The problem preachers need to be preaching about isn't that gay people want to get married---it's that straight people don't.
This is what the defenders of marriage need to do--to promote marriage among young heterosexual couples, particularly if they have children.
It's easy to be negative and criticize and say the problem is that gay people want to get married.
Hey, maybe they'll lead the way!
We need stable, loving homes for our children, good male and female role models.
Not some negative preacher bypassing real solutions to the real problem to criticize the lifestyles of a few.
The problem preachers need to be preaching about isn't that gay people want to get married---it's that straight people don't.
This is what the defenders of marriage need to do--to promote marriage among young heterosexual couples, particularly if they have children.
I feel pretty certain that one reason why young mothers don't get married is that they can get WIC and food stamps and subsidies if they aren't married, and zilch if they are.
Chaplains do have military rank.
And the criticism of the Archbishop's letter is that it suggested members of the military should take the law into their own hands. The Archbishop apologized for the reference and the military withdrew the obejction. Hardly the basis for a crusade.
The USA is not a banana republic. The army does not act outside the law.
Archbishop Broglio and the Archdiocese stand firm in the belief, based on legal precedent, that such a directive from the Army constituted a violation of his Constitutionally-protected right of free speech and the free exercise of religion, as well as those same rights of all military chaplains and their congregants.
Following a discussion between Archbishop Broglio and the Secretary of the Army, The Honorable John McHugh, it was agreed that it was a mistake to stop the reading of the Archbishop's letter. Additionally, the line: "We cannot-we will not-comply with this unjust law" was removed by Archbishop Broglio at the suggestion of Secretary McHugh over the concern that it could potentially be misunderstood as a call to civil disobedience.
Jim,
Can you give some real world examples of violation of religious conscience concerning religious liberty and marriage in the military? There have been none that I am aware of and those stokign this fire are vague about their complaints.
A chaplain can preach as he wishes so long as he does not call for for a military putsch or other illegal rebellion. Any member of the military can have his own opinions as to what is sin and what is virtue. No chaplain can be made to perform any rite or ritual he does not wish to.
Don't you see a disconnect? Maybe the Archbishop spends too much time in an ivory tower. How much of an impact will it make to soldiers worried about bombs, getting shot at, being far from family, with few creature comforts, trying to fulfill their mission while keeping their sanity to get a letter from a bishop saying, "What you should REALLY be worrying about is the HHS mandate."
It is imperative that I call to your attention an alarming and serious matter that negatively impacts the Church in the United States directly, and that strikes at the fundamental right to religious liberty for all citizens of any faith. The federal government, which claims to be “of, by, and for the people,” has just dealt a heavy blow to almost a quarter of those people—the Catholic population—and to the millions more who are served by the Catholic faithful. It is a blow to a freedom that you have fought to defend and for which you have seen your buddies fall in battle.
So you believe that a chaplain has the right to advise a homosexual man or woman against continuing his/her immoral relationship during a counseling session?
I feel pretty certain that one reason why young mothers don't get married is that they can get WIC and food stamps and subsidies if they aren't married, and zilch if they are.
Yes. There has never been an indicident that indicated he or she could not
Maybe it might work that way where you live, Fantine, but in Michigan, lots of married couples get WIC and food stamps and subsidies. It's based on income, not marital status.
When I was between jobs when my son was small, my wife and I got WIC and food stamps, and I assure you: we were married at the time.
Are you aware that the Navy and Air Force required chaplains to pray non-sectarian prayers at public functions,
There is quite a recent history regarding chaplains fighting for the right to preach within the beliefs of their faith traditions without hindrance or fear of reprisal from command.
Not required, but they did what was right. No chaplain was asked even mildly to alter his or her prayers at Mass or worship services or voluntary gatherings. For secular assembies of a mixed group of non-Christians and Christians, where the military authories wanted a prayer to be offered, the invitiation went to those chaplains whose conscience allowed a prayer that was not only for the Christians or Protestants. Chaplains who did not wish to do this did not receive any discipline, loss of rank or other punishment other than just selecting another chaplain for this duty.
The Catholic and Jewish chaplains had no problem offering general prayers at secular gartherings rather than offering a "Ave Maria" or a prayer of preparation for the coming of the long awaited Messiah. Only certain Protestants insisted that they be invited to offer a Protestant prayer to a mixed assembly.
Other than calls for the military members to rise up and take the law into their own hands, can you cite an example?
I know that military law is different from civilian law. There are things, apparently, that a soldier could be court-martialed for that would be perfectly legal outside of the military.
I also know that publicly criticizing the Commander-in-Chief is not accepted in the military.
Gay people are not deaf, and they are intuitive. They would be unlikely to request counseling from someone whose differing beliefs and values would make them a poor counselor match.
The issue surfaced after military chaplains expressed concern they would be ordered to marry same-sex couples against their personal beliefs and/or the beliefs of their denomination. Following President Barack Obama's announcement last week that he backs gay marriage, Republicans immediately proposed an amendment to the 2013 defense authorization bill that would protect chaplains from violating their conscience, moral principles and religious beliefs.
When asked by a reporter at her Thursday press conference if she supported the provision, Pelosi said she sided with the White House in opposing it.
So you believe that a chaplain has the right to advise a homosexual man or woman against continuing his/her immoral relationship during a counseling session? Could that chaplain refuse to offer counsel rather than gloss over the immoral nature of the relationship?
There doesn't need to be an incident. There only has to be the threat of punishment if it were done. And right now there is that threat. By the way, you never answered Wolseley when he asked you how many years you have served in the military.Yes. There has never been an indicident that indicated he or she could not