Pray In Jesus Name - Chaplain Gordon Klingenschmitt, PhD

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Court-martial Chaplains who talk about Jesus, says Pentagon. Take action!

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Select here to sign new petition, defend military chaplains right to pray “in Jesus’ name” and co-sponsor HR 343. We will fax all 535 Congressmen, Senators (saving you time!) Or select our NEW free petition here.

Court-martial Chaplains who talk about Jesus, says Pentagon. Take action!

A Pentagon spokesman has just said in writing that Christian troops will be punished and court-martialed if they dare to talk about their personal faith in Jesus Christ.

“Religious proselytization is not permitted within the Department of Defense,” LCDR Nate Christensen said in a written statement. He declined to say if any chaplains or service members had been prosecuted for such an offense.

“Court martials and non-judicial punishments are decided on a case-by-case basis and it would be inappropriate to speculate on the outcome in specific cases,” he said.

So let me get this straight. If a chaplain preaches the gospel of Jesus Christ, whether in counseling or in the chapel, and anybody is offended, the chaplain can be punished in writing?

THIS HAPPENED TO ME. In 2005 my commander downgraded my evaluation and nearly ended my chaplain career, in writing. My C.O. illegally punished me for quoting “exclusive” Bible verses like John 3:36 in the base chapel during optionally attended Christian worship. The Navy lawyers claimed commanders can punish chaplains for religious speech, and they did, but they broke the law and violated their oath to the Constitution. Please pray for my lawsuit to be victorious.

So let me get this straight. If a chaplain is ordered to stop praying “in Jesus’ name” outside of Sunday chapel, and the chaplain disobeys by praying in Jesus’ name in uniform and worshipping in public, they can be sent to court-martial for disobeying orders?

THIS HAPPENED TO ME. In 2006 as a Navy Chaplain I faced misdemeanor court-martial and was found guilty of “worshipping in public” in my uniform, outside of Sunday chapel. I was later vindicated by Congress, who rescinded the same bad policy for which I was punished. All proof documents are posted here. I won the policy war, but lost my career.

Now if Congress does not intervene, and protect military chaplains and troops’ right to pray “in Jesus’ name” and freedom for all our troops to freely speak of their faith or preach the gospel of Jesus Christ to their peers without coercion but with freedom to convert and voluntarily change religion, whether in counseling or in church or in their barracks, THEN THERE IS NO FREEDOM OF RELIGION IN THE MILITARY, and the Constitution is dead. The systematic anti-Christian persecution has now begun in earnest.

They order our silence about Jesus Christ, or our punishment by the government. What a choice! The domestic enemies of the Constitution are influencing these policies.

Let’s bury Congress with petitions to defend military chaplains’ right to pray publicly “in Jesus’ name.” Please sign the following petition today, and we will fax it right away.

Select here to sign new petition, defend military chaplains right to pray “in Jesus’ name” and co-sponsor HR 343. We will fax all 535 Congressmen, Senators (saving you time!)
Or select our NEW free petition here.

Anti-Jesus Judge bans “Jesus prayers” in Virginia. Take action.

If you care about freedom to pray “in Jesus’ name,” please phone or email all 7 members of the Pittsylvania Virginia County board of supervisors. Their names, emails, and phone numbers are listed here. Say these words: “Please appeal the bad court decision of the anti-Jesus judge who banned free speech. Defend peoples’ right to pray in Jesus’ name.”

Here’s why: An anti-Jesus judge has just banned freedom of speech, and told county supervisors they cannot allow anyone to pray “in Jesus’ name” when giving the invocation or benediction at public meetings, reports the Richmond Times-Dispatch.

Watch Dr. Chaps’ TV commentary on this anti-Jesus ban in Pittsylvania VA, starting at the 16:06 mark.

“A federal judge Tuesday permanently barred the Pittsylvania County Board of Supervisors from offering sectarian Christian prayers during its meetings. U.S. District Judge Michael Urbanski issued the ruling Tuesday, giving a victory to Pittsylvania County resident Barbara Hudson and the American Civil Liberties Union of Virginia, who represented Hudson. Hudson filed the lawsuit in September 2011.

