Tag Archives: Chaplain

Chuck Norris, Religious Liberty, and Michael Weinstein

Chuck Norris recently cited “36 examples of religious liberty assault” (in Part 1 and Part 2) to defend an assertion that religious liberty is under attack in America.  About a third of his examples involved the US military, all of which have been discussed here before (amplifying remarks follow):

  • Culture and courts are also trumping citizens’ First Amendment rights who are refusing on religious grounds not to support or participate with groups and events that run contrary to their faith and practice. As a result, wedding cake bakers, T-shirt makers, bed and breakfast owners, pastry shops, high-school teachers, military chaplains, restaurant owners, photographers, parents, churches and others have been harassed, bullied, suspended, fired and sued for merely exercising their Christian beliefs. [As described by CARL.]
  • A three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit ruled that a cross displayed as part of the Mt. Soledad Veterans Memorial in San Diego, Read more

Chaplain Receives Distinguished Service Award

As announced by the US Navy, the Military Chaplain Association awarded its 2013 Distinguished Service Award to US Navy Chaplain (Lt) Karen Rector:

“In a lifetime of service at sea, Chaplain Karen Rector is clearly the best chaplain that I have sailed with,” said Capt. Daniel B. Uhls, USS Hue City commanding officer. “Chaplain of the year is a prestigious award that is in place to recognize the service’s finest, and I don’t believe anyone would have to look any further than Karen.”

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US Military Chaplain Joins Others on the Supreme Court and DOMA

A US Army Chaplain’s comments on the upcoming Supreme Court hearings on the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), regarding his faith and religious liberty:

“If DOMA is declared unconstitutional, then it will initiate the assured drive in our society and government to give warrant and support to numerous other unspeakable sexual acts as normative. In the past two years since DADT was repealed, (which was the vehicle by which homosexuals gained official government recognition and approval of their immoral lifestyle), we have seen appeals by those who advocate for the public acceptance of polygamy, pedophilia and even bestiality in our educational institutions and government, using the very same fallacious arguments the homosexual movement has used over the last several decades to gain public acceptance. And just last week there was a public call in the national media for the US military to now allow those given to transvestism (cross dressing) to also have the freedom to openly serve in our ranks. The repeal to DADT certainly opened Pandora’s Box. But striking down DOMA would pry it open.

“If DOMA is repealed, it will hit the military first. And no one will face the pressure, persecution and disfavor more than the military chaplains. Why? Because we are the Read more

A Catholic Priest, Imam, and Anglican Walk into a Chapel…

A writer with Combined Joint Task Force – Horn of Africa had a witty beginning to his story on the work of chaplains with their counterparts in the Kenyan military:

A Kenyan catholic priest, Anglican priest, and Muslim imam walk into a chapel.

This is not the start of a joke, but the beginning of a new partnership between Kenyan and U.S. military chaplains…Kenyan army Lt. Col. Alfayo Lelei, Kenyan air force Lt. Col. Lucas Gatobu and Kenyan army Maj. Mohamed Shukry [joined American chaplains] to discuss ways to better serve U.S. and Kenyan service members’ spiritual needs.

While chaplains protect the religious rights of those in the US military, some also serve “strategic” goals of the US military, engaging local religious leaders during conflicts and, as here, helping other nations in the development of their chaplaincies.

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Dobbins Reserve Base Saves Historic Chapel by Moving It

Dobbins Air Reserve Base, located in Marietta, Georgia, needed to modify its entry gate to comply with increased security measures.  As a result, the 60-year-old base chapel was slated to be demolished.

The chapel played an important role for more than 60 years as a spiritual home to airmen and their families. It was deployed to Europe during World War II. After the war, it was acquired by the Georgia Air National Guard through private donation. Placed on then active-duty Dobbins Air Force Base, it was dedicated to veterans who served their country in World War II by Army Brig. Gen. J.H. O’Neil, Third Army chaplain.

O’Neil is known for writing Army Gen. George Patton’s prayer for Read more

MRFF Allies Target Troops’ Religious Freedoms — Out of Spite

It’s one thing to disagree with another person’s ideology.  It is quite another to participate in an event for the sole purpose of denying others access to that same support and religious liberty.

Advocates for the Military Religious Freedom Foundation recently bantered about attending a Strong Bonds marriage enrichment seminar not to strengthen their marriages, but solely to take surreptitious video of the illegal “indoctrination.”  It seems they are openly attempting to gather “physical evidence” for Michael Weinstein’s “war” on religious liberty in the US military:

According to his Facebook account that’s US Soldier Daron Williams telling Army spouse Katie Aerumnous to ‘record the prayer so you can file a complaint’ — about a voluntary event she would be choosing to attend — with the sole goal of denying future Read more

Chaplain Kapaun to Receive Medal of Honor

As previously revealed, the White House officially announced Chaplain (Capt) Emil Kapaun will posthumously receive the Medal of Honor:

Kapaun will receive the award posthumously for his extraordinary heroism while serving with 3rd Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division, during combat operations in Unsan, Korea, and as a prisoner of war, according to the White House announcement…

The commanding General of the unit in which Chaplain Kapaun served Read more

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