Chaplains threatened, retaliated for Religious Views. Hero Congressman Steps Up.
It seems like common sense. Chaplains should be free to express their religious beliefs, and freely teach and counsel against immorality in our military. But after repeal of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell," religious liberty of our military chaplains and troops is under attack.
Focus on the Family reports good news: "Late last week, Rep. Tim Huelskamp, R-Kan.,introduced a bill aiming to protect chaplains and other members of the Armed Services who oppose homosexuality from being targeted for discrimination. It also seeks to keep military property from being used to perform same-sex ceremonies.
"In part, the Military Religious Freedom Protection Act (HR 3828) reads that 'a service member cannot be denied promotion or other training opportunities for any sincerely held beliefs he has about the appropriate or inappropriate expression of human sexuality.'"Though the First Amendment to the Constitution already protects those rights, Huelskamp said in a press release it’s necessary to shore them up with a law since the repeal of the military’s Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell (DADT) policy.
"Fundamental to the core of this nation is the protection of religious liberty," Huelskamp said. "The Military Religious Freedom Protection Act will ensure that none of our men and women in uniform - including our chaplain corps - is asked to compromise their religious and spiritual beliefs. It will also protect the freedom of those in the military to express vocally the tenets of their faiths. And it will make certain that our military facilities are not used in contravention to the federal Defense of Marriage Act, which states that marriage is between one man and one woman only.
[CHAPS COMMENT: Military chapels in all 50 states must now be open to desecration.]
"Military installations exist to carry out the national defense of our nation, not to facilitate a narrow social agenda," said Huelskamp.
"According to the Chaplain Alliance for Religious Liberty, the repeal immediately created achilling effect on free speech among the troops and a 'climate of fear' for chaplains who didn’t know what their rights were in the new environment, especially when it came to addressing and speaking about homosexual behavior," FOTF continued.
"In some cases, said Executive Director Ron Crews, chaplains "suffered retaliation, including having their careers threatened, for being 'politically incorrect.'"
Let's petition Congress to support this new bill...
Please select here to sign urgent petition, and we will fax all 535 Congressmen and Senators (saving you time!) to PROTECT MILITARY CHAPLAINS AND TROOPS RELIGIOUS FREEDOM to oppose immorality, and co-sponsor and pass H.R. 3828.
The National Organization of Marriage President Brian Brown wrote:
"Did you see this day coming?
"Who would have thought we needed a federal statute to protect military chaplains-and other servicemen and women-who believe that marriage is between one man and one woman?
"But just months after the repeal of Don't Ask Don't Tell, there is a full-on battle for marriage raging within our nation's armed forces.
"Last April, the Navy issued new 'sensitivity training' guidelines that required Navy chaplains to perform same-sex marriages. Thanks to leadership from Congressmen Tim Huelskamp and Todd Akin, the Navy backed down and rescinded the guidelines.
"In September, the Department of Defense issued two more memos, requiring all military facilities to be available for same-sex weddings and allowing chaplains to participate in same-sex ceremonies.
"Recognizing this growing threat to the religious liberty of our armed forces, Rep. Tim Huelskamp of Kansas last week introduced the Military Religious Freedom Protection Act (H.R. 3828). The bill does three things:
--Protects military chaplains from being forced to participate in any ceremony or function that is against their conscience or religious beliefs.
--Protects our men and women in uniform from being discriminated against because of religious beliefs opposed to same-sex marriage or homosexuality.
--Prohibits the use of military facilities for same-sex marriage ceremonies.
"But President Obama is refusing to do his job as President-picking and choosing which laws are worth enforcing. He refuses to defend DOMA in court and is actively undermining it at every turn. And same-sex marriage activists have been working to leverage the repeal of Don't Ask Don't Tell to harass and intimidate chaplains and other service members who are standing up for marriage.
"Tell your Congressman we need to protect the religious liberty of our armed forces-just like they put their lives on the line to protect ours. Tell your Congressman to co-sponsor the Military Religious Freedom Protection Act (H.R.3828) today."
[Chaps comment: Folks, we must take a stand for our troops and chaplains. Let's bury all 535 Congressmen and Senators in fax paper today.]
Please select here to sign urgent petition, and we will fax all 535 Congressmen and Senators (saving you time!) to PROTECT MILITARY CHAPLAINS AND TROOPS RELIGIOUS FREEDOM to oppose immorality, and co-sponsor and pass H.R. 3828.
God Bless you, in Jesus' name,
Chaplain Gordon James Klingenschmitt
For media interviews, select here.
