Soldiers for Jesus?
Al Jazeera has posted a video alleging to show American soldiers trying to proselytize in Afghanistan -- which would be a clear violation of the military code and, potentially, the U.S. Constitution. More from Crooks and Liars here.
I wouldn't be surprised if attempts to convert Afghan citizens have indeed been taking place, particularly given that non-Christian soldiers like Mikey Weinstein, Jeremy Hall, and Dustin Chalker have been on the receiving end of such efforts within the military. And though this video raises important questions, it's not quite a smoking gun.
The video shows, among other things, a prayer circle of evangelical soldiers discussing how and whether to distribute a set of bibles in Afghanistan. If the soldiers ended up doing it, that would be a clear violation of military rules and a great way to earn enmity in a crucial corner of the world. But the video doesn't show that. Rather, what it shows is the soldiers talking about whether such behavior would be kosher or not, acknowledging clearly that proselytizing is wrong. One of them wonders aloud whether it's OK to distribute the bibles as "gifts" as a way of getting around the rules, and the prayer leader quickly cuts him off, saying "Alright, let's talk about it. What do you think?" The video shows no conclusion being reached.
As it turns out, the military claims that the bibles came from a soldier's home church and were never distributed. We can't know for sure, but that explanation doesn't contradict the footage.
One moment that is slightly greater cause for concern (but not necessarily damning) shows Afghanistan's chief of chaplains -- Lt. Col. Gary Hensley -- telling a congregation of military personnel that every Christian is commissioned to be a "witness" that "hunts people for Jesus...get the hound of heaven after 'em so we get 'em in the Kingdom...That's what we do, that's our business!" To those not in the know, this is boilerplate evangelical rhetoric that's to be expected in such a service. The problem is that for soldiers, it's not clear who exactly they should be trying to convert.
The military says these few seconds' worth of clips were taken out of context. Maybe, maybe not. The key question is whether the chaplain qualified his remarks over the course of the sermon, making clear that "witnessing" to Afghan citizens must be done by example only and not by direct proselytizing. When we see more of the video, we'll know whether the military's denials are genuine or just a way to cover its behind.
Until then, you be the judge:
This post first appeared at jesselava.com.
I wouldn't be surprised if attempts to convert Afghan citizens have indeed been taking place, particularly given that non-Christian soldiers like Mikey Weinstein, Jeremy Hall, and Dustin Chalker have been on the receiving end of such efforts within the military. And though this video raises important questions, it's not quite a smoking gun.
The video shows, among other things, a prayer circle of evangelical soldiers discussing how and whether to distribute a set of bibles in Afghanistan. If the soldiers ended up doing it, that would be a clear violation of military rules and a great way to earn enmity in a crucial corner of the world. But the video doesn't show that. Rather, what it shows is the soldiers talking about whether such behavior would be kosher or not, acknowledging clearly that proselytizing is wrong. One of them wonders aloud whether it's OK to distribute the bibles as "gifts" as a way of getting around the rules, and the prayer leader quickly cuts him off, saying "Alright, let's talk about it. What do you think?" The video shows no conclusion being reached.
As it turns out, the military claims that the bibles came from a soldier's home church and were never distributed. We can't know for sure, but that explanation doesn't contradict the footage.
One moment that is slightly greater cause for concern (but not necessarily damning) shows Afghanistan's chief of chaplains -- Lt. Col. Gary Hensley -- telling a congregation of military personnel that every Christian is commissioned to be a "witness" that "hunts people for Jesus...get the hound of heaven after 'em so we get 'em in the Kingdom...That's what we do, that's our business!" To those not in the know, this is boilerplate evangelical rhetoric that's to be expected in such a service. The problem is that for soldiers, it's not clear who exactly they should be trying to convert.
The military says these few seconds' worth of clips were taken out of context. Maybe, maybe not. The key question is whether the chaplain qualified his remarks over the course of the sermon, making clear that "witnessing" to Afghan citizens must be done by example only and not by direct proselytizing. When we see more of the video, we'll know whether the military's denials are genuine or just a way to cover its behind.
Until then, you be the judge:
This post first appeared at jesselava.com.
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I never personally witnessed any proselytising towards the locals in Iraq. The idea is absurd on its face. We have a hard enough time spreading democracy with guns and butter...
