VA shouldn’t forget nation’s Christian heritage
AUREL — After an extensive study of our country, historian Alexis de Tocqueville once remarked, “Christianity is the companion of liberty in all its conflicts — the cradle of its infancy, and the divine source of its claims.”
But, the United States Department of Veterans Affairs in Houston, TX apparently disagrees.
Last week, veterans groups accused the VA of religious discrimination, contending they have been banned at soldiers’ funerals from saying religious words such as “God” and are having their prayers censored.
Their allegations follow others made by pastor Scott Rainey, who sued in May to keep the VA from preventing him from referring to Jesus Christ at a Memorial Day invocation at Houston National Cemetery.
The VFW and the American Legion are specifically claiming that on at least four occasions government officials told them that prayer and religious speech could no longer be included in burial rituals unless families submit a specific prayer or message in writing to the the cemetery’s director for approval.
Sen. Chris McDaniel
Laurel Leader-Call
7/10/11
