Posted on 03/13/2015 6:34:25 AM PDT by Kaslin
Thousands of Americans, including former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee and famed evangelist Franklin Graham, have come to the defense of a chaplain who could be thrown out of the Navy because of his Christian faith.
Lt. Cmdr. Wes Modder has been accused of failing to show “tolerance and respect” in private counseling sessions regarding issues pertaining to faith, marriage and sexuality – specifically homosexuality.
Modder, who is endorsed by the Assemblies of God, has also been accused of being unable to “function in the diverse and pluralistic environment” of the Naval Nuclear Power Training Command in Goose Creek, S.C.
The highly decorated, 19-year military veteran previously served in the Marine Corps and has had several high-profile assignments – including being named force chaplain of the Navy SEALs.
Just a few months ago, Modder’s commander called him “the best of the best” and a “consummate professional leader” worthy of an early promotion.
But all that changed after Modder’s assistant, a married gay officer at the base who was upset about the minister’s views on same-sex relationships and homosexuality, filed a complaint against the chaplain.
The young officer had been working for the chaplain only for about a month when he began peppering him with questions about homosexuality.
“His five-page letter of complaint was unconscionable,” Modder told me. “It was insulting and it was devastating. I felt I discriminated against.”
Modder is also accused of:
* Telling a woman that she was “shaming herself in the eyes of God” for having premarital sex.
* Telling a student that homosexuality was wrong and that “the penis was meant for the vagina and not for the anus.”
* Berating an unmarried student for becoming pregnant.
Michael Berry, an attorney at Liberty Institute, a law firm that specializes in religious liberty cases, told me his client categorically denies making any such statements. He said the chaplain is the victim of a setup.
“I believe some of what the lieutenant has alleged could constitute a military crime – false statements, taking what the chaplain said and twisting or misconstruing it in an attempt to get the chaplain punished,” Berry said. “He abused the position he was placed in as a chaplain’s assistant.”
A spokeswoman for the Navy Chaplain Corps said Modder has been temporarily reassigned during the investigation into the allegations.
“The Navy values, and protects in policy, the rights of its service members, including chaplains, to practice according to the tenets of their faith and respects the rights of each individual to determine their own religious convictions,” Christianne Witten said.
Mike Huckabee, a potential candidate for the White House in 2016, wonders if it is “becoming illegal to be a Christian” in the military.
“Today’s military planners seem to think there should be nothing but atheists in foxholes, and that includes chaplains,” he told me.
Franklin Graham, president and CEO of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, defended Modder in a Facebook post.
“It’s a sad day in America when military chaplains have to choose between being true to their faith and keeping their jobs,” he wrote. “But this is what’s happening at every level under the Obama administration.”
Rep. Doug Collins (R-Ga.), a Southern Baptist Air Force Reserve chaplain, told me he plans to raise the issue of Chaplain Modder with the Pentagon.
“The religious liberty issue in the military needs to stop,” Collins said. “The rulings are clear. As a chaplain we are provided to stay within the tenets of our faith. You cannot force me to counsel or to provide service outside the tenets of my faith.”
Like the Southern Baptist Convention, the Assemblies of God considers homosexual conduct to be a sin. So what happens when religious doctrine conflicts with military doctrine?
“I am an officer in the Air Force but I am endorsed by the Southern Baptist Convention,” Collins told me. “Without one, I cannot be the other.”
And that seems to be at the heart of the issue with Chaplain Modder.
“When you have the military imposing what seems to be an arbitrary line on when you can stand up for the tenets of your faith, it leaves chaplains in a very precarious position,” Collins said.
More than 40,000 people, meanwhile, have signed a Family Research Council petition urging the Pentagon to restore Modder to his position.
“If you think chaplains have some of the safest jobs in the military, think again,” FRC President Tony Perkins said. “Men of the cloth are under some of the heaviest fire – and it’s coming from their own side.”
Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) tweeted his support of Modder, lamenting that the chaplain is the “latest target in a series of assaults on religious liberty” in the military and across the nation.
Rick Santorum, who is also considering a White House bid, said Modder’s plight is evidence that “religious liberty in our country is under assault.”
