Double Standard: Praying Coach Pays the Price for Following Jesus - TODD STARNES CHARISMA NEWS

Coach Joe Kennedy (Courtesy/First Liberty Institute )

Double Standard: Praying Coach Pays the Price for Following Jesus

 8/9/2016 TODD STARNES  CHARISMA NEWS

High school football coach Joe Kennedy was fired for praying and now he wants his job back.

Kennedy, a former Marine Corps gunnery sergeant, has filed a federal lawsuit against the Bremerton School District in Washington State, claiming he was let go because of his religious beliefs.

The school district has yet to respond to the lawsuit.

"They fired him for praying," said Michael Berry, the coach's attorney. Berry is with First Liberty Institute, one of the nation's largest law firms handling religious liberty cases.

"If a school can do this to someone like Coach Kennedy, they can do it to anybody," Berry told me.

The coach is not asking for a single penny in his lawsuit—he just wants his job back.

"All we really want for him—is to be back on the sideline coaching those kids—and nothing more," Berry said.

Here's the back story:

Since 2008, Coach Kennedy has taken a knee at the 50-yard line at the conclusion of every football game to offer a brief, quiet prayer of thanksgiving—for player safety, sportsmanship and spirited competition.

The coach's petition to the Almighty usually lasted about 30 seconds. He did not proselytize nor did he compel players or anyone else to participate. In other words, it was just a private prayer, not a Billy Graham Crusade. 

He was inspired to pray after watching Facing the Giants, a faith-based film about a high school football team.

"Coach Kennedy made a covenant with God that he would give thanks through prayer, at the end of each game, for what the players had accomplished and for the opportunity to be part of their lives through the game of football," the lawsuit states.

Over time, some of the teenage players asked if they could join him in prayer and the coach replied, "This is a free country. You can do what you want."

The lawsuit also points out that other coaches engaged in religious expression at the beginning and the end of football games. The lawsuit specifically mentioned David Boynton, an assistant coach who delivered a Buddhist chant near the 50-yard line.

"Coach Boynton has never been suspended, let alone dismissed, on the basis of his religious expression," the lawsuit states.

It's not quite clear what led to the school district's investigation, but on Sept. 17, 2015, Coach Kennedy received a letter informing him that the district was conducting an inquiry into a policy regarding "religious-related activities and practices."

The district directed the coach to refrain from praying around students—or doing anything that might cause people to think he was praying. He was forbidden from bowing his head or kneeling too.

However, Coach Kennedy chose to defy the district's demands, and on Oct. 23, 2015, he walked out to the 50-yard line after the football game and prayed. On Oct. 28, 2015 the coach was placed on paid administrative leave and banned from participating in the football program.

"The District stated it had placed Coach Kennedy on administrative leave because he 'engaged in overt, public religious displays on the football field while on duty as a coach,'" the lawsuit states.

In November 2015, Coach Kennedy received a poor performance evaluation—after years of receiving stellar performance reviews.

The evaluation recommended that the coach not be rehired "based on his alleged failure to follow District policy regarding religious expression, and his alleged failure to supervise students after games."

In January 2016, Coach Kennedy's contract was not renewed.

Attorney Berry said they tried to reach out to the school district on a number of occasions but the district's attorney declined to meet.

So on Jan. 30, 2016 the coach filed a discrimination charge with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. In June the Department of Justice issued a right-to-sue letter.

Coach Kennedy told me he has no regrets.

"I wouldn't do anything differently," he said. "I've always taught my guys to stand up for what they believe in—even if it's not popular."

Coach Kennedy is also leading by example—demonstrating that sometimes there is a price to pay for doing the right thing. But as we learned in Sunday school, good will eventually triumph over evil.

And I suspect there are lots of folks in Bremerton who would rather stand alongside a Christian Marine Corps veteran than a bunch of godless school district bureaucrats.

One final note—I really wish the Bremerton school superintendent would return my telephone calls because there's a question I'd like him to answer:

If it's OK for a Buddhist coach to pray at a football game, why can't a Christian coach pray?

Todd Starnes is host of "Fox News & Commentary," heard on hundreds of radio stations. Sign up for his American Dispatch newsletter, be sure to join his Facebook page and follow him on Twitter. His latest book is God Less America.

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France and Israel: Obama's Double Standard - STEPHEN M. FLATOW/JNS.ORG CHARISMA NEWS

The Obama administration appears to be selective in who they call out for "exaggerating" terrorism. (Pete Souza/White 

France and Israel: Obama's Double Standard

11/20/2015 STEPHEN M. FLATOW/JNS.ORG   charisma news

Israel's prime minister has called the latest terrorist attacks "an act of war." He called the attackers "barbarians," vowed to wage a war of "no mercy" against them, and ordered bombing strikes on "terrorist training camps," even though they were located adjacent to medical clinics, a museum, and a soccer stadium.

Remarkably, neither the Obama administration nor the United Nations condemned Israel's strong response to the terrorists. Has the world finally come to its senses? Does it finally understand that Islamic terrorism, whether against Israelis or anybody else, is an attack on us all?

