The chaplain who couldn’t pray straight
Jan. 3, 2006: WND was the national leader in coverage of Lt. Gordon James Klingenschmitt, the Navy chaplain who said he would not eat until President Bush took action to allow him and other chaplains the freedom to pray and preach in uniform without diluting God to a one-size-fits all deity.
“If I pray in Jesus’ name in public, I have to wear civilian clothes,” Klingenschmitt told WND. They taught mandatory lectures there to all chaplains, that you cannot pray to your God, you have to pray to the civic god. The Muslim chaplain can’t pray to Allah, a Jewish chaplain can’t pray to Adonai, a Roman Catholic can’t pray in the name of the Trinity, and I couldn’t pray in Jesus’ name in public. They only let us do that in private. If it’s in public, they tell us to just pray to God and say, ‘Amen.'”
Ultimately, after not eating food for 18 days in protest of the Navy’s policy encouraging “inclusive” prayers at public events, Klingenschmitt received reluctant permission to wear his uniform and pray in Jesus’ name outside the White House.
However, Klingenschmitt was court martialed after the event, where he appeared with Ten Commandments judge, Roy Moore. He was issued a letter of dismissal from the Navy in January 2007.
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