Bachmann Wants Military Chaplains To Be Able To Proselytize At Non-Religious Events [View All]

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Sen. Michele Bachmann (R-MN) recently tried to further erase the lines of separation between church and state by introducing an amendment to the 2011 National Defense Authorization Act that would allow chaplains to close a prayer at a non-religious event “according to the dictates of the chaplains’ conscience.” From the amendment:

Americans United explains what’s wrong with this amendment:

Bachmann’s proposal may not sound all that nefarious, but it is. Military chaplains, of course, are already allowed to offer sectarian prayers at sectarian worship services. A Christian chaplain presiding at a Christian gathering is likely to close a prayer “in Jesus’ name.” A Muslim chaplain at a Muslim service is going to offer prayers that reflect the teachings of Islam.

But chaplains are employees of the government, and they serve a diverse constituency, not just members of their own tradition. They are sometimes asked to offer invocations at military events where personnel from many faiths are present. At those, nonsectarian prayers may be requested
More: http://thinkprogress.org/

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