Ber798297 241 Posted August 21, 2015 Share Posted August 21, 2015 An organization in Wisconsin is trying to get Brother Chette removed RIDICULOUS!! http://www.al.com/sp...burn_to_re.html Organization asks Auburn to remove team chaplain Auburn head coach Gus Malzahn, right, joins the team in a post-game prayer after the 45-41 victory over Texas A&M at Kyle Field in College Station, Texas. (Julie Bennett/jbennett@al.com) A national organization focused on the separation of church and state has requested Auburn University to "abolish the chaplaincy" working inside the doors of its athletics department, calling the chaplain's presence unconstitutional. The Freedom From Religion Foundation (FFRF) filed a letter to Auburn University president Jay Gogue Tuesday detailing its request. The letter includes concerns related to Rev. Chette Williams' presence within the football program, which the organization believes leads to the failure to "properly protect your student athletes' rights of conscience and pose(s) a high degree risk of discrimination" for those falling outside of certain religious groups. "This public university grants him special privileges and unrestricted access because he is a Christian clergyman," according to a report released by the organization Wednesday. Auburn University released a short statement Thursday. "Chaplains are common in many public institutions, including the US Congress. The football team chaplain isn't an Auburn employee, and participation in activities he leads are voluntary." The organization has sent similar letters over the last year to universities across the south, including Ole Miss, Mississippi State, Clemson, South Carolina and Georgia. "It makes no difference if the chaplain is unofficial, not school-sponsored, or a volunteer, because chaplains are given access to the team as a means for coaches to impose religion, usually Christianity, on their players," the organization said in its letter to Gogue. "Under the circumstances, the chaplain's actions are attributable to the university and those actions are unconstitutional." Auburn's letter arrives nearly one year after the organization sent an open records request to the university, which has not been fulfilled. FFRF, via its Twitter account, said Auburn cashed a $500 deposit for the records, but a university official told AL.com Thursday the check has not been used. The tweet was deleted Thursday morning. "We strive for accuracy, to be sure, and if it's not accurate that's not what we want to be portrayed," said Andrew Seidel, FFRF's staff attorney. The organization claims to include 22,700 members and operates "to promote the constitutional separation between state and church and to educate the public on matters relating to nontheism." The organization claims Williams works inside an office at Auburn's Jordan-Hare Stadium, which is incorrect. Williams operates in an office within the athletics department's student development center, which is connected to the adjacent athletics complex housing the football program. Williams was named Auburn's football chaplain in 1999 under then-coach Tommy Tuberville, but his salary is reportedly provided by the Fellowship of Christian Athletes. The organization cites media reports showing Williams baptizing football players, including former stars Sammie Coates and Trovon Reed, and leading the football team in prayer. "No student athlete should be baptized as part of a public university sports program, or be put in the position of feeling they have to pray to play," FFRF co-president Annie Laurie Gaylor said in a statement. Most Auburn football players and coaches gather in a large circle at midfield and pray before games. "If the team wants to worship, they want to get together on their own and have their own organized worship, that's totally fine," Seidel said. "We don't have any problem with that. We don't have any problem with them praying in whatever way they see fit, what we have a problem with is the top down imposition of religion." Williams, 51, is the Auburn campus director for Fellowship of Christian Athletes and is also the state director for Urban Ministries for the FCA. He was a three-year letterman from 1982-84 during the time Auburn athletics director Jay Jacobs was an offensive lineman for the Tigers. Williams has a university email address and also conducts FCA meetings inside the athletics complex. Williams also authored "The Broken Road," a book chronicling 11 football players' mission trip to the Dominican Republic prior to Auburn's run to the BCS National Championship in 2010. "Week by week, Brother Chette (as the players know him) and the Auburn coaches led the team to a deeper understanding of who they were and what really matters in the world," the book's synopsis reads. FFRF claims Auburn "refused to provide any records" and "ceased all contact" with the organization on April 10. The organization based in Madison, Wisconsin claims it has consulted attorneys in Alabama and is considering an open-records lawsuit against the university. The organization requested similar documents from the University of Alabama, but the request has not been fulfilled. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AU-24 3,063 Posted August 21, 2015 Share Posted August 21, 2015 Very sad. Was on WSFA. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JDUBB4AU 5,109 Posted August 21, 2015 Share Posted August 21, 2015 What a bunch of Waco's. Thank you chett for what u do brother. God Bless u Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
au75 75 Posted August 21, 2015 Share Posted August 21, 2015 I stand with Chette, ALSO!!!!!!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mustache eagle 2,397 Posted August 21, 2015 Share Posted August 21, 2015 I don't have the right mentality at the moment to read the article. Anyone want to give a synopsis or copy some excerpts? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eagleguns 0 Posted August 21, 2015 Share Posted August 21, 2015 Our university better not give in to this. There no such thing as the separation of church and state in the Constitution. The only thing that organization is spreading is lies. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eagleguns 0 Posted August 21, 2015 Share Posted August 21, 2015 Our university better not give in to this. There no such thing as the separation of church and state in the Constitution. The only thing that organization is spreading is lies. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmcrosson 203 Posted August 21, 2015 Share Posted August 21, 2015 I don't have the right mentality at the moment to read the article. Anyone want to give a synopsis or copy some excerpts? This is the best synopsis I can give you: :thumbsdown: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShocksMyBrain 9,362 Posted August 21, 2015 Share Posted August 21, 2015 Why should AU care what a bunch of busybodies from Wisconsin think? