Posted on 02/04/2012 10:25:49 AM PST by bkopto
The emerging conflict between the Catholic Church and the Obama administration may have a new front: in the U.S. military itself.
The Catholic Church is fighting mad about an HHS ruling that would have them buy insurance for things they consider sinful–contraception, sterilization and abortion.
All the bishops in the country sent out a letter to be read in their parishes promising that the Church "cannot-and will not-comply with this unjust law."
Even Archbishop Timothy Broglio, who is in charge of Catholic military chaplains sent out the same letter.
But after he did, the Army's Office of the Chief of Chaplains sent out another communication forbidding Catholic priests to read the letter, in part because it seemed to encourage civil disobedience, and could be read as seditious against the Commander-in-Chief.
More than one Catholic chaplain who spoke to us off the record confirmed that many chaplains disobeyed this instruction and read the letter anyway.
SNIP
The letter also tries to clarify to priests that the Archbishop's letter "concerns a moral, not a political issue."
While it is true that soldiers do not have an unlimited right to free speech or political action, the military does not want to strain relations with the Catholic Church and its chaplains who provide services to many service members of all faiths.
(Excerpt) Read more at articles.businessinsider.com ...
Maybe I missed it.
I’d love to read your perspective on:
A) the current reality about all this
and
B) what you’d recommend to say denominational chaplains under you if you were still in such a role.
Very nicely put! Most folks are just waking up to that hard reality and they don’t quite know what to do about it...It’s all coming to a head and there is only one choice...Praise the Name of the Lord!
YUP TO THE MAX.
RIGHT.
THANKS for refreshing that memory. Love his stuff.
He has one huge set of titanium teflon . . . cajones.
You’re absolutely correct.
You’re absolutely correct.
Very nicely put! Most folks are just waking up to that hard reality and they don’t quite know what to do about it...It’s all coming to a head and there is only one choice...Praise the Name of the Lord!
THANKS FOR YOUR KIND REPLY.
LUB DEAR HEART.
Maybe I missed it.
I’d love to read your perspective on:
A) the current reality about all this
and
B) what you’d recommend to say denominational chaplains under you if you were still in such a role.
AMEN!
THX THX.
“I don’t know that a lot of such opportunities will be presented to the average person.”
And to that I say that opportunities are what you make of them. And so on, and so on.
In closing, we have a difference of opinion on approach. And we both believe in God and love this country. We all have work to do.
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More about the Army Catholic chaplains being told what they can't say. Fortunately some of them said the forbidden things anyway. Oh, and if anyone thinks that the abominable administration will stop at violating the free speech and religious freedoms of Army Catholic chaplains, you need a bucket of cold water dashed in your face to wake you up.
(I’d of had this back to you more timely but my internet went down so I went away for awhile.)
“The part I’m focusing on, Kris, is the instruction from the chief to priests NOT to read a letter to the various military parishes.
THAT is government obstruction of religion. It is the government saying that the Pope and his subordinates are not in charge of the Catholic Church, and that is to include the Catholic Church that meets within the confines of the US military.
So, yes, this is extremely new. I’ve never heard of such a thing before.”
It would seem I think it’s not new because (focusing on the “Full Title” which is what I have been doing) the military is now doing something they have done for a long time in a general way, while you think it is new because the military is now doing that something in a specific way. I don’t know how to resolve that.
As to “government obstruction of religion”, the article does say “Following a discussion between Archbishop Broglio and the Secretary of the Army, The Honorable John McHugh, it was agreed that it was a mistake to stop the reading of the Archbishop’s letter.” That indicates any obstruction was not necessarily on the part of the government as a whole.
As to the UCMJ, (888. ART. 88. CONTEMPT TOWARD OFFICIALS Any commissioned officer who uses contemptuous words against the President, the Vice President, Congress, the Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of a military department, the Secretary of Transportation, or the Governor or legislature of any State, Territory, Commonwealth, or possession in which he is on duty or present shall be punished as a court-martial may direct.) would you maintain that religious freedom is a sufficient defense? Is the use of such contemptuous words per the UCMJ to be permitted as an exercise of religious freedom?
What about sedition? (UCMJ Art94, (a) Any person subject to this chapter who...with intent to cause the overthrow or destruction of lawful civil authority, creates, in concert with any other person, revolt, violence, or disturbance against that authority is guilty of sedition;) Remember, they thought the original letter (which I have not seen) might have been seditious. Is sedition per the UCMJ to be permitted as an exercise of religious freedom?
Should the military permit everything as long as it’s done as an exercise of religious freedom? All religions?
On a separate but related note, what happened to resigning one’s commission in protest if one disapproved too much of something that was being done?
AGREED.
And, if you knew me in my face to face life . . . and maybe better hereon,
you’d know that God has blessed me to enable me to create by His Spirit and grace lots of opportunities where others see lists of impossiblities.
However,
Some things are possible and some things are not.
Even a soldier is bound to disobey an order to murder someone.
I don't see them speaking out on this.
Agree the risk is greater if Obama makes a second term.He’s a danger to freedom.
Our church speaks out on moral issues more than on political issues.
Personally, I’m not at all happy with the wimpy to silent responses of most Proddy groups and leaders on such issues.
On the other hand, with different fingers . . . Proddy Pentecostal groups tend to focus more on getting people into a Salvation relationship with Jesus and then growth and Discipleship in His Spirit.
Nevertheless, I think you make a good point. If I had anything to say about it, they’d be screaming bloody murder about such issues.
Evidently they pick their battles differently.
Thankfully, I’m not their judge, either.
I might add . . .
Most Pentecostal groups have a high respect for following proper authority
UNLESS AND UNTIL
IT CROSSES THE LINE ABOUT GOD’S TURF AND AUTHORITY.
I HOPE they would agree with the RC’s on this score in this situation. I believe most would. The more courageous amongst them would engage in civil disobedience, if it came to that, in such situations. Perhaps the majority of them would.
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