How would you handle this?

[golfgal]

As you can imagine, there is NO WAY to ever discuss this with anyone. That is why I asked for my son to be removed from the team. I'm not trying to make anyone follow my rights/wrongs, I'd rather just not associate with this man. At this point, the league won't allow us to switch teams which is more agravating then the coach's religious belief's at this point!

And what if you move to a different team and find the coach not only requires the boys to learn Bible passages but the coach also requires them to attend church before every game or they don't play or WORSE, the coach screams and yells at the kids and tells them how worthless they are every time they make a mistake. The Bible passages aren't looking so bad then are they. I think what you really need to do is just tell the coach that while you respect his religion, you don't want your son participating since that isn't your religion and since it is baseball that should not have a bearing on his playing time. If he makes that an issue, then by all means take it to the board. That leave the rest of the team, if they want, to participate in the Bible study if they choose so.

 

[golfgal]

Actually this is what you said I said:



And I would like for to point out to me specifically (not paraphrasing) where I said that I only want my children exposed to what I want/like and that anything that goes against that is wrong. Can't do it... can you?

And, by that reasoning, you equate me not wanting someone to tell my child what to do with me being prejudice?

I did point out specifically when I gave you post numbers but here are direct quotes since you couldn't find them:


"Actually, I don't think they have the right to promote anything to my child "

"I don't want my children preached to at Little League"

 

[Buckalew11]

There is a big difference in not liking someone for how they look then exposing my children to different beliefs. I've taught my children that many different people believe in many different things and no one is right and no one is wrong. However, we believe in our God and Jews, Muslims, Baptists, believe in their God. When they are older, feel free to seek out another religion if it interests you. For right now though, I feel I need to teach them our beief and not confuse them. You must understand, the Baptists ( this is not an insult to others) who live next door told my 8 year old he is a bad person and won't go to heaven because he doesn't attend church. It is my job, not to allow my child to be exposed to people or institutions that allow a little boy to cry himself to sleep at night thinking he's a bad person. IMO, that is a BAD religion.

So you go over to the people's house and talk it out. As a Baptist, we don't label people bad or think that not going to church makes you go to Hell. There is miscommunication here.

You said you were catholic, I believe, in the OP we have the same God then. And the same belief about Jesus Christ s the same in both denominations.

And yes, in the south, most people do ask you where you go to church. They'd like you to go to theirs if you don't have one of your own. Their being friendly and they care for your soul. It isn't asked to get on your last nerve like most people think on here. Like I said, it is just part of being in the south--in certain areas and certain towns.

 

[rileyroosmom]

It isn't a bad RELIGION, it is a bad PERSON. Baptists are Christians (meaning they believe in Christ) is that a "different" God then you have?

As I said, no offense to other Baptists, but this was my first exposure to Baptists. My God is a loving and forgiving God. He certainly doesn't think you are bad or won't go to heaven for not attending church.

 

[beckmrk04]

I did point out specifically when I gave you post numbers but here are direct quotes since you couldn't find them:


"Actually, I don't think they have the right to promote anything to my child "

"I don't want my children preached to at Little League"

I don't really think that this qualifies your stance that she doesn't want her children exposed to anything she doesn't like, and as such is similar to the KKK.

It goes back to there being a time and a place- I agree with kd- Little League just is not the place.

 

[golfgal]

If you find it derogatory, sorry. I don't. As I said in the beginning, I don't attend church and am not overly religious. That is a saying that is said in my house all the time. Since I'm not religious, I don't want religion put in a county league. I also don't want people telling my kids that they should be ashamed of themselves for saying Jesus Christ. I don't lecture others when they say things I don't agree with, I never reprimand another person's child unless they are hurting someone else. Because religion is involved, people feel everyone feels like they do. My son also said this in public, not in this person's home.

