From OnlineAthens.com
September 1st, 2015 04:37 PM
Georgia football coach Mark Richt spoke publicly for the first time on Tuesday about accusations from the Freedom From Religion Foundation that Richt and chaplain Kevin “Chappy” Hynes are imposing “their personal religion on players” in a coercive way.
“We’re at a secular university,” said Richt, a devout Christian. “I understand that. We don’t try to make anybody believe a certain way at all. Anything that has to do with the spirit is strictly voluntary and never has any bearing on somebody’s ability to play at Georgia. It’s always been that way.”
Richt said he encourages his players to grow spiritually.
“I think we’re made of our body, we’re made of our mind, we’re made of spirit,” he said. “We work hard on our bodies as far as getting them in shape and working on schemes and plays and lifting and running and all the things that we do: nutrition and sleep. We work on the mind. We care very much about them getting their degrees. We’ve got the tutoring and academic appointments and classes and all and our segment meetings and all those things of that nature, and all those things are mandatory. But anything that has to do with growing spiritually… I don’t tell them what to believe.”
Athletic director Greg McGarity also said the local chapter of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes provides “optional” chaplain services for athletes.
“Neither the University not the Athletic Association finances these activities,” he said.
...READ MORE HERE...
September 1st, 2015 04:37 PM
Georgia football coach Mark Richt spoke publicly for the first time on Tuesday about accusations from the Freedom From Religion Foundation that Richt and chaplain Kevin “Chappy” Hynes are imposing “their personal religion on players” in a coercive way.
“We’re at a secular university,” said Richt, a devout Christian. “I understand that. We don’t try to make anybody believe a certain way at all. Anything that has to do with the spirit is strictly voluntary and never has any bearing on somebody’s ability to play at Georgia. It’s always been that way.”
Richt said he encourages his players to grow spiritually.
“I think we’re made of our body, we’re made of our mind, we’re made of spirit,” he said. “We work hard on our bodies as far as getting them in shape and working on schemes and plays and lifting and running and all the things that we do: nutrition and sleep. We work on the mind. We care very much about them getting their degrees. We’ve got the tutoring and academic appointments and classes and all and our segment meetings and all those things of that nature, and all those things are mandatory. But anything that has to do with growing spiritually… I don’t tell them what to believe.”
Athletic director Greg McGarity also said the local chapter of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes provides “optional” chaplain services for athletes.
“Neither the University not the Athletic Association finances these activities,” he said.
...READ MORE HERE...
