This Week in God

June 9, 2007

The God Machine is focused on just one jaw-dropping religion story this week — a piece from the Florida Baptist Witness about Lt. Michael Peyton, the military chaplain assigned to the Blue Angels precision flying team.

“One of the rules of thumb in the Navy’s chaplain corps is just the power of presence of the chaplain,” Peyton said. “I’m there representing Jesus Christ, or God in the wider sense. In my case, I’m there representing Jesus Christ and the power and the peace that brings — just through the chaplain’s presence. That can be a powerful presence.”
A member of Hillcrest Baptist Church in Pensacola, Peyton said he believes “the fields are truly white to God’s harvest” in the military.

In his office, Peyton offers counseling as part of his ministry and says he starts out hearing about symptoms of problems but quickly turns the conversation in a spiritual direction — “under the leadership of the Holy Spirit.”

“I will start going through the exploratory questions with them and I use the F.A.I.T.H. outline,” he said. “They may just give a works answer or they may not have any clue. But one of the best parts of my ministry is just being a spiritual midwife and seeing the young sailors, the young Marines, the young airmen humble themselves and come to faith in Jesus Christ behind the closed counseling door.”

One can debate the merit of the military chaplains’ program, but even if we put that aside, chaplains are supposed to serve as a sort of counselor for troops seeking guidance and comfort. Peyton has described an entirely different dynamic — his goal is to use his uniform to convert as many people as he can.

The article, probably for obvious reasons, didn’t get into what servicemen and women might do if they’re not Christian, but nevertheless want guidance from their designated military chaplain. Should a Jewish soldier feel comfortable seeking out Peyton’s counsel? How about a Muslim soldier? A Catholic? A Mormon?

And then there’s the “F.A.I.T.H. outline” Peyton utilizes.

Rick Perlstein helped flesh out the details.

Key Question: In your personal opinion, what do you understand it takes for a person to go to heaven?

Transition Statement: I’d like to share with you how the Bible answers that question, if it is all right. There is a word that can be used to answer this question:

FAITH (spell out on fingers). F is for FORGIVENESS We cannot have eternal life and heaven without God’s forgiveness…

A is for AVAILABLE Forgiveness is available. It is: Available for All… But Not Automatic…

I is for IMPOSSIBLE It is impossible for God to allow sin into heaven…

Question: But how can a sinful person enter heaven, where God allows no sin?

T is for TURN Turn means repent…

H is for HEAVEN Heaven is eternal life. Heaven is here…

How? How can a person have God’s forgiveness, heaven and eternal life, and Jesus as personal Savior and Lord? By trusting in Christ and asking Him for forgiveness. Take the step of faith described by another meaning of FAITH: Forsaking All, I Trust Him.

Pray this prayer: “Lord Jesus, I know I am a real sinner, and have displeased You in many ways. I believe You died for my sin, and only through faith in Your death and resurrection can I be forgiven. I want to turn from my sin and ask You to come into my life as my Savior and Lord. From this day on, I will follow You by living a life that pleases You. Thank You, Lord Jesus, for saving me. Amen.”

What’s wrong with this approach? If you’re a Baptist preacher counseling a congregation, absolutely nothing. If you’re an evangelist reaching out to potential converts, absolutely nothing.

But if you’re an officer in the U.S. military, paid to offer counseling to a diverse group of soldiers, in a country that’s supposed to honor church-state separation, there’s a real problem.

No wonder James Madison thought military chaplains were a bad idea.

or how about a jewish, muslim, catholic, or mormon chaplain using his uniform (and rank, since all chaplains are officers) to counsel/convert christians?
how do you like them apples, lt. peyton?

  • I agree with Madison, and also with Matthew 6:5-6: — “And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen.”

    I’d go farther: chaplains and prayers have no business whatever in any part of any official government function of any kind. It’s my country, too, and all this reverence toward a twisted childhood fairytale offends me deeply. Especially when that fairytale (1) blinds us to messages like the Sermon on the Mount and (2) when that fairytale is exploited to make so much human life so miserable. Religion indeed!

