In a message dated 10/8/2005 8:22:38 A.M. Eastern Daylight Time,
[EMAIL PROTECTED] writes:
With respect to Brad's distinction between involuntarily convert, pressure, exhort, and persuade, it is one large linguistic stretch to argue that pressure, exhort, and persuade are voluntarily accepted. They are means by which one person is trying to alter another person's views. Chaplains have no business "informing" recruits that their religious faith is "wrong" from his perspective. The members of the military are a captive audience in these circumstances, which makes the involuntary element in these circumstances more involuntary than usual. Well, I would think that the First Amendment might give us briefest pause
before categorical prohibitions are laid down.
To show why Marci cannot be right when she says, "Chaplains have no
business 'informing' recruits that their religious faith is 'wrong' from his
perspective," let's start with the following hypothetical:
Fr.. Morgan is credentialed by the Archdiocese of the Military to serve as
a Roman Catholic chaplain and is commissioned as such in the U.S. Navy, and is
detailed to serve as a chaplain to Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, in coastal
North Carolina. He is one of several chaplains aboard the base, which
hosts, depending on deployments, between thirty and fifty thousand
Marines. He is one of three RC chaplains. As part of his pastoral
duties with the Catholic Chapel, he conducts an inquirers class once a week at
the base's Catholic Chapel. During his classes, he includes an open period
for questions. As it turns out, a class for inquiring into the Catholic
faith attracts, among others, those who are on spiritual journeys and who
are actively thinking about matters of faith and religion, in other words,
people with questions. Lance Corporal Jones, whose family is Baptist,
has found himself attracted to the Catholic faith because of the rich
intellectual tradition that it has developed, together with its orthodoxy
regarding things he believes are essential to Christian doctrine. He has
not decided to convert, though, but he is considering the consequences of such a
decision, in part his considerations take place in the inquirers' class, where
he learns more about RC and where, on a regular basis, he engages Fr.
Morgan in dialogues related to unique difference between RC and Baptist
doctrine.
When L.Cpl. Jones puts the questions directly to Fr. Morgan
about RC distinctives (such as celibacy for priests, the seven sacraments,
veneration of Mary and the Saints, the Papacy, transubstantiation), Fr. Morgan
carefully explains the basis in the Magisterium of the Church, in Sacred
Scripture, and in the traditions of the Church. These areas are the ones
about which L.Cpl. Jones entertains greatest doubt and trepidation over
conversion. In essence and, when pressed, in fact, Fr. Morgan tells L.Cpl.
Jones that his faith tradition is wrong on these questions.
In this case, is it true that "Chaplains have no business 'informing'
recruits that their religious faith is 'wrong' from his perspective?"
Other examples abound.
In a field hospital, a battle wounded evacuee asks to speak with a
chaplain. The situation is grave, and so is the soldier's demeanor.
"I'm afraid that I am going to die in sin," he whispers, his breathing catching
as he pushes the words from his battered body. "But my dad always told me
that foxhole conversions weren't real and that people that turn religious in
moments of crisis are weak." Brief additional discussion confirms that the
wounded soldier is an atheist experiencing doubts about his faith, and now
asking how/whether he can turn to God in his time of need.
Is it true that "Chaplains have no business 'informing' recruits that their
religious faith is 'wrong' from his perspective?"
Jim Henderson
Senior Counsel
ACLJ
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