Military Is Telling Catholic Chaplains What They Can And Can't Say About the Obama Administration

Business Insider ^ | Feb 3, 2012 | Michael Brendan Dougherty

[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.

[hoosiermama]

Have found there are many ways to contribute with time rather than money....

$$$$$ is given way to much emphasis in my opinion.

[FreedomPoster]

Jerry Pournelle had some interesting comments on this move by Obama concerning Catholic institutions:

“Some years ago the California legislature contemplated a law that would require any hospital that had a maternity ward to perform abortions on demand.

The elderly Mother Superior who ran St. Joseph’s hospital went to the legislature and said as follows:

I am as abbess of the order that owns this hospital a corporation sole, and I own this hospital. If you pass this law I will send all the patients to other hospitals, discharge the staff, cancel all the insurance policies, and order the demolition of all the buildings. Thank you.

Now she was very much of the Old School, and no one doubted she meant every word of it. The law never got to the floor of the assembly. I have no idea what President Obama thinks he is doing here, but I cannot see how this will help him be reelected.”

From here:
http://jerrypournelle.com/chaosmanor/?p=5308
towards the bottom.

Obama has tweaked the Catholics because he and his people think it great fun. I don’t think they understand what they have done to themselves. At least I hope I am right about this, not being a Catholic. But my take is that this may wake up a lot of always-voted-Dem old school Catholics.

[Magic Fingers]

“A whole bunch of people got suckered into voting for that Kenyan poser.Unless those same voters have been sleeping or in a coma for the last 3 years,they have no excuse this time around.”

He’s half-black, and that will trump everything for racists and the guilt-ridden.

[upchuck]

At some point, if this keeps up, we who side with freedom, liberty, God, and the Individual will HAVE to break the law, just as those who fought for civil rights in the past.

Well said and I agree completely. Please see my tag line. There are lots and lots of people who agree with us.

[MamaDearest]

Does it seem to you as if WWII never ended? Because it sure is beginning to seem that way to me.

All the so-called "conspiracy theories" seem to be proving themselves plausible indeed. From the same link these eye-openers:

--------------------

According to Communist doctrine as well as to many forms of Socialist thinking, the state, the national state, is supposed to wither away. (isn't the destruction of the Constitution happening right now today?)

In January of 1989, for example, a delegation of the Trilateral Commission came to see Gorbachev. It included [former Japanese Prime Minister Yasuhiro] Nakasone, [former French President Valéry] Giscard d’Estaing, [American banker David] Rockefeller and [former US Secretary of State Henry] Kissinger. They had a very nice conversation where they tried to explain to Gorbachev that Soviet Russia had to integrate into the financial institutions of the world, such as Gatt, the IMF and the World Bank. (tentacles of the rich and powerful showing total control of GATT, the IMF, World Bank and all things monetary)

In the middle of it Giscard d’Estaing suddenly takes the floor and says: “Mr President, I cannot tell you exactly when it will happen – probably within 15 years – but Europe is going to be a federal state and you have to prepare yourself for that.

You have to work out with us, and the European leaders, how you would react to that, how would you allow the other Easteuropean countries to interact with it or how to become a part of it, you have to be prepared.” (voila the disastrous "Euro")

[BulletBobCo]

http://www.armytimes.com/community/ask_lawyer/military_askthelawyer_070827w/

Interesting article.

[Jmouse007]

This is the reason why many qualified men never enter the U.S. military as Chaplains. The govenment controls what they can and can not say or how they can and can not minister.

[G Larry]

“...seditious against the Commander-in-Chief..”

We could use more of that....

[Repeat Offender]

The Military Is Now Telling Catholic Chaplains What They Can And Can't Say About The Obama Administration

13 years and I have yet to hear a Chaplain say "Jesus" at an invocation. Just "god" whoever that may be.

It isn't just the 0 admin....this has been going on for quite some time.

[familyop]

The UCMJ (military law) doesn’t allow military officers to criticize the Commander-in-Chief. ...learned that when Clinton was in office. We enlisted types had the duty of doing all of the complaining about the Pres. back then. ;-)

[CH3CN]

Please, can you post a link to something (credible) about the exemption for muzlims? I will need it when I start shooting off my mouth in my locale.

[OldNavyVet]

Speaking of leeway, the story of Catholic Chaplain Otto Sporrer's action at Chosin Reservoir indicates that Chaplains can turn themselves into combat commanders.

And so it must be that chaplains have some leeway as to what they really are: under God's command, common sense command, or Obama's command.

Chaplain Otto Sporrer was awarded a Silver Star for taking command and successfully leading American forces in an extreme retreat situation. That action is mentioned in the book telling Chesty Puller's story.

[itsahoot]

They have the RIGHT under their religion to oversea what is part of their belief.

No only Muslim Doctors have that right, even to say they are not obligated to defend the Constitution because their loyalty is to Allah, and Sharia, then go of and kill a bunch of people in a work related incident.

[DTogo]

Military officers swear an Oath to "uphold and defend the Constitution of the United StatesI against all enemies, foreign and domestic..."

They do not take an oath to obey politicians and/or orders that violate the Constitution.

[Caipirabob]

Fag-i-fied military leadership...

[rwa265]

Wise words from my old man when I was drafted in 1970:

“Keep your eyes and ears open, your mouth shut, and don’t volunteer for nothing.”

[tillacum]

Me too.

[KrisKrinkle]

Your UNIFORM CODE OF MILITARY JUSTICE violates the US Constitution in numerous instances, such as this one. I personally piss on it as well as those who think it’s the law of the land.

It's not mine, it's Congress':

Article I, Section 8: "The Congress shall have Power...To make Rules for the Government and Regulation of the land and naval Forces;"

That's from the US Constitution.

Now take your uncivil, hostile ignorance and sod off.

[Farmer Dean]

He’s half black and 100 percent socialist.A person would have to be stupid AND evil to vote for him now.

[tillacum]

Let’s hope the 54% of Catholics who voted democrat the last time wake up.