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jpchurch 2 Posted August 21, 2015 Share Posted August 21, 2015 Seriously? Who is getting hurt by having Chette being there? Just the world we live in. It's hard to pray for our enemies. I would want to ask anyone in that crappy organization if they truly think their grandparents would be proud of them for standing for such a foolish cause. God Bless US and War Eagle! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3rdgeneration 6,469 Posted August 21, 2015 Share Posted August 21, 2015 Those people need to mind their own business! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TexasTiger 12,826 Posted August 21, 2015 Share Posted August 21, 2015 Let an outside group fund Chette, and keep him available to all who are interested. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ValleyTiger 2,894 Posted August 21, 2015 Share Posted August 21, 2015 Another example of how far our nation has plummeted, very sad. The Auburn Family is behind you Chette! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TitanTiger 20,472 Posted August 21, 2015 Share Posted August 21, 2015 Let an outside group fund Chette, and keep him available to all who are interested. That's what's happening already. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tigerbelle 5,299 Posted August 21, 2015 Share Posted August 21, 2015 Why on earth do these people care if the AU team wants Brother Chette to be there? He has helped so many young men during his time at Auburn. I can't see it being anyone else's business. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShocksMyBrain 9,362 Posted August 21, 2015 Share Posted August 21, 2015 Why on earth do these people care if the AU team wants Brother Chette to be there? He has helped so many young men during his time at Auburn. I can't see it being anyone else's business. Because it's just another group of witch hunters looking to rain on someone's parade. You're right, it's no one's business. AU should send them a letter in the form of, "thanks, but no thanks". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AU-24 3,063 Posted August 21, 2015 Share Posted August 21, 2015 I know some of you MODs are really liberal. I just wanted to seriously say: Thanks, for allowing this to stay! This is something the Auburn family really need to know about. I mean it from the bottom of my heart guys: THANKS for allowing us to post about this very important subject matter! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WVR 818 Posted August 21, 2015 Share Posted August 21, 2015 What a sad bunch of people they must be. Keep fighting the good fight Brother Chette!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WarTim 3,456 Posted August 21, 2015 Share Posted August 21, 2015 Bro Chette has shown many the path to Salvation by pointing them to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. He has had the privilege of Baptising them himself. He is a calm in the storms of Life for these young men as well as Coaches. May God continue to bless his ministry and Auburn. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oscarsdriver 7 Posted August 21, 2015 Share Posted August 21, 2015 I definitely stand with Chette. Had the opportunity to meet him a few times and just an outstanding guy. I work with youth in the auburn area and everyone needs a mentor and confidant to hold them accountable without on the field ramifications. I like the way that he is funded to keep organizations like this out of his sphere of influence. They have sent letters to most sec schools along the same lines and are trying to make this a public battle to forward their line of thinking, which is oxymoronic. basically you can't push your agenda but here is ours...push...push. Sorry for the rant but I'm about as tired as I can be with all the agenda pushing in this nation without a balance scale. Long story short war eagle and thanks for making a difference in the lives of youths brother Chette! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AU64 10,122 Posted August 21, 2015 Share Posted August 21, 2015 Organizations like that one get by by intimidating their targets....most of whom cave in at the thought of a lawsuit. We've got some lawyers on here who can speak to the subject but seems that suing AU over the actions of someone not even employed by the school is lots more than just a stretch...it's down right nutty. Trust that AU will have the fortitude to tell them to take a hike ....or meet us at the courthouse. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AU-24 3,063 Posted August 21, 2015 Share Posted August 21, 2015 Organizations like that one get by by intimidating their targets....most of whom cave in at the thought of a lawsuit. We've got some lawyers on here who can speak to the subject but seems that suing AU over the actions of someone not even employed by the school is lots more than just a stretch...it's down right nutty. Trust that AU will have the fortitude to tell them to take a hike ....or meet us at the courthouse. I'm so there! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jagrays 0 Posted August 21, 2015 Share Posted August 21, 2015 Tell them if they can come physically remove him then he is off the team. It's past time people stand up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
passthebiscuits 6,843 Posted August 21, 2015 Share Posted August 21, 2015 The work-around has always been that Chette is not employed by the university or the athletic dept and participation in his program is completely voluntary. It always seems strange to me that some people who believe God to be false find themselves so concerned that others would believe otherwise. Why wouldn't they just pity us for our beliefs or shake their super smart liberal heads in disgust. What purpose does attacking it serve? Now if a player was actively unable to express his beliefs then that's another thing... This is where common sense and religious liberty should trump this nutty lawyer-Ruffic liberalism that is destroying our country. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WarEagle1983 2,185 Posted August 21, 2015 Share Posted August 21, 2015 Stirring up trouble when it comes to religion and football in the state of Alabama. They better just move it along before they get more than what they've bargained for. 15+ years he's been apart of Auburn and now it's a problem? Stick to making cheese! The Auburn family will gladly fight this battle for Bro. Chette! I know i will! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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