Chaplains vs Seperation of Church and State

Chaplains fill a needed void in the military, especially in periods of deployment in foreign nations. Religious welfare is a valid moral concern and affects the performance of troops in combat. I recall a young man under my command who wanted to say his catholic confession before leaving on a combat patrol. It took a fair degree of effort to locate a catholic priest and get him to the soldier in question.

I have told that story before on this website and been condemned for propagating a false religion and encouraging this soldier in a false belief. I did talk to him about his confession and encouraged him to say his confession go God himself instead of another man, but in the end this soldier, like so many before him, clung to the faith that had sustained him during the rest of his life. We got his chaplain to him and he did his thing. Failure to do so would have affected his performance in combat.

Chaplains are needed. They are far from perfect, but a lot better than nothing. You could remove their rank, but that would create more problems in a military environment. If we went to “church sponsored” chaplains then the denominations with the most money would dominate the field.
Separation of church and state is a false premise anyway, its “no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise therof;” I will check Crabby’s other post.

 

God help us that we would ask our men, women, and undecided genders ( ) to make the ultimate sacrifice for our freedoms, and then curtail theirs.

 

Military chaplains arent a violation of church and state.

I'm all for historic separation of church & state. But chaplains arent a part if that definition.

 

Who? ..........

 

I think it is a good system as-is.

 

I agree with you. Chaplains are concerned about the spiritual welfare of those they serve in the military.