Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell Changes May Impact Chaplains

With the Obama administration’s recent efforts to allow homosexuals to openly serve in the US military, some organizations are beginning to describe the impact that such a policy change could have on US military Chaplains.

As reported by the Catholic News Agency, the Alliance Defense Fund is one such group.  The CNA said

Proposed changes allowing homosexuals to serve openly in the military could marginalize military chaplains from religions which consider homosexual acts sinful, a religious liberty group has warned.

The ADF specifically said that the ‘affirmation’ of homosexuality in the military would result in

a military policy that is completely at odds with the morality expressed by many of its Chaplains.

Logistical issues may be as simple as whether or not a Chaplain would be required, despite his beliefs, to allow homosexuals to serve in a religous service:

Problems may arise concerning whether chaplains must allow soldiers who openly engage in homosexual behavior to lead worship services or to serve in other lay leadership roles. Another concern for the ADF is whether chaplains may make public statements critical of homosexual behavior or military policy on the issue.

The ADF wrote a letter to President Obama expressing these views.  The letter is available on the ADF site.

Via the Army Chaplaincy Blog.