Judge Roy MooreChaplains
restricted praying in the name of Jesus<>
It's a
shame that Chaplains like Gordon Klingenschmitt, who are not afraid
to express their faith or preach or pray in the name of Jesus, are
receiving punishment instead of praise and promotion.
In the
Chaplain's Wake
Chaplain
Klingenschmitt is not the only chaplain in military service who
desires to pray in the name of Jesus. There are most likely many
evangelical chaplains watching this case closely to see how it
affects them. What the Navy has done to Chaplain Klingenschmitt will
have a ripple effect through the Navy and the other branches of the
armed forces. Chaplains are now on notice that too much zeal for
their faith is punishable and their freedom to pray is now severely
curtailed.
The Navy's
policy restricting prayers should be changed to allow chaplains the
freedom to pray according to their conscience. If the Navy does not,
then it is the Commander-in-Chief?s duty to make it right and see to
it that the religious freedom of
America?s
military chaplains is fully protected.
Read more
details at:
http://morallaw.org/blog/?p=44
Judge Roy
Moore writes in World Net Daily:
On Sept.
12, 2006, a special court-martial will be convened charging Lt.
Gordon J. Klingenschmitt, a chaplain in the U.S. Navy, with
violations of an order from a superior officer regarding his March
30, 2006, appearance in uniform at a press conference in
Washington,
D.C. I was also present at that press conference and have been
subpoenaed to testify on Chaplain Klingenschmitt's behalf.
Chaplain
Klingenschmitt's problems actually stem from his continued
opposition to a Feb. 21, 2006, directive from the secretary of the
Navy that provided, in part, that "absent extraordinary
circumstances," "religious elements" performed by chaplains "should
be non-sectarian in nature," i.e., that prayers during public
worship should not be made in the name of Jesus.
Klingenschmitt has protested verbally and in writing to President
Bush about this policy, for which he has received adverse fitness
reports, reprimands and even transfers for his "whistleblower"
activities. His letters to the president through his chain of
command have been returned as inappropriate because of his "personal
views." Moreover, some 75 members of Congress, 29 pro-family groups
and over 200,000 Americans have also petitioned the president to
enforce the law, 10 U.S.C. � 6031, which provides that an "officer
in the Chaplain Corps may conduct public worship according to the
manner and forms of the church of which he is a member."
The truth
is that while Chaplain Klingenschmitt may have run afoul of a
"politically correct" military command, his actions do not violate
either the First Amendment to the United States Constitution or the
specific law (10 U.S.C. � 6031) designed to protect his right to
pray.
The Naval
Chaplaincy was created by the Continental Congress Nov. 28, 1775, to
ensure that "the Commanders of the ships of the 13 United Colonies
are to take care that divine services be performed twice a day on
board and a sermon preached on Sundays, unless bad weather or
extraordinary accidents prevent." (Emphasis added.) Section 6031
still retains the requirement that "divine service ... be performed
on Sunday, whenever the weather and other circumstances allow it to
be done," which is a recognition of the "Christian Sabbath."
Read the
rest of the article at:
http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=51844
and more
comments listed at:
http://morallaw.org/blog/?p=40
Alabama's
ousted Ten Commandments judge says a Navy chaplain charged with
disobeying an order by appearing in uniform at a news conference at
the White House is being persecuted for praying in Jesus' name.
Former Alabama Chief Justice Roy Moore, who spoke at the March 30th
event, had been subpoenaed to testify for the defense at Lieutenant
Gordon Klingenschmitt's court-martial in Norfolk.?
http://www.wtkr.com/Global/story.asp?S=5403107&nav=ZolHbyvj
President
Bush, the Secretary of Defense, or the Secretary of the Navy, have
the power by executive order to restore the historic right of
chaplains to pray in the name of Jesus. It is time for President
Bush and those who work for him to implement action to protect our
faith. Congress may also re-instate that authority. You may call
your congressman and ask them to do so at: 202-224-3121. |