Comments on: Army Proclaims Day of Prayer and Fasting… on Passover http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2009/04/08/army-proclaims-day-of-prayer-and-fasting-on-passover/ by Hemant Mehta Tue, 14 Feb 2012 17:48:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.3 By: postsimian http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2009/04/08/army-proclaims-day-of-prayer-and-fasting-on-passover/#comment-295144 postsimian Wed, 08 Apr 2009 20:05:15 +0000 http://friendlyatheist.com/?p=10200#comment-295144 Does Richard ever put his songs to music? If not, he really ought to! Does Richard ever put his songs to music? If not, he really ought to!

]]> By: Dallas http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2009/04/08/army-proclaims-day-of-prayer-and-fasting-on-passover/#comment-295121 Dallas Wed, 08 Apr 2009 18:55:04 +0000 http://friendlyatheist.com/?p=10200#comment-295121 Mr Wade: Wonderful! Gilbert and Sullivan would be SO proud of you! Mr Wade: Wonderful! Gilbert and Sullivan would be SO proud of you!

]]> By: Erp http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2009/04/08/army-proclaims-day-of-prayer-and-fasting-on-passover/#comment-295081 Erp Wed, 08 Apr 2009 17:00:12 +0000 http://friendlyatheist.com/?p=10200#comment-295081 I agree chaplains are not appointed by the government to further their own ministries. However I suspect the senior Roman Catholic military chaplain has a great deal of say on how subordinate Roman Catholic chaplains carry out their religious duties to Roman Catholic soldiers.[1] It is when they try organizing the religious duties of non-members of their faith that they step over a line. I do wonder how many UU military chaplains there are (the most likely group to have atheistic chaplains)? They have a website http://uumm.blogspot.com/ and also http://clfmilitary.uurgl.com/moodle3/ [1]Theoretically the Catholic church could make the senior Catholic chaplain subordinate in religious matters to a military subordinate but I don't see them doing this. Note that it is the Catholic church not the Army that would determine who is in charge in Catholic religious matters. I suspect the Catholic chaplains have their own mailing list of just Catholic chaplains for sending out info that is specific to Catholic chaplains. I agree chaplains are not appointed by the government to further their own ministries. However I suspect the senior Roman Catholic military chaplain has a great deal of say on how subordinate Roman Catholic chaplains carry out their religious duties to Roman Catholic soldiers.[1] It is when they try organizing the religious duties of non-members of their faith that they step over a line. I do wonder how many UU military chaplains there are (the most likely group to have atheistic chaplains)? They have a website http://uumm.blogspot.com/ and also http://clfmilitary.uurgl.com/moodle3/

[1]Theoretically the Catholic church could make the senior Catholic chaplain subordinate in religious matters to a military subordinate but I don’t see them doing this. Note that it is the Catholic church not the Army that would determine who is in charge in Catholic religious matters. I suspect the Catholic chaplains have their own mailing list of just Catholic chaplains for sending out info that is specific to Catholic chaplains.

]]> By: Devysciple http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2009/04/08/army-proclaims-day-of-prayer-and-fasting-on-passover/#comment-295056 Devysciple Wed, 08 Apr 2009 16:16:21 +0000 http://friendlyatheist.com/?p=10200#comment-295056 <blockquote><em>[...]</em> decided to proclaim today a “Day of Prayer and Fasting” (PDF)</blockquote> Errr, I guess you got something wrong there. It's supposed to be DPF, not PDF... ;-)

[...] decided to proclaim today a “Day of Prayer and Fasting” (PDF)

Errr, I guess you got something wrong there. It’s supposed to be DPF, not PDF…

;-)

]]> By: Reginald Selkirk http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2009/04/08/army-proclaims-day-of-prayer-and-fasting-on-passover/#comment-295018 Reginald Selkirk Wed, 08 Apr 2009 14:24:32 +0000 http://friendlyatheist.com/?p=10200#comment-295018 Jasen777: "<i>What do they expect chaplains to do?</i>" Erp: "<i>If Carver speaking as the senior Southern Baptist chaplain had limited this proclamation to Southern Baptist chaplains, it would have been ok.</i>" Chaplains are not appointed to further their own ministries, they are put there to meet the spiritual needs of Army personnel. That's where many Evangelical chaplains have failed badly. They are not appointed only to serve members of their own faith, and they should be cognizant of and sensitive to personnel who do not share their faith. If Carver, as Chief of Chaplains in the Army is not even aware of the schedule of major religious holidays of a religion as large as Judaism, then he is not competent for his post. Jasen777: “What do they expect chaplains to do?”

Erp: “If Carver speaking as the senior Southern Baptist chaplain had limited this proclamation to Southern Baptist chaplains, it would have been ok.”

Chaplains are not appointed to further their own ministries, they are put there to meet the spiritual needs of Army personnel. That’s where many Evangelical chaplains have failed badly. They are not appointed only to serve members of their own faith, and they should be cognizant of and sensitive to personnel who do not share their faith. If Carver, as Chief of Chaplains in the Army is not even aware of the schedule of major religious holidays of a religion as large as Judaism, then he is not competent for his post.

