VA Cemetery Accused of Censoring Religious Speech

First let me say that I am against forced religious talk of any kind. This includes forcing people to not say what they believe. I do not support someone saying that someone else is going to hell if they do not covert or believe the "right" way, especially when they are in need of spiritual help. It's one of the reasons why I became a Chaplain. I have no church. While I am Greek Orthodox, my own branch of Christianity does not support the role of women as ministers. It is my job to address people in need no matter what faith they have or if they have no faith at all and I am free to discuss whatever will help them heal spiritually but I am careful to not cross the line and offend them. If I know I am talking to a non-Christian, I will invoke "God" but limit the use of "Christ" even though they know I am a Christian.

This is also the reason why I do not believe a speaker addressing a mixed group should focus on Christ instead of God, but that is what I believe much like I believe no one in the government should attempt to force anyone to convert or force them to listen. They are supposed to be able to say what they want and use their own judgment. If this nation can protect the free speech rights of the hateful Westboro Group because they use the title of a church, then they should also protect the rights of everyone to use their own judgment of what they will or will not say.

VA Cemetery Accused of Censoring Religious Speech
June 29, 2011
Houston Chronicle

Local veterans and volunteer groups are accusing Department of Veterans Affairs officials of censoring religious speech -- including banning the word "God" -- at Houston National Cemetery.

In one example cited in documents filed this week in federal court, cemetery director Arleen Ocasio reportedly told volunteers with the National Memorial Ladies that they had to stop telling the families, "God bless you," at funerals and that they had to remove the words "God bless" from condolence cards.

The new allegations of "religious hostility" by VA and cemetery officials follow on the heels of a controversy over a prayer in Jesus' name by Pastor Scott Rainey at a Memorial Day service in the cemetery.

U.S. District Judge Lynn N. Hughes ruled May 26 that Ocasio couldn't stop Rainey from using the words "Jesus Christ" in his invocation.

Attorneys with the nonprofit Liberty Institute, which represented Rainey, filed an amended complaint this week after allegedly finding other instances of religious discrimination by cemetery officials against members Veterans of Foreign Wars District 4, The American Legion Post 586, and the National Memorial Ladies, a volunteer group that attends funerals of fallen service members.

The complaint accuses VA of "a widespread and consistent practice of discriminating against private religious speech" at the cemetery.
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VA Cemetery Accused of Censoring Religious Speech