The video is not damning. The chaplain could very well be referring to "hunting" for fellow soldiers. I dealt with that on many occasions during my tour. The soldiers don't reach a solid conclusion, and I would hope that their chain of command would quash it before it turned into an international incident.
So I am withholding judgment... in Iraq, religious incidents were a BIG deal. Don't touch the household Qu'ran and that sort of thing. When something did happen, we were quick to apologize and compensate. I don't see that necessarily changing in Afghanistan.
May 5, 2009 2:01 PM | Reply | Permalink
Agreed. Further questions are needed before we can tell whether anything untoward happened. Some folks just assume the worst and the headline is enough to not think too hard about what's in the video. Of course, the rest of the footage may reveal more; would like to see it.
May 5, 2009 2:17 PM | Reply | Permalink
Thanks for the response. It's always interesting to hear from people who have some personal experience in the subject matter.
One thing that would bother me is that I think I saw a CPT in the room. Having someone in a command position involved in this would seem to make it more serious... again, assuming we're not missing some context here.
May 5, 2009 3:35 PM | Reply | Permalink
A couple years ago there were docs about certain soldiers put off by prayer groups sponsored by the military. If you did not attend you were shunned.
I always like to know, who is selling the bibles?
I kind of agree with Zip. But if this selling of Christ is all over Bagdad or Afghanistan, it does not sound like it would be very endearing to the local tribal leaders.
May 5, 2009 2:13 PM | Reply | Permalink
The current issue of Harper's has an extensive article on the christianizing of the American military.
May 5, 2009 2:48 PM | Reply | Permalink
It is amazing, that so many who claim the Christian Faith, practise it with such preponderate apostasy. They believe they are giving witness for Christ, by handing out Bibles printed in a language, few if any, are even literate in, so they have no way of assuring the text has been translated properly. While engaged in this ineffectual proselytizing, they blaspheme their religion's Namesake, Christ, with actions in direct opposition to His teaching, as they hunt other humans with homicidal intent.
Nothing in the New Testament can be used to ground the concept of "Just War" upon. The very thought is outrageous Christian heresy; even in instances of true self-defense. There is no promise of justice and proper retribution in this life for wrongs perpetrated upon Christians. Instead the promise is that this life will bring suffering, pain, and often death, but the reward on the other-side is more than worth life's trials. The true Christian path in life is to remain strong and resolved when facing adversity, using the Power of God to resist the desire to bring more darkness into the world, and to spread the Christian message of peace and goodwill to ALL humans. If there is a Christian God, these fools are ignorantly marching off to war, and away from their own salvation.May 5, 2009 4:14 PM | Reply | Permalink
I fall into your category of outrageous Christian heretics since I believe in just war, but it is refreshing to see a biblical literalist who actually tries to take the Bible literally. Most simply pretend that's what they're doing even as they ignore the most inconvenient parts of Scripture. Kudos.
May 5, 2009 9:03 PM | Reply | Permalink
If you note, I sisn't assert in the previous comment, that I do not believe in "just war"; only that a justification for it cannot be grounded upon any New Testament citations, although very strong arguments against "just war" can be grounded upon New Testament text. Also, if you note, I never claimed to be a Christian; instead made the observation that anyone who claims to be a Christian, and yet is also an active battlefield combatant, clearly is acting against direct instructions attributed to Christ in the New Testament, and because of that, is a blasphemer, apostate and heretis. If these same persons were to instead claim they are Bible-Thumpers, then the attendant charges of their hypocritical practise of faith disappears.
I grew up in a Christian sect that believes the commandment, "Thous Shalt Not Kill" is both literal and absolute. It also believes that if one's nation calls upon a member for national service, that they comply, as long as it does not entail violating their faith. I was drafted, yet was allowed to assert conscientious objector status, and served one tour as an unarmed chopper evac medic in Vietnam. Pard'ner, I walked the walk, and that path still took me without the reach of Christian Salvation. I did learn on that tour, that "just war" is a brutal myth. There may be Wars that are unavoidable; inevitable; but there is no justice to be found within its darkness ever always falling, and its cornucopia of death. I saw more than a fair share of human death and dying, but never once was witness to any of these death sentences being fit for the crime, from ours, our allies, the enemies, or the tormented peasantry, chained to their pittance of dirt, caught up in the middle. This is how I lost the grace of God. If my salvation is only obtainable through drinking the blood and eating the flesh of an innocent executed man, then I will to stand with the damned; I've had my fill of innocents' flesh and blood; I will not willingly ingest anymore.
