By: Rabbi Yaakov Menken and Lathan Watts, Director of Legal Communications for First Liberty Institute
Modern armed forces must contend with that which is euphemized as “collateral damage.” Every military is expected to do its utmost to reduce harm to innocent civilians and is condemned if it is negligent in this regard.
A similar standard must apply in our quest for universal human and civil rights. If activists claim to fight for civil rights, but disregard the harm their efforts cause to third parties, this negligence should compel us to reevaluate their actual commitment to social justice.
On multiple fronts, left-wing “progressives” demonstrate calculated indifference to the most vulnerable Americans while demanding privileges for their preferred classes — all in the name of civil rights. Time and again, social justice warriors insist that it is moral to deny crucial aid to those in pain, when that aid comes from a religious group working within the parameters of its faith.
In 2014, Army Chaplain Captain Joe Lawhorn was designated primary instructor for an annual course on sexual harassment, alcohol awareness, and suicide prevention training. He spoke in his capacity as military chaplain, and even shared his personal struggles with depression. He discussed the methods he uses to combat it, including, of course, his personal faith. He also provided a handout with Army resources and what he described as biblical approaches to handling depression.
Belief that we were Created with a purpose and mission by a beneficent Supreme Being is an empowering thought, regardless of the particulars of our faith denomination. Chaplain Lawhorn was not preaching a particular religious faith, but using his own as a model that listeners of all faiths could replicate within themselves.
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