And what’s even more disturbing is the possibility that a gay officer may have intentionally targeted a Christian chaplain who follows the teachings of the Bible regarding issues of sexuality.
If you don’t want the counsel of a Christian chaplain – don’t go to a Christian chaplain.
Being offended by sin is nothing to be offended at.
“What Rights Will Others Lose When Homosexuals Gain Their Rights?”
http://www.wayoflife.org/database/homosexualitylegal.html
It will only get worse. Soon churches will not be able to preach the Bible because it offends someone. Churches will be forced to “marry” homosexuals or lose their tax-exempt status. Another reason it was a mistake to allow homosexuals into the military. How can such a small percentage of the population control so much?
“accused of being unable to function in the diverse and pluralistic environment”
Tolerance and diversity is all-inclusive, unless you disagree with them
“How can such a small percentage of the population control so much?”
Secular, humanist, leftist media, that’s how.
Those who are faithful will never abandon their faith. A Christian is willing to be martyred for his faith. A Muslim will kill for his faith. Which is the true faith?
A "diverse and pluralistic environment” does not include Christians.
Thanks to Todd Starnes for the story and to you for posting it. 52,000 names now on FRC petition - -needs to be a million. Shares on fb. FReepers, let’s get busy on this and do what we can.
So why was a “married” homosexual assigned as a Christian chaplain’s assistant in the first place? That sounds like a setup from the start!
Sure does.
Homosexual rights is the perfect pivot for the Extreme Left to control everything. It paralyzes their enemies who can be targeted for discrimination while giving the Left access to every facet of society where they can destroy Christianity, churches, morality, education, freedom, decency, free speech and freedom of religion. It is Satan doing his best work. It is sin and wickedness on an epic scale.
His underling is the THOUGHT POLICE?
You cannot make people think all the same. We are individuals.
This theme echos so many different authors and movies that I have seen in my life.
The movie Brazil, Atlas Shrugged, 1984. Could never happen. God knows what is in this man’s heart and that is what counts but this is ridiculous.
This was not just any chaplain’s assistant. This was a lieutenant. Chaplain assistants are not lieutenants. They are enlisted. Perhaps they meant this was a chaplain in training with the national guard, so a chaplain candidate who might be a junior lieutenant. Otherwise, the only reason someone would be in a chaplain’s office working is if they’d be removed from where they normally work. The Navy is not so flush with personnel slots that they could waste a lieutenant in a chaplain’s office. Something is missing here.
That said, by law any Chaplain’s primary mission is to be a representative of his/her denomination. Anything beyond that is secondary mission. So, the bottom line is that chaplains must faithfully represent their own denomination. Their denomination can actually fire them more quickly than can the military.
Made calls to my Congressman and both Senators. None of the staffers had, of course, heard of this. Here is where FR can actually DO some good. Light up their switchboards.
Rather than going into the details, I simply stated the impending actions against him, gave Modder’s name and referred them to Todd Starnes reporting on Fox.
On that front, the last time I checked there were still "male" and "female" plugs. I wonder how long until the gaystapo starts hollering about that.
While it's true that homosexual comprise only about 2% of the population, those who join them in embracing a non-Natural Law and non-Biblical concept of sex and marriage, are a huge majority.
True marriage does not allow premarital sex, does not allow divorce/remarriage, does not allow drugs, devices and surgery which disable the natural fertility of sexual intercourse. In other words, support for "natural" marriage has shrunk to a small minority of people who are willing to keep sex within the setting of marriage only, and keep it what it naturally is --- what God made it to be ---- open to the transmission of life.
Thus you're not just taking about the 2%, the homosexuals. You're talking about to 2% + 90% --- their allies ---- who have ceased to uphold God's design for natural marriage.
Obama’s anti Christian military moves forward. His senior officers are far more concerned with their own career well being than with doing what is best for America. I would fire every 3 and 4 star officer to get the attention of the rest if I succeeded Obama.
Left off preachin’ and gone to meddlin’ have you?
(Forgive the humor - I first got that from a Baptist sermon, many years ago. Point is it’s all good until I hear “my” attitudes and sins addressed.)
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.