{"id":40120,"date":"2017-03-02T00:30:10","date_gmt":"2017-03-02T03:30:10","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/christianfighterpilot.com\/?p=40120"},"modified":"2017-05-10T01:33:28","modified_gmt":"2017-05-10T04:33:28","slug":"tom-carpenter-gay-chaplains-group-takes-on-tolerance-of-islam","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/christianfighterpilot.com\/blog\/2017\/03\/02\/tom-carpenter-gay-chaplains-group-takes-on-tolerance-of-islam\/","title":{"rendered":"Tom Carpenter, Gay Chaplains Group Takes on Tolerance of Islam"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"In a fascinating example of his tone deaf prejudice, Tom Carpenter of the Forum on the Military Chaplaincy\u00a0managed to, yet again<\/a>, demonstrate his bias when he highlighted Chaplain (LtCol) Khallid Shabazz — the soon-to-be first Muslim Division chaplain<\/a> in the US Army.\u00a0 Carpenter said<\/a>\u00a0Chaplain Shabazz was<\/p>\n

A real world example of how a chaplain of one faith provides support for troops and their family members who do not share his religion.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

It is worth noting\u00a0every<\/em> military chaplain is tasked to provide support even for those who do not share his religion\u00a0— and Carpenter has never provided a “real world example” of one who didn’t<\/em>, though he has certainly made plenty of baseless accusations.<\/p>\n

More tellingly, Carpenter made a fascinating assumption in the form of a rhetorical question:<\/p>\n

Note that most of [Shabazz’s] counseling deals with alcohol problems. As a Muslim, who do not imbibe, does he tell these Christians they must give up alcohol, or that they are sinners for using it in the first instance?<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

First, upon what basis does Carpenter assume the alcoholics are Christians?<\/p>\n

Second, who’s to say Shabazz doesn’t<\/em> describe his religious beliefs on alcohol during his counseling — something Carpenter seems to just\u00a0assume<\/em>.\u00a0 In actuality, the article implies Shabazz’s beliefs do<\/em> play a potentially negative role in his interactions with his troops — a fact Carpenter coyly ignored.<\/p>\n

To the point, though, Chaplain Shabazz’s Islamic<\/strong> faith does not allow the consumption of alcohol or pork, believes homosexuality to be abhorrent, and treats men and women very<\/em> differently. Even so, Carpenter assumes<\/em> Shabazz is a “real world example” of supporting the troops<\/strong>, irrespective of his beliefs.<\/p>\n

Fair enough.\u00a0 That’s a viewpoint that is fairly tolerant of Shabazz’s Islamic beliefs.<\/p>\n

However, while Christianity doesn’t<\/em> prohibit alcohol or pork and presents men and women far more equitably —\u00a0its moral views on homosexuality are similar.<\/p>\n

Yet,\u00a0Tom Carpenter assumes<\/em> a Christian<\/strong> chaplain cannot<\/strong> support the troops because of his beliefs<\/em> — and therefore shouldn’t even be in<\/em> the military<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Why does Tom Carpenter assume a Christian chaplain<\/strong> cannot<\/em> “support all troops” but an Islamic chaplain<\/strong> can<\/em> — when some of their religious beliefs share moral aspects?<\/p>\n

Worse, it seems Tom Carpenter carefully edited his comments to avoid Shabazz’s own admission of the issues his faith has created.\u00a0 Contrary to his portrayal, the context surrounding Carpenter’s citation\u00a0about “Christians” and alcohol reveals that Shabazz’s religious beliefs are<\/em>, in fact, a problem for some troops [emphasis added]:<\/p>\n

Shabazz…has counseled scores of soldiers, the majority of which have sought assistance for alcoholism and relationship problems<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Some have refused to work with Shabazz because of his Muslim faith<\/strong>, but Shabazz says it doesn\u2019t bother him and that he lives by the chaplain\u2019s motto of \u201cperform or provide.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

In other words, some Soldiers know he’s a Muslim and decline to seek counseling on alcohol and relationships<\/em> — they “refused to work with” him\u00a0— because of his religious beliefs<\/em>. (And Shabazz doesn’t even care<\/em>.)<\/p>\n

One could argue this chaplain has\u00a0“alienated” some of his troops because of his beliefs, or that his\u00a0beliefs “make them uncomfortable.”\u00a0If he was a Christian,<\/strong> Carpenter and his supporters would say he was thus unfit to wear the uniform.<\/p>\n

But\u00a0Carpenter\u00a0says\u00a0a Muslim<\/strong> chaplain whose beliefs have the same effect is “supporting all the troops.”<\/p>\n

Does Carpenter not see his self-contradiction?<\/p>\n

In reality, the US military expects<\/em> chaplains to hold to and express their religious beliefs. The US military expects its troops<\/em> to be tolerant of different religious views. Troops certainly don’t have to agree with those beliefs, nor do they have to be religiously counseled under them.<\/p>\n

But troops or their advocates who demand chaplains with “different” religious beliefs be sanctioned or discharged are demonstrating the very prejudice the military says it opposes.<\/p>\n

It’s admirable that Carpenter would judge Shabazz, a Muslim<\/strong>\u00a0chaplain,\u00a0on his conduct and performance rather than the content of\u00a0his religious beliefs, declaring that he “supports all troops” despite having beliefs that discourage some Soldiers from seeking his counsel.<\/p>\n

Kind of makes you wonder\u00a0what personal issue prevents Tom Carpenter from treating a Christian<\/strong> chaplain the same way.<\/p>\n

<\/div>\n

ADVERTISEMENT<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

\n