Silenced Christian soldiers

[sweet soul]

Sandhurst chaplain bans Creed 'so services won't offend minority religions'

www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1132786/Silenced-Christian-soldiers-Sandhurst-chaplain-bans-Creed-services-wont-offend-minority-religions.html

[sweet soul]

The move has outraged worshippers who say centuries of religious tradition have been sacrificed for the sake of political correctness.
Senior chaplain Reverend Jonathan Gough dropped the Christian declaration of faith in God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, when he took office earlier this month.
Mr Gough – nicknamed the ‘Right On Rev’ by some of his flock – says he wants avoid offending non-believers.

[tarrant]

Rubbish

[sweet soul]

its a true story

[tarrant]

No. It's a pile of spin aimed at those looking for offence who don't understand chaplaincy.

[sweet soul]

who knows.

[ricklinc]

Another progressive step towards enlightened utopia. Now the barbaric baby-killers of the British armed forces can get on with being underequipped without the outmoded concept of a discredited belief system. Hurrah for the unintelligentsia. Hope some squaddy gets a chance to punch one.

[puffin]

There are two forms of the creed used in most Christian churches. The most commonly used is the Apostles Creed.
Here they are..

Book of Common Prayer [12]

* 1. :I BELIEVE in God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth:
* 2. :And in Jesus Christ his only Son our Lord:
* 3. :Who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, Born of the Virgin Mary:
* 4. :Suffered under Pontius Pilate,
* 5. :Was crucified, dead, and buried, He descended into hell; the third day he rose again from the dead:
* 6. :He ascended into heaven, And sitteth on the right hand of God the Father Almighty:
* 7. :From thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead.
* 8. :I believe in the Holy Ghost:
* 9. :The holy Catholick Church; The Communion of Saints:
* 10. :The Forgiveness of sins:
* 11. :The Resurrection of the body,
* 12. :And the Life everlasting.

Amen.



Common Worship[13]

I believe in God, the Father almighty,
creator of heaven and earth.

I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord,
who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
born of the Virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died, and was buried;
he descended to the dead.
On the third day he rose again;
he ascended into heaven,
he is seated at the right hand of the Father,
and he will come to judge the living and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy catholic Church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and the life everlasting.
Amen.

I can well imagine that the wording might be of concern not only to those of other religions but also those who did not believe in all the things contained there.

Army Chaplains have to think of all the men in their charge, not just those who are practicing members of a traditional Christian church...and I speak as a practicing Christian who does attend a traditional Christian church.

[puffin]

The Apostles Creed is the one contained in the book of Common Prayer.

[fastkat]

This is very true Puffin. I used to work at Bomber Command at RAF High Wycombe and assist the padre in visiting the soldiers in the single men's quarters. The Chaplain is there to oversee the spiritual welfare of all the personnel of all religions. They are not necessarily there to propagate the bible or evangelise. There are likely to be a number of situations where the Creed or the Lord's Prayer would probably not be appropriate when the soldiers assemble. A good Padre would be sensitive towards people of other faiths and those of no faith at all.

The door of the Padre I assisted was open to any soldier or member of staff of any religion seeking spiritual or counselling or advice on personnel/family/bereavement matters.

The Daily Mail is seeking to stir up sh*t that really isn't there. A non-story to be honest.

[ruby]

i'm confused! what was the objection exactly, i can't see any when i read it?

[ruby]

i can't see where he bans others! where is this exactly?

[ruby]

ha ha, isn't padre to the RAF a contradiction in terms? I thought christians were opposed to violence?

[fastkat]

Well no. Take the Christian fundamentalist dominated administration of G.W. Bush going crashing into Afghanistan and Iraq and the Guantanamo Bay Torture Camp, for instance.

[tarrant]

ruby

All of us have the same rules. But it's up to each of us what we do with them. No man may judge any of us how we choose to live by those rules.

We are all subject to the laws of the land. We answer for breaking those laws.

The law of God is between each of us, individually and God.

The position of Chaplin to any organisation is to offer support and guidance on matter related to ourselves. It doesn't matter what the Chaplin believes within himself, that is personal to him.

The Southern Baptists do preach war, conflict and killing. As a Christian I can say, along with other Christians, that these are not the teachings of Jesus.

But it isn't our place to judge these people for that. We can condemn Bush and others for what they do. We can criticise and disagree with their behaviour.

But their adherence to the Law of God is between them and God.