Posted on 11/15/2005 5:43:24 PM PST by 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.
It was no bother. Yes, I did pray regularly in His name at both worship and ceremonial events, and there were no repercussions.
I am given to different prayers and might pray in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
If I lead the Lord's Prayer, you might notice that it does not end with the "name of" formulation.
The prayer of the apostles in Acts 4 does not appear to end with the formula "in Jesus' name..." However, it does appeal to the name of Jesus. It ends with "Stretch out Your hand to heal and perform miraculous signs and wonders through the name of Your holy servant Jesus."
My understanding of "in the name of Jesus" is that it means the same as "in accordance with that which Jesus would gladly sign His name to." Therefore, if I pray "in the name of Jesus" I'm actually praying for something that I know is in His will. I should not pray for things that are not in His will......if I were to pray for such things, then I could not pray "in the name of Jesus."
The decision of the courts when the military chaplaincy was challenged was that the chaplaincy was the most reasonable way to accomodate the religious rights of our military who live in a unique environment. There concern was that military members be enabled to fully practice their faith and fully exercise their rights.
On the battlefield, the only way to accomodate this was to have religious persons accompany the military to those places. Since the military is a dangerous AND secretive place, the commanders could not let just anyone accompany them. It had to be someone over whom they exercised control, who could be trusted with knowledge of the movements of and placement of troops.
The chaplain was recognized to be the best solution to the dilemma of having soldiers' religious rights protected.
This was especially relevant because of what we were asking those soldiers to do.....march into the midst of hell on earth and possibly sacrifice their lives. Commanders know that if they don't provide for those religious needs, then they are depriving their soldiers of something as basic as food, clothing, shelter, ammunition, etc. They also know that religious leaders can acquire great power amongst men who are facing death. Would they prefer some camp following outsider weasel his way into such a status?
I have no problem with the military spending on a Jewish chapel or on any of the chapels they have built around the world in their many farflung bases. The situation is entirely different for our military.
Donohue wrongly tries to compare this situation with that of schoolkids in a public school who are living in their home neighborhoods. It is not a valid comparison.
Not to speak against Donohue...I generally agree with the guy, but not on this.
Correction: Here's another,
and an older one,
and one with only 3 comments, but these are solid words!.
Praise God for the Keyword search function here at FR! I'm very thankful this is being discussed and published widely.
Hallelujah, amen.
Thank God for the internet and Free Republic!
It sounds like an internet legend. But the story is coming from the ACLJ. They are very reputable. I'm dumbfounded. I grew up in the military, and used to help out the base Chaplains in Guantanamo. They are there specifically to provide spiritual support to the men, women, and dependents. How can they do this apart from God?
The words of Our Master Jesus:
"I tell you, my friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after that can do no more. But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear him who, after the killing of the body, has power to throw you into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him. Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten by God. Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don't be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows."
Luke 12:4-7"These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”
John 16:33
B)
Acts 4
Peter and John Arrested1 Now as they spoke to the people, the priests, the captain of the temple, and the Sadducees came upon them, 2 being greatly disturbed that they taught the people and preached in Jesus the resurrection from the dead. 3 And they laid hands on them, and put them in custody until the next day, for it was already evening. 4 However, many of those who heard the word believed; and the number of the men came to be about five thousand.
Addressing the Sanhedrin
5 And it came to pass, on the next day, that their rulers, elders, and scribes, 6 as well as Annas the high priest, Caiaphas, John, and Alexander, and as many as were of the family of the high priest, were gathered together at Jerusalem. 7 And when they had set them in the midst, they asked, “By what power or by what name have you done this?” 8 Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, “Rulers of the people and elders of Israel: 9 If we this day are judged for a good deed done to a helpless man, by what means he has been made well, 10 let it be known to you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead, by Him this man stands here before you whole. 11 This is the ‘stone which was rejected by you builders, which has become the chief cornerstone.’ 12 Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”
The Name of Jesus Forbidden
13 Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated and untrained men, they marveled. And they realized that they had been with Jesus. 14 And seeing the man who had been healed standing with them, they could say nothing against it. 15 But when they had commanded them to go aside out of the council, they conferred among themselves, 16 saying, “What shall we do to these men? For, indeed, that a notable miracle has been done through them is evident to all who dwell in Jerusalem, and we cannot deny it. 17 But so that it spreads no further among the people, let us severely threaten them, that from now on they speak to no man in this name.”
18 So they called them and commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus. 19 But Peter and John answered and said to them, “Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you more than to God, you judge. 20 For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard.” 21 So when they had further threatened them, they let them go, finding no way of punishing them, because of the people, since they all glorified God for what had been done. 22 For the man was over forty years old on whom this miracle of healing had been performed.
Prayer for Boldness
23 And being let go, they went to their own companions and reported all that the chief priests and elders had said to them. 24 So when they heard that, they raised their voice to God with one accord and said: “Lord, You are God, who made heaven and earth and the sea, and all that is in them, 25 who by the mouth of Your servant David have said:
‘ Why did the nations rage,
And the people plot vain things?
26 The kings of the earth took their stand,
And the rulers were gathered together
Against the LORD and against His Christ.’27 “For truly against Your holy Servant Jesus, whom You anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the people of Israel, were gathered together 28 to do whatever Your hand and Your purpose determined before to be done. 29 Now, Lord, look on their threats, and grant to Your servants that with all boldness they may speak Your word, 30 by stretching out Your hand to heal, and that signs and wonders may be done through the name of Your holy Servant Jesus.”
31 And when they had prayed, the place where they were assembled together was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the word of God with boldness.
WTF???
Becaue of that we have no fear Thanks .30Carbine for reminding us of that.
But if the professor practices witchcraft, they are more comfortable coming to him, right? [ /sarcasm off ]
Get a load of this - ping!
I have a hard time believing this when you consider a Catholic Chaplain is a priest FIRST and an Air Force officer second.
Let's just replace the U.S. Constitution with Stalin's rule book!
How would we notice the difference?
Would Satan ask for any less?
Send donations.
Can't use the word Jesus?
Then how about this...
"... and we ask these things in the name of your Son, the Christ, the one born in a manger, who died on the cross to take away the sins of the world. The one who said, 'No man comes to the Father,' except through him. Amen."
Locally, a school got in trouble from the ACLU recently for not allowing Muslim students to pray. Go figure ...
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