As a civilian pastor I can’t go to your office to check up on you, but as an Army chaplain, everywhere you go, that’s where I am.
With that, Chaplain (Maj) Michael J. King succinctly describes one of the benefits to the armed services of having military Chaplains. The Chaplain also explained the “perform or provide” role of the military Chaplain: Read more
General George W. Casey, Army Chief of Staff, recently spoke about making resiliency training, which is currently used in varying forms across the service, an Army-wide program.
Despite incorrect prior accusations, the proposed resiliency program is not a religiously-based effort. The article specifically mentions the maligned Fort Hood Resiliency Campus, Read more
Military members are free to participate in the religious acts that they choose. At times, the military even encourages its servicemembers to learn more about religion. Such experiences may include observing or even participating in religious events.
In India recently, US soldiers engaged in a joint exercise took the opportunity to participate in yoga. Far from the more fitness-oriented experience in America, yoga is commonly associated with eastern religions practiced in India (where it is believed to have originated).
The benefits of cultural tolerance and understanding is Read more
FoxNews reported on a gym in Massachusetts that hung a large flag inside. Some complained that it blocked the TVs. Others said it was offensive. The report quoted one person who said hanging the flag was like “putting a Jesus cross in my face.”
The owner of the gym Read more
As previously discussed, a civilian author recently criticized a military Chaplain for “expressing contempt” for the Constitution when he made “derogatory remarks about Islam:”
When a uniformed officer of the US military makes derogatory remarks about Islam, he’s violating [his] oath and expressing contempt of the First Amendment.
The comment was made by Jeff Sharlet, posting under the moniker Ishmael, on the Daily Kos website. Sharlet is also the author of The Family, a book that purports to be an expose on a secretive and conspiratorial religious organization (the “Christian Mafia”) attempting to influence the US government.
The comment was in defense of Chris Rodda, the Military Religious Freedom Foundation researcher, when she criticized Camp David Chaplain (LtCdr) Carey Cash for his religious views. Sharlet’s use of the word “derogatory” notwithstanding, is he right? Can a religious leader of one faith in the military say nothing negative about another–even if such statements are consistent with the tenets of their faith?
The core question: Can a Chaplain (or any other military officer) espouse specific, even exclusive, religious ideology?
The shortest, most accurate answer: Read more
Recently, a Fellowship of Christian Athletes event was held at a local Florida high school under seemingly innocent and legal circumstances. The initial news report simply described the event, in which hundreds of students gathered in the school’s bleachers in the evening to “celebrate their faith.”
However, the event has now been criticized by some who have said they were “uncomfortable” with it, despite the fact that it appears to have met all necessary restrictions and followed all rules concerning legality and Constitutionality.
Rabbi James H. Perman of the local Naples, Florida, community was a former Air Force Chaplain in Vietnam Read more
While the nature of war spawned the cliche that “there are no atheists in foxholes,” another stereotype of religion and war is sometimes overlooked: those that grow to doubt their faith because of the brutal combat that they see–and participate in.
That questioning spirit is the objective of Chaplain (Maj) Dale Forrester. He is the unit Chaplain for a Warrior Transition Battalion, which is composed of those who will likely not return to their unit. Forrester was formerly Read more
Afghans recently protested an alleged incident in which ‘foreign soldiers’ burned a Quran during a raid. NATO and US force representatives denied that any such incident occurred, instead calling it a Taliban rumor.
Perhaps more interesting were the actions the protestors took. While a few Americans claim that US actions are convincing the Muslim world that Americans are on a Christian ‘crusade,’ the protestors repeated the more common accusation: Read more