Bachmann Proposal Struck Down

Katherine Greenberg — June 2, 2010 – 1:28 pm | Republicans | Separation of Church & State Comments (0) Add a comment

Representative Michele Bachmann (R-MN) was recently defeated in her attempt to introduce measures to the 2011 National Defense Authorization Act which would have permitted military chaplains to use sectarian language to conclude prayers at non-religious events. Specifically, the language stated:

 

“If called upon to lead a prayer outside of a religious service, a chaplain shall have the prerogative to close the prayer according to the dictates of the chaplain’s own conscience.”

 

Bachmann’s provision may have evoked serious concerns from Jewish soldiers, who might have felt uncomfortable being subjected to sectarian language by military chaplains. Americans United for the Separation of Church and State (AU) claimed that this provision sought to impose Christianity into the armed forces by enabling chaplains to push their individual beliefs at events where adherents of many faiths are present. AU’s Director of Communications Joeseph L. Conn wrote of Bachmann’s proposal:

               

“Bachmann’s proposal may not sound all that nefarious, but it is. Military chaplains, of course, are already allowed to offer sectarian prayers at sectarian worship services. A Christian chaplain presiding at a Christian gathering is likely to close a prayer ‘in Jesus’ name.’ A Muslim chaplain at a Muslim service is going to offer prayers that reflect the teachings of Islam. But chaplains are employees of the government, and they serve a diverse constituency, not just members of their own tradition. They are sometimes asked to offer invocations at military events where personnel from many faiths are present. At those, nonsectarian prayers may be requested.”

 

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