that their fundamental rights are threatened and the  very value of their lives held as inferior by practicioners of the Christian religion in America.

America needs to be about the value and rights of the individual, without respect to religion. Within that framework you are free to be as religious as you may wish without interference, but also without subsidy, and your non-Christian neighbor does not see his liberty circumscribed under the influence of Christianity in the political or social realm.

A Christian school trounces another schools girl's basketball team 100-0. I think a coach lost sight of his Christian principles and should be fired. Though, having worked with enough families that send their children to Christian schools, I know this is just an extreme example of what happens all the time. Oh, and the apology only occurred, by Covenant, after it was written about by a Dallas reporter. Hmmm.

Sorry Gregory, you didn't get my whole story. And, there are plenty of us Christians who are not trying to push our religion on others. So, in the same light, you should look at, and treat us as individuals, also.

if it were, your hobby would not be illegal. It is only a system of morality produced by bronze age tribal religion and brought to America by religious extremists abhored by civilized persons in their own lands that is responsible for the suffering of those providers who are "outed" to their familes or arrested.

don't practice anything close to "Christian Priciples". I know that there are many that do, but even you have to admit that there are literally millions that don't.

is the fact that many if not most other countries where the church is an overt authority figure, such as Latin America and much of Europe the hobby is legal.

It's ironic that our puritanical society is much more controlling in this respect than those countries dominated by the Catholic church. A country like ours  that prides itself on it's many freedoms is actually more repressive in this instance at least than the vast majority of the rest of the world. Only the muslim extremists are worse.

But I will, and agree with you. But, give me a break. If I was all that self-righteous would be posting this story.

The criticism is totally PC based. The losing team hasn't won a game in what? Four years. What were some of the other scores? Not as bad as 100 to 0? Maybe, but we don't know. I bet some were nearly as bad. Where's the official threshold that disembarks a lesson from unwarranted humiliation? What is a team supposed to do? Lay down? Quit playing? How would the losing team have felt knowing that their victorious opponents laid down? I dare say they would have felt worse.

Also, remember that it was church basketball leagues that invented the phrase. "No blood - No foul".

First, from my understanding the Covenant team didn't let up until they reached 100 points, which was in the last 3 or 4 minutes of the game. And, they played their first string until then. Seems like it would have been a good chance to let some of their 2nd and 3rd stringers get in the game. Second, the fact that, after the news get's out, Covenant is now all embarrassed and apologetic, appears to me that they did something that doesn't fit with the image they wish to project. Yes, and Christ did preach mercy and compassion. If the Covenant coach indeed believes it, he should have demonstrated it. I'm concerned about what lesson was taken away by the girls on his team.

Oh, I guess someone else feels some compassion. The losing team has been invited to view a Dallas Mavericks game from their best viewing box.

Oh, a the PC bit is really lame.

but the point is, you do agree. So much for all posters on the P&R Board being opionated assholes who are incapable of rational discourse. lol

In all fairness, I do not dislike Christians. I detest the hypocrisy and controlling nature of most "organized" religions. Spirituality is a completely different subject. While I might disagree with a persons view of "how did we all get here?" amonst other subjects. I try not to denigrate their beliefs until they  will not give me the same respect.

Do you think they should have let the losers score some points? Why or why not? Your link stated nothing of who was playing for the winning team during the last four minutes, only that they let up.

Covenant is all APPOLOGETIC. You don't know if they are embarrassed.

Everybody learned something here, so it's all good, right?

You really think that the PC crowd doesn't preach the no or low competition behavior?

I suppose if the winning team's coach got fired for not letting up, the team with ZERO would come calling to hire him.  Maybe they should draft GOD as well, because they apparently can't play ball.

You're probably right that sportsmanship was lacking, but what does this have to do with religion again?  I don't believe in god personally, so maybe that's where I'm missing the point.

If your religious or philosophical leader preaches mercy and compassion, you are expected to practice mercy and compassion. It seems to be very much a universal religious and philosophical principle.

