Already, veteran chaplains from numerous denominations–including Lutherans, Southern Baptists, and Presbyterians–have spoken out to express their concern that repealing the current law that protects the military from open homosexual behavior will, among other things, harm religious liberty.  Just yesterday, another major voice in the chaplaincy community, Archbishop Timothy Broglio of the Catholic Church’s Military Diocese, added his voice in defense of the military’s current law.

His argument was made on two grounds: First, repeal cannot be allowed to limit the First Amendment rights and duties of chaplains in their ministry to Service members.  While those who practice homosexual behavior should receive “respect and treatment worthy of their human dignity,” “no restrictions or limitations on the teaching of Catholic morality can be accepted.  First Amendment rights regarding the free exercise of religion must be respected.”  Similarly, “Catholic chaplains must show compassion for persons with a homosexual orientation, but can never condone–even silently–homosexual behavior.”

Second, in what Archbishop Broglio describes as “a more fundamental” issue, repeal would harm the ability of the military to be an effective fighting force.  He reasons–correctly–that morality and “corresponding good moral decisions” are integral to “unit cohesion and the overall morale of troops and effectiveness of the mission.”  Thus, normalizing immoral behavior, like homosexuality, through military policy potentially would have an “enormous and overwhelming” effect on military readiness.  ”Sacrificing the moral beliefs of individuals or their living conditions to respond to merely political considerations is neither just nor prudent, especially for the armed forces at a time of war.”

I couldn’t agree more.

Stay tuned for more news of other religious leaders speaking out against repeal.

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If you’re a military chaplain, active or retired, and are interested in becoming involved in this issue or signing the Chaplains Letter, please contact us with your information.

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The past week produced more evidence that attacks against churches are on the rise–at least three churches suffered property destruction or threatened disruption.  As usual, they were conservative churches that take a stand on moral issues that were abused.

In Fort Wayne, Indiana, a group called “Bash Back” broke into an Evangelical church and spray painted “666” and other messages on a church van and garage door, poured oil over books and other items, and stole valuable construction equipment.  (“Bash Back” is the same group that ADF is currently suing on behalf of Mount Hope Church in Michigan, after they disrupted a Sunday service and blocked traffic because of the church’s stand in support of marriage and against abortion).

In Maywood, California a Catholic parish was broken into and ransacked, “666” was written on the walls, a cross was turned upside down and burned, and a picture of the Blessed Virgin Mary had a knife stuck through it.

In Chicago, a group that advocates homosexual behavior called the “Rainbow Sash Coalition” threatened to disrupt Mass on Pentecost Sunday at the Cathedral and other churches around the country.  The group said that it was motivated to disrupt services because of the Catholic Church’s teaching that homosexual conduct is sinful and that marriage is a union between a man and a woman.  Thankfully, it appears that this protest was largely thwarted before any damage was done.

Federal law has strong protections for churches that suffer intimidation and vandalism.  If your church has been attacked or vandalized, please let us know immediately.  Taking action quickly can protect your church and other churches from future attacks.  And remember that it’s important for every church to have a security plan.  Check out our security checklist here.

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The Left wants silence, not dialogue.  That quickly became obvious to me as I sat as part of the team defending Prop 8 in California this past January.  I was amazed at how often the plaintiffs’ lawyers brought up the Roman Catholic and Southern Baptist statements on marriage and homosexual conduct.  It was such an odd strategy in a trial about whether the definition of marriage is constitutional.  But those statements (one of which was authored by Pope Benedict) became the example of “invidious discrimination” that has no place in modern society.  The Left reckons that if same-sex “marriage” is the norm, religious views like these will be much easier to suppress.

And they’re right.  Our views on marriage and family—and our faith in general—will come under much heavier attack if same-sex “marriage” is the law.  As ADF’s Alan Sears warned several years ago, the legal fight to advocate homosexual conduct is the biggest modern threat to religious liberty.  The Left will use whatever pretext they can find to muzzle opposing voices.

For example, atheist Richard Dawkins, homosexual activist Andrew Sullivan, and a loony United Nations judge have at least one thing common— they and a slew of leftist newspapers and pundits would like Pope Benedict XVI to resign and/or be arrested.  Is that because they care so deeply for the safety of children or the health of the Catholic Church?  Don’t bet your life on it.

What they care deeply about is a radical agenda that would do much better if the Pope would simply go away.  And because they smell blood in the water, they’re attacking with all their might.  Facts don’t matter a whit.

For example, some of the media have unsuccessfully tried to link the Pope to specific cases of sex abuse. But this media-driven onslaught isn’t surprising if you think about what the Pope represents.  He’s one of the few religious leaders proclaiming the Gospel boldly on the world stage, fighting for an end to abortion, and defending the sanctity of marriage and family.  No doubt much of the media and secular culture would prefer that he just stay passively compliant in his own little corner of the world.

Any doubts?  Just ask the pastor of Mt. Hope Church in Michigan.  His Sunday services were terrorized by a group of anarchist homosexuals merely because the church dared to preach biblical truth about homosexual conduct.  And government officials refused to do anything about it.

We pray for the Pope and other religious leaders, and we thank them for their unyielding defense of Truth.

May the Lord preserve him, and give him life, and make him blessed upon the earth, and deliver him not up to the will of his enemies. [Psalm 41:2]

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