Comments on: Military Chaplains…Church and State http://www.christianandamerican.com/592.html Bringing culture to the font of regeneration Thu, 21 Apr 2011 21:08:23 -0700 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.2 hourly 1 By: Taylor Marshall http://www.christianandamerican.com/592.html/comment-page-1#comment-262 Taylor Marshall Sat, 22 Nov 2008 20:51:46 +0000 http://www.christianandamerican.com/?p=592#comment-262 A man is more courageous in battle if he has just received the sacraments. A man is more courageous in battle if he has just received the sacraments.

]]> By: S. Murphy http://www.christianandamerican.com/592.html/comment-page-1#comment-252 S. Murphy Fri, 21 Nov 2008 06:10:31 +0000 http://www.christianandamerican.com/?p=592#comment-252 I'm Catholic, too, and grateful for our chaplains. But we have our quirky rules - an all-male priesthood, eg.: why should we be bothered if Muslims have sex-segregated services? Why should an atheist be bothered by how any religion organizes its worship? It's entirely their business; and I want my comrades in arms to have the comfort of their faith in any clime and place. As for Hitchens - if he wants us to defend his freedom, he can by God pony up for our chaplains. Ask a man to put his ass on the line, and then tell him it would be unconstitutional to have someone there to administer the last sacraments, when said ass gets shot off? That's like not wanting to pay for MREs, or for fuel for the humvees. It's an operating cost. Accept it. Chaplains also provide a safety valve, irrespective of denomination - someone who is part of the military and understands how it works, to whom any member of the unit can talk about anything. They're the second line of counseling, if someone can't talk to his friends. They let people vent, and help them get their heads back in the game. Most of them do so in a highly professional manner, without attempting to force religious instruction or invitations to conversion on those who don't want such instruction. They provide services and Sacraments for their own faith-community, and information for others about schedules and points of contact; but they *listen* to anybody who needs an ear. Those of them that fail to do so should receive crappy evals and be invited to resign; but most of them respect boundaries, and the exceptions should not be the basis for policy decisions. Semper Fi! I’m Catholic, too, and grateful for our chaplains. But we have our quirky rules – an all-male priesthood, eg.: why should we be bothered if Muslims have sex-segregated services? Why should an atheist be bothered by how any religion organizes its worship? It’s entirely their business; and I want my comrades in arms to have the comfort of their faith in any clime and place.

As for Hitchens – if he wants us to defend his freedom, he can by God pony up for our chaplains. Ask a man to put his ass on the line, and then tell him it would be unconstitutional to have someone there to administer the last sacraments, when said ass gets shot off? That’s like not wanting to pay for MREs, or for fuel for the humvees. It’s an operating cost. Accept it.

Chaplains also provide a safety valve, irrespective of denomination – someone who is part of the military and understands how it works, to whom any member of the unit can talk about anything. They’re the second line of counseling, if someone can’t talk to his friends. They let people vent, and help them get their heads back in the game. Most of them do so in a highly professional manner, without attempting to force religious instruction or invitations to conversion on those who don’t want such instruction. They provide services and Sacraments for their own faith-community, and information for others about schedules and points of contact; but they *listen* to anybody who needs an ear. Those of them that fail to do so should receive crappy evals and be invited to resign; but most of them respect boundaries, and the exceptions should not be the basis for policy decisions.

Semper Fi!

]]>