WHEREAS, many groups and organizations such as the American Civil Liberties Union and others have publicly announced their intention to destroy the military chaplaincy in an effort to remove every reference to God in public life, and have boasted that all chaplains will be removed from ships and stations and have declared that the teaching of religion in the Armed Forces must cease, and

WHEREAS, when it becomes necessary for the government to create a military establishment, it has an obligation to provide an opportunity for those who are serving to worship, and the provision of the military chaplaincy to meet this obligation is the absolute minimum that will satisfy the demand of the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution as has been recognized repeatedly by the U.S. Supreme Court, and

WHEREAS, this premise was recognized by the Founding Fathers of this country as attested by the fact that the military chaplaincy is older than our nation, having been created by an act of the Continental Congress in 1775 upon the recommendation of George Washington,

THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED THAT the National Association of Evangelicals:

1. Deplores in the strongest possible terms the attacks by atheistic and other minorities on the military chaplaincy, and

2. Strongly urges the President, as Commander-in-Chief, and the Secretary of Defense to:

a. Resist any and all efforts of the American Civil Liberties Union or others who would in any wise hinder, subvert, or destroy the military chaplaincy.

b. Cause to be made a careful examination and review of all policies and regulations regarding the military chaplaincy and effect such changes as are necessary to make certain that the functions and practices within the military chaplaincy are in every way consistent with the First Amendment as interpreted by the Supreme Court. In this connection the NAE notes with concern reports that military chaplains are required to use a particular type of Sunday School literature, that military personnel are required in some instances to attend chapel services without regard to their religious freedom and that informal Bible study groups are sometimes suppressed.

3. Recommends that the Armed Services Committee of the Congress maintain a closer surveillance of the function of the military chaplaincy to avoid unconstitutional practices.