I’m sure they were two or three of the most mature, qualified ones too:
Col. Timothy Wagoner has been an Air Force chaplain for 20 years, serving a denomination — the Southern Baptists — that rejects same-sex relationships.
Yet here he was at the chapel he oversees, watching supportively as an airman and his male partner celebrated a civil union ceremony.
“I wouldn’t miss it,” Wagoner said at the McGuire Air Force Base chapel, days later. “I don’t feel I’m compromising my beliefs … I’m supporting the community.”
[…]
Prior to repeal, various conservative groups and individuals — including many conservative retired chaplains — warned that repeal would trigger an exodus of chaplains whose faiths consider homosexual activity to be sinful. In fact, there’s been no significant exodus — perhaps two or three departures of active-duty chaplains linked to the repeal. Moreover, chaplains or their civilian coordinators from a range of conservative faiths told The Associated Press they knew of virtually no serious problems thus far involving infringement of chaplains’ religious freedom or rights of conscience.
Well then. The article goes on to point out that, though many chaplains come from conservative religious backgrounds, they are nonetheless grown-ups whose jobs, in fact, revolve on supporting all the servicemembers around them, and in fact have nothing to do with whining about homosexuality.
At what point will people, and the media, recognize that if the Religious Right is screaming about the sky falling, they’re either lying or just generally being hysterical approximately 100% of the time?
[h/t David Badash]