   * Bahá'í Faith:
         o "Ascribe not to any soul that which thou wouldst not have ascribed to thee, and say not that which thou doest not." "Blessed is he who preferreth his brother before himself." Baha'u'llah
         o "And if thine eyes be turned towards justice, choose thou for thy neighbour that which thou choosest for thyself." Epistle to the Son of the Wolf
   * Brahmanism: "This is the sum of Dharma [duty]: Do naught unto others which would cause you pain if done to you". Mahabharata, 5:1517 "
   * Buddhism:
         o "...a state that is not pleasing or delightful to me, how could I inflict that upon another?" Samyutta NIkaya v. 353
         o Hurt not others in ways that you yourself would find hurtful." Udana-Varga 5:18
   * Christianity:
         o "Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets." Matthew 7:12, King James Version.
         o "And as ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise." Luke 6:31, King James Version.
         o "...and don't do what you hate...", Gospel of Thomas 6. The Gospel of Thomas is one of about 40 gospels that were widely accepted among early Christians, but which never made it into the Christian Scriptures (New Testament).
   * Confucianism:
         o "Do not do to others what you do not want them to do to you" Analects 15:23
         o "Tse-kung asked, 'Is there one word that can serve as a principle of conduct for life?' Confucius replied, 'It is the word 'shu' -- reciprocity. Do not impose on others what you yourself do not desire.'" Doctrine of the Mean 13.3
         o "Try your best to treat others as you would wish to be treated yourself, and you will find that this is the shortest way to benevolence." Mencius VII.A.4
   * Ancient Egyptian:
         o "Do for one who may do for you, that you may cause him thus to do." The Tale of the Eloquent Peasant, 109 - 110 Translated by R.B. Parkinson. The original dates to 1970 to 1640 BCE and may be the earliest version ever written. 3
   * Hinduism:
         o This is the sum of duty: do not do to others what would cause pain if done to you. Mahabharata 5:1517
   * Humanism:
         o "(5) Humanists acknowledge human interdependence, the need for mutual respect and the kinship of all humanity."
         o "(11) Humanists affirm that individual and social problems can only be resolved by means of human reason, intelligent effort, critical thinking joined with compassion and a spirit of empathy for all living beings. " 4
         o "Don't do things you wouldn't want to have done to you, British Humanist Society. 3
   * Islam: "None of you [truly] believes until he wishes for his brother what he wishes for himself." Number 13 of Imam "Al-Nawawi's Forty Hadiths." 5
   * Jainism:
         o "Therefore, neither does he [a sage] cause violence to others nor does he make others do so." Acarangasutra 5.101-2.
         o "In happiness and suffering, in joy and grief, we should regard all creatures as we regard our own self." Lord Mahavira, 24th Tirthankara
         o "A man should wander about treating all creatures as he himself would be treated. "Sutrakritanga 1.11.33
   * Judaism:
         o "...thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.", Leviticus 19:18
         o "What is hateful to you, do not to your fellow man. This is the law: all the rest is commentary." Talmud, Shabbat 31a.
         o "And what you hate, do not do to any one." Tobit 4:15 6
   * Native American Spirituality:
         o "Respect for all life is the foundation." The Great Law of Peace.
         o "All things are our relatives; what we do to everything, we do to ourselves. All is really One." Black Elk
         o "Do not wrong or hate your neighbor. For it is not he who you wrong, but yourself." Pima proverb.
   * Roman Pagan Religion: "The law imprinted on the hearts of all men is to love the members of society as themselves."
   * Shinto:
         o "The heart of the person before you is a mirror. See there your own form"
         o "Be charitable to all beings, love is the representative of God." Ko-ji-ki Hachiman Kasuga
   * Sikhism:
         o Compassion-mercy and religion are the support of the entire world". Japji Sahib
         o "Don't create enmity with anyone as God is within everyone." Guru Arjan Devji 259
         o "No one is my enemy, none a stranger and everyone is my friend." Guru Arjan Dev : AG 1299
   * Sufism: "The basis of Sufism is consideration of the hearts and feelings of others. If you haven't the will to gladden someone's heart, then at least beware lest you hurt someone's heart, for on our path, no sin exists but this." Dr. Javad Nurbakhsh, Master of the Nimatullahi Sufi Order.
   * Taoism:
         o "Regard your neighbor's gain as your own gain, and your neighbor's loss as your own loss." T'ai Shang Kan Ying P'ien.
         o "The sage has no interest of his own, but takes the interests of the people as his own. He is kind to the kind; he is also kind to the unkind: for Virtue is kind. He is faithful to the faithful; he is also faithful to the unfaithful: for Virtue is faithful." Tao Teh Ching, Chapter 49
   * Unitarian:

