because it sounds strange to me that the coach spontaneously takes a school bus to go to a church where some of his students spontaneously get baptised.

In my former German Lutheran church , people over 14 years generally aren't baptised spontaneously. People over 14 are generally required to prove that they know what they're believing before they are baptised. But so many things are different in America, I don't know, maybe the American churches accept new members to the congregation and perform the holy sacrament of baptism to anybody.

The next thing is that I can't believe that this teacher didn't plan this in advance. After training, he suddenly realized that there is a school bus and that he could take this school bus for a trip to... a church. And - surprise, surprise - it turns out that in this church, there is a a priest who is authorized to convert them to a new faith and to baptise them.

I would totally agree with Ana if this coach had met one of his students on the streets, spontaneously had a conversation with him and then, both the coach and the student decided to go to a church, and it happened that the student got baptised. That would be the private life of two people who are old enough to decide upon religious matters.

But in this case, as far as I can see, it looks like this coach was on a religious mission and that he was misusing his authority as a government employee to make his players and his wannabe players to go to that church and to earn their master's favour.

There should be further investigations about this teacher. To me, it seems that this coach is a religious lunatic on a mission, someone who's misusing the authority that the government has given him. To me, it seems that this coach doesn't do the job that he's paid for. To me, it seems that he's trying to evangelize young boys who are focused on becoming a football star instead of doing what the taxpayer is paying him for.

The government should take this coach to Guantanamo for further investigation.

by logischabbaubar on 09/09/2009 01:04:36 PM EST

In many (not all, maybe not even most) churches in America have a ‘call’ during their service. This ‘call’ is for visitors to the church to come forward and be ‘saved’. Generally the visitors are not baptized on spot, just prayed over as they ask for Jesus’ forgiveness.  Also, some churches will have special services in addition to the regular weekly services. These involve large scale baptisms of new members and visitors.

So, spontaneous baptisms are actually quite common.    

by goldenopal on 09/09/2009 10:25:52 PM EST

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Good point, logi. I grew up in a German Lutheran church, so I know what you mean. No adult was baptized into that faith community unless they were deemed ready for baptism by the pastor after thorough counseling and questioning. And teens who had been baptized as infants had to attend bi-weekly confirmation classes for two years to learn the Lutheran tenets of faith and the responsibilities of membership in the church before they were formally admitted to the church as adults.

But that's just not how it works in some of these rah-rah churches. Not always, but sometimes, baptism is more often like a cattle call -  and in the excitement of the moment and a heatrfelt playing of "Just As I Am," the suddenly converted walk toward the show stage to receive the Lord's grace from the preacher, and then all are assured of their place in heaven because they rescued another soul from the dangerous clutches of Satan, who abides everywhere outside of their club. Not to mention claiming a new contributor to the church's building fund. I am sincerely happy for those to whom this is an important life changing experience, especially if it brings them happiness. But more often than not, it's a way of fitting in. Fitting in as a teen, as a neighbor in a region dominated by evangelicals, or as a member of a sports team in high school.

by Verified1 on 09/13/2009 12:49:25 AM EST

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