Has Prayer Become Controlled Speech:
By Thomas D. Segel (10/21/05)
Harlingen, Texas, October 21, 2005: If you are a military chaplain today, the chances of having your religious expression restricted by senior officials are very strong. According to an October 20 report in The Washington Times, military chaplains are being instructed in how they should pray.
Congressman Walter B. Jones (R-NC) is circulating a letter to be sent to the White House. He is requesting President Bush to sign an executive order guaranteeing free speech rights under the Constitution to all military chaplains.
According the Jones, military chaplains are being told not to mention the name of Jesus when they pray. They are to speak only in general terms.
In the Army chaplain training course, according to the Washington times, “It is offensive and against Army policy to pray in the name of Jesus.” The article goes on to report that chaplains have been officially rebuked for invoking the name of their Savior.
The Times also reports Representative Todd Akin (R-MO) saying, “We’re seeing the same pattern…and it’s a pattern of hostility to freedom of speech. The chaplains have complained and it’s been increasing and more widespread…”
There can be no argument that any military policy that restricts both freedom of speech and freedom of religious expression is wrong and a topic to be widely examined in the media. However, using both the Google and Yahoo search engines, no other coverage of this important subject can be found.
Lawmakers of both major political parties have reported these restrictions being placed on chaplains in all branches of the armed forces.
Historically, military church services have been nondenominational, but chaplains of all denominations have ministered to their uniformed congregations, allowing all to pray, as they desired. Because chaplains come from different branches of the Faith community, individuals of specific denominations have also been allowed to seek out specific chaplains to seek the word of God, as they understood it to be.
All of this is being threatened by official restrictions on prayer, causing more than 35 members of Congress to sign the Jones letter. “We’re giving the president an opportunity to use the Constitution to guarantee the First Amendment rights of our chaplains”, says Jones.
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