A high school football coach in Washington state who won his job back after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled he could pray on the field resigned Wednesday after just one game back.

Assistant Bremerton High School coach Joe Kennedy made the announcement on his website, citing several reasons, including that he needed to care for an ailing family member out of state. He had been living full-time in Florida, and before the first game last Friday he said he didn’t know if he’d continue coaching.

“I believe I can best continue to advocate for constitutional freedom and religious liberty by working from outside the school system so that is what I will do,” Kennedy wrote. “I will continue to work to help people understand and embrace the historic ruling at the heart of our case.”

  • reddig33@lemmy.world
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    1 year ago

    “And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others.”

    • escaped_cruzader@lemmy.world
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      1 year ago

      This is not a prohibition for public prayer, despite~~ reddit’s~~lemmy’s inclination to always quote this whenever public prayer is mentioned

      • reddig33@lemmy.world
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        1 year ago

        This dude is obviously showboating as the scripture describes. There’s no reason to go out on the middle of the field and kneel other than “look at me!”

        It also doesn’t help that he peer pressured his students into doing the same.

      • TheRealKuni@lemmy.world
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        1 year ago

        It may not be a prohibition against public prayer (though Jesus goes on to say that when you pray you should do so in an inner room of your own home), but it is absolutely an admonition about exactly the behavior of this coach, who would go kneel in the middle of the field and pray for show.

        • surewhynotlem@lemmy.world
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          1 year ago

          It’s not a sin. It won’t land you in hell. But I would say it’s a prohibition, if you take into account that it’s said by literally god.

          • Anamnesis@lemmy.world
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            1 year ago

            I’m not steeped in theology but I thought acting against one of God’s prohibitions is what a sin is. What distinguishes the two?

  • AbidanYre@lemmy.world
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    1 year ago

    I believe I can best continue to advocate for constitutional freedom and religious liberty by working from outside the school system so that is what I will do

    Damnit, he’s going to run for Congress.

  • Zirconium@lemmy.world
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    1 year ago

    “can best continue to advocate for constitutional freedom and religious liberty by” ostracizing other religious beliefs and making those students feel uncomfortable

    • Evie @lemmy.world
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      1 year ago

      Just Like the lady who recently claimed an LGBTQ couple wanted her business to serve them against her religious beliefs and then we all found out there was no such real customers? She had made up the situation to go to the courts and they still sided with her!!?

  • sucricdrawkcab@lemmy.world
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    1 year ago

    In other words “news” outlets are paying him more to be on TV as a mouthpiece. C’mon now buddy, almost everyone knows the hustle now.

  • SheeEttin@lemmy.world
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    1 year ago

    And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.

  • inclementimmigrant@lemmy.world
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    1 year ago

    He’s always was just another Republican snowflake looking for attention, by doing what the Bible says not to fucking do btw, and money.

    Fuck this fake ass Republican bigot, racist, and honestly shitty fake ass Christian.

  • Son_of_dad@lemmy.world
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    1 year ago

    Wonder what happens if a coach bows and prays to Satan on the field, will his rights be respected too?

  • missveeronica@lemmynsfw.com
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    1 year ago

    This is actually common. My brother in law lost his state job when he enlisted in the National Guard. They claimed it was for another reason, but his issues with managing didn’t start until he announced he had enlisted. He sued, won and got his job back after boot camp. His first day back he turned in his 2 Weeks notice. For these cases it’s just proving the point and winning the right to go.out on their own terms.

  • JustAManOnAToilet@lemmy.world
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    1 year ago

    This is a very misleading article and leaves out the (key) first part of his statement:

    “[I]t is apparent that the reinstatement ordered by the Supreme Court will not be fully followed after a series of actions meant to diminish my role and single me out in what I can only believe is retaliation by the school district,” Kennedy wrote.

    They’re welcome to try to sue for defamation if he’s lying, but I suspect he’ll end up winning a pretty penny in a lawsuit of his own.