How the US military has embraced growing religious diversity

Religion News Service ^ | November 12, 2019 | Ronit Y. Stahl

[Jyotishi]

Vice President Mike Pence joins military officers and a chaplain on Aug. 23, 2019, in a prayer for two Army men who died during operations in Afghanistan. (AP Photo/Cliff Owen)

(The Conversation) -- In 1919, Lee Levinger buried four soldiers in France. The responsibility to preside over a funeral was not unusual for military chaplains. But during World War I, most Americans would have been surprised to learn that a rabbi led a service for four Christian soldiers.

In 1917, when the United States entered the war, chaplaincy was a majority white and fully Christian organization.

No law specifically stated the acceptable religious backgrounds of military chaplains, but only mainline Protestant ministers and Catholic priests wore the insignia of the military's religious officers.

By Armistice Day, Nov. 11, 1918, Jews, Mormons and Christian Scientists had joined the ranks of the chaplain corps. As I write in my book, "Enlisting Faith: How the Military Chaplaincy Shaped Religion and State in Modern America," this significant change inaugurated a century-long project to redefine what counted as American religion.

History of chaplaincy

American military chaplains predate the founding of the republic. The Continental Congress, which served as the government for 13 American colonies, authorized military chaplains to minister to soldiers in 1775. The armed forces have employed clergy ever since.

Within the shadow of the cruciform monument to Father Francis P. Duffy, chaplain of the Rainbow Division's "Fighting 69th" regiment in World War I, the Rev. Joseph Stedman holds aloft a cross as he blesses a group of war veterans, church, civil and military dignitaries in New York on April 3, 1942. (AP Photo/John Rooney)

It was not until the early 20th century, however, that the chaplain corps professionalized and became fully integrated into the military's organizational structure....

[fproy2222]

“alleged that the LDS Church was “un-Christian” and thus unfit for the chaplaincy.”

I never thought about this while in the service. How did/do you hard line Christian veterans handle having LDS chaplains?

[Gene Eric]

Religious “diversity” concerns one thing... Islam.

Islam is a war plan.

[Hieronymus]

Categorizing things poses problems. As a Catholic, while there are complexities in the practical relationship with Pope, local Ordinary, and pastor, the theoretical suff is easier for myself.

My Dad, who is a lapsed Lutheran (from the age of 7), a believer in God, but, so far as I know, unsure about whether or not revelation has happened, has found it difficult to navigate the categories presented by the VA and ended up, for lack of a better option, putting himself down as Catholic, as that is what his wife and children are.

One can’t fit a paragraph on a dog tag. And if a single letter will do for the vast majority of cases, that may practically be the best solution.

[SkyPilot]

In 1917, when the United States entered the war, chaplaincy was a majority white and fully Christian organization.

Well! That just won't due, will it?!

Do you know Chaplains do in the military today?

Ask them - because they don't know either.

Not too many years ago, I attended many a staff meeting headed by full Colonels or General officers, at many different bases. Before any business was conducted, the General would say, "Chaplain, would you please lead us in prayer?"

It could have been a Catholic, Protestant, or Jewish Chaplain, but they all prayed.

God was invited in, and He did amazing things.

I spoke to a friend who is still on active duty (he is pretty high up). He said today, at meetings, the military Chaplain puts up a slide instead, about...…..touchy feely nonsense.

It is some "Thought of the Day" tripe. A few weeks ago, he said it was about "The Humble Bumblebee. He does his work, but he knows the hive is the mission, and his teammates are his drive...."

No God.

No Prayer.

Just Nonsense.

The military Chaplains have served with great distinction throughout our history. They have been a source of unparalleled strength during times of great fear - because they were God's instrument.

The muting of God in the US military took off with a vengeance during the Obama Regime, and even in the era of Trump, it has never recovered.

Obama had CENTCOM brutally enforce any vestige of Christianity in that AOR. Bibles found in Afghanistan were burned.

And make no mistake, the order came from Hussein (no matter what the media tell you).

In the name of "religious diversity", we have Satanic ceremonies being performed on military installations.

God help us.

[SkyPilot]

due = do

[Nateman]

You have to dig deep into the article to get the casual mention of Islam as if it was merely an afterthought. To me it’s an embrace of our common enemy. The military should not put social engineering over common sense defense.

[Lisbon1940]

How does the military handle religious dietary requirements? An army runs on its stomach.

