How does a chaplain serve everyone? Suppose you have two soldiers--Soldier A, who wants a chaplain who will help him live out his personal faith, whatever that may be, and does not want to hear that there is only one way to salvation and that is through Christ; and Soldier B, a young man who knows that death may be around the corner and who wants to know how to make sure that he is right with God. In other words, Soldier A wants comfort and affirmation of his personal beliefs, and Soldier B wants to hear the truth as the chaplain understands it, even if that means that there is only one way to salvation.
How does a chaplain meet the needs of both A and B? And why should the needs and feelings of the As in uniform be preferred by the military over those of the Bs?
I guess this is a way of saying that I don't see why we should assume that all chaplains should refrain from evangelizing and preaching about salvation. There may be soldiers who are offended by that style, but other soldiers may desperately want it and feel that they need it. Religious accommodation in the military is not just for those who already have faith; it should also be for those who are seeking the truth about God and salvation. No? Some soldiers may wish for comfort and acceptance. Others may wish to know how to avoid Hell and how to find Heaven.
If I were on a road heading for a cliff, I would want to be told that the road I was on was bad and that another road was good. The same is true of the spiritual roads I travel. If I were heading for Hell, I would not want a chaplain to comfort me and tell me that everything was fine and dandy. I would want him to help me get off the wrong road and on the right road.
Rick Duncan
Rick Duncan
Welpton Professor of Law
University of Nebraska College of Law
Lincoln, NE 68583-0902
Red State Lawblog: www.redstatelaw.blogspot.com
"When the Round Table is broken every man must follow either Galahad or Mordred: middle things are gone." C.S.Lewis, Grand Miracle
"I will not be pushed, filed, stamped, indexed, briefed, debriefed, or numbered." --The Prisoner
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