May 6, 2009 4:22 AM | Reply | Permalink
Beautifully written.
May 6, 2009 12:44 PM | Reply | Permalink
Ah. Well, kudos to the sect in which you learned that stuff for what I said before! I actually agree that a war can never represent justice; what I and I think most others mean by "just war" is that there are limited circumstances in which war is MORE just than the status quo and available alternatives.
May 7, 2009 12:42 AM | Reply | Permalink
The fact that the video cuts away after the chaplain calls for discussion damns the video (in that part) as propaganda. It's one thing to raise questions about what is right or wrong and another to promote wrong-doing. The former is one way people learn about accepted standards.
The video is doing wrong. As a training tool in how to spot or create propaganda, it's a lesson in how to cut video for biased effect.
May 5, 2009 6:09 PM | Reply | Permalink
It was my understanding that military chaplains were included in personnel for the benefit of our servicemen/women who wished to worship and not there to recruit converts....either from within our military or outside of it.
It will be interesting to see the full story.
May 5, 2009 7:41 PM | Reply | Permalink
Al Jazeera has posted a video alleging to show American soldiers trying to proselytize in Afghanistan -- which would be a clear violation of the military code and, potentially, the U.S. Constitution.
I have a hard time seeing how it could be a violation of the U.S. Constitution. Nothing in the Constitution says that a person who works for the government is forbidden from using personal or other non-governmental resources for religious purposes. I think that if they want to make an argument about the military code, they have a good case, but going for a Constitutional argument is overreaching.
Rather, what it shows is the soldiers talking about whether such behavior would be kosher or not, acknowledging clearly that proselytizing is wrong.
Proselytizing under those particular circumstances, or proselytizing in general?
May 6, 2009 2:52 AM | Reply | Permalink
Proselytizing in those circumstances is what they acknowledged was wrong.
May 7, 2009 12:40 AM | Reply | Permalink
Jesse, here's the name of a great philosopher jesuit that you might enjoy and fit with your concept of christianity - Pierre Teilhard de Chanbrun.
May 6, 2009 12:13 PM | Reply | Permalink
Thanks Bev. From what little I've read online as a result of your comment (ok I admit it: Wikipedia), he seems like a fascinating guy. He does seem to mix science and faith more than I would, though. That is, he examines nature and sees suggestions of "higher consciousness," etc. I see faith more as something that helps us deal with the sturm und drang of daily life than as something that explains science or biology. Indeed, I think religion tends to put itself on losing ground when it tries such gambits.
May 7, 2009 12:56 AM | Reply | Permalink
So what can serious Christian soldiers "do" under General Order #1 to faithfully follow Jesus’ great commission? That's answered on the oprev.org web site in the "Dos and Don'ts for Deployment" page at http://www.oprev.org/Dos-Donts.htm .
General Order #1 directs Christians not to try to “proselytize” or convert anybody. It's God that does the converting. General Order #1 just supports good theology.
Acts 2:8 says that Jesus’ followers will "be" witnesses to the ends of the earth, not that they will "do" witnessing. Paul says some are called to be evangelists, not everyone. The job of every Christian soldier is to "be" a testimony, not to "do" evangelism. This does not violate General Order #1.
Mt. 28:19-20 literally says, "as you are going" (participle) "disciple" (main verb) "the ethno-linguistic groups" (direct object). The command is not to disciple individuals on a one-on-one basis like individualistic Americans tend to think about it. The command is to disciple whole ethno-linguistic groups. "Baptizing" and "teaching" (more modifying participles) are functions of the church not individuals. It's a command to grow churches not conduct one-on-one evangelism. Growing churches in new places involves multi-discipline integration of many different gifts and callings. Soldiers, through stability operations and a good testimony, help the church to grow in new areas.
General Order #1 prevents soldiers from distributing Bibles in local languages, but it does not prevent people who are not soldiers (i.e. returning Afghan refugees) from trying to establish a more pluralistic environment where Bibles are not burned.
May 8, 2009 6:21 PM | Reply | Permalink