public observance of religious exercises (ie prayer)

So in my community there is a HUUUUUGE debate going on, and a lot of cussing an name calling too, but it boils down to whether its appropriate for a high school football team to be allowed to kneel in prayer in public on the field just where everyone(read as all the players whether they are of the belief or not) is "pressured" to participate, or if it should be done in private in the locker room.

Of course there is far left and far right and people in the middle of this debate, and of course legal experts as well. The interesting part of this that struck my fancy isn't that all these views on the subject exist its that it seems to boil down to a common trend that I notice. While things like prayer should be respected, people should be allowed to participate or not etc, no one ever thought or brought up the chance to offer any other type of religious exercise or type of prayer either. It's always based on the majority of the community in the area, so if most of them are christian/catholic etc its kneeling in prayer, no one ever offers if say anyone wants to have an animal sacrifice, or meditation, or insert religious exercise here at the same time or following etc...(though I think animal sacrifice is still illegal in a majority of places just using it as an example).

You go to a big dinner with family and friends maybe a reception or rehearsal dinner for a wedding, something at a funeral etc someone may ask everyone to bow their heads for prayer before dinner but no one ever asks if anyone wants to, or ever asks are there any other religious things to give respect to etc...I just thought that was interesting, maybe it's because there simply isn't enough occurrences of those things, perhaps a lack of those exercises in general so there's no exposure to it? Have you ever been one of those people who just bows their head or only does it for a few seconds out of respect then looks around and wonders how many other people here are actually praying vs just being respectful, and then you freak out when you find someone else lift their head up and do the same?

Just a mildly interesting thought, any thoughts of your own on that?

Unfortunately this has been the climate of debate for more than 40+ years when the Atheist movement began the lawsuits of violating their rights. Since that time it’s been a steady change... and will continue so under religious and popular reasons on politically incorrect...

Groups doing things in public that upset others is where things are at and that’s how things are being handled... Prayer went to a moment of silence, etc. would be nice if people had a choice but that’s not how it’s going....

My opinion

My family stops talking when other people say their thanks for their food in public out of respect and connection. There are many people in the world looking for their 5 minutes of fame- even in the religious world. If you want to commune with your God and connect with your faith - go ahead. If you want to disrupt things - you will find a way to do that too.
Case in point - we had detainees in a hospital during war. They wanted feet washing stations and an open prayer area. For a few years they were not given it- till a cessation unit showed up. Buckets of fresh water and a fenced in area attached to the facility as well as available rugs and reading materials -head gear and what ever else they needed upon request were issued to them. U know what - they used them and became less - hostile. Catapilar - the big machine company earth moving -allows for foot washin stations and prayer closets as well as material bibles beads and chapels. Any sacred book you need - right there next to the request forms. Googles got nap stations with timers. Some day I hope to see the common folk act like - common folk - not attention seekers. Give that a with a great full heart - not a ima sue you if you don’t heart. Kinda backwards hu? Any how my opinion - time and place for everything . We CAN think and figure things out before they become so ... lost - right ? Hope thing a go well in your community. Tough stuff brother - May the Force be with you still as your area goes thru all that.

we do a moment of scilence in the morning at work after the national anthem and the pledge. When I played Football there was a prayer circle that you could choose to participate in. I actually was pretty against the church I was raised in and Christianity in general at that point. I just never saw a reason to make a public complaint, Occasionally I would just join it to get a moment to focus myself, as that's when I first started learning meditation.

I guess my real thought though is that people should be able to practice their religion in public as long as the don't force others to join, nor destroy the public tranquility (much like free speech). On a side note, I do feel that though valid; sacrificing and animal is a little bit different in it's effect to the public tranquility, than prayer circles. The thing is it seems this gets more vicious because those that do participate feel it is the state clamping down on them when it comes from the courts that they cannot. Add this to the fact that it is generally people drawing moral comparisons between the law and their religion that adds the feeling that the state should support it, not realizing that most religions share the same fundamental morals with society and law in general. On the other side they see the state as supporting it because it is on public grounds and that violates their rights to not endorse others beliefs.

I hope that this rambling made some sense!
Much Love, Respect and Peace,
Kobos

I've always found it strange that Christians, in the West, at least, are so keen on being visible, most of all because their own faith, as I understand, emphasizes a certain level of modesty in ones' practice... Perhaps that changed when they were made the official faith of the Roman Empire, and had the power to push themselves where-ever they liked? I can't say, but I also notice other faiths don't necessarily worry so much about whatever non-threatening thing Christians are doing, but Christians squak pretty loudly when they're reminded they aren't alone on the planet. Or if their forceful presence makes someone uncomfortable (witches, raise your hands), and they have the "nerve" to say so. If people are feeling compelled to participate, than there is a discussion worth having, because that is a problem. The real issue would be getting Christianity to participate without feeling cornered or picked on, because they tend to be so defensive, and dig in their heels if they aren't allowed to just do as they please (I say because, full honesty, gentler versions of "join us or die" has been there style for a long time).
I'm not especially sympathetic to the Christian side of it, but I also don't feel they need to "sit down and shut up". Everyone coming to discussions like this with a more open mind would go a long way towards making a better world, spiritually speaking, as well as fostering better relations between the faiths. Too many people, I think, come into such discussions thinking "How do I win?" rather than, "How do we come to an agreement? How do we make this work for everyone?"