AFTAH Interview with Chaplain Gordon Klingenschmitt – Part One and Two
December 29, 2010

AFTAH Staff — AFTAH Online

This interview with Gordon James “Chaps” Klingenschmitt [click HERE to listen] was pre-taped and aired Christmas day, 2010. Chaps is founder of the “Pray in Jesus’ Name Project,” named after his much-publicized struggle to pray in Jesus’ name in public and without restrictions as a U.S. Navy Chaplain — which cost him his career in the service. Chaps, a graduate of the Air Force Academy, discusses his work reaching men and women for Christ in the Navy — including an “exorcism” involving a woman who overcame lesbianism. AFTAH President Peter LaBarbera commends Klingenschmitt for his yeoman’s work in mobilizing tens of thousands of Americans to fight the Democrat-led, lame-duck congressional effort to repeal the ban on homosexuals in the military. Chaps discusses God’s view of homosexuality as sin, and says his biggest disappointment among Senate Republicans who joined the Democrats in ending the homosexual ban was Mark Kirk — the new Illinois Senator who quickly alienated conservatives in his own state by voting for the repeal. Part Two of this interview will air in January.

**UPDATE 1/31/11: Part Two of our interview with “Chaps” Gordon Klingenschmitt of the Pray in Jesus Name Project. This was pre-recorded and aired Jan. 22, 2010 on WYLL-AM 1160 in Chicagoland. This is the second of a two-part interview. AFTAH President Peter LaBarbera and Chaps discuss the next steps in the debate over “homosexualizing” the U.S. military — following the lame-duck congressional repeal of the ban against homosexual servicemembers. They discuss the prospects of Republicans in Congress making a serious move to thwart or reverse the implemtation of the new plan to open up the Armed Forces to open homosexuals. Chaps also rebuts left-wing accounts that accuse him of deceit in his public efforts as a then-Navy chaplain to “pray in Jesus’ name.”

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HOW TO LISTEN: This is an mp3 file.  Left click once on the link below to play.  (Please be patient, depending upon the speed of your internet connection it may take a moment or two to load.) OR right click the link then “save target as” to download the whole show.

Part 1: 12-25-10, Chaplain Gordon Klingenschmitt, All

Part 2: 1-22-11, Chaplain Gordon Klingenschmitt

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Original Article, Updated Article

Christian Groups React to Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell Repeal
December 20, 2010

Jennifer LeClaire — Charisma Magazine

In the wake of the U.S. Senate repealing former President Bill Clinton’s “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” rule, Christian voices from a wide swath of denominations are protesting the decision.

The Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell restricts United States military from efforts to discover or reveal gay, lesbian or bisexual members or applicants. The military still bans applicants who are openly homosexual or bisexual.

Eight Republicans and independent Joe Lieberman agreed with the Democratic Party to repeal the legislation by a 65-31 margin last week. President Barack Obama is expected to sign the bill into law before the end of 2010.

“Gay and lesbian service members—brave Americans who enable our freedoms—will no longer have to hide who they are,” Obama said in an e-mailed statement to supporters. “The fight for civil rights, a struggle that continues, will no longer include this one.”

Alliance Defense Fund (ADF) Litigation Counsel Daniel Blomberg says the Senate’s cave-in to pressure from activists to impose homosexual behavior on our military will place our troops’ religious liberties in unprecedented jeopardy.

“Indeed, the first official casualty of this hurried vote may well be the religious freedom of chaplains and service members,” Blomberg says. ”No Americans, and especially not our troops, should be forced to abandon their religious beliefs. We hope that our nation’s leaders will work to ensure that none of our soldiers, sailors, airmen and marines are ever made to choose between serving their country or obeying their God as result of this damaging policy decision. And ADF stands ready to defend service members if they are ever unconstitutionally required to make that choice.”

After delivering 205,000 fax petitions to Congress against open homosexual service in the military, former Navy Chaplain Gordon James Klingenschmitt called on the new Congress to pass strong laws protecting the rights of Christian troops—and chaplains—to openly speak their opinions about what the Bible calls sin, to refuse common showers, sleeping quarters and “social re-education” without repercussion.

Klingenschmitt says, “If free speech and free religion rights of Christian chaplains and troops are not protected, then the military is not ready to certify or implement repeal, and will quickly begin to persecute good people of Christian conscience.”

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Original Article

40 million to Congress: Leave ‘Don’t ask, don’t tell’ alone
December 2, 2010

Bob Unruh — World Net Daily

Organizations representing 40 million Americans have delivered a message to Congress that this is no time to make changes to the military’s practice known as “Don’t ask, don’t tell,” which forbids open homosexuals in the ranks but allows them to stay if they keep their lifestyle choice to themselves.

