>>>>>>http://www.uniformvelocity.com/2009/02/as-atheist-i-prefer-hockey.html
>>>>>
>>>>>Not very tolerant is he? If a player prays, that is his personal choice and his right. If the entire team chose to pray together, that is their choice. It is not the football league supporting one religion (or no religion) over another or forcing religion down anyone's throat. It is free expression. His post seems extremely intolerant to me.
>>>>>
>>>>>On the other side, here is an interesting post from a hockey player's perspective:
>>>>>
>>>>>http://newsweek.washingtonpost.com/onfaith/prayingfields/2008/12/what_does_god_think_about_hock.html
>>>>
>>>>If it was just personal choice I wouldn't have a problem with it. I do have a problem with players ostentatiously praying for the cameras. That's proselytizing. And you can't say it doesn't effect the team. Some teams, notably the Jacksonville Jaguars, have been riven by schisms between the Jesus freaks and their teammates.
>>>>
>>>>I have absolutely no problem with anyone's religious beliefs. It's when they want to wave them like a flag that I begin to have a problem.
>>>
>>>Mike, with all due respect, I think you are way off base. If I'm religious, do you expect me to keep it to myself? I think you are biased, but to be fair you did say "you have a problem" with it, not that it's wrong.
>>
>>With all due respect right back, I don't think I'm off base. No, I do not expect you to keep your religious beliefs to yourself. It's when those beliefs are pushed on another that I become offended.
>
>I keep wondering, when athiests hear someone else pray or see a religious symbol, what happens? Do they think they'll go nowhere in particular after they die (rather than, um, ??) because they were corrupted or unduly influenced?
>

I think when you die the party's over. A morbid thought, I know.

I would love to have religious beliefs. I was raised with them, and sit among believers every day at AA meetings. It just doesn't stick to me.