You likely thought “Don’t ask, don’t tell” was over for the military.
It is for the LGBT. But for the NGMW (NOT-Gay-Man-Woman), aka Christian Conservatives that’s not the case.
Chaplain Captain Joe Lawhorn led a training session on suicide prevention to servicemen and women. Chaplain Lawhorn the mistake of explaining to the group how he, a chaplain, relied on God to help him through a personal struggle.
Do I need to tell you there was a narc in the room? Yep…a non-believer.
He ran to Military Association of Atheists and Freethinkers (MAAF), and they ran to the Huffington Post.
So what is more important? Accepting the possibility and acting upon on the possibility spiritual connections can save someone’s life? Or preventing one person from being offended by the mere mention of God?
According to MAAF’s president, Jason Torpy,
“No amount of ‘Well, this is just my personal beliefs’ makes it OK.”
The Chaplain has been disciplined, despite several others who confirmed that Lawhorn was not offering up his way as the only way. Further, the group could not find a recording of what the Chaplain said.
The complaint did reference a handout, according to Daily Signal:
On the front of the handout, Lawhorn drew from the Bible’s Book of Psalms and referenced its central Jewish figure, David, as an example of how to manage thoughts of depression and suicide. On the back, Lawhorn provided referrals for local counseling along with other crisis contacts in government. The Daily Signal, discovered that only two of the four were affiliated with a particular religion.
Col. David Fivecoat, commander of the Airborne and Ranger Training Brigade at Fort Benning, Ga, wrote chaplain “violated the privilege and responsibility he had and he exploited that opportunity to push his personal religious beliefs on the captive audience of military personnel. It doesn’t matter where the complaint came from. “
Mikey Weinstein, President and Founder of the Military Religious Freedom Foundation, states what may of the anti-religion groups:
“There is an abject fecklessness and Christian supremacy and exceptionalism of the present regime of religious oppression in the armed forces.”
Welcome to Obama’s military; the military of “Don’t ask, don’t tell” if you are a Christian.