“The case law in this jurisdiction is crystal clear,” ACLU Legal Director Rebecca Glenberg said Wednesday. “Governments may not have sectarian prayers at their meetings.” [Dr. Chaps’ comment…sectarian means speaking the illegal word “Jesus.”]

“I expect to speak to the board to decide what the next move will be,” he said. Board Chairman Marshall Ecker said of the decision, “If it was up to me, I would contest it.” The ruling infringes on individual rights and Jesus’ name is being taken out of everything, Ecker said. Hudson contended that the sectarian prayers violated the First Amendment, amounting to government advancement of religion.”

[Dr. Chaps’ comment: The board is considering appeal. Please call or email 7 today here, to request they appeal. Then sign our petition to defend military chaplains freedom to pray in Jesus’ name, below.]

Select here to sign new petition, defend military chaplains right to pray “in Jesus’ name” and co-sponsor HR 343. We will fax all 535 Congressmen, Senators (saving you time!) Or select our free option here.

The Bible commands us: “Whatever you do in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus.” –Colossians 3:17. Please forward this email widely to your friends, and share on social media here.

God Bless you, in Jesus’ name,

Chaplain Gordon James Klingenschmitt, PhD

Who is Dr. Chaps? Bio here.

P.S. Prefer to donate by postal mail? Please write: The Pray In Jesus Name Project, PO Box 77077, Colorado Springs, CO 80970

Man offers money for prayer in St. Johns County

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ST. JOHNS COUNTY, Fla.– St. Johns County school board votes don’t usually get national attention. But a vote “no” to allowing an inspirational message or prayers at graduation is.

Former Navy Chaplain Gordon James Klingenschmitt hosts a TV show in Colorado called “Pray In Jesus’ Name.” When he heard the St. Johns school board vote, he took to the airwaves.

The first student to say “The Lord’s Prayer” or pray in the name of Jesus at a graduation ceremony in St. Johns County, will walk away with a $1,000 scholarship.

We spoke to Klingenschmitt over the phone about his pledge.

“Our goal is not to create a controversy. Our goal is not to get a message. Our goal is to defend religious freedom and free speech,” he explained.

We also reached out to school district leaders. We got this statement by Board Chairman Tommy Allen:

“We will follow the law as we always have and not violate any student’s constitutional rights or the establishment clause. It would be inappropriate for me to get into hypothetical situations.”

“Society in general has gotten way too politically correct. I think that everybody just needs to relax,” parent John Davis said.

Student Lucy Dean’s mom wanted her to speak on behalf of her classmates.

‘I think it’s cool that he stood up like that and offered the money,” she said.

“Would you feel uncomfortable if your child was at a graduation ceremony and heard a kid pray?” we asked.

“Not at all. One nation under God,” Davis said.

And now, one local School Board vote has the nation’s attention.

Kligenschmitt says he’s taking this thing seriously. He plans on offering the scholarship every year for the next four years.

Pay to Pray: Chaplain offers bounty for prayer during graduation

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A former Navy chaplain is offering a reward to any student who says a prayer during a graduation ceremony at a school in Florida following the threat of a lawsuit by an atheist group aimed at banning religious utterances from the event.

Former Navy Chaplain and current Colorado pastor Gordon James Klingenschmitt is offering the bounty to the first high school student in St. Johns County, Fla., who says the Our Father or a prayer ending in Jesus’ name over the school microphone during the graduation ceremony.

It is the latest escalation in several months of controversy after the school board considered adopting a policy allowing inspirational messages, including prayer, at graduation.

A statute passed in Florida last year gave school districts the option to allow such messages by students. The statute says school district personnel may not influence the message, and students “shall be solely responsible for the preparation and content of the inspirational message.”

The school board was asked to consider adopting the policy but then decided against doing so after recommendations by its attorney.

A letter from the Freedom From Religion Foundation (FFRF), an atheist group, was sent to the school district in late March. It pointed out that no other district in Florida used the new law to pass such a policy and any board that passes the policy likely would be sued.

“The board that first passes this policy is asking for a lawsuit,” the atheist group’s letter stated. The letter indicated the Florida law was clearly an attempt to get prayer back in the state’s schools.

“Our preference is to work with the school. We prefer not to sue,” said FFRF attorney Andrew Seidel.

