On page A4 of the Sunday Wash. Post today, there is a picture of an Army Chaplain Major, an Air Force Col. and Brig. Gen. at Dover, DE standing beside a flag-draped casket , and it says the Chaplain is leading a prayer (just those 3 officers praying) over the remains of a PFC who was killed in Afghan, and those remains apparently had arrived at Dover AFB.
It wouldn't do much good to provide a link to the Wash. Post site since you would have to have one of their e-subscriptions in order to see the photograph.
I don't personally have a problem with it but Tom raised a question a few days ago about FDR's DDay prayer and some objected to government led prayer.
The three officers are paid by the government. The military has many chaplains being paid every day of the year. The prayers in Congress at the start of each session have drawn criticism and as far as I know they are always led by volunteer ministers. Would the praying I described above amount to government led prayer, and is it objectionable to any American citizen members of AMHD?
(I meant no disrespect to non-American citizen AMHD members. I was thinking that the ones who pay for US military chaplains would be more likely to have an opinion on this particular issue but I didn't intend to exclude anyone).

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Originally Posted by smearcase

and some objected to government led prayer.

Would the praying I described above amount to government led prayer, and is it objectionable to any American citizen members of AMHD?

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Hello smear:

I took part in the discussion you referred to... However, I didn't "object" to government lead prayer. I simply stated what it was and what the Constitution says about it. Do I think the Constitution ought to be adhered to? I DO.

What you described above is simply three individuals praying together, which they have every right to do. They weren't "leading" people who had no choice about whether they wanted to be there. THAT is the heart of the matter.

However, if you wanted to find a religious/military mix that I object to, it would be the religious indoctrination of the cadets at the Air Force Academy.

I'm reminded of what that old right winger, Barry Goldwater, said about social issues and the military. He said, "You don't have to BE straight (or a Christian), to SHOOT straight..." Yeah, I threw in a couple more words.

excon

Thank ex.
So it's government organized prayer that is the problem. Hasn't the government organized prayer by funding maybe 3,000 chaplains to the military branches? And taxpayers pony up possibly a billion per year for the military to provide those chaplains. (just an educated guess based on what I could find in searches. Military told Congress recently that it costs in excess of 800,000 dollars per year to maintain one soldier in Afghan, so I allowed 300,000 plus per year for a chaplain)
I think you are absolutely an expert on this topic and I continuously strive to see just where the line is drawn. Many social programs costing far less have been cut from the budgets like state's portions of Medicaid dollars that keep old folks somewhat secure in nursing homes, instead of being thrown out on the street or living in their children's already over burdened homes.

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Originally Posted by smearcase

I think you are absolutely an expert on this topic and I continuously strive to see just where the line is drawn.

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Hello again, smear:

Thanks for the confidence. I'm an absolutist on the matter... The government should NOT be hiring ministers in any capacity.

excon

Aren't military chaplains not only Christian but also Jewish, Muslim, etc.

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Originally Posted by Wondergirl

Aren't military chaplains not only Christian but also Jewish, Muslim, etc.?

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Hello WG:

Uhhhh, yes, but not really.

The military chaplaincy has a diversity problem and it just got worse. The chaplaincy is currently 98% Christian. Of those, 90% are Protestant, and of those, 66% are Evangelical.

The same denominations in the general military population are 70%, 50%, and 19% respectively, and certainly 2% comes nowhere NEAR the covering Jews and Muslims, and there's MANY faith's not represented at all...

Even if all the religions of the world WERE equally represented in the chaplains corps, they STILL have no business being in the employ of the government...

excon

I had to look up absolutist to be sure, but maybe I am one of those too.
My list of principles that fall into that category might be different than yours (probably guns would be one difference), but I believe "What one generation tolerates, the next will embrace", and some think that Glenn Beck said that and Beck couldn't remember who said it but John Wesley actually spoke those words first as far as I can find out. A minister no less.

Beck said:" There is a quote that is running through my mind. And I'm paraphrasing here, but basically what it is, is: What one generation tolerates, the next will embrace. "

I used the nursing home example previously because nursing home funding has been identified as a looming crising in my state of PA, with operators saying that they are losing money on every Medicaid patient in their facilities. And I know I am getting off topic here but that may be one of the big problems in the US among all the others that are being ignored and ticking away.

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Originally Posted by smearcase

I had to look up absolutist to be sure, but maybe I am one of those too. My list of principles that fall into that category might be different than yours (probably guns would be one difference),

And I know I am getting off topic here

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Hello again, Smear:

You can't be an absolutist about the Constitution by supporting one amendment, but not others. I absolutely support them ALL.

excon

I misspoke. I agree that you have to support them all but still might interpret them differently though. And I don't want to go down that path here and now. I've already gotten too far off my original topic.