Jesus Name Not to be used by Military Chaplains

American Center for Law and Justice ^ | Nov. 15, 2005 | Jay Sekulow

[conserv371]

A pattern of hostility to free speech - specifically the rights of Christians to pray - is on the rise in our country.

We saw it in our nation’s public schools ... where prayer was officially banned. We have seen it in our workplaces.

Now, our United States military seems to have “jumped on the bandwagon” ... with Air Force leadership recently releasing proposed guidelines that will restrict how Air Force chaplains can pray.

If approved, these guidelines may well be implemented throughout the entire Armed Forces.

This is an outrage that we cannot allow! Already, it is documented that chaplains are “feeling the heat” to restrict their prayers and mask their faith.

Christian chaplains are being told NOT to pray in the name of Jesus!

For many Christian chaplains, praying in the name of Jesus is a fundamental part of their beliefs. To suppress this form of expression would be a violation of their constitutional rights and religious freedoms.

Furthermore, to censor Christian chaplains is a disservice to the thousands of Christian soldiers in the military who look to their chaplains for comfort, inspiration, and support ... just as military soldiers of other faiths look to their chaplains.

Again, we cannot allow these proposed guidelines to be passed. We cannot sit idly by while our honored Christian military chaplains are singled out and silenced.

I have assembled a senior legal team at the ACLJ, including a 20-year military veteran who worked at the Pentagon. We are drafting a legal analysis and comments to be used in this process.

Thankfully, a group of Congressmen has joined together to call on the President to protect by Executive Order the constitutional right of military chaplains to pray according to their faith.

In response to this outrageous and blatant religious intolerance and infringement of free speech rights, the ACLJ has embarked on a nationwide campaign to PROTECT PRAYER and the constitutional rights of military chaplains.

In our Armed Forces, all faiths must be respected. Christian chaplains must be permitted to pray in the name of Jesus.

The ACLJ is working to generate a massive grassroots effort, to let the President know that we will not stand for this type of blatant religious intolerance in our nation’s military. President Bush must step in to protect religious freedom.

[Spyder]

Per an Army Chaplain friend, it is primarily when they KNOW there are people of other faiths in the audience. It is a REQUEST, not an ORDER, too. They aren't being censored. They're being asked to be sensitive.

[Navydog]

"Jesus Name Not to be used by Military Chaplains"

***BUT***

JEWISH CHAPEL BUILT WITH FEDERAL FUNDS AT THE U.S. NAVAL ACADEMY: NO OUTCRY FROM ADL, ACLU or AU

Catholic League president William Donohue commented today about the absence of outcry from the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and Americans United for Separation of Church and State (AU) over the building of a Jewish chapel at the U.S. Naval Academy. From September 16-18, several events will take place at the Naval Academy celebrating the opening of the Commodore Uriah P. Levy Center and Jewish Chapel; formal dedication will take place Sunday. Here is what Donohue had to say:

“The Catholic League understands the central role that religion plays in the lives of most Americans, and it is particularly sensitive to the need for religious expression among our men in women in uniform. That is why we congratulate the Naval Academy for opening the Jewish Center and heartily approve of federal funds being used to build the Jewish chapel. Our problem is with the hypocrites at the ADL, ACLU and AU."

To the applause of the ADL, ACLU and AU, Catholic schools are denied government money for the purchase of maps in the classroom, but the federal government can spend nearly 2 million dollars to build a Jewish chapel at the Naval Academy without a word of protest from any of them. Catholic kids in New York City public schools cannot have a crèche in their classroom but Jewish kids can have a menorah (all to the approval of the ADL), and now a U.S. military building on the grounds of the Naval Academy can display a huge Star of David on its exterior without a peep from any of the church-and-state watchdog groups. Moreover, since 1845 the Naval Academy has had a non-sectarian prayer said before lunch, but the ADL and the ACLU now want it censored; the ADL has even written to the Armed Services Committees of the House and Senate calling the practice ‘deeply troubling.’

“In other words, prayer rugs can be purchased with federal funds to accommodate suspected Muslim terrorists in Guantanamo Bay, and Jewish chapels can be built with federal monies, but Christian kids can’t sing ‘Silent Night’ in the classroom. Got it everyone?”

Nuff said...

[dsc]

" since to some (hypersensitive) people, public invocations in the name of Jesus is ... Well, I'm not sure what the word is, but they don't like it."

A healthy culture doesn't cater to the hypersensitive.

It says to them, "Get a grip. And if you can't get a grip, shut up."

