A directive to ban prayer and religious symbols in official ceremonies has Canada’s military chaplains worried — and fearful. They’re forced to make tough decisions knowing all they say will be dissected and attacked by some fake ‘traumatized’ fool.Chaplain General Brigadier-General Guy Belisle’s — intentionally? — vague directive in a leaked October 11 memo put a target on the backs of what he calls his “team.”Offensive, not inclusive enough — it’s open to anyone’s interpretation. Chaplains must decide if they’ll obey orders trampling religious freedom and not mention the higher power they worship. Or do they reverently pray and get stripped of their mandates?Their dilemma isn’t about saving careers, although many have families for whom to provide and protect.Defying the directive and getting pushed out would mean abandoning those to whom they minister.On Remembrance Day, abstaining from prayer would break a “contract with the dead” who made the ultimate sacrifice fighting in uniform for God and country.“There’s so much fear in the chaplaincy. They’re using that fear to have people submit to authority,” said one chaplain. They would be Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) brass serving Liberal political masters who make sport of robbing Canadian freedoms.“They’ve been so good at keeping people silent.”Chaplains who spoke with the Western Standard asked to remain anonymous to avoid certain persecution and punishment. In Canada!Belisle — a padre — threatened “disciplinary action” if chaplains pray according to their faiths at “ceremony/parade/gathering addresses.”Chaplains must adopt a “sensitive and inclusive approach” that excludes symbols or mention of anything of Christian, Jewish or Muslim faith.Chaplains may pay tribute to the CAF that's betraying them, or offer thanks to a tree, or to Chairman Mao — anything, anyone but God. “This policy is written in such a bad manner. It’s very imprecise. I think it’s written by design,” said a chaplain.Belisle essentially declared open season on the chaplains.Prime Minister Justin Trudeau divides Canada constantly, with his cries it’s a hotbed of racism, homophobia and persecution.Attention-seeking ‘victims’ feeding off that drivel freely weaponize imaginary offences to target people who hold no malice, only different views, religious or otherwise. Spineless military brass, their weasel spies in uniform and legacy media (all useful tools who put members through hell during the military’s COVID-19 mandates crackdown) will now lie in ambush waiting for perceived “offensive” words.Someone will surely be 'traumatized,' then euphorically strike to bury careers of chaplains.Belisle fired the shot to shut up chaplains with precision timing. November 11, the day that honours all who fought and died defending our freedoms, approaches.“We have moral and spiritual obligations, we have a contract with the dead,” said a chaplain.“Those who fought in the Great Wars did so for God and country and they deserve to be honoured in that tradition. This new policy is first and foremost a violation of that contract.”“It is a betrayal of our mandate. It is a betrayal of people who went to war and gave the ultimate sacrifice. It’s so belittling of their sacrifice … our forefathers were told ‘We’ll remember you in our prayers.’ And now we won’t.”Way to go, team leader!“The chaplain general’s responsible for preserving and protecting our traditions. You get the impression his intention is to undermine and destroy our traditions,” said a chaplain.“We have good traditions that are equitable. There’s no reason humanism cannot be compatible with the old policy.”The pivot is from religion to spirituality.“But spirituality is going to very be tightly controlled…it’s going to be all the ways they’re pushing radical agendas.”Canada was founded on the “recognition of the supremacy of God.” But accepted religions are “obstacles” to the “new progressive religion” forced on Canadians.“They need this religion because they also need to push things like medical assistance in dying (MAiD). There’s a cannabis dispensary on every street corner, unlimited abortion and medical rights and freedoms are completely absent.”Remembrance Day prayers always focused on a higher power. Christian, Jews and Muslims take turns honouring the dead in multi-faith prayer ceremonies.It’s about fallen heroes. No chaplain ever grabbed the mic to attack — or mention — gender or sexual preferences. This may shock woke zealots, but not everything is about them.In his memo, Belisle directed chaplains to be “mindful of the Gender Based Analysis (GBA+)” in their reflections.Does this schizophrenic directive assume sexual minorities don’t specifically want to join in prayer to their higher power while paying respect to family members who died defending Canada?Is ‘protecting’ them a cover for cancelling the one pronoun the woke object to?As in He — Heavenly Father? You bet!Belisle’s directive is a ruse.Its religious discrimination disguised as inclusivity mandating exclusion.The Chaplain’s Manual is proof inclusion exists. Policy #9 says Minister to Our Own — Care for All — Facilitate Worship of Others.Chaplains are instructed to perform religious rites and ceremonies according to their own faith.“In so far as is possible, the chaplain offers appropriate spiritual support and care to all soldiers, regardless of their religious faith expression,” it reads.“ If a chaplain is unable to personally provide specific religious support, the chaplain will seek to have such support provided.”Humanist chaplains serve in the CAF.Where’s the assault on diversity? One chaplain calls the prayer abolition raw “cancel culture dressed up as diversity.”“In the name of diversity, we are destroying our traditions. We already have a very inclusive policy on public prayer. We invite people to pray. They’re not forced. We do it in an inclusive manner that respects our members and respects our faith traditions.”“They took a sledgehammer to the old policy and threatened to suspend us if we disobey it and publicly pray.”How will chaplains deal with Remembrance Day?Some want to be excused from offering reflections. It’s not cowardice. It’s out of duty not to abandon those they minister.“I’m not interested in having my mandate pulled. What’s going to happen with these members that we’re walking with? We’ve gained their trust and loved them and cared for them,” said a chaplain.No one would be surprised if participation is mandated.“It’s not enough to be silent, you must give allegiance and get baptized in this new woke religion. You don’t have to believe what I believe. But I’d like to be able to talk about what I believe,” said a chaplain.One upset liberal chaplain will see what ‘spiritual’ message Belisle shares and adapt the usual prayerful message to avoid making a mistake.“Every year the chaplain general will share his prayer. Over the last few years, it hasn’t been much of a prayer. It’s been a meaningless reflection or encouragement,” said a chaplain.Retired chaplains might arrive at ceremonies armed with Bibles, Torahs and Qurans and pray. Out loud.Would they get dragged away if, during prayer, they remove headdress — berets, wedge caps or naval caps — a tradition that acknowledged attendees are in Divine presence? The new policy scraps this symbolic tradition. Also forbidden are chaplain scarves with the Cross, Star of David, or Crescents because they “may cause discomfort or traumatic feelings,”The Royal Canadian Chaplain Services scarf with the humanist crest replaces them. Defence Minister Bill Blair denied prayer is banned. Belisle’s memo proves otherwise.“We have the receipt. They got caught lying. It’s going to blow back in their face.”Unless Belisle rescinds his directive, it stands.“Chaplains have to follow their consciences and make difficult decisions that may have consequences,” said a chaplain.