So, just so I understand you, you want it to be ok for you and your family to say and do what they want but it is NOT ok for everyone else. It is ok for your family to swear (I consider using Jesus Christ in a derogatory way swearing) but it isn't ok for someone to put "God Bless You" in an email. Why??? This is the point I have been trying to make, your rights are your rights and my rights are my rights and your rights don't supersede my rights just as my rights don't supersede your rights. You also said that since you aren't religious YOU don't want this but like I have said before, what if EVERYONE else DOES?????

 

[paigevz]

If you find it derogatory, sorry. I don't. As I said in the beginning, I don't attend church and am not overly religious. That is a saying that is said in my house all the time. Since I'm not religious, I don't want religion put in a county league. I also don't want people telling my kids that they should be ashamed of themselves for saying Jesus Christ. I don't lecture others when they say things I don't agree with, I never reprimand another person's child unless they are hurting someone else. Because religion is involved, people feel everyone feels like they do. My son also said this in public, not in this person's home.

Hi rileyroo'smom.................not to attack or anything, but I fail to see the difference between you seeing nothing wrong with your child yelling the name of someone's very important religious figure in frustration, but saying it is wrong for another to email/talk about another religious figure in reverence?

I actually don't think discussion of bible passages are appropriate at little league..........and I don't think it's appropriate for another to correct your child...........but it does seem as if you want everyone to respect your beliefs (even unstated beliefs) in public, but feel as if you and your children don't have to respect others' beliefs, again, in public.

 

[rileyroosmom]

This thread is becoming a bit of a debate which I didn't want to happen. I'm also beginning to discuss my personal religious beliefs which again, I don't usually do.

That being said, I'm asking the moderators to please close this thread. Thanks

 

[lulugirl]

To the OP.....I don't blame you for being annoyed, it would irritate me too. I think the discussion of bible passages at little league is inappropiate.

 

[kdibattista]

I did point out specifically when I gave you post numbers but here are direct quotes since you couldn't find them:

Actually, you didn't. The direct quotes are what I corrected in red:


"Actually, I don't think they have the right to promote anything to my child " Actually, I don't think they have the right to promote anything to my child at a county run baseball league.
__________________


"I don't want my children preached to at Little League" OMG.. so now I'm like the KKK because I don't want my children preached to at Little League. WOW... that's funny

So, I would still like for you to point out what I originally requested... without fabricating quotes for your benefit.

 

[Grumpy's Gal]

We e-mailed the Athletic Director and asked for my son to be removed from the team and placed on another.

How did you know the next one would be any different? Just curious. Not bashing....

 

[Beth76]

How did you know the next one would be any different? Just curious. Not bashing....

She's probably just hoping.

My son goes to a Lutheran Sunday School every week. He also attends a Baptist preschool. I don't have a problem with him getting religion. But, I do have a problem with him getting it at county-run baseball practice.

 

[mickeysgal]

I think when he gets the call that so and so's parent is upset and not pleased with the Bible readings and discussion, then he'll probably back off about it. Maybe he has done this for years and no one has complained. I vote for giving the guy a break at this point.

No, he won't because religion is so ingrained in certain areas of the south. It is part of their everyday living...and it crosses over from their personal lives to their professional lives. Unless you've lived in the south...in particular the rural areas, you can't fully appreciate the magnitude that religion plays down here. You may have your opinions but you better keep them to yourself if you want your kids to fit in. The OP (and her kids) will be the one labeled as odd and not fitting in if she decides to take a strong stand and make a big deal out of it. I don't know where the OP lives, but in a small town, this can spell disaster socially as there is no tollerance of those that don't practice a religion or complain about it in any way or don't go along with the praying (such as before every meal). And yes, they don't tolerate any casual phrasing such as Jesus Christ...or Oh God... You just don't do that. It is most definitely a major culture shock when you've come from an urban northern area to the deep south.

 

[tinker&belle]

Clearly 99 percent on the team had no problem with it. If you have a problem, you should have just pulled your child from the team? Why does the minority feel they need to rule the majority?

