Tag Archives: religious freedom

Crusader Crosses Removed from US Afghan Chapel

NBC reports the US military chapel at Forward Operating Base Orgun-E was improperly displaying Christian crosses, and the Army has ordered them removed and covered over:

U.S. military commanders in Afghanistan on Thursday ordered the removal of a steeple and crucifix erected over a remote American base in the Muslim country after a soldier deployed there noted that the symbols violated Army regulations…

Doors with cross-shaped windows were reportedly boarded up until they can be replaced.

This has happened before, and, as noted previously, it is not really a significant event.  The article accurately notes Army regulations (not DoD regulations) dictate Read more

Chaplains, Church Ministries Team to Aid Troops

The Fort Campbell Religious Support Office recently sponsored a “ministry fair” attended by

nearly 200 ministry leaders, mental health professionals and volunteers

for the purpose of helping the faith and military communities work together to support troops.

Fort Campbell’s Religious Support Office hosted the ministry fair to familiarize the faith community with the 571 support programs the military base offers to help soldiers and military families in crisis, encompassing 40 different areas of need, including soldier and family assistance, chaplaincy, medical support and prevention programs.

The effort is similar to one by the Southern Baptist Convention, led by retired Read more

Pentagon Backs Army Spouse Club on Homosexuals

According to Buzzfeed, the Pentagon has supported Fort Bragg’s stance that an Army spouse group is not required to accept homosexuals:

Pentagon spokesman Nathan Christensen explained the current policy to BuzzFeed: “When [a private group] asks for authority to operate on a base, it must comply with all applicable DOD instructions and directives and laws, in this case [Department of Defense Instruction] 1000.15.”…

A Pentagon spokesman added late Tuesday that the Department of Defense “neither drafts, executes nor exercises control over the Club or its governing documents. Private organizations who adhere to the criteria outlined in applicable instructions are allowed base access.”

Technically, the Pentagon isn’t backing the group — they’re backing the law.  Since neither federal law nor military regulations require special accommodation based on sexual preference, neither does the Army.

If that’s the official Pentagon interpretation, though, it may leave some Marine lawyers in an awkward position.

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Religious Freedom Day, 16 January 2013

Each year since 1993 the President has declared January 16th to be “Religious Freedom Day,” in order to remember the passage of Thomas Jefferson’s 1786 Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom (see 2009). President Obama has not yet issued his proclamation this year but will likely do so today [Update: Now here].  CitizenLink, associated with Focus on the Family, noted an irony in the forthcoming Presidential proclamation while the Administration is being sued — for impinging upon religious freedom.

Jefferson’s statute continues to be a strong expression for the value of Read more

Chaplain Teams Trained on Caring for Themselves

An article at Army.mil notes some religious support teams spend so much time caring for others they may neglect their own well-being:

These RST’s work hard to provide moral, ethical and spiritual leadership to their units. On a weekly basis, they care for hundreds of Soldiers from diverse backgrounds and provide counseling for issues ranging from interpersonal relationships to combat stress…

“Compassion fatigue and burnout is a very real problem,” said Read more

Mohler on Homosexuality and the Moral Revolution

Dr. Albert Mohler, speaking on the “imbroglio” of the planned and then reversed decision to have Pastor Louis Giglio give the benediction at President Obama’s inauguration, made some particularly astute observations.

In short, Pastor Giglio was not welcome once it became clear he had once preached a Christian doctrine:

A Christian pastor has been effectively disinvited from delivering an inaugural prayer because he believes and teaches Christian truth…

Mohler notes that “avoiding” the issue of homosexuality, with a view to public perception, is a “failed strategy:”  Read more

US Military Chaplains, Needed and Serving

A quick article local to Fort Campbell notes the vast religious support structure provided to Army Soldiers at the sprawling base, as well as the troops’ demand for it:

There are over 50 chaplains and 50 chaplain assistants at Fort Campbell…There are seven chapels on post…

In addition to Catholic services, there are Protestant services for those who are Baptist, Presbyterian, United Methodist, Episcopal, Church of Christ, Assembly of God and other Protestant traditions, as well as Read more

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