]]> By: Reginald Selkirk http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2009/04/08/army-proclaims-day-of-prayer-and-fasting-on-passover/#comment-295017 Reginald Selkirk Wed, 08 Apr 2009 14:16:01 +0000 http://friendlyatheist.com/?p=10200#comment-295017 <a href="http://religionblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2009/04/top-army-chaplain-upsets-jews.html" rel="nofollow">Some background on Maj. Gen. Douglas Carver</a>: <blockquote> ... Carver told an Alabama Baptist church in 2006 that converging disasters like devastating hurricanes, simultaneous wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and America's allegedly crumbling moral fiber convinced him the devil was turning up an attack on the United States. ... </blockquote> Some background on Maj. Gen. Douglas Carver:

…
Carver told an Alabama Baptist church in 2006 that converging disasters like devastating hurricanes, simultaneous wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and America’s allegedly crumbling moral fiber convinced him the devil was turning up an attack on the United States.
…

]]> By: Codswallop http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2009/04/08/army-proclaims-day-of-prayer-and-fasting-on-passover/#comment-295002 Codswallop Wed, 08 Apr 2009 13:05:22 +0000 http://friendlyatheist.com/?p=10200#comment-295002 The funny part about all this is that Passover doesn't actually start until sundown <em>tonight</em>. (For religious purposes, Jews read the words in Genesis--"and there was evening, and there was morning, one [or the first] day" to mean that "days" actually start with evening. How's that for literalism!) And even better than that is the custom of "the fast of the firstborn," wherein a Jew who happens to be firstborn in his or her family is expected to fast until sundown on the day before Passover, in sympathy with the innocent firstborn Egyptians who died in the final plague. For firstborn Jews at least, Thursday is <em>already</em> meant to be a day of fasting and--one would think--prayer. The funny part about all this is that Passover doesn’t actually start until sundown tonight. (For religious purposes, Jews read the words in Genesis–”and there was evening, and there was morning, one [or the first] day” to mean that “days” actually start with evening. How’s that for literalism!) And even better than that is the custom of “the fast of the firstborn,” wherein a Jew who happens to be firstborn in his or her family is expected to fast until sundown on the day before Passover, in sympathy with the innocent firstborn Egyptians who died in the final plague. For firstborn Jews at least, Thursday is already meant to be a day of fasting and–one would think–prayer.

]]> By: Skeptimal http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2009/04/08/army-proclaims-day-of-prayer-and-fasting-on-passover/#comment-294997 Skeptimal Wed, 08 Apr 2009 12:39:16 +0000 http://friendlyatheist.com/?p=10200#comment-294997 Should any members of our armed forces be fasting on any day? Really? They kinda need their calories for things like staying alert and kicking ass. I know this is just chaplains, but please...even the Bible ridiculed a king (Saul?) who made his army fast before a battle. Mr. Wade: nicely said. Should any members of our armed forces be fasting on any day? Really? They kinda need their calories for things like staying alert and kicking ass. I know this is just chaplains, but please…even the Bible ridiculed a king (Saul?) who made his army fast before a battle.

Mr. Wade: nicely said.

]]> By: Ulrich http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2009/04/08/army-proclaims-day-of-prayer-and-fasting-on-passover/#comment-294967 Ulrich Wed, 08 Apr 2009 10:30:27 +0000 http://friendlyatheist.com/?p=10200#comment-294967 Brilliant! Brilliant!

]]> By: Richard Wade http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2009/04/08/army-proclaims-day-of-prayer-and-fasting-on-passover/#comment-294942 Richard Wade Wed, 08 Apr 2009 07:53:03 +0000 http://friendlyatheist.com/?p=10200#comment-294942 I am the very model of a modern Major General, I've information vegetable, animal and mineral, I'm very used to people doing everything I tell them to, And being Chief of Chaplains, I know more of God than any Jew. So when I say you’re gonna pray and fast don't hand me intellect, Just snap to your attention, and salute me and then genuflect! The First Amendment can be damned and so will you if you cross me, 'Cause my religion is the one we're doing here in this Army! If Passover is on my Day of Prayer, too bad, you’re in a jam. You’re gonna burn in hell no matter what, so I don’t give a damn. You Jews, you Muslims, Hindus and you motherfucking atheists, You’re gonna pray just when I say, and like it. Now don’t get me pissed! I know that God is on our side, and He is a Republican. We’ll conquer heathen nations for His glory and do what we can To rid the world of evil lib’rals and all those disgusting gays, So you get started praying, and I’ll think up some more special days! My Proclamation is not for discussion, I have spoken now, The Army Chief of Chaplains has the final word on sacred cows. In short in matters vegetable, animal and mineral, I am the very model of a modern Major General! I am the very model of a modern Major General,
I’ve information vegetable, animal and mineral,
I’m very used to people doing everything I tell them to,
And being Chief of Chaplains, I know more of God than any Jew.

So when I say you’re gonna pray and fast don’t hand me intellect,
Just snap to your attention, and salute me and then genuflect!
The First Amendment can be damned and so will you if you cross me,
‘Cause my religion is the one we’re doing here in this Army!

If Passover is on my Day of Prayer, too bad, you’re in a jam.
You’re gonna burn in hell no matter what, so I don’t give a damn.
You Jews, you Muslims, Hindus and you motherfucking atheists,
You’re gonna pray just when I say, and like it. Now don’t get me pissed!

I know that God is on our side, and He is a Republican.
We’ll conquer heathen nations for His glory and do what we can
To rid the world of evil lib’rals and all those disgusting gays,
So you get started praying, and I’ll think up some more special days!

My Proclamation is not for discussion, I have spoken now,
The Army Chief of Chaplains has the final word on sacred cows.
In short in matters vegetable, animal and mineral,
I am the very model of a modern Major General!

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