MRFF's Inbox
January 10, 2009
The following email is in response to the December 30th email featured in "MRFF's Inbox" in the January MRFF Newsletter,
which can be found by clicking here.
Dear [writer]
I read your letter to MRFF concerning the free exercise/wall of separation in the Constitution, especially in your advocacy of a Christian's right to share their faith, and I would like to respond.
Let me start by saying I am a Christian, an ordained Lutheran pastor, and a veteran of 8 years of service in the Chaplaincy of the US Navy. I have served at an officer training base, a large Marine Corps base, and at sea, including during a six month deployment.
I agree that Christians are called to share their faith: It is called "The Great Commission", tells us to go and make disciples. There is nothing in military regs that prevents one Christian with sharing his/her faith with another member of the military. The problem comes when it is no longer voluntary on both sides of the discussion. I have the right to share my faith...you have the right to tell me you are not interested. That becomes a problem in the military. How does an E2 tell an O5 that he/she is not interested? There is simply not an equality when two people are of different ranks. It is one of the reasons why we forbid fraternization between people of different ranks, because a relationship can easily become coercive on the one hand, or give the junior of the pair an advantage over others.
When I came into the Chaplain Corps, in 1975, we lived by the credo of "ministry of presence". At its core, it says that in the military, all religions, and none, are equal in the service. It means that I may not use my status as a Chaplain to coerce anyone regarding religion. Yes, I can talk about religion, if that person comes to me and is willing, or attends chapel. Yes, I can pray and preach the gospel during chapel...in fact BY LAW I may not be restricted in what I preach, except for such obvious things as mutiny, or treason. But, I have an obligation to respect the position of other sailors, even when I believe they are "wrong" or otherwise different.
When we deployed to the Indian Ocean, it was two weeks before Easter, a sacred time for Christians but celebrated with different emphases by different Christian groups. It is also the time of Passover, perhaps the most important holiday among Jews. As the only Chaplain for the command, my obligation was to support any and all religious groups in their needs. That meant, among other things, making sure my Jewish personnel could celebrate Passover, at least as far as possible aboard a ship at sea. It means my Catholic sailors would have a Catholic Lay Leader aboard, with supplies to celebrate a Communion service, in the absence of Mass--and it meant finding a priest when possible to say Mass and hear confessions. It meant finding a space where a group of young Christians could play/sing gospel music and study the bible together. It also meant that I could advertise the times and places of services, but if someone was not interested, they were free to stay away. It means that in counseling for military issues, I had to approach the issue in a religiously neutral position, unless the counselee asked for religious advice. Ministry of presence means that we are to bear witness not so much by word, but by actions, which may lead others to ask for further information, at which point we can share our faith. It is not as obvious as lining everyone up and preaching to them, but it works. It also honors the freedom of others to choose another course. Ministry of presence has a long history in Christian evangelization. A statement attributed to Saint Francis of Assisi says "preach the gospel at all times...use words when necessary."
What is happening in the military today is very different from the Chaplain Corps I knew. It is not simply that a large number of military personnel, both Chaplains and lay military, usually senior enlisted or senior officers, demand the "right" to share their religious faith...whether or not the other is willing (which is de facto, a measure of coercion); it is that religious evangelization is being used as an end in itself. It means that Christianity is being brought into the military as THE preferred religion among our troops--and one specific form of Christianity at that.
THAT is what is forbidden by the issue of freedom of religion in the military. The current situation is not simply an open sharing of what we believe and respecting the beliefs of others. Too often, it is a declaration that MY WAY is the ONLY way. We have Christians who have been subject to pressure because, for instance, they believe differently on baptism! Some denominations see baptism as a sign of an individual's receipt of faith, and a declaration of their personal faith commitment. Other denominations see baptism as a sacrament, where God calls people and marks them in baptism as a "child of God". Christians in good standing in one denomination are considered by others to be "unbaptized" and are under pressure to adopt the other understanding. Aside from the arrogance that assumes that one is completely right, how does this do anything positive for unit cohesion? How does this foster the sort of mission identification which a unit needs in order to carry out its mission? How does this, in fact, keep people alive in combat?
The subject of prayer is also a major issue. Some Chaplains are comfortable in a more inclusive prayer format ("Lord, we give you thanks. Amen", for instance); others demand the right to pray explicitly "In the Name of Jesus Christ our Savior". And yet, check out the Prayer of St Francis "Lord, make me an instrument of thy peace..." It is profoundly Christian, and yet does NOT end with "In the Name...". And what about those for whom ANY public prayer is an issue? Should they be compelled to attend "prayer services"? If so, what is your justification? The greater good? What about unit identification? How does a young trooper, forced to participate in something that is contrary to his beliefs and choices, then go into battle, perhaps, with a positive frame of mind, and feeling as a part of the unit in which he fights? Instead, he will be irritated, and LESS focused. And what does a mission brief, or a watch turnover have to do with prayer, anyway? Those who wish to pray, let them say a prayer as they go to their duty station. In fact, Christians ought to be praying always, anyway. But my right to pray does not demand you must listen!
This is a diverse country, and becoming more so every year. This is not a negative, but the very strength of our nation: that people of every place and creed and of no creed, are welcome to bring their gifts into citizenship and national service. As a military, we have all we can do to make sure our troops are the best they can be in a military sense. There is always more training we can do, there is always something more to learn. Bringing religion into the military sphere is not helpful to the mission. That's what the issue about freedom of religion in the military is finally all about. We are not on a crusade (and I use that term deliberately...the crusaders fought under the banner of Christ, with crosses on their tunics). We are a military force, reflective of the diversity of our country, working to ensure that we protect, defend and serve, all that makes up our great country.
[name withheld]
CDR, USN, Ret
