Posted on 10/16/2013 2:14:03 PM PDT by moonshinner_09
(CNSNews.com) - Lt. Col. Todd Breasseale, a spokesman in the Office of Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel, is refusing to say whether the Department of Defense would attempt to stop a civilian Catholic priest, who had been a contract chaplain for the military, from administering the last rites to a serviceman on a U.S. military base.
“I feel no particular compulsion to answer outlandish, hypothetical questions in a yes/no fashion nor does the Department, generally, answer hypotheticals at all,” Breasseale said in an email.
“Further, it is a matter of long standing Department policy to not address matters that are currently under active litigation,” Breasseale continued.
Prior to Breasseale sending this email declining to say whether DOD would try to stop a priest from administering the last rites to a serviceman, a spokesman for the National Security Staff at the White House, had responded to the question, by saying: “We'd refer you to our colleagues at DOD for comment.”
“I'm sorry that the NSS sent you to us, but I suspect they might not have known that we are currently litigating,” said Breasseale. “The Department of Justice handles the litigation for all agencies of the Executive, so my recommendation is that you contact them.”
The issue is relevant because since the government shutdown began on Oct. 1, Defense Secretary Hagel has declined to allow civilian Catholic priests, who were working under contract as military chaplains, to return to their religious work even on a voluntary basis.
On Monday, Father Ray Leonard, the civilian Catholic chaplain at Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay in Georgia, sued Hagel and the Department of Defense, arguing that Hagel was violating his and his congregation’s First Amendment right to the free exercise of religion.
(Excerpt) Read more at cnsnews.com ...
Well will they allow muslim solders to be wrapped in bacon before burial?
The answer is “Yes, yes they would stop that.”
I fear that in the next conflict, America’ armed services will be soundly defeated. Not only have they rejected God but have also declared war on Him. God knows this and will act accordingly.
There is nothing “outlandish or hypothetical” about this question! Last Rites are administered to service men and women because they get shot at!!
What’s sad is that they will act surprised when their casualties mount higher and higher in this war.
Under the Tyrant and the al Qaeda-weaponizing Congress,
Moslems (including the bin Ladin impostor) were given
FULL RIGHTs, whereas true Americans have been serially
treated like waste.
There was a coup d’etat of the USA in 2008 perpetrated
by what is called the “MSM” and the DNC, so today
911 is forgotten, and Qaeda/MB have penetrated US defenses.
I am currently researching what happened in Henry VIII's takeover of the Catholic Church in England.
What is happening is so similar I am almost gob-smacked.
They did not want to say “yes” to the question so they tried to deflect it.
It should not have taken any thought to answer the question with a firm “no”.
I am waiting for that last straw to land on the camel’s back ...
Chuck Hagel is a disgrace. He needs to be fired.
“I feel no particular compulsion to answer outlandish, hypothetical questions in a yes/no fashion nor does the Department, generally, answer hypotheticals at all,” Breasseale said in an email.”
The DOD alreadfy answered the question by Not answering it.The Catholic church and all of the troops of that faith need to stand beside their chaplains and take the administration to court for violating their 1st amendment rights.
They have plenty of precedent for their attitude to the Catholic Church...the Jacobins, the Bolsheviks, the Mexican revolutionaries. At least they aren’t trying to have Catholic priest hanged, drawn, and quartered like Queen Elizabeth I of England did.
That is incorrect. Either you are or you are not a military chaplain. You can, however, be a contract priest/minister/rabbi/imam/etc., contracted BY a military staff chaplain on behalf of a commander to perform a function normally performed by a military chaplain.
Unless that's not the answer they intended to convey.
I’m embarrassed to admit - as a bad Catholic - but must it be a priest who administers the last rites? I know anyone can baptize a baby. Forgive me, guys, for my ignorance.
His answer is an evasive and long-winded “Yes”.
And to think that over 50% of the Catholic voters voted for Bambi.
And I am afraid that, if he were to run for the third time, he can depend on their vote again.
I think I'll stick with blaming the ridiculous ROE first.
At this point, we still have good God fearing American loving troops, and I pray God will look out for them.
Obama's takeover is not yet complete though it is really just a matter of time.
Just my $.02
With the exception of a few, who isn't a disgrace in Washington?
DC needs a douche. (Sorry lady FReepers for the vulgarity)
Of course they would! Didn’t the Boston Police do the same thing during the Marathon Bombing? What happened to the outrage there?
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