The coach is asking (telling?) them it's time to pray. Is every kid in that locker room praying on his own volition or is he fearful that if he doesn't go along he'll lose his starting position?

Honestly, it doesn't make a difference to me what god you pray to or if you even pray at all. But when you're the leader of a group and you're asking your subordinates to gather together to pray some of them may feel too imtimidated to refuse.

Now, "In God We Trust" was added to our money during the Cold War. "Under God" was added to the Pledge of Alligence for the same reason. People are not compelled to pledge an oath to God when sworn in. Former President Jimmy Carter, a born again Christian rarely invoked the name of God during any of his speaches. Nor did Reagan.