Navy Chaplain Faces Crucial Trial in His Fight for Religious Freedom
by Chad Groening
August 14, 2006
(AgapePress) - - A U.S. Navy chaplain says his attorney is asking a military judge to throw out a charge that he deliberately disobeyed an order by praying while in uniform at a press conference in front of the White House earlier this year. Lieutenant Gordon James Klingenschmitt, who has been fasting and lobbying for the right to pray in Jesus' name, was scheduled to appear in Norfolk, Virginia, for a court martial pre-trial hearing earlier today. According to an Associated Press report, Klingenschmitt requested a court martial rather than accept a reprimand for appearing in uniform at the March 30 press conference in Washington, DC.
The press conference featured Alabama Chief Justice Roy Moore and called on President Bush to issue an executive order affirming the right of chaplains to pray as they see fit. Klingenschmitt says all he did at this event while in uniform was to say a prayer for America's armed forces from the Book of Common Prayer, an invocation ending with the words "through Jesus Christ, our Lord, Amen." Afterward, the Navy chaplain notes, he removed his uniform for media interviews.
If found guilty, Klingenschmitt could be fined up to $35,000, or two-thirds of his annual salary. However, the Naval officer insists he has done nothing wrong. "I'm being punished for wearing my uniform and praying in Jesus' name in front of the White House," he says, "and my contention is that I had prior written permission to wear my uniform."
Also, the lieutenant points out, "Navy regulations allow me to wear my uniform as long as I'm only saying prayers." He says if a judge hears the evidence in his defense, he feels there is good reason to believe that the case against him will be thrown out and the charges dismissed, in which case he would not have to proceed to court martial.
"But if the judge does not hear our evidence the way we want to present it," Klingenschmitt says, "or if he doesn't allow our witnesses to come in and testify on my behalf, then we're fighting an uphill battle." If the judge decides not to throw out the case, the court martial proceedings against the Navy chaplain will begin on September 11.
Chad Groening, a regular contributor to AgapePress, is a reporter for American Family Radio News, which can be heard online.
