Today's "Fight For Faith" segment of Fox and Friends featured a riveting interview of a Georgia high school football player on a noble crusade to defend his faith against secular followers of the Constitution's First Amendment. Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof. The presence of the statue on public school grounds shows a preference for Christianity and thus violates the Constitution.
But this is Georgia, where they use these imaginary attacks on good Christians as proof that atheists are out to get them. It would be interesting to see what would happen if there was a memorial with quotes from the Quran right next to that very statue.
Brian Kilmeade claims the tradition of touching the statue on the way on to the field makes atheists furious. I can't speak for all atheists, but it never infuriates me when people say things like 'god bless' or 'I'll pray for you.' I just accept that other people believe differently than me, there's no fury involved and I suspect many atheists feel the same way.
Fox News is always imagining a war on something to pander to their viewers. So they spoke with Sam Bartlett from the Madison County football squad, who was suited up because he has a game later tonight, which made him look even more authentic. He was positively thrilled to get the opportunity to defend his Christian faith on national television. Kilmeade was upset that it costs too much to fight lawsuits by atheists, who win because the law is on their side. Bartlett, ever the optimistic good Christian boy, can only see the good in this situation. The befuddled Fox host wondered how the wide receiver/quarterback felt about losing this crusade.
"I'm not upset at all... We have very strong leaders that lead our school on the school board, our principal all the way down to our teachers and coaches... and I'm very proud to live in a county with such strong Christian leaders...a few thousand people would have been able to see that monument at a Madison County football game...but the attention it drew... this is such a great opportunity for me to come on this show... I got to share my faith in the gospel with millions of people compared to just the thousands that see that monument. That's how god works in such ways that we can't imagine; he's so mighty and great.
So Kilmeade asks, 'how do you feel about the atheists who complained about it?'
I said last time on the show (perhaps he's gunning for a job on the curvy couch?) I'm not, like, upset with them. I just hope that they will realize our god is so real to us. He can take what seems like a loss...many can just hear his name for the first time. His name can just be glorified.
From this interview, we can easily deduce that this high school wants the world to know what great Christians they are. They demonstrate this with their love for the statues, monuments and public prayer the big bad secularists want to eradicate.
If you are truly a follower of the teachings of Jesus Christ, you'd know that in Matthew 6:5, god does not condone the public proclamation of one's faith. The gospel he's so fond of actually says that.
"But you, when you pray, go into your inner room, close your door and pray to your Father who is in secret, and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you.…"
Telling people just how holy you are makes you a show boater who, like football players, are not supposed to make a spectacle of themselves in celebration of a successful play or their faith. Fox News and religious Georgia football players and fans must have missed that lesson in Sunday School.