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.
Think about that for a moment. When in history could anyone write the words you wrote and they not be true?
For the government to insist that fully ordained clergy (chaplains) pray a government prescribed way instead of the way of each of those chaplains' own religions is for the government to create their own brand of religion AND to favor their brand over others.
That IS a violation of the establishment clause, imho.
If they can't pray in the name of Jesus, it's no prayer at all.
I find it interesting that Jesus said in Matt. 10:22 "And you shall be hated of all men for My name's sake: but he that endures to the end shall be saved." Notice people do not have as much trouble with God even though they are trying to get rid of that too but Jesus crosses over the line. I used to think this passage applied mainly to the apostles but now I am wondering if it is meant for us today. It will reveal like a fire who are his true followers.
This is unbelievable! Yes RINOs in congress/WH keep allowing the left to take hold and dont talk about this?????? Why dont the republicans use the bully pulpit to show that these are leftest/demoncrat values - murdering innocent life, racism, removal of God, de-value of marriage, etc.... What are the conservatives afraid of? The liberal press? We have sold out the Reagan revolution for power and recieved a bunch of whimpy white lilly elitist who couldnt fight their way out of a paper bag.
"In whomever our whatever Aperson"
Re: " with Air Force leadership recently releasing proposed guidelines that will restrict how Air Force chaplains can pray."
My, my. I thought the Government was not to write prayers.
When I was in Public School in NYC, the Bible was read from the stage to the whole school in assemblies. Now when Patton wrote a prayer for snow in the Battle of the Bulge, that must have driven the ACLU out of its mind. We many never win another war without 'praise the Lord and pass the ammunition'.
"We saw it in our nation’s public schools ... where prayer was officially banned."
Got that far. Being that wrong that fast means the rest of the article probably is equally inaccurate.
"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."
At NAF Atsugi, all faiths are accomodated in the Chapel of Good Hope, which was built in the 1930s to be the gymnasium for the Imperial Japanese Navy aviators.
Hmmmm.......? Just saying.
"That IS a violation of the establishment clause, imho."
I think I disagree with that. I think it is interference with the free exercise of religion, but I don't see it as the establishment of a state religion.
Thanks for the additional information!
These "proposed" policies are being implemented already, as if.... Chaplains from all over the world are confirming this to Sekulow's organization. Listen to his radio show, and you will be better informed.
Ummmm .. whatever happen to the 1st amendment ???
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.
1John.2
[18] Children, it is the last hour; and as you have heard that antichrist is coming, so now many antichrists have come; therefore we know that it is the last hour.
2John.1
[7] For many deceivers have gone out into the world, men who will not acknowledge the coming of Jesus Christ in the flesh; such a one is the deceiver and the antichrist.
Anti-christ is one of a PLURALITY and they have been here a long time.
Thanks...but I don't need to listen to a radio show to be "informed" of current military policy.
Thanks for giving us your most informative input.
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