I haven't gotten all the way through the thread, but I had to post at this point. I don't understand why because everyone 'likes it' they want these children to leave the team they don't go to the same church. If it was a church team, fine. Otherwise, just because 99 percent are comfortable doesn't make it ok to exclude those who are not...

 

[tinker&belle]

As for the separation of church/state ,that was originally meant that the state could not tell you what religion you HAVE to practice. It has been twisted around to say that you can't have any religion associated with anything to do with anything that looks like a government entity and that just is not quite right but that is the way things are moving. A school can allow time for prayer but they can't force kids to participate (supreme court ruling), that is a good interpretation of that law.

Again, it comes down to the minority of the team doesn't agree with it and why should your rights supersede his rights? Your rights stop where someone elses start and we would all do well to remember that. If you don't like his religious message the answer is to ignore them or take your son off the team, NOT to force him to stop because by forcing him to stop you are infringing on HIS right to do that. You can remove yourself from the situation to protect your rights but you really can't tell someone else how to behave.

But this person is in authority, kind of like a teacher...come on...

 

[tinker&belle]

Me, personally, no I would not let my child play baseball for someone that is in the KKK but I also have no right telling that person, as much as I detest the whole premise of the KKK, that they can't do that. I would pull my child off the team. What if the rest of the team were from families of other KKK members, I still don't have the right to tell them to stop being who they are for my one child.

Yes...you would

Unless that was part of the team when you signed up (hopefully we are only talking in extremes...I would hope this is only fictitional) then you would have every right to protest

 

[tinker&belle]

I'm honestly shocked by how obstinate people are being! I would be pretty ticked if I were the OP. They signed up for a county run (i.e. government) little league. The kid has the right to play baseball without religion getting mixed in. Courtesy would dictate looking the other way during a brief team prayer or "God bless" on the emails, but this coach is taking it WAY too far!

Being below the Mason-Dixon line is not an excuse for shoving religion down people's throat.

And, for the people ranting about letting what the minority wants override what the majority wants, that same logic would still have a Jim Crow South.

What's right is not always what's popular.

ITA............

ITA

 

[tinker&belle]

Why? I am not the one here with prejudiced feelings towards others beliefs. Your comments continually say that you only want your children exposed to what you want/like and that anything that goes against that is wrong. Why is wanting people to be able to express their rights that have been granted to them by the Constitution a bad thing??? I am not saying I agree with what the coach is doing necessarily, what I DON'T agree with is that one person on the team has the right to change what everyone else wants.

As I said in previous post, the coach is in position of authority...he is influential...most parents see teaching religion as their job.

 

[mickeysgal]

As I said in previous post, the coach is in position of authority...he is influential...most parents see teaching religion as their job.

I would say that many people (including this OP) just don't like having religion shoved at them and having to accept it. You shouldn't have to accept the choice of 1. no baseball or 2. baseball only with religion.

 

[Wishing on a star]

I guess what bothers me most is, there is a thing called separation of church and state and this is crossing that line.

That is right... this is not a Private League, or Church League. It is a County (Public) League. The County Rec. Dept. should be under the same guidelines as the County Schools. This is NOT right. I TOTALLY agree with the OP here. IMHO, this is just as wrong as a teacher in a county school district teaching their own beliefs, Scriptures, etc..

Now, I am in NO way saying that the OP should pursue this. However, I believe that this would be a case that would have to stand in courts.

Just because the area is not diverse, and 90% of the other parents may just happen to agree with this coaches views does NOT make it right. Just because the League Director happens to say that there is no specific 'League' rule, does not make it right.

This is a case where Majority clearly should not rule. If the coach and the parents want to arrange, optional, after practice, religious meetings, then let them have at it. But, if this is a County (Public) league, then Religion should not be taught at practices or games.

And, this is coming from one of these conservative Christian Southerners!!!