Jones introduces bill to protect chaplains

Jones introduces bill to protect chaplains
By Cristian Hernandez - Staff writer
Posted : Friday Jul 18, 2008 16:33:48 EDT

Chaplains would be able to close prayers outside of religious services according to their faith under a bill introduced July 16 by Rep. Walter Jones, R-N.C.

The bill, HR 6514, would allow Christian chaplains to close prayers outside of religious services in the name of Jesus Christ. Chaplains are discouraged to close prayers in the name of Jesus or any other entity besides God, according to statements released by Jones.

“Officially inhibiting or defining what chaplains can and cannot say in effect establishes an official religion and violates our military chaplains’ First Amendment rights,” Jones said in a statement. “The demand for so-called ‘nonsectarian’ prayer is merely a euphemism declaring that prayers will be acceptable only so long as they censor Christian beliefs.”

The Air Force and Navy implemented guidelines in 2006 that restricted prayers in public events where attendance was not voluntary in order to discourage proselytizing. But the 2007 Defense Authorization Act ordered the rescinding of those rules and a return to the previous policy, which does not specify or restrict the way in which chaplains pray.

“The repeal of the restrictive Air Force and Navy guidelines was a mark of progress in the effort to restore the First Amendment right of military chaplains to pray as they see fit,” Jones said.


Rest of article at: http://www.navytimes.com/news/2008/07/military_chaplains_jones_071808w/



uhc comment: This is Walter "Freedum Fries" Jones. For some unimaginable reason, I think his seat is being contested.

first amendment rights restoration to chaplains to "pray as they see fit" is not necessary because they never lost that right. Just more right wing titillation to stimulate the ignorant masses.