>>>>http://www.foxnews.com/us/2010/09/29/florida-parent-protests-prayer-ritual-football-games/
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>>>Unless they are a religiously-sponsored league and make that clear in their materials before people sign their kids up, any sort of prayer before games (other than individual players choosing to pray individually) is inappropriate.
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>>>My kids played years and years in this sort of league (soccer and baseball). I never heard anyone suggest praying before a game. Of course, anyone who had suggested that in this community would have been ignored, since we take pride in being extremely diverse and know that no one prayer could possibly be appropriate for all our children.
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>>>Tamar
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>>Prayer before games is very common out here for school and league football, soccer, and basketball games. In general, the prayer is pretty much non-denominational.
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>AFAIC, it's unconstitutional for school games. It's also wrong. As for non-denominational, I've rarely heard such a prayer, even in settings where they're supposed to be. It takes a very smart and careful person to compose a prayer that really crosses not just Christian denominations, but religions. I can't tell you how many times I've been to something that was supposed to be non-sectarian, and had the prayer end "in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ."
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>>So far I haven't noticed any kids having psychosis resulting from this practice. It is voluntary for all except religious schools.
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>Religious schools are welcome to do what they want on this front.
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>>Neither of my boys seem to be hurt or damaged from playing in these games. In general they join in even though they are not members of any religious group. Part of team spirit (oh some spiritual entity whom I shouldn't mention - I said spirit!).
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>Suppose your kids were on a team that was mostly Muslim, coached by a Muslim dad. Would you be okay with their participating in a prayer to Allah? Would you be okay with the teasing they'd get from the other kids for refusing to participate?

My kids would not be on such a team. Period.

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>>I realize that being offended is the politically correct thing to do when most anything traditional is continued, but too bad.
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>This isn't about being offended. It's about right and wrong.
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>FWIW, I find the idea of prayer around sports fairly offensive generally. I'm okay with the idea that a player might say "Dear God, Let me do my best today," but that's not the typical prayer. Praying to beat your opponent who is presumably praying to beat you trivializes belief.
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>>Many religions try to promote some form of morality and decency - I applaud them for that since schools are not allowed to do it (promote the opposite if anything), and many families don't do it either. I do not try to push religion out of sight. The current morality baseline seems to be based on anonymity - If I can get away with it it is OK. That just doesn't cut it with me.
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>Maybe that's what they're teaching in Kansas. It sure isn't what they're teaching for morality in schools around here.

I know you live in Utopia. I live in something closer to reality.

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>Tamar