Gen Richardson on Attacks on Faith, Chapel Ministries
US Air Force Chief of Chaplain (MajGen) Cecil Richardson recently spoke to the Fairchild AFB National Prayer Luncheon on prayer, where he also noted the “relentless attacks on people of faith and traditional values” that have recently characterized the public discourse:
“It’s to pray for ourselves, our community, units, friends, families and leaders,” said the Air Force’s ranking chaplain.
“It’s also a time to pause and remind ourselves despite the relentless attacks on people of faith and traditional values, we are still one nation under God.”
Contrary to some claims that spiritual ministry is confined to the four walls of a chapel, Chaplain Richardson emphasized the broad outreach of the chapel ministry:
“A chapel-based ministry can be at the tail of a C-17 or in front of a KC-135. There’s been many times I’ve stood on top of a vehicle, declared it a chapel and done and outdoor worship service. Anytime you gather people together to worship, you can declare it a chapel and that’s a chapel base ministry.”
Chaplain Richardson noted that men and women who join the US military do not abdicate their religious rights to practice their faith, merely because they have donned the uniform:
“It’s important people know when they join the military, they don’t give up their rights as Americans,” Richardson said. “The chaplain corps exists to make sure when Americans join the military, they don’t lose their opportunity to freely practice their faith.”
Chaplains within the US military work to protect the religious liberties of all US troops, regardless of their faith.
There are no relentless attacks on people of faith and traditional values. There are, however, better late than never spirited defenses against Christian hegemony in the armed forces and other areas. It’s the old inch and a mile saw. Christians, especially the hard core ones, have had it easy in a country that caters to them. They take advantage of good natured but stupid people who give them their way time aftert time and look the other way even when the constitution is being used by them for toilet paper.
Now, not being able to hornswoggle the military as much as before and not getting their way in every dispute our Dominionist Christian friends are crying foul.
No longer will Chrtistian zealots be able to control the military in the ways they used to. Oh they will continue to try and Theocfatize the armed forces and th country.
All I can say is I hope when the General hops on a car to preach, that it is his own and not mine or someone elses.