Posted on 08/25/2017 5:16:35 AM PDT by Kaslin
One of the nation’s most-respected evangelical Christian leaders denounced a federal court ruling regarding a Washington state coach who was punished for praying after a football game.
On Wednesday the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled the Bremerton School District was justified in suspending Coach Joe Kennedy after he took a knee and prayed silently at midfield after a football game.
“When Kennedy kneeled and prayed on the fifty-yard line immediately after games while in view of students and parents, he spoke as a public employee, not as a private citizen, and his speech therefore was constitutionally unprotected,” the 9th Circuit wrote.
The evangelical Christian was suspended in 2015 when he defied school officials and continued his post-game religious ritual. He was not rehired when his contract expired.
“An objective student observer would see an influential supervisor do something no ordinary citizen could do – perform a Christian religious act on secured school property while surrounded by players – simply because he is a coach,” the judges wrote.
Franklin Graham, the president of Samaritan’s Purse and the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, spoke out against the ruling on the Todd Starnes Show.
“It’s sad this has happened but it really doesn’t surprise me,” Graham said on the radio program. “We find these courts and these judges are making these decisions against the will of the people.”
While saddened by the ruling, Graham said he was not surprised by the 9th Circuit Court.
“We have judges out there who hate God and hate His standards and disrespect the people who follow God,” he said on the radio show.
First Liberty Institute lawyer Jeremy Dys said the court’s decision could have a significant impact on football coaches across the nation.
Franklin Graham, you may remember, left the Republican Party when Ryan and the GOPe voted funding for Planned Parenthood.
This is a great reminder for me to consider Samaritan’s Purse when my first of the month paycheck arrives.
My fervent prayer is that Graham will have even more sway with DJT.
Yeah I hope he speaks out more in the upcoming elections. We need to get rid of PP funding and the Johnson amendment.
Graham is exactly right. They hate God and they hate Christians and what they have built; America, the land of the free citizen.
We also have judges who think there is no God and other who think that they are God
Actually the Republican House voted to freeze funding for Planned Butcher hood.
We have judges who hate.
We live in Godless times. I see God pulling his hand back so the goats do not have to pretend to be sheep anymore so that we will understand the impact of his choice of who shall be saved.
“I will live my life for God. If no one else does, I still will.” (Generally attributed to Jonathan Edwards’ Resolutions 1&2, but actual author unknown)
Franklin Graham: ‘We Have Judges Out There Who Hate God’
Yes. And most of them were appointed by Obama.
Rev. Graham tells the plain truth. That is resented by many.
I agree! Our President needs to have his ears, heart and mind tuned into the Wisdom of Franklin Graham.
Insightful.
“...he spoke as a public employee, not as a private citizen, and his speech therefore was constitutionally unprotected,” the 9th Circuit wrote.
So, free speech is banned for government employees? Just...wow! It’s banned on public property, too, I’ve read.
If COTUS protections don’t apply to them, then our investigations into Democrat criminality are much, much easier!
I’m guessing the “free speech” in the ruling is related to religion.
Well, yeah. Saying a prayer is equivalent to congress making a law, don’t ya know.
Lawyers: America’s #1 Enemy Within.
They call them Democrats.
We should never be surprised that the world is evil.
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