Chaplain Cleared of Wrongdoing in Same-Sex Discrimination Case

According to US Army regulation, a chaplain is required to follow the rules and tenets of the sponsoring religious denomination. In this case, the chaplain was endorsed by the Southern Baptist Convention’s North American Mission’s Board (NAMB). Their policy statement explicitly says that “endorsed chaplains will not conduct or attend a wedding ceremony for any same-sex couple, bless such a union or perform counseling in support of such a union . . . nor offer any kind of relationship training or retreat, on or off a military installation.”

So Chaplain Squires, in compliance with both US Army regulations and the NAMB, withdrew himself from the scheduled retreat and made arrangements for another chaplain, from a different denomination, to lead the retreat. But the same-sex couple decided not to attend the retreat. Subsequently an US Army investigator recommended that Chaplains Squires and Griffin be found guilty of dereliction of duty. The US Army investigator maintained that the protection of the First Amendment to the US Constitution does not permit any soldier, to use that “shield” as a “sword” to cut off the rights of another.

But Chaplain Squires rightly noted, “I simply did what I’m required to do under army regulations and my endorser’s rules” and he added, “I am shocked that I would even be investigated, let alone threatened with punishment, for following the rules.”

After the US Army exonerated Chaplains Squires and Griffin, First Liberty Institute who represented them issued a statement. “We are grateful that the US Army has rejected and abandoned these baseless charges,” First Liberty Institute attorney Mike Berry told the Todd Starnes Radio Show.

If we don’t stand up for our religious freedoms, they will be taken away from us.

“The United States military is no place for anti-religious hostility against its own military chaplains,” said Berry, who is representing both the chaplain and the assistant. “Chaplains like Scott Squires and Kacie Griffin do not have to give up their First Amendment rights in order to serve their fellow soldiers.”

As we’ve said countless times on our website and our social media pages, if we don’t stand up for our religious freedoms, they will be taken away from us.

Get More Answers on Answers News

This item was discussed today on Answers News with regular cohost Dr. Georgia Purdom and guest Dr. Tommy Mitchell, medical doctor and speaker for AiG. Answers News is our twice-weekly news program filmed live before a studio audience here at the Creation Museum and broadcast on my Facebook page and the Answers in Genesis Facebook page. They also discussed the following intriguing topics:

• Do we need an appendix? Why is it useful, and what is the history of the “useless” organ?
• A stingray cloned herself to give birth to offspring in a scientific phenomenon.
• A rare desert pterosaur fossil was discovered in Utah.
• And more!

Be sure to join us each Monday and Thursday at 2 p.m. (EDT) on my Facebook page or the Answers in Genesis Facebook page for Answers News. You won’t want to miss this unique news program that gives science and culture news from a distinctly biblical and Christian perspective.

Thanks for stopping by and thanks for praying,
Ken

This item was written with the assistance of AiG’s research team.