Posted on 10/02/2008 6:01:17 AM PDT by TPOOH
Excerpt..... A new policy banning Virginia State Police chaplains from saying Jesus,’ Christ’ during prayer is stirring up a lot of controversy. Six chaplains have already resigned over the issue. “In the bible it says to pray in Jesus name,” said Charlotte Ryan, Johnson City, Tennessee resident. Claude Duncan from Johnson City is also against the prayer policy change. “I think it’s a terrible thing that they would create such a thing that would deny us the privilege of praying in the name of our savor, Jesus Christ,” Duncan said. We found strong opposition on Monday to a decision.........
(Excerpt) Read more at tricities.com ...
Hmmm.
All I can say to that is jesus what a dumb policy.
This story came up last week.
I asked "Why are there chaplains on the payroll of Va State Police, anyway?"
Got no answer.
What are they going to require next, that the state police stop enforcing the law?
No comment.
But it’s still ok for them to use Jesus’s name in vain when the cops feel the need to. Why not use the name Mohammmed.
They can’t be part of an state organization which requires that they deny a basic element of their faith.
Simple.
I believe they are regular troopers, doing chaplain work as an aside, with no pay for it.
I’m confused by these Tennessee residents’ being Virginia Highway Patrol functionaries. Or are they just interviewing random Johnson City residents who can’t spell or capitalize correctly?
Let’s also ban Muslims from saying “Allah”
And let’s ban Jews from saying “God”
And let’s ban ....
It’s stupid.
We’re adults in America. We recognize other religions, and if we’re going to ask some religious person to pray or speak, then we should expect Christians to be Christian, Muslims to be Muslim, and Jews to be Jewish.
The who “ban” thing is infantile thinking that ignores the realities of religion in America.
I’d rather they just quit scheduling prayers.
I believe this is similar to the policy for military chaplains.
“I’m confused by these Tennessee residents’ being Virginia Highway Patrol functionaries. Or are they just interviewing random Johnson City residents who can’t spell or capitalize correctly?”
Thank the National Edu-cRat Association for their successful actualization of Antonio Gramsci’s agenda in Virginia schools.
I would blame the article's author, who ironically named Bill Christian.
I would blame the article's author, who is ironically named Bill Christian.
Is that another way of saying "State Chaplains" which implies "State religion" to me. Just how fast is this state religion growing comrades?
Maybe they can start with prayer outside the building and pray forcefully in the name of our LORD. Those who want to attend attend. Those who don’t believe can simply attend the meeting. Get the government out of the prayer entirely, so the prayer can be meaningful again. We can rail against the first amendment all we want, but the fact is that the government has infringed upon religion and will continue to do so. The good old days are gone.
When the Muslims have their turn to pray, it can be the same deal. Or even have several faiths represented outside at once.
I think we’ve passed the point where Jesus will be allowed into our institutions in any form other than “the Mush God”. But we need him so badly, we simply have to return to him in a strong unadulterated faith.
I have a feeling if this was done, most people would join together for a Christian prayer. Those religious leaders who have no followers will pray alone or eventually go home.
with all the shit cops go through,( all day, every day) you don’t think they may ask for spiritual guidance?
“I asked “Why are there chaplains on the payroll of Va State Police, anyway?””
My two cents worth: Police frequently deal in traumatic events and sometimes there is a need for quick resort to religiously-based counseling. Now, I don’t believe for a moment that such services couldn’t be provided by outside people, either on a volunteer or contract basis. The fact that troopers themselves are chaplains make me a little suspicious that the program is used to supplement income while maintaining a low baseline pay for the troopers. This allows troopers to cry poverty while collecting extra income in special programs such as this one. (Sorry, I’m cynical of government unionized employees. I live in California where the prison guard union and law enforcement unions regularly use their clout to hit up taxpayers. Teachers use the same strategy where they sign up for extra duty and collect thousands more in income without having to admit that teacher pay is higher than the books report.)
That said, if the state police organization decides to have a chaplain program, rather than a secular counseling program, then it ought not try to dictate how religious people practice their religions.
I would hope they’d all resign rather than play along with this crap. If they were not receiving any pay for their function as chaplains, I guess resigning doesn’t have any impact on them at all. Of course, they’ll probably end up with a bunch of mooslim chaplains.
And Virginia may vote Democratic this year. Can you see the pieces of the puzzle coming together?
How often does the U.S. Constitution have to be thrown in Americans faces and trampled on the ground, before we grovel at our governmental masters feet and beg forgiveness.
Oh ... yes ... We already do that.
I agree. This is another example of the way that atheism is effectively the State Religion of America. They are forcing everyone of different religious persuasions to toe THEIR line, rather than allowing religious diversity to flourish. They can't directly eradicate the other faiths, so they try to make them conform to atheistic expectations.