The FFRF has deep pockets. Its 2011 Form 990 shows it spent more than $201,572 in lawsuits in 2010 challenging “entanglement of religion and government” and more than $500,000 on education events that included scholarships to 39 students and youth activist awards to six other students.

“So far, everyone’s been very reasonable,” Seidel said, claiming, “a total of six or seven different groups including the American Civil Liberties Union and the Anti-Defamation League” are monitoring the situation.

The specifics of Klingenschmitt’s offer are outlined on his website and YouTube.

“We are going to recognize students that have more courage than their school board,” said Klingenschmitt. “I wonder if the school board is being led by fear or by courage. We want to reward courage.”

St. Johns County School Board chair Tommy Allen said it will abide by the law and the Constitution.

“We will follow the law as we always have and not violate any student’s constitutional rights or the Establishment Clause. We will comply with the U.S. DOE [Department of Education] guidance on constitutionally protected prayer in public schools,” he said in an emailed statement.

“The Florida legislature passed the law last year which specifically allows prayer. The school board may adopt a policy, so clearly the law allows the students to pray,” said Klingenschmitt. “The Freedom From Religion Foundation is not allowing students to pray. The atheists are pressing the school board to break the law.”

However, FFRF claims the pastor is encouraging students to break the law. “He is inciting people to violate the law,” Seidel said. He said the pastor, in his reward video, “misconstrued the facts.”

Klingenschmitt said the group’s letter states it annually gives thousands of dollars to students who “stand up for atheism” and also stated it would “incentivize a free thought message and discourage prayers.”

Seidel said his letter to the school board indicated his group would “publicize our awards if the school district adopted the policy. … [But] we would never suggest a student, atheist or otherwise, get up and break a law or get up to the microphone and give a message when it is illegal.”

“If the atheists are offering monetary rewards to students not to pray, it’s only fair Christians can offer monetary rewards, too,” Klingenschmitt said. He called the atheist group “hypocritical.”

The reward is good for the next four years, said the chaplain. He explained that of the six high schools in St. John’s County, “I expect in the next four years we will have one student stand up to pray.”

Frank Upchurch III, the attorney for the school district, said the DOE’s guidance on school prayer is clear and also relates to graduation. “That’s the policy we follow,” he said.

That guidance states that students at graduation retain “primary control over the content of their expression” and as long as that expression is not attributable to the school, it therefore “may not be restricted because of its religious (or anti-religious) content.”

Upchurch said previous graduation addresses have been “celebratory and uplifting, and no one was censoring students’ addresses to purge any references to faith.”

Klingenschmkitt told the Washington Free Beacon he has already raised $835 of the $1,000 needed for the reward.

The Pray In Jesus Name Show – Episode 0048 – Chaplain Klingenschmitt

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1. Congress demands the military stop persecuting Christians and Catholics
2. Senate votes for a “mental health” barrier to gun buyers
3. Toomey-Manchin bill is defeated, but another version is coming
4. Tomorrow is the National Day of Prayer
(c) 2013, Chaplain Gordon James Klingenschmitt, PhD. Airs 4/13 on Glorystar Satellite TV Network, WBN Revival Channel.

The Pray In Jesus Name Show – Episode 0047 – Chaplain Klingenschmitt

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1. Senator opposes power grab by President Obama’s Department of Education
2. Boy Scouts debate voting to allow homosexuals
3. Reparative therapy works according to Congressman’s gay son
4. Vandals spray-paint a Christian church, but you won’t believe what they wrote
(c) 2013, Chaplain Gordon James Klingenschmitt, PhD. Airs 4/13 on Glorystar Satellite TV Network, WBN Revival Channel.

The Pray In Jesus Name Show – Episode 0046 – Chaplain Klingenschmitt

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Get free e-alerts at https://PrayInJesusName.org/subscribe
1. Boston marathon bombers were Muslim, but President Obama sets free a third suspect
2. McDonalds pays $700,000 to Muslims who complain their chicken wasn’t halal
3. Sweden seizes a child because he was homeschooled
4. 80% of Israeli citizens want to annex Judea and Samaria
(c) 2013, Chaplain Gordon James Klingenschmitt, PhD. Airs 4/13 on Glorystar Satellite TV Network, WBN Revival Channel.