Actually, no, because I misspoke.

It was French President Francois Hollande, not Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who called the latest terrorism (in Paris) an "act of war." It was Hollande who called the attackers "barbarians," and vowed to wage a war of "no mercy" against them. It was the French air force that bombed medical clinics, a museum, and a soccer stadium located near terror camps in the Islamic State-controlled Syrian city of Raqqa.

When Netanyahu says that Palestinian Islamic terrorists have carried out "acts of war," he is accused of exaggerating the threat. When he calls the killers "barbarians," he is denounced as a racist. If Israel strikes terrorist sites that are situated near civilian areas, Israel is accused of "war crimes" and "disproportionate" responses.

Remember when Secretary of State John Kerry sarcastically grumbled, "(expletive) of a 'pinpoint' attack" after one Israeli strike in Gaza? We don't hear Kerry calling the French bombing of those Raqqa medical clinics a "(expletive) of a 'pinpoint' attack." We don't hear National Security Adviser Susan Rice demanding that Hollande apologize for describing Islamic killers as "barbarians." We don't hear President Barack Obama calling for "both sides" to "exercise restraint" as he always does when Israel responds to Arab terrorists.

On the contrary: Obama administration officials are boasting that the U.S. provided "military intelligence" that assisted the French in their bombing of Raqqa. This, a cynic might say, makes the Obama administration complicit in the bombing of a medical clinic, a museum, and a soccer stadium.

Israel has always understood the nature of this conflict. Now, it seems, France does, too.

Yes, every terrorist attack is an act of war. No, the terrorists are not "the JV team," as President Obama once put it.

Yes, the terrorists are barbarians. No, we should not "show respect even for one's enemies" and "try to understand ... and empathize with their perspective and point of view," as Hillary Clinton said in her Dec. 3, 2014, speech at Georgetown University, in Washington, D.C.

Yes, terror targets must be struck, regardless of whether or not they are situated near civilian sites.

And yes, the terrorists must be fought with "no mercy" and completely destroyed—not merely "contained" or "degraded," as President Obama often says.

France's leaders have belatedly awakened to the fact that the civilized world is at war with the forces of Islamic terrorism. Israel is one front in that war. France is another. And if the Obama administration does not wake up and fight, then America will soon become the next front.

Stephen M. Flatow, an attorney in New Jersey, is the father of Alisa Flatow, who was murdered in an Iranian-sponsored Palestinian terrorist attack in 1995. For the original article, visit jns.org.

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Even Atheists Acknowledge the Mainstream Media's Islam Bias 1:00PM EST 11/11/2015 CBN NEWS/CHARISMA NEWS

The mainstream media is biased toward Islam. (Flickr/Creative Commons)

Even Atheists Acknowledge the Mainstream Media's Islam Bias

1:00PM EST 11/11/2015 CBN NEWS/CHARISMA NEWS

Is there a double standard in the mainstream media and among many on the Left when it comes to criticizing Christianity and Islam? One man says yes.

Phil Zuckerman is a professor of Sociology and Secular Studies at Pitzer College and author of the book, The Secular Life.    

He recently told an audience at Georgetown University that he believes that many in the press feel that it is OK to criticize, mock and make fun of Christianity, but said Islam gets a free pass.

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Refugees: Sweden's Deadly Double Standard against Christians

By Gary Lane

CBN News Chief International Correspondent

October, 2015

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STOCKHOLM, Sweden -- While Europe has welcomed in thousands of Syrians, mostly Muslims, it's a different story for Pakistani Christians. In Sweden, many are being ordered to return home -- and some may face death.

Hundreds of thousands of Muslim migrants have sought a better life in Europe. Pakistani Faisal Javaid became a Christian after he arrived in Sweden.

"I don't have any more belief in Islam," he told CBN News.

Javaid fell in love with Eka, a Christian woman from the country of Georgia who introduced him to Christ. He was baptized last April, but unlike many other migrants, Javaid soon faced rejection from his host country.

When Deportation Means Death

The word is out: If you are a Muslim and you're from Syria, you are welcome in Sweden -- there's an open border. But if you are a Christian and you are from Pakistan, you may as well pack your bags and go home.

The Swedish Migration Board issued a deportation order against Javaid and his family. Javaid would be sent back to Pakistan, and his wife and daughter to Eka's home country of Georgia. The couple is expecting another child in November.

Eka could barely talk about her plight, tearfully telling CBN News she wants her family to remain together in Sweden. Not only would deportation separate a family, but it would also endanger Javaid's life because Muslims now consider him to be an apostate.

"If we will be deported -- our family, relatives, friends, everyone -- they just think this is their responsibility to kill us," he explained. "We want just to save our life. I want to stay with my family."

Javaid's lawyer, Gabriel Donner, said, "They didn't care if he was a convert or not. And the practice here in Sweden has so far been that no Christians from Pakistan need any protection."