LOL!
I was in the Air Force as a medic and often had to call in the chaplain on call, as you might imagine, to come into the ER.
Now I’m a civilian working in hospice, aqnd we also have chaplains, and they too are on call.
We have our own social workers that pull call, the naqture of the job requires that we have our own chaplains, much as police and military organizations do. There are characteristics inherent of the job that simply don’t facilitate hiring a chaplain from the “outside”.
The issue here isn’t that they have chaplains, rather what they’re “allowed” to say as Christians.
As near as I can tell, and I have a military career as a chaplain behind me, there has been no direct policy requiring that military chaplains are prohibited from praying in Jesus name.
There have been recommendations to that effect by less than thoughtful military bureaucrats and officers, and there have even been local ranking chaplains and commanders who’ve tried to enforce such a policy in their local area, but the truth remains that it is not a blanket requirement.
Some say that a distinction should be made between a required unit gathering and a voluntary gathering for religious purposes. Obviously, a voluntary gathering for religious purposes must be allowed to practice their own religion. It would be a constitutional violation of the worst kind to attempt to control that setting.
My opinion about a required gathering is that if they invite a chaplain to pray, they should be able to deal with the fact that that chaplain is of a particular religion and denomination. If he’s buddhist, then expect something different than if he’s a southern baptist. Seriously....grow up America. We’ve got different religions out there — what a shock!
If the commanders don’t like buddha, allah, God, and Jesus being mentioned, then what in the hell are they inviting a chaplain for in the first place? Take that part out of the flippin’ ceremony.
I am amazed that we have such a stupid discussion going on in the first place.
should have pinged you to #26
Perhaps if they prayed in the name of Yeshua or Emmanuel they could follow Christ’s law while avoiding violating the letter of the state law...after all Emmanuel and Yeshua are perfectly acceptable names for Jesus. They should try it and watch them turn the new regs into knots!
Great post! I agree with every statement.
If you read it as “State police Chaplins” that is your own doing. “State Police” chaplins.
The State can no more make Christianity the state religion than it can RESTRICT the free exercise of Christianity.
Forcing the chaplins to omit Jesus’ name is such a violation.
Maybe they could pray in the name of “Hey-soos”!
see #26
I think the Chaplains should continue as normal, using His name as they see fit.
We must take America back. At every opportunity when something like this presents itself, the local community must make it’s feelings known. We must exercise our rights (including freedom of speech and religion) while we still have them.
Actually they are prohibited from doing so, if only the religious would litigate up to the Supreme Court to clearly establish what is at stake.
Thank you. I put up with that crap when on active duty, and I was always amazed that such small-picture people made it to the top.
Our God has many names. The Trinity : Father, Son & Holy Spirit. Many names that will overcome Virginia’s foolish legalisms. Any Spirit filled Chaplain may proclaim his love for our Lord and Savior without saying Jesus. No court can write sufficient laws to supress the FAITH.
When the Muslims have their turn to pray, it can be the same deal. Or even have several faiths represented outside at once.
Do you mean the state of Va. can jail a Muslim and not have to provide a prayer mat and special diet?
Let’s see...Lion of the tribe of Judah, I Am, Rising Star of Jacob, the Morning Star, Lamb of God, Alpha and Omega,(or A to Z in our vernacular),Son of David,Son of God, or the English translation of Jesus Christ which means Saviour Anointed!
Any of those names could be used and not violate the state regs as currently written!
The Va state Police commander made such a rule...or am I misunderstanding your post!
Correct, but I insist they use his name anyhow, just to tweak the noses of those ****s in command, the the Gov.
By submitting to the order that Jesus’ name not be used, in my mind, it’s like a denial not only of Christ, but of Christianity itself.
If Virginia state troopers are invoking any deity on the job it is the Patron Deity of tax collectors.
Yes, you are misunderstanding it. Stuartcr had mentioned a similar policy being in effect with the military. I was responding about military chaplains...since I was one not terribly long ago.
He was talking about military chaplins...the post was about Va. state police chaplins not being able by regulation being able to pray in Jesus name!
The power of Jesus is immeasurable. Virginia’s fear of His Holy name is testimony to that fact. More hearts will be won over to Christ as are result this denial by Virginia’s cowards.
Yes, I was responding about military chaplains.
This thread is about police chaplains praying in Jesus’ name. It has obvious connections to recent military issues that are similar.
The answers to the problem exactly parallel those in the military.
One of the chaplains needs to challenge in court any dismissal.
So I would instead say “... in the Name of Your most Holy and Blessed and Risen Son, amen.”
Ping to read later
We must take America back. It’s going to happen, people are totally fed up.
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