Court Martial For Soldiers Who Share Faith

Requiem · 05-01-2013, 16:58

Where does this leave the right to free speech (and possibly worship) for soldiers, and ultimately, the rest of the nation as we see more assaults on our Constitution?

Obama's chief consultant on this is an anti-Christian extremist, Mike Weinstein, who believes hearing the Gospel is akin to being raped. At least he's not Muslim.

If an honest dialog about matters of faith opens between two military personnel, it should be nobody's business but theirs.

Quote:

The Pentagon has released a statement confirming that soldiers could be prosecuted for promoting their faith: "Religious proselytization is not permitted within the Department of Defense...Court martials and non-judicial punishments are decided on a case-by-case basis...”.

The statement, released to Fox News, follows a Breitbart News report on Obama administration Pentagon appointees meeting with anti-Christian extremist Mikey Weinstein to develop court-martial procedures to punish Christians in the military who express or share their faith.

(From our earlier report: Weinstein is the head of the Military Religious Freedom Foundation, and says Christians--including chaplains--sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ in the military are guilty of “treason,” and of committing an act of “spiritual rape” as serious a crime as “sexual assault.” He also asserted that Christians sharing their faith in the military are “enemies of the Constitution.”

Being convicted in a court martial means that a soldier has committed a crime under federal military law. Punishment for a court martial can include imprisonment and being dishonorably discharged from the military.

So President Barack Obama’s civilian appointees who lead the Pentagon are confirming that the military will make it a crime--possibly resulting in imprisonment--for those in uniform to share their faith. This would include chaplains—military officers who are ordained clergymen of their faith (mostly Christian pastors or priests, or Jewish rabbis)--whose duty since the founding of the U.S. military under George Washington is to teach their faith and minister to the spiritual needs of troops who come to them for counsel, instruction, or comfort.

This regulation would severely limit expressions of faith in the military, even on a one-to-one basis between close friends. It could also effectively abolish the position of chaplain in the military, as it would not allow chaplains (or any service members, for that matter), to say anything about their faith that others say led them to think they were being encouraged to make faith part of their life. It’s difficult to imagine how a member of the clergy could give spiritual counseling without saying anything that might be perceived in that fashion.

In response to the Pentagon’s plans, retired Lt. Gen. Jerry Boykin, who is now executive vice president of the Family Research Council (FRC), said on Fox & Friends Wednesday morning:

It’s a matter of what do they mean by "proselytizing." ...I think they’ve got their defintions a little confused. If you’re talking about coercion that’s one thing, but if you’re talking about the free exercise of our faith as individual soldiers, sailors, airmen and marines, especially for the chaplains, they I think the worst thing we can do is stop the ability for a soldier to be able to exercise his faith.”

Source

pcfixer · 05-01-2013, 18:59

Quote:

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

Two reason that will not fly....

1. prohits the free exercise of religion

2 . abridges the freedom of speech

Requiem · 05-01-2013, 19:09

I would hope so. This administration's lack of respect for the Constitution, however, makes one wonder.

longrange1947 · 05-01-2013, 19:12

Quote:

Originally Posted by pcfixer

Two reason that will not fly....

1. prohits the free exercise of religion

2 . abridges the freedom of speech

Unfortunately, the military is exempt from some of those freedoms as declared by the SCOTUS some time ago.

pcfixer · 05-02-2013, 09:58

Quote:

Originally Posted by longrange1947

Unfortunately, the military is exempt from some of those freedoms as declared by the SCOTUS some time ago.

Would you please post that SCOTUS opinion?

**Box** · 05-02-2013, 17:26

...would it be proselytizing to tell that wEinstein guy to go shit in his hat ?

**The Reaper** · 05-02-2013, 17:29

I want to see the first Muslim charged and prosecuted under this policy.

TR

T-Rock · 05-02-2013, 20:18

You reckon George would be court-martialed if he were in today’s military

Quote:

“The Commander-in-Chief directs that Divine service be performed every Sunday at 11 o’clock, in each Brigade which has a Chaplain. Those Brigades which have none will attend the places of worship nearest to them. It is expected that officers of all ranks will, by their attendance, set an example for their men. While we are zealously performing the duties of good citizens and soldiers, we certainly ought not to be inattentive to the higher duties of religion. To the distinguished character of Patriot, it should be our highest Glory to laud the more distinguished Character of Christian. The signal instances of Providential goodness which we have experienced and which have now almost crowned our labors with complete success demand from us in a peculiar manner the warmest returns of gratitude and piety to the Supreme Author of all good..”
~George~

http://books.google.com/books?id=D_k...%20men&f=false