Atheists Face Legal Battle to Stop Churches From Feeding Athletes
The atheist group that’s making ridiculous demands on prayerful high school football coaches and local churches feeding athletes won’t be allowed to intimidate school districts without a fight.
Liberty Counsel offered free legal defense to Georgia’s Walker County Public School Board in the wake of recent threats from the Freedom From Religion Foundation (FFRF).
In its letter to the school superintendent, FFRF makes a number of assertions, leading off with the most ridiculous: “Taking public school football teams to church, even for a meal, is unconstitutional.”
Traditionally, 10 churches in Rossville, Ga., take turns feeding the Ridgeland Panthers football team before games. The first meal and game of the season will be on August 31, 2012, unless the FFRF has its way.
The Constitution does not demand the eradication of faith from public life nor prohibit churches from participating in the life of the local community.
“A church has as much right as any other local civic organization to provide pregame meals to members and guests, even if they are a part of the local high school football team,” Richard Mast, Liberty Counsel Attorney, wrote in his letter to the school board.
The FFRF is also attacking Mark Mariakis who, having survived brain cancer in 2008-2009, is entering his ninth season at Ridgeland with a 52-36 record.
“This atheist group continues to lick stamps and send frivolous letters with militant zeal designed to hurt communities because of its anti-Christian fixation,” says Mat Staver, founder and chairman of Liberty Counsel. “Nothing in the Constitution requires communities to abandon common sense and create zones hostile to religion.”