“It is a serious risk to national security to repeal DADT without first investigating thoroughly – in public hearings – the effect of the proposed repeal,” says a letter, dated today, that has been dispatched to members of the U.S. Senate. “We are engaged in a war on many fronts. Our troops are in harm’s way in Afghanistan, Iraq and elsewhere.

“This is no time to experiment with social engineering of the military,” the letter said.

The letter, which has been posted at the Freedom Federation website, is signed by those whose groups represent some 40 million Americans.

Specifically, the request is that senators not repeal “Section 654, Title 10, U.S.C (1993), which is usually mislabeled by the subsequent executive policy known as ‘Don’t ask, don’t tell.'”

The signers “represent some of the largest multi-racial, multi-ethnic, and multi-generational faith-based and policy organizations in the country, with approximately 40 million constituents combined.”

The letter, addressed to members of the Senate, says, “We urge you and other elected leaders to use your standing as members of the Senate to prevent the rush to repeal…”

Such a move “would change our military in ways we cannot yet measure or understand,” the letter says.

“Our military leaders – with the exception of Adm. Mike Mullen – understand this and object to the repeal. In fact, Gen. James Amos, Commandant of the Marine Corps, said that he was concerned that the repeal of the law would have a negative effect on unit cohesion and combat readiness of the Marine Corps. Who among the members of the Senate is a better judge of that than is the commandant?”

Further, “We are also gravely concerned about the effect that repealing DADT will have on religious freedom. One senior army general, Lt. Gen. Thomas Bostick, said that those who oppose repeal are guilty of unacceptable attitudes that he reportedly described as ‘bigotry,'” the letter said.

“It is conceivable that chaplains will be forbidden to preach or speak about their denomination’s position on homosexuality.”

Shoving the changes through at this point, during a lame-duck session of Cognress and without hearings, “is a slap in the face of the American peole who are tired of bully politics.”

Signers include:

* Mathew Staver of Liberty Counsel and Liberty University School of Law

* J. Kenneth Blackwell of the U.N. Human Rights Commission

* Anita Staver of Liberty Counsel

* Tony Perkins of the Family Research Council

* Rick Tyler of ReAL Action Network

* Penny Nancy of Concerned Women for America

* Elaine Donnelly of the Center for Military Readiness

* Rev. Louis Sheldon of Traditional Values Coalition

* Andrea Lafferty of Traditional Values Coalition

* Rev. Samuel Rodriguez of the National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference

* Mandi Campbell of Liberty Center for Law and Policy

* Tim Clinton of the American Association of Christian Counselors

* Bishop Harry Jackson of High Impact

* Janet Folger Porter of Faith2Action

* Tim Wildmon of American Family Association

* Shawn Akers of Helms School of Government

* Jim Garlow of Renewing American Leadership

* Deryl Edwards of Liberty Alliance Action

* Tom Minnery of CitizenLink

* Gary Bauer of American Values

* Colin Hanna of Let Freedom Ring

* Jim Martin of 60 Plus Association

* Robert Knight of Coral Ridge Ministries

* Rev. Benjamin Grace of Green Tree Ministries

* Rita Grace of Constitutional TEA Party

* Richard W.C. Falknor of Maryland Center-Right Coalition

* Cliff Kincaid of America’s Survival Inc.

* C. Preston Noell III of Tradition, Family, Property, Inc.

