Chaplain Klingenschmitt, I never implied that you held a pro-coercion point
of view, let alone that you were in favor of forced religious attendance or
forced conversions. I merely invited you to consider the question of the
constitutionality of the military chaplaincy itself, and pointed out that it
has been considered before. I had read your site and I commend your
anti-coercion stance. It appears that certain chaplains senior to you did
actively advocate coercion for members of the navy to involuntarily attend
religious services. They should know better. My point is that if a
significant number of senior chaplains do not know that coerced attendance
is unconstitutional, then it is time to question the integrity of the Navy
Chaplaincy.
It sounds to me like the military chaplaincy has become the opposite of what
it contends to be. Perhaps my quote by Madison has hit the nail on the
head. I would be interested in knowing more about the group of sailors who
were subjected to this mandatory attendance. Can you give me the names of
all the ships/units involved? The date and place of required attendance?
Ill attempt to inform as many as possible that their right to religious
liberty was violated, and Ill encourage them to sue. The discussion boards
at military.com are good places to pass info to service members.
It is highly revealing that my tax monies go to the State Departments
worldwide hunt for violations of religious liberty when right here at home
Im compelled to fund the Navy Chaplaincy who also engages in coercion.
"In Taliban-controlled areas, the Taliban had decreed that all Muslims were
required to take part in five daily prayers. Those who were observed not
praying at appointed times or who were late attending prayer were subject to
punishment, including severe beatings. Friday noon prayers at mosques
reportedly were compulsory for all Muslim men; women and girls reportedly
were forbidden to enter mosques and thus were forced to pray at home."
http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/hrrpt/2001/sa/8222.htm
Gordon James Klingenschmitt wrote:
"5) Lest anyone thinks I'm in favor of forced religious attendance or
forced conversions, the Navy also disciplined me for protesting
"government-mandated attendance quotas" to a pro-gay church. They actually
ordered quotas, and forced attendance, and I protested, and I was silenced
and reprimanded in writing. (Read more at www.persuade.tv )"
_______________________________________________
To post, send message to Religionlaw@lists.ucla.edu
To subscribe, unsubscribe, change options, or get password, see
http://lists.ucla.edu/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/religionlaw
Please note that messages sent to this large list cannot be viewed as private.
Anyone can subscribe to the list and read messages that are posted; people can
read the Web archives; and list members can (rightly or wrongly) forward the
messages to others.
