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 nations 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 nations military. President Bush must step in to protect religious freedom.
You need to click on the 1st link below the article.
But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumbling block, and unto the Greeks foolishness (1 Cor. 1:23).
Any Christian Chaplain, Minister or Priest or person who would obey this law of man is in serious trouble. They need to defy this. This is too much. I would resign before following this. This is asking someone to deny their faith.
Maybe they'll ban Jewish Chaplains from praying in Hebrew next...
Un-Frigging-Believable!
Mark
I heard about this a few weeks ago as a prayer request from someone who is a member of the Air Guard in Illinois. I see it is coming to pass. This is tragic. I can't imagine a real Christian Chaplain would either a) allow this, or b) stay in the organization that required him to renounce his faith in such a way.
Why are we so willing to give up our beliefs and culture???????????????????????
Here is a pdf on his sight that explains more detail.
http://www.aclj.org/media/PDF/051020_USAFRelGuidelinesMemo_Final_.pdf
If the ACLJ is too conservative of a source for you all, how about the Washington Post?
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/10/30/AR2005103001036.html
A Noisy Takeoff for Air Force Guidelines on Religion
By Alan Cooperman
Washington Post Staff Writer
Monday, October 31, 2005; Page A20
...
The Air Force issued its three-page "Interim Guidelines Concerning Free Exercise of Religion in the Air Force" on Aug. 29 after allegations that evangelical Christian commanders, faculty and upperclassmen pressured cadets at the Air Force Academy.
...
The guidelines also say that "public prayer should not usually be included in official settings" such as staff meetings, classes and sports events, but that "a brief non-sectarian prayer" may be included in events of "special importance."
...
One of the main complaints from evangelical groups and members of Congress is that the guidelines could stop Christian chaplains from praying in the name of Jesus at public events.
On the other hand, if it's while performing prayer services, then this is a complete outrage, and something needs to be done about it!
Mark
Maybe the military should just hire actors to play the part of watered down chaplains.
The forces of evil are raising their heads once again.
So the government is telling Chaplins how they can and can not pray. So much for Religous freedom. Another basic freedom out the window.
So? I can say "In Jesus' name I pray, Amen." and He will hear me.
This is becoming frightening, things like this are in the news almost everyday now.
Maybe I ought to put up my new outdoor Nativity Scene this year and just leave it up all year long!
Stop it...you're killing me.
I can see some generic prayers for big gatherings where all faiths are concerned, but I don't see restrictions on the name of Jesus by a minister talking to a group of Christian soldiers.
This is just a bogus "they are out to get us" rumor. If not, then please somebody post these guidelines that state as much.
I have to disagree. A Chaplain in the Armed Services is working for an employer. The employer may dictate how the employee does his/her job. If this is a new rule, I would expect the Armed Services would be good about releasing chaplains who wished to be released from service, but I can't accept this as the kind of violation of rights the article suggests.
I am presuming the rule only applies to public prayers at convocations, meal blessings, etc. I am presuming that the Chaplain would not be restricted when praying with a person who has come to the Chaplain for prayer.
I don't think restricting the latter would be unconstitutional, just stupid.
Shalom.
"We saw it in our nations public schools ... where prayer was officially banned."
Huh? Kids can still pray as long as they do so quietly, without disrupting others, and without proselytizing. God can still hear prayers that aren't spoken. Omnipotence is like that.
Teachers can't lead or force kids to pray, which is a good thing. My Baptist/Catholic/Jewish/Presbyterian/Methodist/etc child doesn't need to have a Methodist/Presbyterian/Jewish/Muslim/Catholic/Baptist prayer shoved down his throat.
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