Posted on 12/02/2010 7:43:34 AM PST by marshmallow
In the Pentagon's 300-plus-page report on the proposed repeal of its "don't ask, don't tell" policy, the authors singled out one group whose strong views merited special attention: the chaplains.
The report found that 70 percent of service members thought there would be little or no negative impact to military readiness and unit cohesion if the government were to end the ban on gays serving openly in the military. But no group had such strong - or sharply divergent - views as the military's 3,000 chaplains, who provide spiritual guidance to the men and women in uniform.
The debate highlights the delicate position of the chaplains, who must balance the demands of their faiths with the reality of a diverse military. Their concerns will weigh heavily this month as Congress considers a proposal to lift the 17-year-old policy, supported by some who say it has prevented strife in the ranks but criticized by others as discriminatory and outdated at a time when homosexuality has gained mainstream acceptance.
Officials say they did not encounter objections from chaplains during past efforts to integrate African Americans and women into the military. But homosexuality presents a particular difficulty because many religions object to it on moral grounds.
The authors of the report noted that only three out of the 145 chaplains who participated in focus groups suggested that they would quit or retire if the law were changed. Many chaplains expressed opposition to a repeal, while many others said they would not object, according to the report.
"In the course of our review, we heard some chaplains condemn in the strongest possible terms homosexuality as a sin and an abomination, and inform us that they would refuse to in any way support, comfort, or assist someone they knew to be homosexual," the report stated.
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...
Ah, “mainstream acceptance” - THAT’s what Christ told us was the touchstone.
Oh, wait...
Colonel, USAFR
Officials say they did not encounter objections from chaplains during past efforts to integrate African Americans and women into the military. Well, duh! Being black or female is not immoral.
This whole report is skewed to appease the radical homosexuals who would next demand marriage rights in the military, family housing, medical benefits for “spouses” etc. There is never an end to what the left wing jihadists want. Wait and see.
The article makes it sound like military personnel are overwhelmingly in favor of repeal of DADT when a deeper look at the responses reveals something totally opposite.
Once again, the Post plays fast and loose with the facts. Consider these responses:
“Q45. If you had a leader whom you believed was gay or lesbian...9% positive, 91% negative or mixed impact on unit’s performance.
“Q68c. 85% of Marine Combat Arms, 75% of Army Combat Arms, 64% overall say Negative, Very Negative, or Mixed impact on unit trust if DADT is repealed.
“Q90. 29% would take no action if assigned open showers with homosexuals. 71% would shower at other times, complain to leadership or chaplains, don’t know or do “something else” [including violence].
“Q81. 24% will leave the military or think about leaving sooner than planned. (One half million troops will QUIT the service early.)
“Q80. 6% will positively recommend service to others after repeal. 94% feel negative, mixed, no effect, or don’t know about recommending military service to others. (Severely harming recruiting efforts.)
“Q66. If open homosexuality impacts combat performance, is the impact...9% positive, 91% negative or mixed impact.
“Q71. 11% feel positive or very positive about permitting open homosexuality in field environment or out at sea. 60% negative or mixed. 19% no effect.
“Q73. 5% say repeal would positively boost morale. 41% say negative or mixed impact morale. Rest no effect or don’t know.
The United States military is no place for social experimentation via political correctness. The repeal of DADT will have a serious effect on military readiness.
Of particular concern to me is the uncertain impact to the chaplaincy and the increasing concern about the effect on religious liberty if the policy is dismantled. More than 40 high-ranking and distinguished veteran chaplains (of whom I am one) signed a letter to the president and senior military officials in April outlining how the suggested changes would likely harm the ability of the chaplaincy to do its job. This harm includes limitations on the right of chaplains to preach, counsel, or teach according to their faith when doing so requires identifying homosexual behavior as sinful or detrimental.
The harm also includes restrictions on the ability of chaplains to freely conduct religious services without being forced to allow people who engage in homosexual behavior to take positions of leadership or receive sacraments, for example. And it would include forcing chaplain-administered programs, such as the Army’s “Strong Bonds” marriage-building program, to modify their teaching if same-sex couples participate. Chaplains are committed to ministering to everyone but cannot allow the government to dictate how religious ministry takes place.
These concerns are not mere speculation but are based in both the practical realities of everyday chaplaincy life and numerous precedents showing that the danger to religious liberty is real. The men and women in uniform rely on chaplains to assist them in the free exercise of their religion. Those chaplains also have the right of free exercise and do not give up that right upon entering the military.
If DADT is repealed then those chaplains whose religious beliefs are in conflict, the faith groups they represent and the service members whose religious beliefs they serve, will be marginalized. The armed forces then would have effectively established preferred religions or religious beliefs. Such action strikes directly at the heart of the First Amendment and would in effect be a government establishment of religion.
typical “progressive” tactic. Many chaplains expressed opposition to repeal,many others said they would not object.” Yet the author of this editorial chose to be specific when they said only three of the 145 chaplains who participated.
If I were a chaplain in the Military I would ignore whatever
our Reprobate Congress does by way of political experiment,
and would end up like former Navy Chaplain Gordon Klingenschmidt dismissed for praying In Jesus name.I could not be like the “already captured liberal establishment and the press and insist everybody proclaim th eLIE It’s Ok to be gay.
Wondering why the article did not report the correct statistics? <Sarc off
I am willing to wager that they were practically unaminous--as opposed to even some Christians--in their opposition, however, one must not offend the practitioners of ROPO: The "Religion of the Perpetually Offended!"
A Pastor is a watcher on the wall. If he fails to warn his flock of the consequences of unrepentent homosexuality and any go to hell for this sin - their blood is on his hands. This is a sobering fact that all who witness for Christ should keep in mind.
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I'm sure people are sick and tired of articles about the homo-nazi agenda pushers fight to destroy the military and push the homo-nazi agenda full speed ahead. I'm sick of pinging these out.
Please read AZhardliner's comment - the good men and women in the military deserve our support. We need to fight this destruction of the military with everything we can, each doing whatever he or she can do. Homosexuals DO NOT BELONG IN THE MILITARY - and the vast majority serving in the military DO NOT WANT THEM THERE! They deserve our support!
WRONG
There is no "balance" -there is truth and there is lies.
The premise that homosexual sex is diversity is an outright and absurd lie. To suggest "diversity" has some merit is as well a lie -why do we not as well have rapists, thieves, and murderers in the military -diversity, that grand altruistic leftist platitude -the utopian moral relative ideal, demands it -does it not you leftists preaching your sermon of lies from the mountain of BS?
The reality is that homosexual sex is an action and not a state of being. Not only is it an action -it is disordered and self destructive -really it is quite STUPID...
Silly leftists, like the author of this editorial -you are a dumb lost bunch of fools...
There. Fixed it.
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