Will Congress Save Our Soldiers' Right to Pray?

No faith allowed?

“Our servicemen and women put their lives on the line every day in order to protect our constitutionally guaranteed rights, including the expression of our beliefs. Congress must ensure that we are protecting them as well," says Lee. Landrieu became alarmed after she heard the Young Marines program in Bossier Parish, Louisiana, could lose its federal money because there was voluntary prayer and the mention of God. According to the Young Marines of the Marine Corps League website, members must agree to "keep myself clean in mind by attending the church of my faith" and to pledge that "I shall never do anything that would bring disgrace or dishonor upon my God, my Country and its flag, my parents, myself or the Young Marines.” Opponents of such legislation pooh-poohed any need for special protection. "I think that Landrieu's Freedom to Pray bill is unnecessary, in that voluntary prayer is always allowed," said Marjorie Esman, executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union's Louisiana office. Meanwhile, a Pentagon faith policy adviser says the problem is that sharing the Gospel is an act of treason. Mikey Weinstein, founder and president of the anti-Christian Military Religious Freedom Foundation, calls evangelicals "fundamentalist Christian monsters."

No faith allowed?

What happens if Christians in uniform publicly express their deeply held convictions? Air National Guardsman Layne Wilson was informed he was being kicked out and his sick wife’s medical care would be cut off after he wrote a private letter to his superiors expressing his opposition to same-sex weddings in the West Point chapel. Wilson's superiors responded by rescinding his six-year contract with the Guard, then eliminated health coverage for his wife – who is suffering from stage four breast cancer. When his superiors’ actions were publicized, the measures were reversed, but a letter of reprimand remains in Wilson’s file, effectively ending any chances of future promotion and destroying his military career.

No faith allowed?

After publicly backing down, Layne's superiors continued apparent efforts to drive the 27-year veteran out of the service. Wilson’s commanding officers informed him they're opening a "security information file" based on his private Facebook postings and are "reviewing his security clearance." His attorney, John Wells, expected as much. "Once the military puts a target on your back, they continue to push until they win or are told by a higher authority to stop," he writes. "It appears to be an attempt to force everyone to conform with the politically correct left-wing military the President is striving to create. Security clearances are a favorite target when trying to destroy a subordinate's career. ”

No faith allowed?

“Coercion has always been forbidden by military policy, and troops are free to have a faith or no faith,” writes General Boykin. “However, this policy is being used to suppress religious expression. For example, an Air Force officer was reportedly ordered to remove a Bible from his desk.” Coast Guard Rear Admiral William Lee recently cited the hostile environment for Christians as he recounted “his decision to violate the rules preventing him from giving a Bible to a service member who had attempted suicide,” reported Boykin. To a standing ovation, Admiral Lee promised not to back down from "my right under the Constitution to tell a young man that there is hope.”