UPDATE: ISU prez green lights chap... er, "life skills assistant" propsosal

[zagoshe]

Re: Iowa State football to consider hiring a chaplain

It's amazing this is even a topic of discussion. No, no public university in the country should be employing a Christian, Jewish, Buddist or Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster chaplain for its football team. No, it doesn't matter if it's funded by boosters, in fact that makes it worse since the school might have less input in the hiring, monitoring and firing of said chaplain.

And because it will inevitably be asked, my priest - such a big sports fan he's prone to weave his alma mater's bigger victories into sermons, incidentally - would be happy to tell you I'm not some sort of anti-God crusader.

You are right -- it is amazing this is a topic of discussion.

First off the university isn't "employing" a minister, his salary is being paid by PRIVATE donations. Secondly, there is nothing mandatory about this minister -- a team chaplain is there to help kids who seek his help.

If players want to sit down with the minister and get some help, some advice -- that is fine. If not -- they don't have to.

There is absolutely nothing wrong -- constitutionally and/or morally -- about this and I'd say the same things if a bunch of private citizens got together and donated money for a muslim chaplain for the black players who request one.

And one other thing -- I bet you if you polled the players there'd be lessthan 1 percent who had a problem with it.

The team I cover has a chaplain, he is a good guy and the coaches like him because he is a former athlete and he is able to offer guidance and direction and he is available for kids regardless of what their spiritual beliefs are.

 

[sgaleadfoot]

Re: Iowa State football to consider hiring a chaplain

A school I covered had one, but he offered guidance to players no matter their religious background. For example, if they were jewish, he would point them toward someone with the Jewish Student Center.

He actually works for the FCA and interestingly enough, he was also the head coach's brother in law.

 

[Fenian_Bastard]

Re: Iowa State football to consider hiring a chaplain

If I ran a public university, I'd keep myself a couple of hectares away from anything that has to do with the Fellowship of Christian Athletes -- Bill Bright's Trojan horse for wingnut Christianity.
Look, boys, there's a church. Go there and get right with god on your own time.

 

[Armchair_QB]

Re: Iowa State football to consider hiring a chaplain

A school I covered had one, but he offered guidance to players no matter their religious background. For example, if they were jewish, he would point them toward someone with the Jewish Student Center.

He actually works for the FCA and interestingly enough, he was also the head coach's brother in law.

Doesn't that violate some kind of nepotism law?

 

[Pastor]

Re: Iowa State football to consider hiring a chaplain


Fenian_Bastard and Jersey_Guy hit it dead on. I will also add in this thought, since the Fellowship of Christian Athletes is involved and the coach is pushing for this, it is very well possible that praying and going to church become an unwritten mandatory event. Those that don't take part will see their roles reduced.

 

[Yawn]

Re: Iowa State football to consider hiring a chaplain

Fenian_Bastard and Jersey_Guy hit it dead on. I will also add in this thought, since the Fellowship of Christian Athletes is involved and the coach is pushing for this, it is very well possible that praying and going to church become an unwritten mandatory event. Those that don't take part will see their roles reduced.

Don't think so pud. There are clear discrimination laws just as there are freedoms of choice. It's there for the players. It's there as a guide to keep some of the crap that leaks into the NFL from happening when minds are more impressionable. The coach can use whatever means he has to try and build character. If the player has problems, he shouldn't be forced on the chaplain. But if he doesn't utilize that option, and does little else, then yes, he becomes a problem for team chemistry.

 

[Yawn]

Re: Iowa State football to consider hiring a chaplain

Then again, last I heard, coaches "recruit" or persuade athletes to come to Iowa State. If they don't like the set-up, they don't have to go there. Go to Miami where thuggery abounds.

 

[D-3 Fan]

Re: Iowa State football to consider hiring a chaplain

If I ran a public university, I'd keep myself a couple of hectares away from anything that has to do with the Fellowship of Christian Athletes -- Bill Bright's Trojan horse for wingnut Christianity.
Look, boys, there's a church. Go there and get right with god on your own time.

How many of them are actually going to head to a church? Not to give them an excuse, but with class, training, practice, games, and everything else, they are not going to spend Sunday morning, Wednesday or Friday nights driving around and find a church to track down a minister to talk to.

Secondly, I'll rebuff the FCA comment to a small degree. The local chapters are not as nutty as Bill Bright and his faction are.

The FCA has an established chapter at ISU. They are coming in to run the show. It's a simple forking request, no more no less. Unfortunately, several elitist assholes living in their Ivory Towers decide to tell the show how to keep it "private" only for them.

 

[Dwayne T. Robinson]

Re: Iowa State football to consider hiring a chaplain

If I ran a public university, I'd keep myself a couple of hectares away from anything that has to do with the Fellowship of Christian Athletes -- Bill Bright's Trojan horse for wingnut Christianity.
Look, boys, there's a church. Go there and get right with god on your own time.

How many of them are actually going to head to a church? Not to give them an excuse, but with class, training, practice, games, and everything else, they are not going to spend Sunday morning, Wednesday or Friday nights driving around and find a church to track down a minister to talk to.

Yeah, they have practice, class, training, games and all that, but despite all that I'll bet they still find the time to hit whatever passes for a club in Ames, or the local McDonald's. I've never been to Ames, but I'm pretty sure you don't have to go far to find a church.

 

[FishHack76]

Re: Iowa State football to consider hiring a chaplain

Yeah if any team in the Big 12 needs someone to pray for it, it's ISU...









OK, Kansas and Mizzou need it worse.

At least Mizzou went to a bowl game ... Kansas just has a coach in need of gastric bypass.

 

[jimmymcd]

Re: Iowa State football to consider hiring a chaplain

Interesting to see the bitterness on display here, and the continued attacks on the faith of those with differing political/social views. FB, were you ever a college athlete? Just wondering.

 

[Yawn]

Re: Iowa State football to consider hiring a chaplain

Fenian is just an angry soul who needs prayer. He's attacked his own Cathloicism more than any deviant priest did.