Donner sued the Swedish government, charging it had violated European Union rules that require protection for Muslims who convert to Christianity. He says the court agreed.

"The court said this can't be done and sent everything back to the migration board and said, 'You have to do your homework and do this properly this time,'" Donner said.

Eventually Javaid and his family may be allowed to stay in Sweden.

"As long as Faisal can prove that he is a true believer, he's safe," Donner explained.

Proof of Conversion

But how does Javaid prove his conversion is sincere, that he didn't just pose as a Christian to get asylum?

His pastor, Joel Backman of Elim Church, sent a letter to the migration board. He admits gauging faith is difficult.

"I mean, how do you determine my faith and how do I determine yours? So, we write what we can and that is the visible things: They come to church. They pray and they're part of our Bible studies. They're part of ministry as a whole," Backman told CBN News.

"I mean that is what we can say to the government and we can throw in assessment. I believe this is sincere," he said.

Before Elim, Javaid attended a house church in Eskiltuna led by Gabriel Blad. He said Swedish Migration Board officials have trouble distinguishing between relationship and religion. They'll often ask Christian converts technical questions.

"We have got very strange questions sometimes," Javaid recalled. "They will ask about liturgical collars and things like that. If you've been meeting in a simple home, discovering Jesus together, read the Bible and discovered Jesus."

"They [converts] don't know about church traditions, nothing," he explained. "They know about Jesus. They love Jesus."

In another case, one Pakistani's love for Jesus nearly cost him his life. Former teacher Herman Fernandez, who changed his name from a Pakistani one, taught Western ideas to students in northwest Pakistan.

That's when he started having difficulties with hardline Muslims.

"I got threats from two students whose parents were -- what do you call them? -- imams in the area," he recalled.

Fernandez said they were concerned he was teaching the children Western ideas. They told him that he was "a kaffir" who is "bringing kaffir thoughts" to their society.

In addition to being called a kaffir, someone who has rejected Islam, Fernandez was also accused of being an American spy because he assisted some Western organizations. He said he and two colleagues were kidnapped in September 2011.

'They Beheaded My Colleages'

Herman claims he witnessed their murder.

"On the second or third day they beheaded one of my colleagues...and they forced me to watch it. I'm trying to get over this," he said.

Fernandez said a second colleague was beheaded several days later. The murder was videotaped.

He said eventually one of his captors helped him escape. Afterwards, he fled to Sweden where the migration board denied his asylum request.

"They don't see that my life is in such a danger in Pakistan," he explained.

And what if he is deported back to Pakistan?

"They will get me either from the airport or, oh, that would be the last of me," he gasped.

Donner also represents Fernandez. He wants the Swedish government to do a better job of considering the plight of Pakistani Christians when deciding cases like Javaid's and Fernandez's.

"And give them the same benefit of the doubt that they are giving today to other refugees coming into Europe," Donner said.

Michael Sam vs. Tim Tebow: Is It a Double Standard or Just Pure Christian Intolerance? - JENNIFER LECLAIRE

Tim Tebow

Michael Sam vs. Tim Tebow: Is It a Double Standard or Just Pure Christian Intolerance?

5/13/2014 JENNIFER LECLAIRE

Tim Tebow bowed a knee to Jesus Christ in prayer before every football game and took plenty of flack for his so-called "Tebowing." Indeed, NFL players mocked his ritual—but not one of them that I know of was sent to Christian sensitivity training to learn how not to offend the faith-filled footballer and his many fans.

So why did Miami Dolphins second-year defensive back Don Jones get fined by his team for tweeting “OMG” and “horrible” after the St. Louis Rams drafted Sam? Why did he get excused from the team, despite deleting the comments and now apologizing?

Donald Trump suggested on Fox News there’s a double standard at work.

“We’ve become so politically correct in this country that the country is going to hell,” Trump said. “People are afraid to talk. They’re afraid to express their own thoughts. I’ve heard many people—I’m not even speaking for myself, but I’ve heard many people that thought the display after he was chosen was inappropriate. And whether or not it was, I don’t know. But it was certainly out there a little bit.”

“And I’m very happy that he got chosen,” Trump said. “I’m all for it. I think it’s great that he got chosen. I hope he does so well. But I thought he was really going at it. I haven’t seen anything like that in a while. He was really going at it. Yet when Tebow did his thing, which a lot of people thought was totally fine, he was just criticized so badly. I guess you could say there is a double standard. It’s sad.”

But is double standard the best phrase to describe what’s going on here? Or is it just that there’s more tolerance for homosexuality than Jesus Christ?

I hashed it out with Rock 107’s “Anger Artist” this morning and tossed the audio up on a quick YouTube video. I’ve also written about Michael Sam in the past if you want to check that out for reference. Listen to the short audio and sound off.

Jennifer LeClaire is news editor at Charisma. She is also the author of several books, including The Making of a Prophet. You can email Jennifer at jennifer.leclaire@charismamedia.com or visit her website here. You can also join Jennifer on Facebook or follow her on Twitter.

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