Navy chaplain on hunger strike at White House - Klingenschmitt says prayers being censored

Stars and Stripes ^ | December 22, 2005 | Leo Shane III

[Former Military Chick]

WASHINGTON — A Navy chaplain who says his Christian prayers are being censored by senior officers began a hunger strike outside the White House on Tuesday, petitioning the president to “let me pray.”

Lt. Gordon Klingenschmitt said he will eat nothing, drink only water, and hold nightly prayer vigils outside the White House until he gets a response.

“I wonder if the president is really endorsing this behavior,” he said. “I’m facing being kicked out because I pray in Jesus’ name.”

Klingenschmitt said he fell out of favor with Navy officials for refusing to drop “Jesus” and other Christian-specific language from his public comments.

He believes his superiors are working toward discharging him from the service and the chaplain’s corps, and has filed a lawsuit against the Navy to keep his post. His contract runs out Dec. 31, and he said officials will not provide the necessary paperwork for him to continue in the chaplain’s role.

Navy spokesman Lt. William Marks said Klingenschmitt is still an active-duty sailor in good standing, has no disciplinary action pending, and has not received any punishment for language used in public forums. He would not comment on the paperwork accusation.

Marks also said that rules governing Navy chaplains do not limit what they can say during religious ceremonies but do specify that chaplains should “focus on practices the faiths have in common” when speaking at secular and public events.

The rules are explained to all chaplains during their training, Marks said, and are the same for all faiths.

Earlier this month, a group of 71 Congressmen sent a letter to President Bush asking him to protect “the constitutional right of military chaplains to pray according to their faith” through an executive order, citing concerns about limits on the language chaplains can use in public forums.

The American Center for Law and Justice has also started a petition drive seeking the same presidential action.

Klingenschmitt said since he announced his hunger strike on Tuesday, he has received support from more than a dozen congressmen for his efforts.

Klingenschmitt served for 11 years in the Air Force, not as a chaplain, before accepting a demotion to become a Navy chaplain three years ago, and has had numerous skirmishes with senior sailors in the past.

He said on one occasion, while serving on the USS Anzio stationed in the Persian Gulf in 2003, a commanding officer turned down his request to allow chaplains of all faiths to conduct nightly prayers in their own words before the sailors sat down to dinner.

In another, commanding officers would not supply kosher food to Jewish sailors, and he was counseled for “causing a stir” when he fought for the sailor, Klingenschmitt said.

[Former Military Chick]

He was a guest on Tucker's show earlier this evening (will post link/portion of transcript when available) discussing his plight. Parts I frankly do not get. I have been to many military services of various faiths and Jesus was used. Never cut out. Now they speak of this as a Navy issue but would this not be part of the entire military.

This is quite frustrating and really wrong in the end. It did appear this young man was trying to find ways to ensure all faiths felt included, not that any other faith complained, is that even more odd.

[MPJackal]

I call BS.

[Tempest]

Strange indeed. He's prayers should not be alone.

[Lancey Howard]

I heard one of this guy's commanding officers on Hannity today (wasn't Hannity, but a guest host whose name I forget). The officer was very well spoken and adamant that Klingenschmitt is being deceptive and underhanded. Frankly, I believed the man. It sounds to me like this Klingenschmitt is a goofball. Sorry.

[Jigsaw John]

I call BS.

Me too. He should be able to say "Jesus".

[TheCrusader]

In WWII the U.S. military command issued small Christian 'pocket Bibles' and little prayer books to most of our troops. Now they try to censure a chaplain for saying Christian prayers. This is how far we have regressed as a Christian nation.

I shudder to think of what will happen to our fighting forces without God's blessings. Even the U.S. military will fail if they reject God.

"He who abides in me---bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. (John 15: 5-6)

[Former Military Chick]

I understand, and well I was not going to go that far in my conclusion. But, your point well is well taken. He was so well enthusitac over us getting invovled. Pushing his website to read his documents and some of what he said just did not jive with what I know of the military.

Will do a little research --

[Former Military Chick]

It is quite interesting when you put his last name in Google and do a search.

Variety of folks supporting him.

[AZRepublican]

All I have to say on this is if the Navy is really trying to censor the word "Jesus" from prayers this would be beyond tryannical. If someone is sensitive to the word Jesus then you don't want that person on your side in combat.

[wouldntbprudent]

A chaplain was on Sean's show today and put the kabash to all of this. The LT is a nut, methinks.

[son of caesar]

not having heard any of the interviews with him or his commanding officer, but based on the latest headlines, im leaning with the chaplain on this. as i have suspected lately and news reports seem to confirm more and more to me, the us govt is the true enemy of christianity. for some reason, the govt always seems to side with the anti god folks, this is what i seem to notice over and over again.

[SkyPilot]

A chaplain was on Sean's show today and put the kabash to all of this. The LT is a nut, methinks.

I didn't hear the Hannity show, and I know nothing about this Navy chaplain.

But I will tell you all this: his complaint is very, very real.

In the Air Force, staff meetings used to be started with a prayer if the Commander so deemed. Catholic, Jewish, and Protestant chaplains rotated the duty.

In the aftermath of the Academy complaint by a radical chaplain Captain (who was 54 years old--her name is Capt. Melinda Morton and she went straight to the NY Times with her complaints) the military has gone overboard and has banned Evangelical and Protestant chaplains from praying in Jesus' name at any public event.

Capt Melinda Morton

Chaplains may still pray in Jesus' name in the base chapel during services, but if they do it outside of chapel (a graduation, a hospital, etc), they are rebuked.

[RoadTest]

Is the New York Times running our militery? our nation? What's going on here?

[Ninian Dryhope]

This guy does not seem right in the head. Hunger strikes in front of the White House are not the way to get things done.

[Sybeck1]

Is that Reno's twin lesbian sister?

[pabianice]

WTF? If this guy is on active duty, he is NOT free to picket the White House and is subject to stiff penalties for doing so. Doesn't he have a job somewhere? This doesn't make any sense.

[SkyPilot]

I don't know if she ever came "out" as a lesbian, but I talked with several former Air Force Academy students who told me she was very hostile to the bible and Christianity.

Pretty strange for someone who is supposed to be a Protestant chaplain and ordained Lutheran Minister.

[SkyPilot]

Here is an article in USA Today.

Check out the sarcasm of the Congressman towards the new politcally correct policy that was adopted.

http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2005-06-28-airforce-religion_x.htm

This blog speaks for the Left, who call Christians "Christo-Fascists."

More from those who take the side that Christianity is "bad." The Feminist Daily News weighed in:

http://www.feminist.org/news/newsbyte/uswirestory.asp?id=9062

[no dems]

Last night after Tucker Carlson's show, my wife and I both sent e-mails to our two Senators, our Congressman, The President and this morning I called the White House.

He was supposed to be on Bill O'Reilly but that was either postponed or cancelled. Anyone know why?