Chief of Chaplains Convicted of Murderer?

A veteran murdered his wife claiming PTSD made him do it. In prison, he had a "come to Jesus" moment and started to minister to other prisoners. After prison, he became a Chaplain with the Maine VA. Now he wants to be Chief of Chaplains?

Kneejerk reaction, "Oh hell no" but as I read the story, it isn't that easy to figure out.

Jackson VA eyes convicted killer for chaplain job
The Clarion-Ledger
Emily Le Coz
March 7, 2015

A top candidate for chief chaplain at the G.V. "Sonny" Montgomery Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Jackson is a felon who shot and killed his estranged wife in 1986.

James Luoma serves as chief chaplain at VA Maine Healthcare Systems-Togus, but is interviewing for an open position in Jackson, according to Marti Reynolds, who served as chaplain for the Jackson VA from 1990 until last May.

Jackson VA spokeswoman Susan Varcie would not confirm this, saying only that the hospital is interviewing for a new chief of chaplain but hasn't yet selected anyone to fill the spot, which pays between $82,642 and $107,434.

Reached by phone Thursday, Luoma also would not comment.

A former police officer and decorated Vietnam medic, Luoma was diagnosed with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder three years before fatally shooting his wife, Sherry, in his Englewood, Ohio, home on July 31, 1986, according to online court records and archives from the Dayton (Ohio) Daily News.

The couple had been separated, and Sherry had filed for divorce prior to the shooting, records show.

Luoma was charged with murder and pleaded not guilty and not guilty by reason of insanity.

"At trial, Luoma argued that the shooting was an accident — that he had been cleaning the gun and did not realize it was loaded when he pulled the trigger," court records stated. "Alternatively, Luoma argued that he was insane at the time of the shooting, as a result of PTSD."
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Start with the cons of this.

Veterans with PTSD are already stigmatized by new reports of a few veterans losing control and committing crimes. The fact is veterans are more likely to harm themselves than someone else. This could feed the notion of veterans are dangerous. After all, this is a position as Chief of Chaplains at the Jackson VA. It isn't as if he is just seeking a job in prison ministries.

The pro side of this is that no one is beyond redemption. He did his time in jail and paid the price. That can be very hopeful for other veterans.

I am torn on this one. As the article points out, St. Paul wasn't always a Christian. He spent many of his days tracking down Christians to turn them in so they would be killed. His "come to Jesus" moment came on a road to Damascus. After that, he reached out to the Gentiles and let them know what God was really all about and sent His Son to pay for their sins. That forgiveness and mercy were available to everyone who sought it.

Saul’s Conversion 9 Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord’s disciples. He went to the high priest and asked him for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any there who belonged to the Way, whether men or women, he might take them as prisoners to Jerusalem.

As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him.

He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?”

“Who are you, Lord?” Saul asked.

“I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,” he replied.

“Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.”