DOD allows free speech to willing audience and that is good thing

Yesterday I was very happy to post Pentagon: OK to talk about faith Hallelujah!

What it comes down to, officials said, is that discussing matters of faith and religious practice with a willing audience is allowed, but pushing religious beliefs on those who don’t want to hear it is a form of harassment forbidden under Defense Department policies.

I received a few email questions on why I was so happy, so this is a good time to let more people know my thoughts, especially just coming home from church service for Holy Friday and the Descent from the Cross. I am Greek Orthodox and this is our Holy Week. I attend Holy Trinity but honestly I don't get there as much as I would like to. I was heading there Sunday morning when I opened my email discovering a note from a friend in crisis. I am sure Christ would forgive me for missing the service to take care of my friend. After all, that is what He gave as His greatest commandment.

34 “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. 35 By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”
John 13:34-35

If we do not love then we are not following Christ. Rightly we cannot call ourselves Christians if we do not help others with compassion, understanding and mercy. If we condemn them or show hatred, we are not acting Christlike.

Most of the time servicemen and women need spiritual healing as much as they need medical healing. When their wound involved Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, they need spiritual healing more and that is why it is essential that Chaplains are not only able to take care of all of them from wherever they are spiritually but with a true understanding of what ills them. To prevent Chaplains and others from talking about their faith does more harm than good but the other side of this is the issue of proselytizing pushing one denomination over others.

There have been reports of soldiers forced to attend Christian concerts and prayer groups. No one should be forced. Forcing them ends up pushing the door against them.

I have a rule that I will not contact a veteran for this reason alone. They have to contact me or the help I can offer will not be heard. It has to be on their time and by their own freewill. I tried it the other way in the beginning and discovered they were not listening to me. They know how to contact me and they know I am here when they need me but again it has to be on their terms, when they are ready.

Getting them to understand they are forgiven for whatever they believe they need forgiveness for, is perhaps the easiest to achieve because of what a day like this means. Christ forgave the hands that nailed Him to the Cross, so they accept His forgiveness more easily than they are able to forgive themselves. It is easier for them to forgive others especially when they have survivor guilt. Forgiving themselves is the hardest and requires the most work but they can do it with the right help.

Once this happens, they are able to heal faster and find peace with what remains of PTSD because they understand it.

I rejoice with the decision of the DOD to allow Christians to talk about their faith as much as they allow others to do the same with a willing audience.