• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Home
  • TV Listings
  • PIJN News
    • Religious Freedom
    • Defense of Marriage
    • Right to Life
    • Israel and Islam
  • News Archive
  • About Chaps
  • Donate
  • Online Bookstore
  • iPhone
  • Android
  • Newsletter

Pray In Jesus Name - Chaplain Gordon Klingenschmitt, PhD

Pray In Jesus Name

  • Praying In Millions of TV Homes
  • Feeding Orphans and Widows
  • Petitioning God and Government to Defend Religious Freedom
  • Chaplains
  • Troops
  • Pro-Life
  • Equality
  • Schools
  • Israel
  • Islam
  • Pulpit Freedom
  • Other Petitions

Rutherford Institute Defends Right of Chaplains to Offer Imprecatory Prayers, Opposes Efforts to Restrict Religious Speech

October 20, 2009 by Chaplain Gordon Klingenschmitt

Rutherford Institute Defends Right of Chaplains to Offer Imprecatory Prayers, Opposes Efforts to Restrict Religious Speech
October 15, 2009

Nisha Mohammed — Rutherford Institute


 
DALLAS, Texas–The Rutherford Institute has come to the defense of the head of a chaplaincy endorsing organization who is being sued over allegations that a chaplain affiliated with his group solicited imprecatory prayers which the plaintiffs consider to be “terroristic threats.”

The lawsuit, which defines imprecatory prayer as “prayers for the Lord to protect the weak and faithful from the strong and wicked,” seeks to limit the content of prayers offered by chaplains who are approved by the Chaplaincy of Full Gospel Churches (CFGC). For more than 25 years, CFGC has carried out a service to the nation by endorsing military and civilian chaplains.

“If people are forced to stop offering imprecatory prayers, half the churches, synagogues and mosques in this country will have to be shut down,” stated John W. Whitehead, president of The Rutherford Institute. “When Martin Luther King spoke, violence erupted in many places. He wasn’t inciting violence. Free speech is the last bastion we have in this country. You can’t shut down speech based on speculation.”

In 1984, the Department of Defense approved the Chaplaincy of Full Gospel Churches (CFGC) as an endorsing agency for military chaplains. CFGC is also recognized by the Veterans Administration, the Federal Bureau of Prisons and many other federal, state, municipal, and private institutions.

[…]

CFGC presently endorses more than 270 military chaplains/chaplain candidates and more than 180 civilian chaplains/seminarians.

The lawsuit against CFGC and its founder, Jim Ammerman, was filed by Mikey Weinstein, the founder of the Military Religious Freedom Foundation (MRFF). The lawsuit seeks to penalize CFGC for imprecatory prayers offered by one of its chaplains, Gordon Klingenschmitt. According to the lawsuit, Klingenschmitt posted a prayer on his website urging followers to pray for divine protection for CFGC and for the downfall of MRFF, which has been actively seeking to have CFGC removed as an approved chaplain endorsing agency. Weinstein has accused CFGC of conspiring to threaten him through the prayers of its supporters.

In coming to the defense of the Chaplaincy of Full Gospel Churches, Rutherford Institute attorneys dismiss the conspiracy charge, noting that neither Ammerman nor CFGC have any control over the content of prayers offered by its chaplains. Furthermore, Institute attorneys point out that the content of one’s prayers is protected under the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.

Can You Help Chaps Defend Prayers “In Jesus Name”? Donate Here.

Original Article

FacebookTweetPinPrint

Filed Under: Chaps In the News, PIJN News, Prayer Freedom

About Chaplain Gordon Klingenschmitt

Chaplain Gordon Klingenschmitt, PhD hosts a national TV show PIJN NEWS on 8+ networks in 200+ million available TV homes. As a former elected legislator, and former Navy Chaplain, he defends religious freedom with millions of petitions to Congress. Would you sign one (above) today? Or read his full bio here.

Primary Sidebar

Subscribe Free on these Platforms

android
Apple TV
YouTube
Facebook
Cross TV
itunes
Google Play
Spotify
TuneIn
iHeart Radio
Roku
Amazon FireTV
AndroidTV
Twitter
OnePlace
LightSource
Rumble

Donate

Donate to Our Religious Work!

Donate using your credit card

* Tax deductible

Donate to Our Political Work!

Donate using your credit card

* Not deductible

take back your country

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Get free news alerts!


recurring monthly pledge

  • Home
  • Donate
  • Terms of Service
  • Privacy Policy
  • Unsubscribe
  • Sitemap

Copyright © 2008–2023 · Pray in Jesus Name · All Rights Reserved.
Chaplain Gordon Klingenschmitt PhD.