  • In my time in the Navy I never met a chaplain who would have been missed for any reason, had he been the first casualty in action. In boot camp, I got introduced to the southern morons who are Baptist preachers like this bozo – their joyful celebration of bone-deep ignorance was truly stunning to someone who had never been to the South before – and learned to get that extra hour of sleep we were all denied, sacked out in the back of the church we were all forced to attend. So their b.s. did have some value – an extra hour of sleep.

    As far as the Blue Angles (and I spelled it that way intentionally) are concerned, they are – from my direct experience – the most out of control egotists of that most egotistical breed of human being: a Nasal Radiator (old slur against a particular kind of Naval Aviator by the rest of us). Which makes them all dumb enough in their know-it-all egotistical ignorance to probably go for that line of crap from this guy, hook, line and sinker. I haven’t been able to watch one of their shows for the past 20 years since my behind-the-stage-door introduction to their reality, and didn’t even feel all that bad about their recent fatality (unfortunately) – particularly since it turned out to be the kind of pilot error only a supreme egotist would make.

  • Having a religion should disqualify any counselor. It’s a fatal bias.

    I like Peyton’s F.A.I.T.H. acronym though. I wonder if he has H.A.T.E. tatooed on one hand and L.O.V.E. on the other and let’s them “wrestle”.

    I’m with Ed. No preachers in Government.

  • Remember Father Mulcahey on M.A.S.H.? If military chaplains (or any religious leader) actually were like that fictional character, I could almost believe in gawd myself.

  • So we’re back to bashing the South, are we, Tom Cleaver? Just a reminder: the Republicans can’t win national elections without the northeast. Democrats can’t win national elections without the southeast. So stereotyping entire regions is rather shortsighted, if not bigoted and stupid.

    No one likes being hated. Tends to sour any conversations.

    I personally would rather being around a hell fire and damnation minister than a Unitarian.

  • Thanks for reporting this bizarre story. You are absolutely right that this is a church-state issue. There are many non-Christians in the military who do not need to be subjected to this form of idiocy. In addition, I see little reason why my tax dollars should go to support some ancient superstition. We in the reality-based community appreciate your attention to this topic.

  • The term “spiritual midwife” made me gag. Even as a recovered Southern Baptist, I thought the title went too far….

  • Peyton said he believes “the fields are truly white to God’s harvest” in the military.

    What does that mean?

  • Just a reminder: the Republicans can’t win national elections without the northeast. Democrats can’t win national elections without the southeast.
    *************************************************************************************
    How many Northeast states did Bush win in 2004, genius? Zero.
    And he got badly mauled there in 2000, losing every state except New Hampshire.

    And Kerry needed only Ohio – not a single southern state – to win in 2004.
    And Gore needed only New Hampshire – not a single southern state – to win in 2000.
    And Clinton won in 1992 while losing the Southeast.

    Just a reminder – you obviously haven’t the foggiest idea what you’re talking about.

  • During my militarysevice I encountered a number of chaplains. The vast majority of them were damn good men who were only interested in bringing comfort to sailors and marines who were having problems of one kind or another. They conducted religious services, sure, but the majority of their time was spent in a role more akin to a social worker. Yeah, I also ran across a couple who, like Lt. Peyton, thought their job title was “missionary” and everyone knew they were dickheads. But until someone comes up with an alternative — some sort of ranking person whose main job is to consider the human needs of the troops, the military chaplain corps is pretty low on my list of stuff that needs to be radically reformed.

  • It’s quite depressing to see impressionable young men and women in the military subjected to this theistic garbage. It’s a crystal clear example of right-wing fundamentalist christianity being funded by tax dollars and shoved down the throats of some of our most vulnerable of soldiers- those seeking counseling. Counseling belongs in hands of qualified personnel, certainly not with salesmen in the ministry for god.

    Theocracy. It’s a bad idea for ANY country. Period.

  • “It is impossible for God to allow sin into heaven”

    What!?

    I thought this particular god was supposed to be omnipotent. How can it make a rule that it can’t break. Furthermore, a rule that only applies to itself.

    Sky pilots know nothing and when they do something it is usually bad, but they are paid from the public purse for being useless.

    Eric Burden’s song.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F_LjjI8TcQ0

    ______

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