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Team Chaplain Gets Ejected for Jesus
religionjournal.com ^ | 27 September 2005 | BRAD LOCKE

Posted on 09/26/2005 5:12:00 PM PDT by Aussie Dasher

AgapePress) Be careful about nodding your head, folks. It may get you run off. And be careful about affirming biblical truths. It may get you run off, or worse -- gasp! -- you might offend someone and be labeled intolerant and hateful.

Meet Jon Moeller, Washington Nationals team chaplain. Or at least he was, until he had the audacity to answer a player's theological question, which is kind of in his job description. The question was asked by, ironically enough, outfielder Ryan Church: "Are Jews doomed because they don't believe in Jesus?"

Before I go further, I must say this almost sounds like a set-up, because current society won't tolerate but one answer to that question. But I doubt Church, a rookie, was up to any shenanigans. In fact, he asked the question because he was concerned about the eternal fate of his Jewish ex-girlfriend. Although I'm curious why Church chose to reveal this exchange to the media; I figured locker room conversation away from the microphones was kept private. If I were Moeller, I'd feel betrayed.

Anyway, Moeller answered with a simple nod of the head. As breathlessly reported in the Washington Post (surprise, surprise) on Sept. 18, Moeller was suspended while an investigation ensued.

A local rabbi told the Post that "the locker room of the Nationals is being used to preach hatred." I hope he didn't split his lip with that knee-jerk response. It's funny how quickly and often the word "hate" gets lobbed at Christians. Maybe the rabbi should have tried a response that involved actual thought, like a refutation of Moeller's belief that Jesus Christ is the one and only path to God's kingdom.

In a Sept. 21 article by the Post, the most sensible observation was made by Rev. Richard Land, head of the Southern Baptist Convention's Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission: "Just how many ways can you interpret the words of Jesus in John 14:5-6, 'I am the way, the truth and the life; no one comes to the Father, but by me'?"

Now Nats management is considering pluralism -- allowing chaplains of many different faiths to minister to players and personnel. So you walk into their locker room one day and see a priest, a rabbi and a Muslim cleric standing around, and you expect someone to deliver a punch line.

Moeller is being called intolerant, but you want intolerance, consider the remarks made by team president Tony Tavares: "I don't dispute his right to teach his Christian beliefs. It's just the way this was done, turning this into some public pulpit ... that's what troubles me."

What troubles me is the blatant hypocrisy of that statement. It's so absurd, I fear perhaps I'm misunderstanding it. But it seems Tavares is saying it's OK for Moeller to teach his beliefs -- the core of those beliefs being salvation through Christ -- but not to do it publicly. First of all, Moeller didn't make the locker room (a private area save when the media are lurking) a public forum for his beliefs. Second of all, if he is asked a religious question by a player, how could he have answered it in a less public manner? Simply nodding his head during a private conversation constitutes a public proclamation? How does Tavares want Moeller to go about teaching the players -- telepathically? (But what if another player wandering by picks up the brain waves and is offended?)

OK, so maybe Tavares meant he didn't like that this conversation between Church and Moeller became public knowledge. But if that's the case, then why is he punishing Moeller?

What this boils down to is a man doing exactly what he was supposed to do, and being punished for it. Was Moeller supposed to remain silent? Was he supposed to shake his head, thus denying his own convictions? Is that what the Nationals wanted him to do? How intolerant can you get?

I'm glad Moeller stood up for God, and I pray this doesn't discourage him from answering other people's theological inquiries. I hope he remains a man who will give answers to a world that so desperately needs the Truth.


TOPICS: Culture/Society; News/Current Events; Philosophy; US: District of Columbia
KEYWORDS: chaplain; christianity; freedom; jesus; jonmoeller; judaism; religion; washingtonnationals
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FASCINATING!!!!
1 posted on 09/26/2005 5:12:02 PM PDT by Aussie Dasher
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To: Aussie Dasher

This has already been posted.


2 posted on 09/26/2005 5:14:41 PM PDT by OldFriend (One Man With Courage Makes a Majority ~ Andrew Jackson)
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To: Aussie Dasher

Not the America I grew up in, that's for sure. My high school football team promoted Christianity (the coach was a Christian) and even had Faith and Pride on their helmets. Almost all of them were active in Fellowship of Christian Athletes. And nary a lawsuit was filed.


3 posted on 09/26/2005 5:14:56 PM PDT by mlc9852
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To: Aussie Dasher

If it really happened this way it should never have found its way into the media at all.


4 posted on 09/26/2005 5:15:28 PM PDT by Androcles (All your typos are belong to us)
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To: everyone

I sympathize with Mr. Moeller, but he made a mistake.

While it is generally best to "live as if we are free,"
as Pope John Paul II advised leading Eastern European dissidents, we also have to understand the concept of "fighting words."

The idea that non-Christians are going to hell is part and parcel of religious faith for some people. But it is very unwise for them to state this publicly, even with a nod of the head. We do not live in a society of anything like complete free speech. Or rather, the left has complete free speech, and the right (in this case, fundamentalists) have badly compromised free speech.

We should speak boldly on matters that are politically relevant and on which the majority of the American people will not be deeply hostile. We should avoid "fighting words" where possible, unless we have been badly provoked by the person we are speaking to.

