Lies "in the name of Jesus"

In my post, "Theocrats Anonymous", the other day I mentioned the fundamentalists' penchant for self-fulfilling prophecies and for crying "persecution" when their anti-democratic schemes meet resistance and fail. Here's a case in point (h/t, Mike's blog roundup @ Crooks and Liars): the Christian-founded, non-sectarian organization, Americans United for Separation of Church and State, has posted this article, "A Matter Of Honor: The Truth Comes Out About Former Chaplain Klingenschmitt", about a week ago.

The former Navy chaplain has been making, um, waves about being court-martialed for praying (shock, horror!) "in the name of Jesus". But in fact he was drummed out for insubordination, in particular for repeatedly violating "Naval regulations [that] forbid service members from wearing their uniforms to political or partisan events", and for disobeying direct orders not to violate the regulation.

This all comes from an email sent by a supervising chaplain to the entire Kentucky state legislature after that body last month "invited Klingenschmitt to open its session with a prayer and went so far as to pass a resolution lauding him for his 'service to God, country and the Commonwealth of Kentucky.'"

In the email, Capt. Norm Holcomb, command chaplain at Naval Station Norfolk in Virginia, wrote (quoting from the Americans United excerpts):

I was the dishonored ex-chaplain’s supervisor for the past 2 years. . . . I found him to be totally untruthful, unethical and insubordinate. He was and is contemptuous of all authority. He was not court martialed for praying in Jesus’ name. I sent him out in uniform every week to pray at various ceremonies and functions. He always prayed in uniform and in Jesus’ name. He was never told that he could not pray in Jesus’ name. In fact, the issue of prayer had nothing at all to do with his dismissal from the Navy.

He disobeyed the lawful order of a senior officer. I am sure that you understand that Navy Regulations forbid any of us, regardless of rank or position, to appear in uniform in support of any political or partisan event.

[snip] He appeared in direct support of a political event, demonstrating contempt for the order of his Commanding Officer and Naval Regulations that we all swear that we will abide by…. The ex-chaplain is a man without honor and you have accepted his story and in doing so you have had ‘the wool pulled over your eyes.’

[snip] We have been relatively quiet regarding our ex-chaplain’s untruthfulness and lack of honor because we are embarrassed that one of our own could display such behavior in the name of our Lord. We wanted to spare all concerned the embarrassment associated with his dishonesty. However, it now seems that it would be wrong for those of us who know the truth to remain silent. I served with him and supervised him (as best as it was possible to supervise a person who refused to submit to lawful authority) and I know about his daily dishonesty and ‘spin’ of the truth.

Holcomb is a Vietnam vet, a naval chaplain for 27 years, and identifies himself as a “born-again evangelical Christian”. So the issue is not being a Christian or even an evangelical Christian (the only kind that James Dobson, God's Own Special Agent, recognizes). Theocratic fundamentalism is an ideology, probably indeed a heretical ideology*-- you might note that I am no longer using the adjective "Christian" to describe them.

In the old days, martyrs were persecuted for telling the truth about their faith. Nowadays "martyrs" tell self-serving lies (or plead the fifth Amendment to a Constitution they do not otherwise honor) to gain publicity and a following. (I suppose that still beats blowing things up-- though Timothy McVeigh shows that this too can be an interfaith activity.) Not quite Pilgrim's Progress, huh?

I spoke of self-fulfilling prophecy above; how about this prophecy, from the Gospel of Mark, chapter 13?

Then Jesus began to say to them, "Beware that no one leads you astray. Many will come in my name and say, 'I am he!' and they will lead many astray. When you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be alarmed; this must take place, but the end is still to come. (vv. 5-7)
And if anyone says to you at that time, 'Look! Here is the Messiah!' or 'Look! There he is!' --do not believe it. False messiahs and false prophets will appear and produce signs and omens, to lead astray, if possible, the elect. (vv. 21-22)

Notice that false, deceiving religious teachers (messiahs and prophets) were always part of the equation. Looks like we found us one, yes?



*It should be pointed out here that Baptists were the primary Christian group sponsoring Americans United for Separation of Church and State, because that is historically a Baptist attitude-- since Baptist groups were persecuted throughout Europe [and Massachusetts-- remember Roger Williams from US history classes?] in the 16th-17th centuries by established Protestant groups, that had been "established" with national and more local governments. Ironically [and perversely], today, many Baptists seem to be leading fundamentalist theocrats.