[newfarm4000n]

Do a google on pastor and jail and you will see where this is eventual leading. I found pastors in Canada, Sweden, and Australia facing jail time for unpopular things they said about Islam and homosexuality.


Jail as a political martyr is a great career move . Just ask that Times reporter.

[dsc]

"BRIEF NONSECTARIAN PRAYER"

The word, "nonsectarian" is military code for, "You don't mention Jesus," and all concerned know that.

[dsc]

"Why is the military brass trying to regulate religious beliefs?"

Because they get pressure from liberal sleazebuckets in congress.

Mishandling a congressional inquiry is career-killer.

[HereInTheHeartland]

"The employer may dictate how the employee does his/her job."

That's funny! The military can tell a chaplain that the name of Jesus can't be used?
OK, Then I propose the following additional changes:

Pilots are not allowed to fly.
Airplanes are not allowed to move through air.
Ships must stay out of water.
Rifles are only allowed to used as coat hooks.
The Coast Guard is restricted to desert areas.
Aircraft carriers must only carry kites, no other aircraft.

The above list makes as much sense as chaplains that can't talk about Jesus.
IT'S THE ONLY REASON THAT THEY EXIST.

This nation was founded by Christians so that they could worship Jesus as they pleased.
Not to be free FROM religion, but to be free from the state telling them in detail how to worship their Lord and Savior; who was and is, Jesus Christ.

Are people really that stupid? I hope not.

[dsc]

"This news is so very sad."

Welcome to the catacombs.

[Blzbba]

"That's right Belzebba. It's called atheism."

A. You misspelled my handle. There are no 'e's in it.

B. It's just a handle - get over it.

C. Glad you agree.

[trubluolyguy]

I heard about this last week in Mens Bible study, how can they possibly do this.

---

I will be bringing it up at our next mens Bible Study.

[narses]

+

[dsc]

I am ex military (Navy PC2)and a Catholic."

I am ex-military, too (PNSN, PN3, PN2, 01, 02, 03, 04) and my experiences do not concord with yours.

In the Navy I knew, any BTFN would tell the CHENG, "Sir, I have my own beliefs, and I don't like being preached to." And if the CHENG didn't stop, the Captain would come down on him like a ton of bricks.

"As a supervisor both in the military and the civilian world I would not tolerate anyone preaching in the work place."

That was never a problem in any command I was ever attached to.

In a military environment, men (and I stress *men*) quickly learn that a big part of getting along is leaving other men the hell alone.

That said, standing by while other people pray does not constitute "forced participation." It's nothing more than giving other people a minute for something that's important to them -- that is, common courtesy.

[little jeremiah]

Beautiful.

[MeekMom]

Every knee shall bow, every tongue confess, that Jesus is Lord!

[timestax]

[Dustbunny]

How totally retarded !!!!

[apackof2]

Hmmmmm, does the Commander and Chief know about this?

Maybe some faxes/letters and e-mails need to go to the White House

[bIlluminati]

Pretty much the government Establishment has neglected the free exercise clause of the First Amendment. It will take quite a while (perhaps never) before people in this country are jailed for the crime of Christianity, but it has happened before and it will happen again.

This goes hand-in-hand with the DeLay and Libby indictments. You can be sure that DeLay and Libby are two of the most effective Republicans in Washington, D.C. That is the reason they are targeted.

Chaplains are targeted for the same reason. Anyone who has studied cults knows that they recruit college students as they do not have the physical support from their families. That is why the Marxists have targeted universities (that and money without selling a product in the market) and are now targeting the military.

In addition, men are targeted. Already, women are a substantial majority in colleges as students. Soon, as professors, and, perhaps, as "military". Take a look at how many "officers" have never and could never command troops in combat.

For what it's worth, my personal religious beliefs would be considered heresy at best and unmentionable to some on this thread. But I can darn well read the plain language of the First Amendment. Please note that in 1787, some of the various States had official religions, that the first five words are "Congress shall make no law", and that in 1787, we may have had State militias, but that the Constitutional Convention and both Federalists and Anti-Federalists would have been horrified that the citizens of this Free Republic would have condoned a large standing Army paid with a general income tax.

Once you grasp the full extent of the problem in these terms, the solution is short and sweet.

[Old_Mil]

The day will come in America, in my lifetime (I'm 36), that Christians who open their mouth to pray or express their opinion on morality will be imprisoned for doing so.

[PetroniusMaximus]

"Welcome to the catacombs."

This time there will be nowhere to hide.