MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Ole Miss is one of the top football programs in the country and this year, with a top 5 ranking, expectations are high.
Yet, it’s what’s happening around the game that has gotten the attention of the Freedom From Religion Foundation.
“It is a big problem because it is a top down imposition of religion on these players,” said Andrew Seidel, an attorney with the Freedom From Religion Foundation.
Seidel said a new ‘Pray to Play’ report released by the organization showed chaplains who lead team prayer, bible study and chapel are pushing Christianity in the public school setting at a time when almost half of students aren’t Christian.
“100% of the chaplains we investigated are evangelical Christians imposing their religion on these players regardless of the player’s personal religious choices,” said Seidel.
The list of 25 schools cited for the most flagrant violations includes the University of Georgia, University of Alabama, University of Tennessee and Ole Miss.
We contacted the Athletic Department at Ole Miss, who referred us to the Department of Communications.
“That is a resource to our students,” said Ole Miss Communications Director Danny Blanton.
He said Ole Miss’ Football Program does have a Director of Character Development as opposed to a chaplain who is available to help students.
“He is a mentor. He provides guidance and counseling for them. It is difficult being a student athlete to carry a course load, especially during the course of a season,” said Blanton.
We asked if the chaplain includes bible study and chapel service.
“The chapel, the services are made available to the student athletes if they want to participate, if they want to come. Again, it’s completely voluntary,” said Blanton.
While colleges said students can opt out of prayer and religious events, the Freedom From Religion Foundation said for student athletes, it’s not the easy.
“It really is a coercive environment. When a coach suggests something, players do it. So if the coach is suggesting that you go and join this bible study group or pray to this particular God, players do it. That is coercive and that’s why universities need to be active in stopping these chaplains,” said Seidel.
He said players who spoke with the foundation said there’s a fear that if you disappoint the coach and don’t be a team player, you risk losing play time and maybe scholarships.
We asked student athletes about that.
“The coaches aren’t gonna look down on you if you don’t pray before a game. They give you freedom of religion,” said Ole Miss Baseball Player Connor Cloyd.
“Coaches don’t force anything. Players call you over before a game. You get in a circle and it’s a prayer. Some do it, some go stretch, some pray,” said Michael Fitzsimmons, an Ole Miss Baseball Player.
Ole Miss’ chaplain never returned our phone calls, but the school said he was hired by the organization Fellowship of Christian Athletes or FAC, a group that makes no bones about its mission to promote Christianity.
Former Ole Miss and now Pro Baseball Player Scott Weathersby works with FCA in the off-season.
“Me being a Christian, I just want to tell people about my faith in Jesus and how he saved me from my sins, and I feel like that’s our mission. Behind FCA, we will never force anything on anyone, religion on anyone but we want people to know we are here for them,” said Weathersby.
“The players are free to go see preachers, ministers, rabbis on their own time. What can’t happen, is that the university can’t impose a Christian preacher on all players and that’s what we see happening,” said Seidel.
Freedom From Religion sent letters to 25 schools asking them to adopt a policy prohibiting the promotion of religious viewpoints.
Only a few have made changes.
Others, like Ole Miss, still have not responded.
In Alabama, one lawmaker has reportedly proposed a bill seeking to ‘authorize’ chaplains at state public universities.
http://ffrf.org/images/PraytoPlayReport.pdf