   "The inherent worth and dignity of every person;"
   "Justice, equity and compassion in human relations.... "
   "The goal of world community with peace, liberty, and justice for all;"
   "We affirm and promote respect for the interdependent web of all existence of which we are a part." Unitarian principles. 7,8

   * Wicca: "An it harm no one, do what thou wilt" (i.e. do what ever you will, as long as it harms nobody, including yourself). One's will is to be carefully thought out in advance of action. This is called the Wiccan Rede
   * Yoruba: (Nigeria): "One going to take a pointed stick to pinch a baby bird should first try it on himself to feel how it hurts."
   * Zoroastrianism:
         o "That nature alone is good which refrains from doing unto another whatsoever is not good for itself". Dadistan-i-dinik 94:5
         o "Whatever is disagreeable to yourself do not do unto others."  Shayast-na-Shayast 13:29

Some philosophers' statements are:

   * Epictetus: "What you would avoid suffering yourself, seek not to impose on others." (circa 100 CE)
   * Kant: "Act as if the maxim of thy action were to become by thy will a universal law of nature."
   * Plato: "May I do to others as I would that they should do unto me." (Greece; 4th century BCE)
   * Socrates: "Do not do to others that which would anger you if others did it to you." (Greece; 5th century BCE)
   * Seneca: "Treat your inferiors as you would be treated by your superiors," Epistle 47:11 (Rome; 1st century CE)

I think that pretty much explains it.

opponent and humiliating them. An attempt to equate the two is disingenuous and a rationalization.

many lose sight of the fact that much of "PC" is social understanding informed by the civil rights movement and other important social values. Indeed there are also layers of PC which are ridiculous as well. Throwing out PC in toto however is a denial of  hard won social values. Balance is called for.

I still don’t get the religious angle. Today’s PC rules have furthered lowered the bar for acceptable behavior (in sports).

As I implied, some religious organization are the most competitive around. Feeling bad (OK feeling really really bad) about a loss isn’t the worst outcome there could have been here. I’d rather get a thorough drubbing and learn something than merely get beat, while realizing that they went easy on me.

to enhance dialog, then later are used to shut down dialog.

your other points... I'm not connecting with your point about "PC rules have furthered lowered the bar for acceptable behavior (in sports). I'm not in circles where that is an issue. My kids all adults and I don't get to see my grandkids play, since they're so far away. So, can't dispute what you say. But, given that the team members on the Covenant team know well about he Golden Rule, I'm concerned with what lesson they really learned. How do they keep that in their belief system after what their coach just had them do. And, regarding the other team, long, prolonged experiences of humiliatation are very toxic to one's nervous system. I remember the sign out front of my son's high school which, after a football defeat read: "Just because you lost doesn't make you a loser." A child needs to experience defeat, but not in a manner that leaves him/her with the experience of toxic shame (being a loser). I practice a disciple where I consistently "get whoopped on." It's a good learning experience, and I call it my daily dose of humiliation. But, the person I work with will always challenge me and put me in my place, but would never truly humiliate me ongoing, though he could easily. Why? Because I would lose hope in ever getting better, and quit, just like any of his other students. I'm hoping the members of the losing team have not been humiliated to the point of permanently feeling like losers, and carrying that belief into the other areas of their lives.

right now, but there are many times I can understand where you would believe that.

And to that I agree!

and is at the root of our failing educational system.

