Posted on 03/18/2015 3:22:39 PM PDT by Jim Robinson
Using language that once kept open gays out of the military, the commanding officer of the Navy Nuclear Power Training Command is using identical language to remove a Christian Chaplain from his duties.
The Commander says certain kinds of Christian teachings are harmful to “unit cohesion” and “military readiness.”
In a sharply-worded memo, Modder’s commander denied his request for a “religious accommodation” in a disciplinary process that has relieved him of his command and could kick him out of the Navy forever. Modder stands accused of homophobia and insensitivity–though, in the official documents, the term is “substandard performance”–which could trump all the accolades he has received in almost 20 years of service and throw his professional life into ruin.
The commander said his decision was based on “military readiness, unit cohesion, health, safety, morale, good order, discipline, and mission accomplishment.” Further, he said, “Your ability to express your religious beliefs during pastoral counseling has not been restricted or substantially burdened.”
Modder’s commander also charges him with not being sensitive. “Under the core capability of ‘care’ you have the duty to be sensitive to the religious, spiritual, moral, cultural, and personal differences of those you serve.”
His commander said Modder did not properly “comfort” those who came to him for counseling.
Lieutenant Commander Wesley Modder has ministered to Navy personnel under fire in Iraq and Afghanistan, including the Navy SEALs, and has received uniformly glowing reviews from his superiors. Until the recent controversy, Modder’s commander had him on the “early promote” list.
A junior officer who worked temporarily in Modder’s office recently brought formal charges against him. The junior officer, who did not identify himself to Chaplain Modder as either “gay” or “married” to another man, accused Modder of denigrating homosexuality and sex outside of marriage.
(Excerpt) Read more at breitbart.com ...
And certain teachings of Islam are not?
Dont' quote me on this, but there was discussion about omitting bestiality from the UCMJ as well.
Color me surprised. Not.
I am a former family life chaplain. I was never required to give up my denominational beliefs when counseling. I had an ethical obligation to be up front about them, but the bottom line is that I am not allowed by both the denomination and the US Code to be an unfaithful representative of my denomination.
The other issue is that this chaplain was NOT counseling this ‘homosexual lieutenant’. As I dug into this, it appears the LT was working in his office for some reason and would ask hypothetical questions about what the chaplain would do in this and that circumstance, would ask what the chaplain believed, etc.
I can give no good reason for a lieutenant to be on special duty in a chaplain’s office. Chaplain assistants are not commissioned officers. They are enlisted. I’m Army, so the Naval chaplaincy could have some differences. Perhaps they were in a shared office space reception area.
In the long run, it doesn’t matter. For a chaplain to talk about sin in a counseling session is just fine. That’s not just within the scope of their duties. There is a necessity for them to the true to their denomination.
At least in my Army experience, once someone asked another (chaplain or not) what their views were on something they could not be held as 'preaching' or 'proselytising.' I was in the position to investigate two instances of one sharing one's faith and one 'forcing' his religion on another.
First case was an NCO who was Christian. He helped a Soldier who lost a family member get ready for EML while in theater. As they waited for air transport to Kuwait from Iraq, the Soldier asked the NCO 'how he keeps together so well and is always helping folks out.' The NCO then shared his Christian faith. Another NCO reported him as taking advantage of someone grieving with pressing his religion. This was easily dismissed at the lowest level of command. No foul and the complaint (not made by the Soldier) was dismissed.
The second one is a bit weird. We had a young SGT as an LNO in an Iraqi operations center. He became friends with an Iraqi interpreter, they shared lunches talked about their faith, family etc. One day the SGT was overcome, in his words, that his Iraqi friend would perish as a Muslim. He got a bottle of water and attempted to baptize the Muslim. This situation would have become ugly if not for the Iraqi interpreter telling the SGT's superiors that "he meant well, he is still my friend but I did not appreciate his actions. Please do not punish him." Based on that I recommended the SGT be transferred to another site and a letter of concern given. Some forces other than me and the SGT's commander wanted his head. Cooler heads prevailed.
That is you holding your flag. : )
It is not I who advocates Christians abandoning the military. That surrender monkey would be Sara Johnson.
You still mad? LOL
Mad at cowards and surrender monkeys. I am.
You don’t even know what you are talking about. Don’t post to me again until you do some reading. You do your brave son no favor by playing stupid.
Doesn't work that way. I shall post to you every time I see you advocating for Christians to boycott the military.
I do not believe that preemptive surrender is a tactic that helps in recovering our Free Republic.
You obviously do.
You’d do better reading and writing some stern letters to those abusing our troops, especially Christians, than nagging me like an old kook. But, that is probably above your little surrender monkey head.
My representatives have heard from me. And FR has heard your surrender tactic. In my small way I am fighting back while you are running away.
You seem unwilling to defend yourself, so I will leave you to cower in your hidey hole.
Woooo, you really, really scare me with your mighty name calling and ignorance, dono. LOL Get lost.
This is a travesty, but it it to be expected. I served 23 years and our youngest reports to Basic training 1 Jun, so you could say that we are pro military. Democrats rape the military EVERY time and Republicans support the military EVERY time. With that being said I have seen the military denigrate slowly but surely to PC correctness during my career. At some point we will be so non combat ready that by design the UN will be justified to do the job. I also believe that the Federal civilian police force will be bolstered to fill the vacuum, just my .02 cents worth.
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