One of the issues that took up quite a bit of time lately was something that pops up in every Chaplain course and is typically part of any conversation I have with a civilian Christian about the Chaplaincy: The First Amendment. I phrase it that way, because that is the proper frame for what I had to do. I spent over 40 hours of work defending Wicca to my supervisors, and defending my supervisors to Wicca.
We had a couple Troopers get in trouble based on behavior that they felt was appropriate Wiccan worship within the context of a deployed military operation. They were wrong. However, there was a whole lot of speculation about what was really going on and how Wiccans can worship in the military. After some research I wrote a memo for my commander about Wiccan worship and how it can be practiced in a deployed setting. And continued to correct a lot of the negative and incorrect ideas that people had and were voicing about Wicca.
A lot of Christians that I speak with about the Chaplaincy have a huge issue with standing up for and empowering other religions. They feel that we shouldn’t be in the business of helping and strengthening worldviews we think are wrong. It seems to them I have betrayed Christianity by helping a Wiccan worship. I look at it in an entirely different light. One of the benefits of America is that we can follow whichever religion we choose. The state doesn’t, and can’t, impose Christianity. That’s the First Amendment. So any time someone tries to prevent worship, they are attempt to impose a belief system. If we allow Wiccan worship to be stymied, soon Christian worship will be stymied. By defending a Wiccan’s right to worship, I am also defending the Christian’s right to worship. Christianity has no special place in our country, and it will go the way of all other systems of belief, regardless of its truth. “When they came for the Jew, I did not speak up…When they came for me, there was no one left to speak up.” is the general idea of it.
On the flip side, a significantly powerful Wiccan group got involved to defend the soldier’s Wiccan practices and challenge some of my leadership’s actions and statements. So I had to defend my leaders and explain the limits placed on worship (any religious worship) in a military setting. I had to defend military rules about behavior in a deployed environment that ran, not counter to, but at odds with general Wiccan practices. I also had a soldier who felt she was being attacked based upon her religion, but who was attempting to couch her inappropriate actions in religious protections and thus avoid the consequences of her decision.
Nobody was entirely right in the whole situation, nor was anyone entirely wrong, but that is why it took a whole lot of time. The issue is that delicate and that important. It is the whole reason Chaplains remain officers in the military, not civilians, and it is the whole reason people came to found a new nation on this continent.
3 Comments
Thank you sir. You have words of wisdom. As much as I disagree with Wicca, they have a right to worship. But as a Soldier first, you must use common sense in how you worship.
For God and Country,
Voltaire said it well … “I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it.”
I cannot say that I disapprove of Wicca, because I don’t. So the better phrase might be that I *disagree with*, instead of disapprove.
But the point is that we have to defend the rights of each person to believe and worship as they will, as long as the better good is still obtained.
One important item that you raise is that the Army (any military) has to place limits on all sorts of personal actions, including the methods of practicing religion, to maintain discipline and order. As a soldier, you are not able to do many things, and that means that while you are defending our rights you often do not get to exercise yours. (Boggles my mind how many people miss that.)
This is a touchy area, and it sounds like you walked the best line through it for all involved. Kudos to you!
In my past I have known Wiccans, but for the life of me I can’t think anything inappropriate in the context of a deployed military operation. Last I heard, nudity wasn’t obligatory for their worship and even though you would probably have a hard time finding a virgin in a deployed setting, they aren’t necessary either. At least they aren’t handling snakes and drinking poisons.
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