I agree here - even if you put on a show and cheered, you would still mentally feel outnumbered by the bible-thumpers.

I think that the USA should change the song to "Gods Bless America" in order to be inclusive of all religions according to the freedom of religious belief. Lets suggest THAT to the local senators.

I guess I'm just apathetic enough to be able to separate a bible verse on a piece of butcher paper that is about to be butchered at a high school football game in the bible belt from a religious event. I certainly don't see it as intolerance, hatred or that they are trying to take over the world.

Then again, if this was in TX the football game would be a religious event.

We are already WAY over the top in PCness. I can see this happening. MAKE IT STOP!!!!!!!!!!

Intolerance, hatred, whatever have nothing to do with why it's inappropriate. It's a religious overtone to a publicly funded school activity and it shouldn't be there. If we're going to insist on continuing to dump money into an over-hyped system of high school football, siphoning it from actual education, the LEAST that can be asked is that it not involve tacit promotion of religion.

Being outnumbered has nothing to do with whether it is to be allowed.

There aren't many more confirmed atheists than me but it would be an exhausting life if I got bothered every time I'm reminded that I'm the minority.

I've been heckled both for refusing to participate in god stuff and for the fact that I don't say the Pledge of Allegiance or do anything when the national anthem is sung.

All I care about is the state in any way forcing participation or indicating a bias towards religion. I just can't agree that cheerleaders and football players doing this of their own free will (assuming that's true) at entirely optional school related events falls into that category.

Less tacit promotion of religion, more cheerleader barrier bursting!

A sporting event is not government funded.

While I agree with Alex that since the football game is not required, and the sign was likely the idea and creation of the cheerleaders, not school officials, it's low on my scale of offense. But I'm generally incensed at how much of schools' budgets are dumped into football while other core educational necessities are monetarily choked to death, so that reduces the amount of slack I'm willing to give to people privileged to be participating in said public money sink.

Texas... Tennessee... pretty much the same as far as I'm concerned. It's all Bible Belt.

Texas takes their high school football playing as serious as they take their beer drinking.

Ok, that's stereotypical.. but Friday Night Lights isn't that far off from how it is in the majority of TX. Life stops for high school football.


GD - I get what you're saying about funding. That irks me too. Probably not to the extent it does you since you're parents are/were teachers (if I recall correctly).