More Chaplains, Endorsers Raise Concerns over DADT Repeal
After the recent ADF publication of a letter from 66 former military Chaplains opposing the repeal of DADT on religous freedom grounds, Christianity Today printed a similarly themed article from civilian Chaplains and endorsing agencies.
The Southern Baptist Convention, which has the most chaplains of any denomination at nearly 450, passed a resolution in June against the repeal of DADT, claiming that a large percentage of currently serving military personnel said they would not reenlist or would end their careers early should the policy be repealed.
The Presbyterian Church in America sent a letter to President Obama and military leaders in July, charging that chaplains might be reprimanded for preaching against homosexuality or refusing to marry homosexual couples.
There remains honest concern among Chaplains of the potential impacts to religious freedom:
However, if a chaplain tells a gay couple that he believes their lifestyle is detrimental to them as human beings, he may be accused of discrimination, Vicalvi said.
So, a bunch of people who were against desegregation are also opposed to equality for gay people. Well, I am so surprised!
God must have loved gay people to have made so many of them.
I don’t foresee chaplains being asked to preside over gay marriages any more than they’re asked to preside over religious services outside their own faith.
Phoenix,
Then you don’t know the lingo of the military. If sexual preference is treated as MEO (Military Equal Opportunity) then a chaplain refusing to treat a gay couple the same as a heterosexual couple will have the same reprimand as a chaplain who treats a white couple different from a black couple.
By the way, the proposed bill has a provision that sexual preference will be categorized under MEO.
Is religion an MEO?
Don,
Good question, my understanding is yes, but most MEO complaints are racial rather than religious.
Paraphrase from military policies:
However, from AFPD 52-1 (see this page):
This second quote prevents Chaplains from being required to perform religious rites inconsistent with their faiths. The question is whether or not this protects Chaplains for “preaching against homosexuality.” It provides no protection for non-Chaplains with those same theological beliefs.
So in regards to the comment about marriage, the earlier poster was correct.
Don,
In light of the regs JD pulled up, i’m thinking it would be more of an issue for non-Chaplains.
Here’s a scenario: DADT is repealed in currently proposed legislation, a GLBT troop asks for relationship counsel from a superior, superior expresses that he is unable to give counsel because of his moral convictions or expresses that he is opposed to GLBT relationships.
Contrast that scenario with this one: troop is a promiscuous person and has a pregnancy scare, troop asks his superior for guidance. Due to moral convictions, the superior advises the troop that it is better to be abstinent until in a solid, exclusive relationship called marriage; i.e. the superior is opposed to sexual relationships outside of marriage.
If the current bill is passed, the first superior could be charged with MEO, the second would not. The first situation is categorically different than a superior who would not give counsel because the race of the troop, which is 100% wrong both legally and morally.