[Alberta's Child]

To be fair, we should be willing to acknowledge that in a nation that embraces “religious diversity” as a matter of policy, any prayer in an official/public setting is generally going to be meaningless drivel by definition.

[Elsie]

There is still no Muslim 'chapel' at West Point

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The United States Military Academy welcomes you to the Chapels at West Point.

Many thousands of visitors each year enjoy walking through the historic and inspiring edifices where divine worship is held at the Academy.  

Cadet Chapel

Community Post Chapel
Most Holy Trinity Catholic Chapel   

Jewish Chapel
Old Cadet Chapel

Cadet Interfaith Chapel
Orthodox Chapel

[Elsie]

How did/do you hard line Christian veterans handle having LDS chaplains?

Probably about the same way as hardline Mormon veterans handle Christian chaplains.

[Elsie]

We’ve had queers getting ‘married’ at the chapel at West Point.

—HardLine_Christian(Praise JESUS!)

[daniel1212]

Similarly, during World War I, when the General Headquarters of the American Expeditionary Force asked the military to send more chaplains to the front, the request came with a caveat: “It is not felt that more Christian Science or Mormon Chaplains are needed.”

And the militaristic theocratic persecuted Mormon cult, which opposed freedom of the press that exposed them, and as a state religion with a militia of over 4,000, once fought a contingent of the U.S. Army, being responsible for deaths by starvation of both men and animals, (besides having previously fought the Missouri Mormon War , Mormons and their Indians allies having murdered 120 defenseless people at Mountain Meadows).

The dictatorial delusional leader of their polygamist theocracy (Apostle Heber C. Kimball once declared, "I have wives enough to whip out the United States") Brigham Young, imagined or claimed the Army was sent to destroy them, and that this was a predicted apocalyptic battle, and used effective guerilla tactics against the U.S.Army, and can be said to have won. (https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/the-brink-of-war-48447228/ )

The YMCA, a nondenominational Protestant organization founded to promote “muscular Christianity” in the 19th century, alleged that the LDS Church was “un-Christian” and thus unfit for the chaplaincy.

Back in the good ol days when Young Men's Christian Association" was actually supposed to meant that.

As the “New York World” newspaper wrote in a 1918 editorial, Christian Science had been “an anathema to the regular religious denominations” but “now the Government gives it full recognition and accords its readers an equal status with the ministers of other creeds.”

So consistent with its perverse theology toward sickness, the adherents should have just imagined the wounds of war were not real. Imagining the horrors of Hell would be more more difficult.

In 1994, the military appointed its first Muslim chaplain.

Who hopefully will not follow the anti-Christ and anti-American theocratic militaristic doctrine and example of its founder.

[daniel1212]

How does the military handle religious dietary requirements? An army runs on its stomach.

Which makes majority "Christian" faith the most conducive to military life.

Evangelical and majority Christian denominations: Eat anything at any time (aside from personal decisions to fast for a time). "For every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving:" (1 Timothy 4:4)

[Traveler59]

How did/do you hard line Christian veterans handle having LDS chaplains?

Matthew 18:20; "For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them."

This passage says it all.

[The Sons of Liberty]

How the US military has embraced growing religious diversity

TRANSLATION: How the US Military has kowtowed to certain groups in order to maintain political correctness.

[Vermont Lt]

You think that just started recently? Evil invaded the Pentagon long before it showed its face.

[OIFVeteran]

I was a company commander on my last deployment to iraq. During mobilization a religious survey was done on the company and I was given the results. No names but just the breakdown in my unit. Surprised to see I had ten atheist(one of which I later found out was my XO), about 6 Wiccans, a bunch of nones, and one Jedi. The rest were some branch of Christianity.

[Jumper]

While I was in the military I accepted the chaplin’s service(s) equally and really on though about those guys with white shirts, black ties, riding around on bikes for two years in the summer.... If I were discriminate it would have been been for a non-christian such as the Stantic and Muslims, or a Buddhist - but those were speciality services taken with a grain of Salt. So were a Mormon or LDS be non-christian, you or I would have taken it with a grain of Salt - don’t look back or you’ll be a statue!

[sean327]

As a Catholic Marine I looked at this issue this way; If I was in the field or forward deployed during Lent and Good Friday, I figured God would forgive me for eating meat on Friday because I really had no choice. From the time I enlisted in 1984 to about the late 90’s MRE’s didn’t have vegetarian or fish option. So unless your unit set up a field mess you ate what you got out of the box. I spent a lot of time in artillery units (11th Marines) so it was very rare that we got hot chow in the field.