No prayer before military convoys?

[briareos]

Atheist Leader Complains About U.S. Troops Praying Together Before Combat Mission | CNSnews.com

The gent who is now pressing for Atheist chaplains is now opportunistically pressing for ousting prayer before military convoys in combat zones. This an abuse of military rank and influence.

What think you?

Praying, in addition to Precombat checks and Precombat inspections is not a disregard of other pertinent preparation, it's simply praying also. If the convoy brief and other checks and inspections did not happen then the convoy commander would be at fault... praying before or during a convoy brief is not disregard of other preparations. This is an intellectual failure if i've seen one, a clear abuse of an officers influence and rank.

Luckily the military doesn't change that often and this isn't going to make lasting waves.

No soldier not even PV1 Snuffy is going to be forced to pray or even bow their head against their will, that is a IG complaint waiting to happen. Officers do not have that kind of authority and no one in the military can order anyone to do anything that violates their constitutional rights and is not a part of their duty as a soldier.

Filthy, selfish agenda.

 

[selfinflikted]

As long as the prayers are not forced, I don't see why some can't participate in praying, and those that don't wish to don't have to.

 

[briareos]

Right and no prayer can be forced, no one in the military has that authority. The CPT has been to officer training etc etc... he knows that.

 

[selfinflikted]

Then, yea. I don't see anything wrong with this. Sometimes people like to stir up **** just for the sake of stirring up ****. Ya know?

 

[briareos]

mmmhmmm that's disruption of good order and discipline and in a dangerous environment, hopefully his command deals with him.

 

[fenix144]

Agreed. If it's not forced there's no problem.

 

[Robbie_James_Francis]

This is the moral issue surrounding the military? Not that they're paid to kill people?

I'd sort out my priorities if I were you.

 

[Paradoxum]

Personally I would love to be prayed for before potentially going my death, even though I don't strictly believe in God. I'm just a naturally spiritual person I guess XD

 

[HeathenWarrior]

If they want to pray, let them. If they don't feel like it, then don't make them. It really is not that complicated.

 

[briareos]

I agree

 

[Exiledoomsayer]

I think there is a difference between allowing soldiers to pray, nobody is trying to take that away.
And a commander calling everybody together to participate in a christian prayer, even with the option to sit out.

The first is okay, the second is not.

 

[briareos]

It was an open invitation and start of a free will ceremonial act, those who choose not to participate do not have to, the commander is in charge of the events at the meeting and the free will group prayer could not have appropriately began without him. Military customs issue. Him saying "Ok, if you want to pray together let's pray now" is something he would need to initiate because he is in charge of the meeting and the events. Soldiers don't have the liberty to just decide on their own if they want to gather and pray together while on duty, their were abouts and actions are largely controlled by their superiors unless they are off duty. This was during a convoy brief preceding the departure and the convoy commander was in charge of everything at that time.

 

[roach]

This is the moral issue surrounding the military? Not that they're paid to kill people?

I'd sort out my priorities if I were you.

Agreed... this is what happens when ethical standards are framed by media driven agendas. It's a quibble about the culture of an institution who's actions are assumed to have legitimacy.

The 'issue' of praying/not praying in the military seems much more telling of what values and assumptions people hold... That's much more interesting than the 'debate'

 

[briareos]

It was a fail troll... don't bring it back to life please.

 

[Cabal]

Frankly I think I'd rather units form cohesion via something more reliable than praying, but sometimes you have to take what you can get.

 

[Publius]

Atheist Leader Complains About U.S. Troops Praying Together Before Combat Mission | CNSnews.com

The gent who is now pressing for Atheist chaplains is now opportunistically pressing for ousting prayer before military convoys in combat zones. This an abuse of military rank and influence.

What think you?

Praying, in addition to Precombat checks and Precombat inspections is not a disregard of other pertinent preparation, it's simply praying also. If the convoy brief and other checks and inspections did not happen then the convoy commander would be at fault... praying before or during a convoy brief is not disregard of other preparations. This is an intellectual failure if i've seen one, a clear abuse of an officers influence and rank.

Luckily the military doesn't change that often and this isn't going to make lasting waves.

No soldier not even PV1 Snuffy is going to be forced to pray or even bow their head against their will, that is a IG complaint waiting to happen. Officers do not have that kind of authority and no one in the military can order anyone to do anything that violates their constitutional rights and is not a part of their duty as a soldier.

Filthy, selfish agenda.

Naturally, it would never occur to an atheist that they can respect the beliefs of others without participating.

Good thing this guy didn't serve under Washington. Church attendance was mandatory, Washington led his troops in prayer constantly, and even brought preachers and evangelists in to speak to the men.

 

[Cabal]

Naturally, it would never occur to an atheist that they can respect the beliefs of others without participating.

Might wanna read the responses in the thread there, champ.

 

[briareos]

Yes, let's be respectful of everyone and not take pot shots at each other.

Cabal, there is definitely a "something" else, they do many things, prayer is simply something some of them have the freedom and desire to do.

 

[Paulos23]

The Major in the story I think was out of line, espesually for chewing out the Captain for not joining in.

I don't mind personal prayer, but as a comanding officer he should not have done that. It isolates the troops that don't hold his beliefs and distracts them from the mission. It would have been better to say "those that like to join me in prayer meet over here" but that could still lead to divition if it isn't handled right.

 

[briareos]

What exactly did the Major say and do that was inappropriate? He did not require or ask anyone who did not want to pray, to pray.