* Cris Kurtz of The USA Patriots

* Bill Johnson of American Decency Association

* Richard Viguerie of ConservativeHQ.com

* Steve Strang of Strang Communications

* Keith Wiebe of American Association of Christian Schools

* Linda Harvey of Mission America

* Joseph Farah of WorldNetDaily

* Joe Ortwerth of Missouri Family Policy Council

* Rick Joyner of The Oak Initiative

* Richard Thompson of The Thomas More Law Center

* David Fowler of Family Action of Tennessee

* Joel Brind of the Baruch College Department of Natural Sciences

* Dr. Carl Herbster of AdvanceUSA

* Chaplain Gordon Klingenschmitt of The Pray in Jesus Name Project

* Penny Pullen of the Life Advocacy Resource Project

* Gary Kreep of the United States Justice Foundation

* Diane Gramley of the American Family Association of Pennsylvania

* Frank G. Simon of the American Family Association of Kentucky

* Gary L. Cass of DefendChristians.org

* Mike Coley of Saved by the Blood Ministries

* Paul Blair of Reclaiming America for Christ

* Don Feder of World Congress of Families

* C. Frederick Wehba of Bently Forbes

* Dr. Raymond Johnson of Biblical Concepts Ministries

* Kelly Shackelford of Liberty Institute

* Bishop E.W. Jackson of STAND AMERICA

* Phillip Jauregui of Judicial Action Group

* Bill Brooks of North Carolina Family Policy Council

* James Clymer of Constitution Party

* Larry Reagan of Adams Chapel Missionary Baptist Church

* Star Parker of The Center for Urban Renewal and Education

* J. Matt Barber of Liberty Counsel

* Allyson Smith of Americans for Truth About Homosexuality

* Floyd Brown of Western Center for Journalism

* Sandy Rios of Culture Campaign

* William J. Murray of Religious Freedom Coalition

* Dave Welch of U.S. Pastor Council

* John and Eleanor Warner of St. Louis MetroVoice

* John W. “Woody” Woodrum, California candidate for Congress

* William J. Federer of Amerisearch Inc.

* Michael Valerio of Valerio Foundation

* Linda Flower of Texas Physicians Resource Council

* Kelly Shackelford of Free Market

* Donna Hearne of Freedombasics

* Christopher Carmouche of GrassTopsUSA

* Rayphe of Living Water Homestead of Faith

* Bob Fischer of Fischer Furniture Inc.

* Rev. Rusty Lee Thomas of Elijah Ministries

* Deany Meinike of Deany Mortgages

* W.C. Jernigan, Lt. U.S. Naval Reserves

The military’s survey of the issue has been promoted by those supporting open homosexuality as approving of their plan.

But critics challenge whether the survey was a fair assessment of soldiers’ attitudes, suggesting it was designed to arrive at the conclusion preferred by the Obama administration, which quashed opposing views.

“When this study was first announced, Lt. Gen. Mixon, the commander of our forces in the Pacific, publicly encouraged soldiers to speak out on the issue. He was told in no uncertain terms to shut up or get out of the service,” reported a former Marine combat officer and Army lawyer.

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Original Article

AFTAH’s LaBarbera Applauds Senate Vote to Block Repeal of Military’s Homosexuality Ban
December 9, 2010

Christian Newsire

MEDIA ADVISORY — (AFTAH), issued the following statement about the Senate’s vote to prevent a vote on a Defense Authorization bill containing a measure that would allow open homosexuals to serve in the United States military:

“We are gratified that enough Senators acted to prevent a lame-duck vote to effectively homosexualize the American military — a Democratic-led effort that is all about Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV), President Obama and the Democrats pandering to their ‘gay’ activist base and NOT keeping our military strong, nor defending the best interests of our fighting men and women. We applaud Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin (WV) for having the courage to listen to his West Virginia constituents — rather than kowtow to the morally-compromised Democrat Party leadership — in voting with the Republicans to block consideration of bid to repeal the Armed Force’s common-sense homosexuality ban.

“The anti-Christian Human Rights Campaign, a homosexual lobby group, is now pushing for a separate, stand-alone Repeal bill in its desperate bid to homosexualize the U.S. military in this lame-duck session, before a more conservative Congress arrives in January. HRC in its elitism and arrogance shows its contempt for America’s voters, who rejected Obama’s radical legislative agenda. AFTAH will continue to educate citizens on this radical Repeal effort, which would turn the Pentagon into the world’s largest pro-“gay” advocacy organization. We are asking citizens to contact their Senators and urge them to oppose any attempt to overturn the military’s homosexuality ban.

“Americans For Truth commends the Center for Military Readiness, Family Research Council, Chaps Klingenschmitt, and all the pro-family groups that contributed to this legislative victory — even though they lacked significant help from some ‘big names’ in the conservative movement and conservative media. We must remain vigilant — because if Obama and Sen. Reid succeed in repealing the homosexuality ban, it will devastate our military, lead to an exodus of Christian- and tradition-minded servicemembers from the military, and serve as a catalyst for America’s continued moral decline.

‘Gay rights’ and religious freedom (defense of Judeo-Christian morality) cannot co-exist — as the persecution of Christians who oppose homosexuality in America and the world over clearly demonstrates — so we can only deduce that they will not be able to co-exist in a ‘homosexualized’ military. The military would bring in scores of pro-homosexual activists to effectively ‘re-educate’ the troops in pro-gay ‘tolerance and diversity’ — the very same LGBT activists that regularly demonstrate their anti-religious bigotry and animus by falsely equating the defense of biblical sexual morality with ‘hate’ and ‘homophobia.’ The introduction of pro-‘gay’ propaganda into the military would undermine morale and cohesion in the Armed Forces.

