ATHEIST CHAPLAINS

Good comments. Another thought, not wasting all the time defending. Look at what Kermit did, all that time and energy, not to mention money and the Rabbi that worked on it and was such an asshole--he and Cecil Curry followed their efforts with a book which was good as related to the constitutionality of the chaplaincy but unnessary I thought but Kermit honestly believes he saved the chaplaincy. Please!!!  But, let us not forget how valuable we are and a commander who is on top of his situation will tell you that he'll give up almost anybody before his chaplain. We are, in fact, the poor man's shrink which to me, is chaplain talk for helping soldiers in all sorts of ways, to include being their advocate. When I was a civilian pastor, I would tell people all the time: the difference in civilian clergy and a military chaplain-- the civilian clergy will say, "Sorry about your situation, I will pray for you." The military chaplain will say, "I will pray for you. Tell me what I need to help you."

Where the chief and chiefs f..k up in my opinion is that they do like nothing in promoting our efforts. They get to be chief and somehow fall into hull defolade. If we had a chief (I don't even know who the chief is) who was on top of it, they would be aggressive and everytime we had a national ceremony or a national crisis, you would see the chaplain at the right hand of the prez or whomever or at least, visible. I'll never forget running into this store owner on Chestnut, right off the Presideo (familiar to Clyde and Lamar). He kept staring at me as I was in uniform. He said, finally, what is your job in the Army? I said, "I am a chaplain." I'll shorten this, he kept going over it, what I did, etc finally he said in the place, which must have been twenty people. "Wow, everybody, this man is a chaplain. How great. I didn't know our soldiers had chaplains." I never forgot it as this guy was so blown away by it all. All of us can come up with stories but for the general public at large, we're invisible I think. 

A last thing. Tom, I don't have much confidence that the indorsing agencies will stand up much. I might be surprised but with Jim Ammerman on the other side...just kidding. 

{{{{{{{Jerry}}}}}} 


On Jun 25, 2011, at 6:38 AM, Ctclanton@aol.com wrote:

I give an amen to what Clyde and Lamar have already written.   Totally disagree with needing an Atheist Chaplain!   Boy can't you imagine trying to convince some Brigade Commander that their new chaplain will be an atheist!  Especially if he was either a very strong Catholic or very conservative Protestant!  You'de never get their approval!    I'm sure you guys, like I did tried my best to take care of every person in the battalion who came to me with a problem.  We helped them, no matter what their religious preference was.  Since we don't have "Atheist services why would we need an Atheist Chaplain!   Charlie
 
In a message dated 6/25/2011 6:27:35 A.M. Eastern Daylight Time, TCarter@gbhem.org writes:
Please check out the following:

 

 

http://blog.militaryatheists.org/2011/06/open-letter-chaplain-support-of-atheists/

 

I would be interested in your thoughts either way, whether you are willing to sign on, or if you have any reservations.

 

-- 

Jason Torpy
President, Military Association of Atheists & Freethinkers
(202)-656-MAAF (6223)
jtorpy@militaryatheists.org
http://www.militaryatheists.org



We have received a request to sign on to the efforts to add “chaplains” for atheists and freethinkers.  What say ye?

 

Peace,