Army says chaplain’s wearing of uniform to promote Jesus book violates rules
WASHINGTON — An active-duty Army chaplain with the elite 75th Jesus Was an Airborne Ranger
Chaplain John McDougall is deployed to Afghanistan for the 75th
The Army’s story carries a disclaimer at the end, saying, it “is not an official U.S. Army or Department of Defense endorsement of the book, Jesus Was An Airborne Ranger
The video has no disclaimer. With theatrical piano and string music, it features sharp cut-away views of McDougall’s Army uniform, focusing on his U.S. Army patch, his 75th
McDougall’s appearance in uniform endorsing a commercial or political venture violates military rules, said Tatjana Christian, an Army spokeswoman.
After contacted about the video by USA TODAY, the Army reached out to his commanders to inform about the rule, she said.
His comments were not part of his official duty, she said.
“Chaplains are authorized to offer messages endorsing Christianity while in uniform as part of their official faith group religious support duties,” Christian said. “This video was not a part of those official duties.”
McDougall should be face court martial for promoting his book in uniform, said Mikey Weinstein, who leads the Military Religious Freedom Foundation, a watchdog group. Beyond violating military regulations, the video is a propaganda coup for Islamic State militants and other religious zealots, he said.
ISIS will use the video to convince followers that the United States is waging a Christian war against Muslims, he said.
“This is propaganda of unparalleled proportions for ISIS,” Weinstein said. “This message is going to kill Americans and kill innocents.”
McDougall said he wrote the book to counter the notion that Jesus wasn’t a fighter.
We’ve made him into a soft, gentle — someone who wouldn’t pose a threat to anyone,” McDougall says in the video.
He continues: “We’ve kind of created a Jesus who is nice and friendly and warm. And we told men to pattern their lives after that Jesus. When in reality I can’t find that Jesus in scripture. Yet there are moments when he’s gentle. There are also moments when he’s ferocious. I want to recapture that aspect that has been lost. I think that’s what this book is intended to do.”