Andy Hape is the Reitz High School Head Football Coach seen in the image above which was originally taken by Noah Stubbs of the Evansville Courier & Press. When the C&P placed the image in their October 20th publication, an Evansville citizen contacted the Wisconsin-based “Freedom From Religion Foundation” (FFRF) whose attorney sent a letter to EVSC Superintendent, David Smith, indicating that Coach Hape’s prayer was “unconstitutional,” and they implied legal proceedings would ensue if Hape was not dealt with.
No portion of the Constitution was cited as being a violation except that of the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment, which among other religious freedoms states that; “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.”
Congress. It is highly unlikely that Coach Hape has ever worked for Congress or attempted to make a law respecting an establishment of religion. It is also unlikely that Coach Hape was acting as Congress… establishing a religion on that football field. Furthermore; even if he were utilizing a religion by which to offer up that prayer, it has been assumed and has not been known exactly which religious establishment that might have been, or if the prayer was associated with any establishment at all.
What is likely is that this well-known Atheist group twists and omits verbiage from that First Amendment to put fear in people’s hearts for adhering to their beliefs and administering the free exercise thereof. What is also likely is that the Freedom From Religion Foundation is an entity that does not submit to the process of checks and balances found within the Executive, Legislative, and Judicial Branches of Government. The FFRF makes no laws and enforces no laws, but seeks to prohibit the free exercise of other people’s religions in the name of “separation of church and state.”
For educational purposes, it must be known that there is no such verbiage as “separation of church and state” in any of the country’s founding documents. The only citation of separating the two was not a government document at all, but in a letter written by Thomas Jefferson to the Danbury Baptists, assuring them that he would do everything in his power to prevent the abuse of government-established and government-policed religion (which was the case in Great Britain under King George III). To solidify our founding father’s stance on the free exercise of religion, it is in this self-same letter that Thomas Jefferson is also soliciting prayer from the Danbury Baptists. Jefferson served with the government, but actually supported… and even asked for prayer.
Now that we are aware that the FFRF is twisting and omitting the truth in the Constitution in order to push an agenda, let us discover the roots of that agenda. This non-profit group targets and threatens specific and biased cases, and prides itself on using the “Establishment Clause” against those who pray. The question we must all ask ourselves is; “Why are these people so hell-bent on stopping people like Coach Andy Hape from using his God-given (not Constitution-given) right to pray?” The answer is simple. It is because the FFRF is quite frankly… sick and tired of Christians, “forcing their religion down everyone’s throat,” which has been a common accusation against evangelical Christians for decades.
According to Wikipedia.com, “The Freedom From Religion Foundation (FFRF) is an American non-profit organization based in Madison, Wisconsin with members from all 50 states. The largest national organization advocating for non-theists, FFRF promotes the separation of church and state and educates the public on matters relating to atheism, agnosticism, and nontheism.”
Atheism is defined as: a philosophical or religious position characterized by disbelief in the existence of a god or any gods.
An Agnostic is: a person who holds the view (believes) that any ultimate reality (such as God) is unknown and probably unknowable.
A Nontheist is: a person who believes that there is not a god or gods.
A Religion is: any cultural system of designated behaviors and practices, world views, texts, sanctified places, ethics, or organizations, that relate humanity to the supernatural or transcendental.
Each of the people-groups that the FFRF widely represents… are members of a specific belief system. That’s right, their own beliefs reveal that; because they are a part of a cultural belief system that adheres to the idea that there is no god makes them… a religion.
These three systems each believe that there is either no god, or they believe that the presence of a god is unknown. These are the religious beliefs to which the three aforementioned religions adhere… and it is the representatives of these religions, the FFRF, who are actually forcing their religion down everyone’s throat.
Perspective: Notice that Christian groups, churches, and organizations are not running around, suing everyone who doesn’t practice the Christianity in schools, parks, and public places. On the other hand, these other three belief systems are actually represented by groups like the FFRF and the ACLU who actually sue people for not practicing atheism (the absence of prayer) in schools, parks, and public places. These sue-happy groups are forcing their religion and religious practices down the throats of everyone they sue, and everyone who is culturally affected by these lawsuits.
Now, in Evansville, we have quite the dilemma. Three publicly stated religions are attacking one unidentified religion which is assumed to be Christian in nature.
Was it stated at the football game between Reitz and Mater Dei that only those who adhere to a certain religion can pray? Or could any of the players have been praying to any god they chose during the free exercise of religion in the photo above?
Was anyone forced to pray to a particular god? Was anyone punished for not praying? Did Congress establish a religion on the field that night? Is this really a Constitutional issue, or is it another attempt at specifically targeting and attacking Christians to put fear in the hearts of those who utilize their God-given right to pray?
Is this attack an attempt to bully and oppress those who administer the free exercise of their religion? Is the FFRF twisting the Constitution to bully Christians?
These thoughts and many more should be exposed in a court of law, should this attack go any further. And the people of Evansville won’t put up with it. The Voice of the People will be loud against such an attack. We will work together to drive this Wisconsin-based bully back to where it came from.
Coach Hape… Let this be an encouragement to you. Thank you for all that you do. Don’t buckle. Don’t budge. And don’t grow weary in well doing. The people are all counting on you. You have been placed in this position for such a time as this.
For that reason, Andy Hape, it is with great honor that the Vanderburgh Independent Press awards you with the December, 2017 Terminator Award, in loving memory of Berniece “The Terminator” Tirmenstein. And we encourage you, and cheer you on to stand up against this type of religious bullying. Don’t back down. Do the right thing where others won’t. Make a way for people who are being bullied to stand up against it. And let your voice be heard so that The Voice of the People will prevail against such oppression. This community has your back.