But

even a pro team knows when it's time to run out the clock or take a kneel down instead of running up the score...

and communism as implemented has proven a perpetual disaster!

Good. For you, there may be a god, but not for me. I say what I believe. There is no god. I have read the books and heard the stories and I still say there is no god.

Communism is relatively new and if applied correctly, will work and work well.

but the concept of a pious, selfish, wrathful God that really gives a fuck about what each and every one of us does seems rather ridiculous to me.

As far as whether or not there is some type of higher power. I would say those chances, although slim are at least possible, barely. The one thing I know for sure is the fact that I don't know and I seriously doubt anyone else does either.

political system, it will fall apart sooner or later. Some sooner than later.

If so, does it come in audio book form?

OK, I'll give you a brief synopsis. It's really just "do unto others as you would have them do unto you." The Golden Rule espoused by most, if not all, major religions, and several well known philosophers.

That’s why I led my post with don’t tell me about mercy and compassion. I just have a hard time understanding how it applies in a sports setting. The entire humiliation is not in what the players think about themselves after a defeat. (Your own personal example demonstrates this.) It is about how they think they are perceived by their fans and supporters. Both sides show up to compete. The end score is not the only measure of success. If one side lays down before the end, it makes a statement about both sides. Trust me that PC has very much infiltrated kids sports. The parents and coaches are not supposed to even keep score but you can bet the kids do, even in kindergarten. And then there is the rule that EVERYBODY gets a trophy (the same trophy), regardless of their status. And people wonder why conservatives point out the egalitarian society that we are becoming.

For the record, several of us atheists follow that rule as well.

I ask myself the question  "why should there be god?" and I cant answer it. All of the research that I have done says there is a god but nothing that I have found says why. For me there is no god.

The same trophy for both teams? Not keeping score? You're right kids are competing and keeping score from the very beginning. Winning and losing are not to be eliminated, but the meaning of both need to be taught from the right perspectives. I've believe if I'm not losing now and again, I'm not learning. Kids, need to learn the limits of their power so they don't become too grandiose in their beliefs about themselves. I find kids who don't compete have horrible anxieties about how truly destructive they could be if they demonstrated their anger. It's very sad and very crippling.

Cuba.

coming from  bong_water at least you could claim you were high when you made the post. Or are you just trying to take the new lead on the "stupidest post of the year" competition. How can you possibly consider Cuba a success?

Extremely pretentious.

I believe that everyone is entitled to their opinions... but please don't tell other people what to do based on your [sometimes ridiculous] beliefs.

Look at Cuba's history before and after Castro. Communism works for a poor country. Prior to the revolution the basic needs of a majority of the population were not being met. I was in Cuba 5 years ago and the average person is better off there than in Jamaica, or Haiti. People are still poor but they have healthcare, housing, food, clothing and education. People were starving in Cuba prior to Castro. GaG , happy satisfied populations don't start
wars of liberation and fight till they win. There has to be a level of desperation and political sophistication in order for a revolution to be successful.

I don't think you know what a poverty stricken lawless country is like.

I have no idea how this game is being interwined with Christian beliefs. First, I blame the coach of Dallas Academy for scheduling this game. If they are in the same league w/Convenant Christian school, then the Texas sports commission needs to do some league revamping.

I live in SoCal. I bet it's the same in other states, where the private schools perform better athletically. As an example, look at the Catholic schools and their football programs. They have no territorial boundaries. They can recruit anyone from anywhere. They have the best facilities and best coaches. The kids, just like the ones on the girls Convenant team probably have aspirations to play college ball.

There is a private christian school in SoCal that beats its league rivals in football year in and year out by 50+ points a game. They produce 7 to 8 NCAA Division I football players per year. The California Interscholastic Federation needs to move this team up to a higher division where they can play with the big Catholic schools where they can occassionally get a nice ass kicking.

This has nothing to do w/being Christian or emphatic. This has to do with scheduling and playing games against teams where you can be somewhat competitive. This is 100-0 score unfortunately got on the news wires.

but i'm not telling