People like Moeller do more harm than good politically. He might be good for saving souls, but his removal from the (quasi) public arena is no loss to conservatives. We can use it, to some extent, as an illustration of the limitations on our freedom of speech. We can also use it as an illustration of the arrogance of certain representatives of designated victim groups. But no one should say non-Christians are going to hell. It does no good and much harm.


5 posted on 09/26/2005 5:18:14 PM PDT by California Patriot
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To: Aussie Dasher

If the good Reverend Moeller had answered the question by saying, "Billy Bob, the Jews are doomed because they are racist Islamophobic squatters in the holy land..." I reckon that there wouldn't have been so much as a peep.

But mention Jesus and you're going to give the left an epileptic fit.


6 posted on 09/26/2005 5:18:15 PM PDT by Old_Mil
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Comment #7 Removed by Moderator

To: dc-seabee

I understand what you're saying, but surely answering a question is not "forcing God down everyones' throat"...


8 posted on 09/26/2005 5:22:26 PM PDT by Aussie Dasher (The Great Ronald Reagan & John Paul II - Heaven's Dream Team!)
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To: dc-seabee

That's great, but what does that have to do with this article? Did you just been waiting to get it out?


9 posted on 09/26/2005 5:23:40 PM PDT by bahblahbah
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To: bahblahbah

Ugh, have you been waiting to get this out?


10 posted on 09/26/2005 5:24:03 PM PDT by bahblahbah
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To: dc-seabee

No one was forcing their values on anyone. He was asked a question and he answered it truthfully. Jesus said you can only get to the Father thru Him and that if you deny Him before men He will deny you before God.


11 posted on 09/26/2005 5:25:29 PM PDT by SVTCobra03 (You can never have enough friends, horsepower or ammunition.)
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To: Aussie Dasher

My God's better than your God
My God's better than yours
My God's better than your God
You are gonna burn in hell


12 posted on 09/26/2005 5:26:53 PM PDT by misterrob
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To: dc-seabee
I hate to say it, but to me Evangelicals ramming God down everyon'es throat is just as bad as an Athiest taking God away.

Huh? Since when is expressing one's religious beliefs equivalent to "ramming God down everyone's throat"?

Or are you on the side of censoring all public expressions of faith?

13 posted on 09/26/2005 5:27:06 PM PDT by Jorge (Q)
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To: dc-seabee; California Patriot

He made the right decision to answer with Faith. Those who are "shocked" and "amazed" can just get over it.

"So everyone who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven, but whoever denies me before men, I also will deny before my Father who is in heaven." ~ Matthew 10:32-33

It seems he fears God more than he fears men, and rightfully so. A Christian's duty is to God, and part of that duty is proclaiming Biblical Truth in his/her daily walk.

Faith is not something that should be turned on or off depending on social circumstances. That's called waffling. That's called denying Christ before men.


14 posted on 09/26/2005 5:27:52 PM PDT by ItsOurTimeNow ("Heart of my own heart, whatever befall")
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To: Aussie Dasher
Maybe the rabbi should have tried a response that involved actual thought, like a refutation of Moeller's belief that Jesus Christ is the one and only path to God's kingdom.

BINGO. Typcical liberal. Can't defend his own position so starts calling names. And no I'm not being anti-semetic in making that statement. The rabbi did not refute, he attacked.

15 posted on 09/26/2005 5:32:27 PM PDT by TXBubba ( Democrats: If they don't abort you then they will tax you to death.)
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To: Aussie Dasher

I thought it was common knowledge that Christians believe salvation is reserved for Christians. I can't see why anyone would be scandalized by the idea.


16 posted on 09/26/2005 5:32:43 PM PDT by Mr Ramsbotham (Laws against sodomy are honored in the breech.)
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To: dc-seabee
I hate to say it, but to me Evangelicals ramming God down everyon'es throat is just as bad as an Athiest taking God away.

And I hate to say it, but to me you sound like an anti-Protestant bigot.


If you want a Google GMail account, FReepmail me.
They're going fast!

17 posted on 09/26/2005 5:32:51 PM PDT by rdb3 (NON-conservative, American exceptionalist here.)
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To: ItsOurTimeNow

I'm speaking from a political perspective. From a political perspective, he has made evangelicals, fundamentalists, etc., look bad. And that's bad from my standpoint, because they are an important part of the conservative coalition. Even from the standpoint of strictly religious ministry and witness, fire and brimstone no longer works with unbelievers in today's world. While I cannot fault Moeller ethically for affirming it, I do fault him prudentially and pragmatically. He won't win souls that way, nor will he
do anything to make our politics, government, OR society less hostile to family values, AKA Christian values.


18 posted on 09/26/2005 5:36:22 PM PDT by California Patriot
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To: Old_Mil

How true!


19 posted on 09/26/2005 5:37:37 PM PDT by mlc9852
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To: Aussie Dasher

Wouldn't a Rabbi if their were being honest to there faith also have to say a Christian is doom... from there perspective Christian follow a false Messiah


20 posted on 09/26/2005 5:38:16 PM PDT by tophat9000 (This bulletin just in:"Chinese's Fire Drill's" will now be known as "New Orleans' Hurricane Drill's")
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