Does the military Chaplain position violate the seperation of Church and State?

Question

This is not a question about whether or not those with religious convictions should be offered some solace in war and death. The question centers on these problems:

1)Most Chaplains are trained in Christian theology – they cannot provide equal “care” to soldiers with non-Christian belief systems.
2)Due to (1), paying Chaplains amounts to endorsing one religion over the other.

Please avoid any arguments about “The U.S. was founded on Christianity.” The U.S. was founded on oppression and enslavement of minorities too; we simply grew (we like to think) out of it.

Who said anything about "law"?

Answer 1

Anytime any public funds (Collected Taxes) are used to pay someone or to facilitate someone's spreading religion, it is a violation of separation of church and state. Allowing religion a tax free ride is also a violation because it forces everyone to pay a higher tax rate to subsidize the spread of delusional superstitionism (aka. religion)

Answer 2

I think military chaplains are intended as nondenominational counselors, although some may be better trained for such a position than others. If the chaplain encounters questions from someone in whose faith he is not very well-versed, hopefully he will prove to be resourceful and read up on that religion and ask questions himself--this sort of resourcefulness should, in fact, be a prerequisite for a position as a military chaplain.

In the spirit in which it is intended, I don't think the military chaplain position is a violation of the separation of church and state; particularly so since military personnel do not constitute a "captive audience" for the chaplain (this being the problem with school prayer), but rather are expected to seek out his counsel as needed. If the military chaplains are not being trained properly, that is a problem with the hiring and training policy which should be addressed before considering abolishing the military chaplain position in the name of separation of church and state.

Note: I think the chaplain should be available as a counselor to ALL military personnel, including atheists. The chaplain should be expected to provide sound and sensitive advice to everyone.

Answer 3

If the military hired *only* Christian Chaplains, it might violate the concept on the grounds that the government advocates one religion over others, but the chaplaincy is open to ministers of all recognized faiths (there are even Wiccan Chaplains).

Chaplains earn their educational credentials most frequently through degree programs which they choose (and finance) according to their personal resources and convictions, just like any other college student; they are not required to be Christian in order to be a military chaplain.

While it's true that most Chaplains are Christian, that is only a reflection of demographics, not federal policy.

By allowing servicemembers access to spiritual guidance on the battlefield, and to services and rites according to their convictions, the military chaplaincy is a living embodiment of our nation's *commitment* to freedom of religion. To remove the chaplaincy would do more to remove that individual right than it would to preserve it.

Answer 4

No. Because the mlitary must accommodate many needs of our fighting men in parts of the world. Spiritual concerns are extremely important to many, so the military must be able to provide them.

In actuality there are military chaplains representing virtually every religion, even Wiccan. Of course, there are limitations such as the willingness of a Hindu to join the army, but the military really does go to great lengths to accommodate any reasonable need.

I think your argument would have a lot more traction if all military chaplains were Christian and if those Chaplains gave good little warlike speeches to the troops before battle. Instead, their role is to personally counsel individuals, provide religious services to those who wish to attend, succor the wounded, and attend to the dead.

Answer 5

I don't think that it does. To begin with, a military chaplain does not set public policy. They merely minister to soldiers. Secondly, the overwhelming majority of US soldiers are Christians. It makes sense then that most chaplains would also be Christian. There are other faiths represented (Jews and Muslims). My experience has been that religion is left to the individual in the military.
As a person who is very uncomfortable with the growing role of religion in politics, I don't see a problem here (yet). Keep watching though.

Answer 6

Well, in the Liberal sense of Separation of Church and State it is a violation. All the while the elected Liberal Leaders in congress have Protestant and Roman Catholic leaders in some sessions, and have a Christian based prayer before their sessions. But we wont get into that tradition, it sheds too much light on what you don't want to believe.

The Separation of Church and State required that the government did not impose upon the people a state religion. Remember that many escaped the Anglican church and it's troubling ways, and it was not that long from the even more terrible persecutions of another state church- the Roman Catholic Church, who mudered for centuries those that were not going to Mass, did not recognize transubstantiation, did not recognize the infallible authority of the Pope.
Millions may have died, torture was commonplace, starvation, mutilation, massacre, genocide- all manners of devilry were committed in the name of a state religion.

Our founding fathers were not talking about prayer in schools and other such modern whims of idiocy.

Answer 7

No one man can provide every spiritual need of every soldier.

But Chaplains are TRAINED to cover most of the religious variations they will encounter.

Catholic priests make the best chaplains because the military has more Catholics than any other Chritstian denomination or non Chirstian faith. A Priest can minister to a Protestant, but a Protestant minister can not minister proerly to a Catholic soldier because he can not offer the Sacraments.

I know 2 Catholic Chaplains. They are both extensively trained- ongoing training- to provide their best for all soldiers, regardless of creed....and all soldiers are happy to have a chaplain available, regardless of his creed.

Answer 8

Porbably not. I'm sure there are chaplains for other religion beliefs.

By the way, there is no such thing as the Separation of Church and State. The ACLU created it in order to make an excuse to bash the Christian religion.

Answer 9

US Army Chaplains aren't just Christian, other faiths are represented as well. There have been Jewish Chaplains since the 1860s for example.

Answer 10

No, because ther IS no Constitutional Seperation of Church and State. There is only an injunction against Congress creating a Church of America, so there can never be an American version of the Anglican or Lutheran Churches. That's ALL that was ever meant.

Answer 11

There is no law which restricts the government from being involved with religious groups. Seperation of church and state is not a law at all, because the constitution guarantees freedom of worship, whether you are a prisoner, a government worker, or a private citizen.