“Obama and Defense Secretary Robert Gates have acted imperiously, as if the Repeal were inevitable. It is not. Commander-in-Chief Obama didn’t even have the decency and integrity to ask servicemembers IF the homosexuality-ban should be lifted — instead directing military leaders to design a plan for HOW the Repeal could be carried out. Why is it that our servicemembers are expected to die for their country — but not even given the courtesy of being asked their views on whether this critically important policy shift should go forward in a time of war?”

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Original Article

Opposition To DADT Repeal And The High Rate Of Evangelical Chaplains
December 3, 2010

Sarah Posner

As the Senate continues hearings on repeal of the Don’t Ask Don’t Tell policy, the religious right is ramping up its efforts to portray that repeal as devastating to the troops and the survival of Western Civilization, even though a majority of Americans (58%) favor open service, compared to 27% who oppose it. 

Consistently, the only demographic group from which more people oppose open service than favor it has been white evangelicals. Opponents of repeal frequently point to the opposition of the military’s chaplains to ending DADT, although the Pentagon report released this week found divergent views among chaplains participating in a focus group. But it also noted that it sought imput from ecclesiastical organizations that provide endorsements of chaplains, and the respondents — representing 70% of chaplains serving — opposed repeal, “based primarily on theological objections to homosexuality.”

Evangelicals make up a disproportionate number of military chaplains relative to the numbers among the troops or the general population. And if evangelicals disproportionately oppose repeal, then it stands to reason that a more evangelical chaplaincy would, too.

The military already has a serious problem with aggressive evangelizing which shouldn’t be compounded by yielding to an evangelical panic over repealing DADT.

The increased numbers of evangelical chaplains began getting media attention around 2005, when the constitutional and morale problems arising out of aggressive evangelizing in the military began coming to light. (Anne C. Loveland, author of American Evangelicals and the U.S. Military, 1942-1993, dates the trend back to the Vietnam War.) New York Times, 2005:

There are also growing numbers of enlistees from evangelical churches. In 2005, there were 1,794 members of the Assemblies of God in the Air Force, 597 from the Church of the Nazarene and 108 from the Christian and Missionary Alliance. Because so many churches cannot be comfortably categorized as evangelical or nonevangelical, and because so many enlistees identify themselves simply as “Christian,” it is difficult to ascertain cumulative numbers.

Military officials say the government is not promoting the change in the chaplain corps. Instead religious leaders who recruit for the military attribute it to factors including the general shortage of Catholic priests, the liberal denominations’ discomfort with military interventions abroad, the “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy on gay men and lesbians, and evangelicals’ broad support for the military.

One bit there jumped out at me: the Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell policy actually encouraged more evangelical chaplains in the military. Now evangelical chaplains are claiming repeal of the policy would inhibit them from doing what the signed up to do, apparently: feel free to evangelize that homosexuality is a sin.

The 2005 Times piece made note of Gordon James Klingenschmitt, who was court-martialed in 2007, and is now a frequent religious right spokesperson against repealing DADT:

In the Navy some evangelical chaplains say they are the ones discriminated against. Chaplain Gordon James Klingenschmitt, of the Evangelical Episcopal Church, says he was warned by commanders that his approach to the ministry was not inclusive enough. When a Catholic sailor on his ship died, Lieutenant Klingenschmitt said he preached at a memorial service and emphasized that for those who did not accept Jesus, “God’s wrath remains upon him.”

After that and several other incidents, Lieutenant Klingenschmitt’s commanding officer recommended that the Navy not renew his chaplain contract.

The lieutenant is fighting to remain in the military. “The Navy wants to impose its religion on me,” he said. “Religious pluralism is a religion. It’s a theology all by itself.”

So Klingenschmitt, a leading opponent of repealing DADT, rebuts the constitutional argument against his own proselytizing by positing a false equivalence between an actual religion and “religious pluralism” that he claims is a religion silencing his religion. Therefore, “religious pluralism,” in his view, cannot be imposed on him. (Perhaps he attended Glenn Beck’s university on constitutional law?)

The Pentagon report noted that while military regulations do not require chaplains to act in contravention of their own religious beliefs, they are required to support the “free exercise of religion” of all servicemembers and their families, and enter service with the knowledge that they will serve “a religiously diverse population.”

In any case, if there is disproportionate opposition to repeal among chaplains, it’s a trend that was created by the effort to recruit evangelical chaplains who opposed open service by gays and lesbians. If it’s unconstitutional for them to proselytize in the military and impose their religious beliefs on servicemembers, then yielding to their opposition to repealing DADT would be yielding to the imposition of their religious beliefs, not trumped-up concerns about their religious freedom. Unless, of course, you think that repealing DADT is the imposition of the religion of equal rights.

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Original Article