Ky. mother upset by football player son's baptism

hosted.ap.org ^ | Sep 8

[JoeProBono]

HARDINSBURG, Ky. (AP) -- A Kentucky woman says her 16-year-old son was baptized without her consent when he and fellow football players were taken to a Baptist revival by their coach.

[Conan the Librarian]

I would have freaked out if this had been done to my child.

The sacrament of Baptism is a very personal thing and that coach had no business taking that action by himself.

[thefactor]

16 is not legally considered to be an adult in most (if not all) states.

[AnAmericanMother]

Since other parents say they were told about the revival, I'll bet dollars to donuts the kid is just saying that to avoid friction with his mom. She does sound like the excitable type, and is probably even worse in the privacy of her own home.

16 is old enough to make up his own mind. Maybe my family is just particularly stubborn, but I just can't see anybody being forced to receive a baptism against his will at age 16. Taking a sip of beer, yeah --

He's probably sick and tired of his mom's anti-religious harangues.

And I do wonder where the dad is in all this.

[SoothingDave]

If this had been a Muslim, Sikh, Jewish or Wiccan coach people would be screaming bloody murder, especially if their child was welcomed into the aforementioned religions by performing some sacred ritual on the kids.

Even worse, imagine the outrage if this had been some Catholic thing.

[Tired of Taxes]

You beat me to it. :-) I was just about to post: Suppose this boy had been a Baptist, and the coach took him to a Catholic church where the boy was baptized.

[SoothingDave]

16 is old enough to make up his own mind.

Nonsense. The coach is putting undue pressure on the kids.

[AnAmericanMother]

Unless this kid is mentally 'challenged' there's no way this was forced on him.

As a teenager I visited a lot of different religions, including Wiccan ceremonies, Catholic Mass, synagogue, Buddhist ritual, Church of Christ Bible study, a Hindu wedding, and pulpit-thumping full-bore Baptist revivals. I never got (re)baptized, became a Wiccan, answered the altar call, made a bat mitzvah, or affirmed whatever it is the Unitarians believe.

His mama may be upset that her atheist/agnostic beliefs didn't "take" with her son, but that's between them.

[jimfree]

Sorry coach, you can’t do that. It would be another thing if it was your kids’ friends, but the coach is an authority figure and one can’t erase the shadow of possible coercion.

[SJSAMPLE]

Yes.
Because any parent that would object to the unconsented religious indoctrination of their children must, absolutely, be muslims.

Sheesh.

[swarthyguy]

>> Muslim, Sikh, Jewish or Wiccan

>>>Catholic

Whaddabout the Hindus and the Buddhists, what do they have to do to get noticed? Play football?

Sheesh.

[OldDeckHand]

"Suppose this boy had been a Baptist, and the coach took him to a Catholic church where the boy was baptized."

Hence the hypocrisy. Imagine if these kids had been invited to light a prayer candle. People would be complaining about indoctrination of kids with some Roman/Pagan rituals.

[swarthyguy]

Well, if the Catholics used grape juice instead of wine, what’s the beef?

[AnAmericanMother]

I just don't see it. When I was 16, nobody could make me do a goldurned thing I didn't want to do -- and yes, I went to various religious stuff with coaches and teachers. I was an Episcopalian kid in a Presbyterian high school, with Catholic, Jewish, Unitarian and Muslim friends as well as the expected quotient of Presbyterians. Including some hard core "Wee Free" types. I may be the only Episcopalian ever to receive a copy of the Westminster Catechism as a Confirmation present . . . .

I think if anybody's putting undue pressure on anyone, it's this mom trying to force her kid into an atheist mindset when he wants no part of it.

[ConfusedAndLovingIt]

Wow, the hypocrisy I've read on this thread is astonishing.

Welcome to Free Republic, where "whose ox is gored" morality reigns.

This isn't about baptism. This is about parental rights. The adults involved absolutely should have informed the parents exactly what was happening.

[AnAmericanMother]

The Catholics don't just baptize you offhand.

For one thing, if you've already been baptized in the name of the Trinity, they won't do it again.

For another, if you're not an infant you have to go through weeks and weeks of religious instruction. And if you're an infant, your parents and godparents have to!

[allmendream]

For someone who is “confused” you seem to have hit this particular nail right on the head.

[OldDeckHand]

"Unless this kid is mentally 'challenged' there's no way this was forced on him."

I'm guessing you've never played high-school football. And as such, you have no idea the power and influence the coach holds over the student-athletes. If the coach "suggests" it's beneficial that the kids shave their heads, they shave their heads. If the coach thinks it's beneficial that his lineman pack on an extra 10 lbs, they pack on an extra 10 lbs.

This is why religious proselytizing has no place in our schools. Teachers, and especially coaches hold sway over the kids that's really unique and exceptionally powerful. In this case, you think it's just fine because I'm guessing you happen to be a born-again Christian. I'm also guessing that you wouldn't be so keen if your son's Muslim coach decided to play a "call for prayer" during your son's football training camp - four times a day.

[SJSAMPLE]

Right.
The person who has legal custody and a duty that that 16 year-old is the one putting “undue pressure” on the child.
Go figure.

HER RIGHTS as a parent were violated by a coach who, it seems, abused his powers by moving from the football field to the pulpit.

It’s amazing to see the number of people who try to justify the coach’s actions.

[OldDeckHand]

"For someone who is “confused” you seem to have hit this particular nail right on the head.

I concur, wholeheartedly.

[SJSAMPLE]

Bingo.
The coaches abused their power.
Fire them and leet others learn the lesson, too.