Andy Koppelman
At 12:10 PM 10/8/2005, you wrote:
Jim, of course, has taken my points out of context. When a recruit seeks out a chaplain for information about the chaplain's religion, that is entirely different from a chaplain engaging in proselytization on his or her own initiative. As Doug so rightly pointed out, the chaplain corps exists for the comfort of the soldiers, not as a new opportunity for a member of the clergy to gain new recruits. Those chaplains that cannot respect this distinction should not be military chaplains. There are plenty of positions in the private sphere for that kind of activity.
Marci
In a message dated 10/8/2005 10:08:18 A.M. Eastern Standard Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes:
- 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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