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| The Name Jesus |
by Rev. Andrew JJ Paton |
Prayer is good and religion has its place, but if you are asked to pray in a public gathering be sure you don't use the name Jesus. Keep it vague and all will smile - say the name and frowns break out all around.
Chaplain Klingenschmitt obviously wasn't given the aforementioned 'advice.' Klingenschmitt is at risk for termination after fourteen years service in our Navy. He could soon be fired without retirement, because:
(1) he openly endorsed John 3:36 during an optionally-attended memorial service;
(2) he prays publicly in "Jesus' name" against official Navy doctrine that forbids "sectarian" prayers;
(3) Chaplain Klingenschmitt "caused a stir" by ordering kosher meals for a hungry Jewish sailor who lost 17 pounds for lack of food.
So reads the charge sheet.
People like him just don't get it do they? It's sad that they can't adapt. The spirituality of this century is a blend. We can't have people holding to radical ideas. Next thing you know some Hindu chaplain will be praying to Krishna. Older readers will remember all the years they had to spend in therapy after they were forced to listen to John Lennon singing "My Sweet Lord" to Krishna.
The way ahead is to morph the world's religions into a soup. That's where people like Indiana House Speaker Brian Bosma need a wake up call.
It's amazing. He motivated Indiana's state attorney general's office, along with House attorneys to appeal against the recent ruling by Judge David Hamilton barring prayer in Jesus' Name in the legislature. Bosma can't see that decisions on such a sensitive, divisive matter are best left in the hands of judges.
This is not a new problem. The church, the original church back in 30AD, was only a few months old when, in a court hearing, the following judgement about public gatherings was handed down:
"you are warned not to speak to anyone in this name."
The exact wording went: "commanded them not to speak or teach at all in the Name of Jesus."
Thereby all the problems caused by the uttering of this divisive name in public would be ended. The Christians in those days took costly, courageous decisions.
That was then and now is now.
Surely you perceive the error of praying in the Name of Jesus in a legislature of a state whose constitution says: (Indiana article 1 section 3)
"no law shall, in any case whatever, control the free exercise and enjoyment of religious opinions, or interfere with the rights of conscience."
You can't see it?
Well perhaps its time Judge Hamilton helped them revise their constitution. Section 4 says:
"No preference shall be given, by law, to any creed, religious society, or mode of worship."
This is the American way, folks. No harm will be done in Indiana if the Rabbi prays to the God of the Old Testament the next day. If there are significant numbers of people of other faiths living in Indiana, they too must have the freedom of expression.
Removal of expression is not the way to prevent preference.
A few misguided souls are crying that true progress can be made by taking the ideas of all religions, straining out anything that might be offensive and putting them in a blender.
Get their hand off the button! The blender will produce garbage.
All people are sacredly equal in worth. Ideas however are not equal. Let the healthy rub and chafe continue in this land. Take away all monetary, military and regulatory coercions. Let every belief be set free and inevitably some will triumph over others.
We are not living to offend.
I was often asked to pray at a Rotary club. A man I count as a friend today asked me not to mention the name Jesus at the end of my prayers. I said I would continue to end every invocation saying "we ask this in Your name" and that he would know by doing such I meant the name Jesus.
We worked through it.