Religious Marine Jailed For Refusing To Carry Gun

[leftchick]

http://www.thewgalchannel.com/news/4049289/detail.html

RALEIGH, N.C. -- A man who re-enlisted in the Marines after a religious conversion -- and then refused to pick up a gun -- has begun serving a jail sentence at Camp Lejeune, N.C.

Joel Klimkewicz was sentenced last month to seven months in the brig for disobeying an order. He had sought conscientious objector status but was rejected. The Marines said he should have known better than to re-up in 2003 after joining the Seventh-Day Adventist Church.

A church attorney said the 24-year-old from Michigan told authorities he was willing to go to Iraq and work removing mines but he didn't want to carry a weapon.

The Seventh-Day Adventist Church supports noncombatant status for its members who serve in the military, but leaves such decisions to a member's individual conscience.

[MemphisTiger]

1. Uhhh? Did he convert then re-enlist or re-enlist then convert?

If it is the former, I don't have alot of sympathy for him. What did he think he was going to do the the Marines, bake cookies?

[tk2kewl]

5. even if he enlisted after converting, who cares

at least he is showing that there is a different kind of Christian in this country

[Wapsie B]

2. Gee, if he were Southern Baptist or Pentecostal,

there'd be nonstop cries of xians being persecuted.

[tk2kewl]

3. no...

he would be excommunicated for not wanting to kill the brown people wearing the Osama shirts

[Poppyseedman]

4. If he was either of these religions

Southern Baptist or Pentecostal, there would be no cries of persecution because they would not re - enlist and refuse to carry a weapon.

Moot point.

[Moderator]

6. Duplicate

from last week

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=1112446