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Brian Dijkema: Forcing religious neutrality on CAF chaplains robs troops of support

The military should host a wider array of prayers instead of making its chaplains deliver generic 'spiritual reflections'

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As it did in 2023, the federal government is seeking to restrict prayers by military chaplains, instead encouraging them to offer “spiritual reflections” — essentially life lessons or other inspirational bon mots.

Brian Dijkema: Forcing religious neutrality on CAF chaplains robs troops of support Back to video

To jog memories: A 2023 Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) directive updating a 2013 military policy told chaplains to avoid using religious symbols at public events, to filter religious expression through “Gender Based Analysis” to avoid asking anyone to remove a hat or headwear during their presentations, and, most infamously, to replace prayer with nebulous, sanitized alternatives called “spiritual reflections.” This new document, taking the form of Military Personnel........

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