As “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” ended on Sept. 20, uncertainty remained among chaplains to U.S. armed services. The military’s official position is that the repeal of D.A.D.T. will leave chaplains’ activities essentially unchanged. According to a Defense Department statement: “Chaplains will continue to have freedom to practice their religion according to the tenets of their faith. Chaplains are not required to take actions that are inconsistent with their religious counseling...or modifying forms of prayer or worship.” But some chaplains are not so sure. A group of veteran chaplains from various denominations is urging Congress to pass protections for chaplains. They fear that after the repeal, chaplains from faiths morally opposed to homosexual behavior will be “marginalized and even punished” for being true to their faith.
After End of 'Don't Ask,' Chaplains Uneasy
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