Should the Army allow Wiccan chaplains?

Question

Recently the Army discharged a chaplain who wanted to convert to the Wiccan religion and continue serving as a chaplain (link below). I don't want to discuss his particular case but I would like your views on the idea in general.

There are almost 2000 Wiccans in the Air Force and the Marines (the Army and Navy do not have current statistics on this). There are religions with fewer followers who have chaplains.

Given this, should a Wiccan be certified as a chaplain?

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/chris-weigant/army-boots-wiccan-chaplai_b_41781.html

Answer 1

Of course.

Every faith deserves to have a 'chaplain' if there are members in the military. Anything else is simply discrimination.

Answer 2

As a former Chaplain Asst. in the Army I can speak from experiance of the mission of the Chaplaincy. Boiled down, it is there to ensure the title X right to the free exercise of religion for service members, their families and authorized DOD/DA civilian employees. A Chaplain is a minister who is functionaly "on loan" to the military from their endorcing body for two reasons. The first is to provide for the free exercise of all those to which he is assigned. The second is to perform the rites/sacraments/ordanances of his own faith for soldiers of his own faith. The provide mission is what comes first. By this understanding of the mission of the military Chaplain it should be obvious that the Chaplain's personal faith has little bearing on the execution of his primary mission and, therefor, that a Chaplain who is Wiccan is just as capable of doing this job as a Chaplain who is Catholic.

Speaking to the numbers issue, there are more Wiccans serving on active duty in the AirForce than Jews or Muslims combined. To say that there are not enough Wiccan service members to warrent a Chaplain is to speak without knowing the easiest of facts.

Answer 3

I'm a Christian, and I've always thought that Wiccan chaplains should be allowed. There are plenty of Wiccans currently serving in the military, and I know quite a few Wiccan vets. It's also been demonstrated that chaplains are already being provided for religious groups that are numerically smaller than Wiccans. In my opinion, the government should be willing to provide a chaplain for anybody who's willing to take a chance on getting killed defending his or her country.

Answer 4

If they allow one group then all should be allowed. I am outraged at the double standard, Abrahamaic bias that this story brings to light.

I have long thought that there should be NO chaplains in the military. It offends my sense of separation of church and state to know that my tax money is going to support chaplains. Each of those guys is an officer. There are thousands of them and we pay for it. Civilian ministers are supported by their congregations and I see no reason why that should not be so in the military as well. I have always felt that this is a missionary sort of deal.

This story brings out exactly why there should be a separation between church and state. Can the rabbi perform communion? Can the imam perform a mitzvah? Now the government has taken sides and said, these are okay but that one is not. And the hypocrisy starts to show through. Better to keep government out of it.

Answer 5

I don;'t see why they shouldn't allow Wiccan chaplains, they have the same views on things like life, death, the after-life as other chalains from Christianity and Catholisicm, only their beliefs differ in a few ways.

To be honest, christianity has taken a lot of Pagan beliefs and used for their own benefit, concerning marriage, the phrase "tie the knot" is taken from the Pagan Hand fasting, even the use of Holly and tree decorations during christmas are taken from Paganism, just to say but a few.

Discharging someone for what they want is the same as discharging someone who is gay, and just plain discrimination.

Answer 6

I was unaware that Wiccans had need of chaplains. I thought they had priests and priestesses and that every believer was a priest on some level.

Can a Wiccan chaplain administer last rites to a dying Catholic? Or perform Jewish ceremonies?

Answer 7

Well, seeing that I am currently serving in the military and I am a Wicca, I say YES!!!!!!!

There are way too many of that when we get stationed at a new base are forced to either 'lone it out' or spend countless hours on the net looking for a circle or a convent the join (weaving through the 'players')

It would make PCSing or going TDY an ease- least on that part.

BB

BTW to the poster who referenced animal sacrifice- I have been a Witch my entire LIFE 32 years a fully practicing Witch for 16 years and have NEVER sacrificed an animal. Comments like that bread hatred towards an unknown subject. Try goggling our way of life a learn a bit. :) Brightest Blessings to you.

Answer 8

I think the military should allow anyone who wants to join sign up. How can they put stipulations on those who want to serve this country. Too many people have died for the govt. to be choosy. They should send anyone who can change things over there. Our troops have been in war too long and for what reason again? Because I'm having trouble remembering while we are still there in the first place. The govt. is full of hippocrits who won't allow us to do this or that, but behind closed doors their doing most of the stuff they won't allow us to do.

Answer 9

Yes. Wicca is recognized in the US Army Chaplains Handbook:

http://www.religioustolerance.org/wic_usbk.htm

And if there are religions with fewer followers who have chaplains, then Wicca is certainly entitled.

If we're good enough to die in the service of our country, then dammit, we're good enough to be ministered to in the religion of our choice. It's that simple.

Answer 10

Whatever ; but Serving The Lord God is paramount thoughout ones` life ! There are way to many warnings from God about indulging in " witchcraft " in the Bible to disobey !! Exodus 22 : 18 ....... Deuteronomy 18 : 10 ................ 1 Samuel 15 : 23 ........2 Chronicles 33 : 6 ..........Galatians 5: 20.. ..... 2Kings 9 : 22 ....... Micah 5 : 12 ....... Nahum 3 : 4 ** All these verses deal with with God forbidding the practice of or associating with , a witch , witchcraft , ," passing through the fire " , an enchanter , a charmer , a consulter with familiar spirits , a wizard , or a necromancer .... See the first sentence in Deuteronomy 18 : 12 { For all who do these things are an abomination to the Lord } May God Grant them truth and understanding !

Answer 11

YES.

I know several people who've tried to be accepted as a Wiccan Chaplain, to no avail.