Southern Baptists Convention fighting ‘don’t ask, don’t tell’ repeal
In many religious circles, the repeal of a military ban on openly gay members is considered practically a done deal. But Southern Baptists, who have many more active-duty military chaplains than any other denomination, are not letting this go through without a fight.
The Southern Baptist Convention is battling the expected repeal of “don’t ask, don’t tell” on a number of fronts: Its agencies are contacting members of Congress and the Pentagon; retired chaplains are sending letters to President Obama; and a resolution adopted at the denomination’s annual meeting in Orlando this week condemns allowing gays and lesbians to serve openly in the military.