The Stream's Al Perrotta told some of the story in Monday's Brew — including the lawyer-letter the Freedom from Religion Foundation shot off to the university, calling the event "coercive," "unconstitutional," even an "abuse of power" committed by Christian profs and athletic coaches who took part.

You'd think they'd have a better idea what "abuse of power" means. They know how to practice it well enough, or at least how to try. They'd gladly do it all the more if they actually had the power they keep trying to throw around.

What we have here, in other words, is bullying. The methods are more adult from what you saw or experienced in grade school, but the rest of it is no different.

Who's the Bully Here?

The FFRF has been bullying people this way for a long time. I found a press release much like the Auburn University letter on their website going back to June 5, 2012, a much longer one from less than a month ago, and a whole lot more in between. I picked those two out because they represent more than 170 pages that speak of bullying. Usually it's what they consider religious bullying. That most recent one is a great example. It's about Lifewise, a program available at hundreds of schools to provide off-campus "released time" biblical instruction for public school students. FFRF is worried: "Released time programs often encourage students to try to persuade non-attending students to join the program, leading to bullying."