An anti-religious institution is not happy with Colorado head coach Deion Sanders – and hasn’t been for some time.
The Freedom From Religion Foundation wrote to the University of Colorado following the team’s win over the Baylor Bears on September 22. The institution claimed “Sanders is continuing to intertwine his religion with his duties as head football coach.”
They’re not happy with the coach for allowing a pastor to deliver religious messaging to “impressionable” college athletes.
Sanders has persisted in entangling the university’s football program with religion and engaging in religious exercises with students and staff. A video showed Sanders after the Sept. 22 game once again making religious remarks and holding a team prayer in the locker room. Sanders appears to have invited Pastor E. Dewey Smith from the House of Hope Church in Atlanta…
Smith appears to be acting as the team’s chaplain. A July 29 pregame video refers to him as the “spiritual adviser” to Coach Sanders and the “Chaplain for the Colorado Buffs.” The video features Smith discussing the upcoming football season and team dynamics in a sermon-like manner, intertwining lessons from biblical scripture with his remarks to the team. Sanders may have invited Smith to act as team chaplain when Sanders was previously coaching at Jackson State. It seems Sanders is yet again allowing Smith to act as a team chaplain, this time for the University of Colorado Buffaloes.
Sanders has not been quiet about his faith, constantly sending religious messaging on his social media channels – like he did today.
“You’ve got to give God something! You can’t just continue to sit back & ask God to do A,B & C & not give him something to bless. You need to be working on a way for God to make a way for u. You need to do some work for God to make it work for u. Let’s Go!” he said on social media.
FFRF believes United States Supreme Court rulings against proselytizing in public schools give credence to their fight against Sanders.
“FFRF reiterates that the U.S. Supreme Court has continually struck down school-sponsored proselytizing in public schools, and that it is no defense to call these religious messages and activities ‘voluntary,'” the statement read.
The foundation believes the young student athletes won’t be able to choose to avoid Sanders’ messaging because they depend on him for a scholarship or playing time.
“Coach Sanders’ team is full of young and impressionable student athletes who would not risk giving up their scholarship, playing time or losing a good recommendation from the coach by speaking out or voluntarily opting out of his unconstitutional religious activities — even if they strongly disagree with his beliefs. Coaches exert great influence and power over student athletes and those athletes will follow the lead of their coach,” the statement continued.
The foundation called for Colorado to take action to “protect the First Amendment rights of student athletes,” and wants Sanders to know he was “hired to coach football, not to force student athletes to engage in his preferred religious practices.”
“Sanders is showing his brazen disregard for not only the Constitution, but also the rights of all his players when he decides to force his religion upon them,” FFRF Co-President Annie Laurie Gaylor said. “Students undoubtedly feel extra pressure to abide by his will at a collegiate sporting level.”
Colorado, meanwhile, is gearing up to face off against Arizona this weekend.
Related: Angel Reese Stuns In Tight Red Dress At Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show