The armed forces of the United States have chaplains stationed nearly everywhere there are soldiers, sailors, marines, and the like. This is not a new practice but has been in place since the start of our republic. Why is that? It is not a difficult question to answer. The chaplains are meant to minister to the spiritual needs of the military. That is what they have always done and that is what they are and should be doing now.
Lately, however, the existence of chaplains performing this function has come under attack. First, a group of atheists tried to get the Pentagon to accept atheist chaplains into the forces. So far, that move has failed. That is no surprise. Second, an atheist pressure group has attacked an army chaplain for using the phrase "there are no atheists in foxholes" in an article he wrote on a base website. The base commander immediately had the "offending" article removed from the website, but the atheist group is demanding the chaplain be punished for using what they call "faith based hate speech".
The claim that the Constitution requires atheist chaplains or that it bars military chaplains from expressing faith in God is just ridiculous nonsense. The First Amendment prohibits the establishment of a state religion; it does not require that the government work to stamp out religion. The First Amendment protects freedom of speech; it does not allow punishment of religious speech just because another group does not like it. This has always been the law, and there is no reason for it to change now.
So why is there an atheist group pushing this agenda now? Are atheists to become the next big group of supposed "victims" that the left can support? Are we all to become so politically correct that each of us must hide our belief in God? No way!
Each American has the right to believe or not in God. Each American can join whatever religion he or she wants. The people who protect our country in the military do not give up their rights to religion just because they enlist. Quite properly, the military provides chaplains to minister to the troops. And guess what? Christian chaplains will speak in the name of their God, Jewish chaplains will speak in the name of their God, Moslem chaplains will speak in the name of their God. If a Moslem chaplain says, "There is no God but Allah and Mohammed is His prophet", is that to be understood as anti-Christian hate speech? Is it anti-atheist hate speech? Should Jews consider it an attack on them? Of course not! If a Christian chaplain speaks in the name of "our Lord Jesus Christ" is that an attack on the atheists, Jews or Moslems? NO!
There needs to be strong push back against this new effort by the crazies on the left to undermine the faith of millions. The very nature of our country is being threatened.
Lately, however, the existence of chaplains performing this function has come under attack. First, a group of atheists tried to get the Pentagon to accept atheist chaplains into the forces. So far, that move has failed. That is no surprise. Second, an atheist pressure group has attacked an army chaplain for using the phrase "there are no atheists in foxholes" in an article he wrote on a base website. The base commander immediately had the "offending" article removed from the website, but the atheist group is demanding the chaplain be punished for using what they call "faith based hate speech".
The claim that the Constitution requires atheist chaplains or that it bars military chaplains from expressing faith in God is just ridiculous nonsense. The First Amendment prohibits the establishment of a state religion; it does not require that the government work to stamp out religion. The First Amendment protects freedom of speech; it does not allow punishment of religious speech just because another group does not like it. This has always been the law, and there is no reason for it to change now.
So why is there an atheist group pushing this agenda now? Are atheists to become the next big group of supposed "victims" that the left can support? Are we all to become so politically correct that each of us must hide our belief in God? No way!
Each American has the right to believe or not in God. Each American can join whatever religion he or she wants. The people who protect our country in the military do not give up their rights to religion just because they enlist. Quite properly, the military provides chaplains to minister to the troops. And guess what? Christian chaplains will speak in the name of their God, Jewish chaplains will speak in the name of their God, Moslem chaplains will speak in the name of their God. If a Moslem chaplain says, "There is no God but Allah and Mohammed is His prophet", is that to be understood as anti-Christian hate speech? Is it anti-atheist hate speech? Should Jews consider it an attack on them? Of course not! If a Christian chaplain speaks in the name of "our Lord Jesus Christ" is that an attack on the atheists, Jews or Moslems? NO!
There needs to be strong push back against this new effort by the crazies on the left to undermine the faith of millions. The very nature of our country is being threatened.
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