The military is condemning an Army chaplain for offering scripture to help soldiers contemplating suicide, Michael Berry, senior counsel and director of military affairs for the Liberty Institute, told
Newsmax TV's "America's Forum."
Chaplain Joseph Lawhorn received a Letter of Concern accusing him of advocating Christianity during a Ranger battalion suicide prevention training session last month,
according to Fox News. Berry, who is representing Lawhorn, said he had requested the Army "withdraw and rescind" the letter.
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"There are men and women in our military who are hurting right now. They may not be suffering from visible physical wounds, but they're certainly suffering from emotional, moral, mental, and spiritual wounds. And, he's trying to ensure that they get the help that they need. And, instead of being commended for that, he's being condemned for it," Berry said Thursday.
Lawhorn was "doing his job of trying to care for his fellow soldiers," Berry said, and used scripture as one solution in his effort "to save lives." He said the chaplain, who had also struggled with suicide, was trying to show soldiers "some of the methods and techniques that he had used successfully to battle his own depression."
"When I began to dig down into the Army regulations and Army policy doctrine on how to prevent suicides, the Army has identified spiritual fitness and wellness as a key component to combating this epidemic of suicide that's on the increase in the Army," he said.
Berry explained "no military regulation" was cited in the letter Lawhorn received, adding that the law protected him to talk about his faith.
"Federal law, the Constitution of the United States, military regulations, they not only say that chaplains are allowed to talk about faith in this context, but that a chaplain's religious expression is actually protected by law. So, not only did Chaplain Lawhorn do nothing wrong, it's pretty reasonable to conclude that his commander is the one that's in the wrong, with respect to the law," he said.
Berry said 33 members of Lawhorn's unit had "provided letters of support on his behalf, and, most of those were either in attendance (at the training session) or know him very well personally." If the Army chose not to withdraw the letter, Berry said they would "certainly consider all of our available legal options."
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