It's not as bad as all that, 
Throughout the talk Trump emphasized that America was hurting due to what he described as Christianity’s slide to become “weaker, weaker, weaker.” He said he’d get department store employees to say “Merry Christmas” and would fight restrictions on public employees, such as public school coaches, from being allowed to lead sectarian prayer on the field.
That
part really bothers me.
What is Trump going to do? Force businesses to force their store employees to say “Merry Christmas”? What about “Happy Easter”? “Chanukah”? “Festivus”? And by what means? An Executive Order? What will be the penalty if a department store employee doesn’t say Merry Christmas? Will Trump impose a special “Merry Christmas” tax on stores that offend? Why should it be up to the Federal government or the POTUS to dictate what the employees of private companies or the companies themselves to do in this regard? Is there any Federal law now the prohibits it?
Will that apply only to big chain department stores or will that apply to all businesses; say the Jewish delicatessen, the yoga studio owned by Hindus, the bookstore owned by Buddhists, the natural foods store owned by Atheists?
As to “restrictions on public employees, such as public school coaches, from being allowed to lead sectarian prayer on the field”, again, how is that a Federal matter? It should IMO, be left up to the local school boards.
Yes, yes. I know that many public school boards and colleges and local governments have been sued over prayer, religious invocations or other “sectarian” expressions of religion, mostly against any expression of Christianity and often by a very small minority of people who find it objectionable. And yes, federal courts have ruled unfavorably in many cases citing (in most cases an overreach) the Establishment Clause of the 1st A. So yes, the appointment of more conservative judges could help bring a more sensible and reasoned balance to this issue.
I do however think there is a fine line when it comes to public schools and other public institutions and sectarian prayer. Even though I am an “atheist” (and note the small “a” – I prefer “skeptic” or “free thinker”) I am not against religion, not at all anti-Christian, nor am I offended by Christian prayer or by Jewish prayer or etc… nor I am offended by public Christmas displays and in fact I love them.
But I also don’t think that there should be compulsory participation in prayer in public schools or at school sporting events such as by lead by coaches or the ostracization or punishment of those who for whatever reason choose not to participate. Although I will say, it is not at all difficult to just bow one’s head in silence.
But I'm not worried about this as I don't think Trump is going to do anything about it (Merry Christmas or prayers in public school or on their athletic fields). He IMO is just pandering to what he thinks the evangelicals want to hear. He probably watches Fox & Friends and O’Reilly and every December when they talk about “The War On Christmas” so Trump thinks that some department store employee not saying Merry Christmas to the customer at the checkout is one of the top issue concerning Christians.
BTW
