First up from the God machine this week is a frustrating item about one of my favorite obscure issues: military chaplains.
This week, the House passed a $513 billion defense authorization bill with a little provision tucked into the legislation to make the GOP’s religious right base happy.
The House passed a $513 billion defense authorization bill yesterday that includes language intended to allow chaplains to pray in the name of Jesus at public military ceremonies, undercutting new Air Force and Navy guidelines on religion. […]
[The measure] says each chaplain “shall have the prerogative to pray according to the dictates of the chaplain’s own conscience, except as must be limited by military necessity, with any such limitation being imposed in the least restrictive manner feasible.”
Keep in mind, the military had crafted guidelines on its own that said chaplains could pray however they want in voluntary worship services, but to respect the diversity of the troops, chaplains were asked to offer nonsectarian prayers, or a moment of silence, at public meetings or ceremonies, especially when attendance is mandatory for service members of all faiths.
Republicans in Congress, facing demands from James Dobson and others, decided to intervene in military affairs and re-write the guidelines in a way Pentagon leaders didn’t want.
And who’s the leading critic of Congress’ new chaplain rules? The ACLU? No, the Navy’s top chaplain.
“The language ignores and negates the primary duties of the chaplain to support the religious needs of the entire crew” and “will, in the end, marginalize chaplains and degrade their use and effectiveness,” [chief of Navy chaplains, Rear Adm. Louis V. Iasiello, a Roman Catholic priest] wrote in a letter to a committee member.
Also keep in mind, Rep. Steve Israel (D-N.Y.) attempted to strike a compromise on this, adding language that called on chaplains to demonstrate “sensitivity, respect and tolerance” for the beliefs of those to whom they minister. Republicans, of course, rejected it.
Next up is an odd development in the non-exist “war on Christmas” — this time, in May.
In suburban St. Louis, the board of education at Francis Howell School District has voted 4-3 to rechristen “Winter Break” as “Christmas Break.” According to a report in the O’Fallon (Mo.) Journal, school board members said they have received more emails on this topic than any other they can recall.
Kim Hutton, a district resident, crusaded for the change. “I’m very happy,” Hutton said. “Christmas is as American as apple pie. We can honor the American cultural tradition of Christmas and still be diverse and tolerant.”
My favorite part of this story is one of those three “no” votes. Angry secular humanists? Not exactly.
The Rev. Bob Farr, who serves as a school board member, voted against the change.
According to the Journal, Farr, who is lead pastor of Church of the Shepherd in St. Peters, Mo., said the change is not fair to other religions that have holidays that fall within the 21-day break.
“I do not believe changing the calendar will make our community more or less
Christian,” said Farr, a United Methodist minister. “If you want more Christmas, go to your church. If we look to the public education system to help students find faith values, we are looking in the wrong place. I believe in democracy. I do not believe in theocracy.”
Nowadays, the voice of reason may be in the minority, but it’s still sounds beautiful.