As I read this, I read it mindful of the totally corrupt judicial system.

Twana

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http://joemiller.us/2013/11/veteran-affairs-sued-harassing-christian-chaplains/?utm_source=JoeMiller.US+List&utm_campaign=a5b4576634-RSS_EMAIL_CAMPAIGN&utm_term=0_065b6c381c-a5b4576634-231182733&utm_content=buffercfa32&utm_medium=google

http://www.wnd.com/2013/11/va-sued-for-harassing-christian-chaplains/

Two military chaplains are suing Eric Shinseki, secretary of the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs, or VA, for allegedly being harassed and drummed out of a training and placement program because of their Christian faith.

Chaplains Major Steven Firtko, U.S. Army (Retired) and Lieutenant Commander Dan Klender, U.S. Navy, claim they were mocked, scolded and threatened for their faith while enrolled in the San Diego VA-DOD Clinical Pastoral Education Center program, which trains and distributes chaplains to military and VA medical centers in the San Diego area.

According to their lawsuit, Firtko and Klender allege the Center’s supervisor, Ms. Nancy Dietsch, a VA employee, derided them in classrooms and even had one of them dismissed for failing to renounce his Christian beliefs.

For example, on Sept. 24, 2012, the lawsuit claims, during a classroom discussion, Dietsch asked Firtko what he “believed faith was.”

Firtko responded by quoting Hebrews 11:1 – “Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”

Dietsch told Firtko, on the first of several such instances according to the lawsuit, that he was not to quote the Bible in the chaplaincy program classroom.

On another incident in October, Dietsch allegedly shouted at Firtko for quoting Scripture again, banging her fist on the table and stating “it made her feel like she had been pounded over her head with a sledge hammer.”

The lawsuit also claims Dietsch told her students that the VA in general and she in particular do not allow chaplains to pray “in Jesus’ name” in public ceremonies.

Dietsch is also accused of allowing other students to deride Firtko and Klender, mocking them in front of the class and telling Firtko if he held to his beliefs on such things as evolution, salvation and homosexuality, he “did not belong in this program.” Eventually, the lawsuit states, she threatened to dismiss Firtko for refusing to recant his Christian doctrine and ordered he serve a six-week probation.

The lawsuit claims Chaplain Klender’s superior even encouraged him to challenge Dietsch for her “bias against evangelicals.”

Klender later left the program voluntarily, citing Dietsch’s alleged abuse.

Firtko, however, according to the lawsuit, was ejected from the program through a letter, signed by Dietsch, which stated his probation period was not “yielding the results” desired.

In July, Firtko, Klender and their sponsoring organization, the Conservative Baptist Association of America, filed formal complaint against Dietsch and the VA.

Now the lawsuit, filed with the help of Military-Veterans Advocacy, explains that Firtko and Klender have exhausted all administrative options and that the harassment the chaplains endured violates the federal Religious Freedom Restoration Act, the Administrative Procedures Act and the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.

“No American choosing to serve in the armed forces should be openly ridiculed for his Christian faith, and that is most obviously true for chaplains participating in a chaplain training program,” said Commander J.B. Wells, U. S. Navy (Ret.), executive director of Military-Veterans Advocacy. “Not only was the treatment these men received inappropriate, it was also a violation of federal law and the religious freedom guarantees of the First Amendment.”

The lawsuit, Conservative Baptist Association of America v. Shinseki, has been filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.

Read more at http://www.wnd.com/2013/11/va-sued-for-harassing-christian-chaplains/#WASXgjGRHGTQP3Lg.99

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  • I hope they win the suit.

  • I hope they get billions.

    • I hope and pray they do too!!!!!!

  • that is just what the Obamaites want them to do step away from their jobs so they can replace them with like minded minions that will not follow the word of God.

    they should have stayed as the thorn in their side

  • The US Army trained us to look to our National Foundation  and the principles reflected in the political writing and utterances of men like General George Washington. Fundamental Law is defined as a law that sets the standard for a system of laws--In America that would include the twice passed Northwest Ordinance. Article III declares "Religion,Morality ,Knowledge being necessary to good Government and the happiness of mankind,schools and the means of education shall forever be encouraged."

      The first prayer in Congress was Sept.7,1774.When prayer was proposed men like John Jay of New York, and Mr. Rutledge of South Carolina  opposed it thinking the Congress too divided in their religious sentiment. Sam Adams rose to declare " I am no bigot and can hear the prayer of any gentleman of piety who is a friend of his Country.... He proposed Rev.Dr.J. Duche be invited. Congress agreed.

       On Sept.7 Rev. Duche performed a sectarian service ,He appeared in his Official Robes , with his "pontificals" ( The Book of Common Prayers and the "Collect" a sectarian copy of the Psalms.He read the prayers--and from the "collect" Then gave a prayer he had composed for the day. That ended "All this we ask in the Name and through the merits of Jesus Christ ,Thy Son ,and Our Savior ,Amen." congress acted to Thank him for the services and for the Excellent prayer.. Later congress acted to secure a Brass Plate to commemorate the first prayer in Congress. Later still,in 1848 Congress commissioned Art by T.H. Matheson to remember the event. And on Sept.7,1977 the Chaplain of the US Senate opened the affairs of the Senate by the Prayer of Rev.J. Duche ,Nothing edited out..That is our Standard.

       Some years ago a group called Concerned Women For America produced a book titled On This Day-- a collection -if I might, of newspaper  headlines coupled by the congressional Prayers given on that day.In reading through it is clear that over the many years there have been many Congressional Chaplains , or Guest Chaplains, who have opened Congress with prayers that would offend the Chaplains Class at San Diego for Not only has Scripture been cited--but several have prayed as they felt led by their Conscious  in the name of Jesus, or some variant of that. And this book appears a fairly representative  sampling of Congressional Prayer. 

      It seems both men had been qualified as Ministers by some Group outside the VA. both men had Military Leadership Training. As a Christian  I  find I judge Ministers/ Chaplains indeed all Christians by the standard common to Christianity--The Bible. I find it interesting that Old Ben Franklin cited the authority of the "sacred Writings" no less than a half dozen times when he called for Prayer Thursday June 28,1787. His political speech would appear to violate the sensitivities of the VAMC. When Thomas Jefferson wrote the political paper Causes and Necessities of Taking Up Arms ( or something like that)  common to the time-- he included several Scripture references. See The Theme is Freedom by M.Stanton Evans. (the Chapter on "An Establishment of Religion.") Seems the political writing of our Nations Founding era properly understood would offend the sensibilities of the VAMC. 

      The US Army trained us to"so live and act as becomes the Christian Soldier,Defending the dearest Rights and Liberties of his Nation..." We trained like General George Washington trained his Army....different ordinance is all. We were formed up and we were marched to and from Chapel.We were "Protestant, Catholic,Jew, or Nothing at all." a Military convenience that fairly reflected the national religious sentiments and did not encourage  the infidel...too much.

    If Chaplains are NOT allowed to cite the supreme Authority of Scripture to justify their beliefs.If they cannot pray as led by their Conscience By their religious training and their religious faith --then they are not Christian  for Peter and the other Disciples were "strictly commanded by the legal authorities to not continue to teach in that Name ( Jesus Christ) and when brought before the Judge they gave a legal defense "We ought to obey God ,rather than men." (Acts 5:28,29)  I ask nobody to believe me because I have no title,nor Office-- But the Sacred Writings existed long before these United States were established by the Grace of God to be One Nation Under God-- a christian Nation. And I would rather be justified by the Word -- and by American History than recieve the praise from men ,women or ? who have forgotten God.

  • Our military must stand against this evil!

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