Chaplains: US Court of Appeals For The Armed Forces Erred In Ruling On Marine | Eastern North Carolina Now

    WASHINGTON     Chaplain Alliance for Religious Liberty is voicing disappointment in the opinion released late last week by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces concerning the court-martial of Marine Lance Cpl. Monifa Sterling.

    Sterling was court-martialed in part for a dispute involving a Bible verse she posted at her work station. Chaplain Alliance for Religious Liberty filed an amicus brief in support of her petition before the court.

    "Posting a Bible verse is clearly an expression of religious faith and conviction and should not result in punishment," said Chaplain (COL) Ron Crews, USA Retired, executive director of Chaplain Alliance for Religious Liberty. "Congress and the courts have made it clear that religious freedom is our first freedom and should be burdened only in the most extreme circumstances. This is no less true in the military. Service members cannot be forced to check their faith when they put on the uniform. Their religious freedom is more precious than ever before and must be strongly defended. Those who are willing to give all deserve nothing less."

    The Chaplain Alliance for Religious Liberty is an organization of chaplain endorsers, the faith groups that provide chaplains for the U.S. military and other agencies needing chaplains. The endorsers in the Chaplain Alliance speak for more than 2,600 chaplains serving the armed forces.