Can Christians Serve Two Masters?
No man can serve two masters (Matthew 6:24). The fine print at the bottom of the website where I signed up to receive some religious newsletters read: From time to time you will also receive Special Offers from our partners that help us make this content free for you. You can opt out of these offers at any time.  I never paid much attention to any special offers I received in my inbox until I read the subject line of a recent e-mail: Aim High And Accept The Call To Serve Those Serving. Turns out that the e-mail was sent on behalf of U.S. Air Force Chaplain Corps.  Here is what it said:  FULFILL YOUR HIGHER CALLING IN THE U.S. AIR FORCE. In the U.S. Air Force, youll have the opportunity to care for Airmen and their families at home an in deployed locations. Your pastoral presence will comfort men and women who impact our national security mission. The U.S. Air Force Chaplain Corps is a diverse team providing religious care and support. Chaplains are commissioned officers who have the opportunity to serve as religious ministry professionals who advise Air Force leadership on religious needs, spiritual care and ethical matters. You may lead a worship service, conduct marriage counseling, help a young Airman far from home or pray a blessing over those leaving for deployment. Its all in a days service. Youll be joining a team committed to glorifying God, serving Airmen and pursuing excellence. AIM HIGH AND ACCEPT THE CALL TO SERVE THOSE SERVING. Since I write extensively on the subject of Christianity and the military, I clicked the link to the Air Force Chaplain Corps website in order to see more of the Air Forces sales pitch to gullible religious people:  Nothing tests religious beliefs more than many situations our Airmen face throughout the course of their service. Providing pastoral care ministry and counseling to those of faith and those of no faith, Air Force chaplains are religious ministry professionals who support the spiritual resilience of our Airmen all over the world. As spiritual leaders, chaplains are relied upon for faith and personal guidance. They are also advocates for our Airmen and consult with leadership on moral, ethical and quality-of-life issues. Turns out the Air Force doesnt just take anyone. There are two education requirements:  Bachelors degree from an accredited institution with a minimum of 120 semester hours  Master of Divinity or equivalent theological degree with no less than 72 hours from an accredited institution  Experience is required to be a chaplain: Two years of religious ministry leadership experience. However, no statement of faith is required. You can believe anything you want. You can be a chaplain for the following denominations: Christian Protestant, Muslim, Jewish, Orthodox Christian, Roman Catholic, and other faith groups.  The qualifications to be an Air Force chaplain are stringent:  Must be a U.S. citizen, no dual citizenship  Receive an Ecclesiastical Endorsement from a DoD-recognized endorser  No violations of privileged communication and/or confidentiality  No violations or compromises of noncombatant status  No convictions by courts-martial or by civilian courts (except for minor traffic violations or similar infractions)  No record of disciplinary action for failure to exercise sound judgement with respect to morale or welfare of subordinates  No disciplinary action for engaging in an unprofessional or inappropriate relationship  No record of disciplinary action for financial irresponsibility, domestic violence or child abuse  Must be between the ages of 18 and 40  The recruitment process is rigorous. Among other things, potential Air Force chaplains must submit an ecclesiastical endorsement (DoD Form 2088), a resume, letters of recommendation, and a video of themselves preaching in a civilian ministry context; undergo a physical exam and a credit check; and have a face-to-face interview with a senior-level Air Force chaplain. I cant speak for Muslims, Jews, Orthodox Christians, Roman Catholics, and other faith groups, but I can speak for Christian Protestants since I am a theologically conservative evangelical Christian. Taxpayer-supported chaplains are expected to serve two masters: God and the state. Compromise and concession are inevitable. The state doesnt care how sincere, devout, or orthodox a Christian Protestant chaplain is. The state doesnt care if its Christian Protestant chaplains accept the doctrines of the Trinity and the Virgin Birth. The state doesnt care what its Christian Protestant chaplains think about the Apocrypha or the Synoptic Problem. The state doesnt care what version of the Bible its Christian Protestant chaplains use or what they believe about the inerrancy and authority of Scripture. To be a chaplain in the U.S. Air Force (or any other branch of the military), the main requirement is that you serve the state. I have written about military chaplains before. This time I want to focus on one thing that the e-mail I received from the Air Force said. Members of the Air Force might be deployed to invade, bomb, or occupy other countries. They might be deployed to fight immoral, unjust, and unnecessary wars. They might be deployed to make widows, orphans, refugees. They might be deployed to wound, maim, and kill. They might be deployed to police the world or maintain the U.S. global empire. They might be deployed to destroy the industry and infrastructure of a country that was no threat to anyone in the United States. They might be deployed to engage in offense instead of defense. They might be deployed to carry out a reckless, belligerent, and meddling U.S. foreign policy. They might be deployed to be a global force for evil. Okay, I cant resist. I think the answer is quite obvious. No man can serve two masters (Matthew 6:24). Not even as a chaplain in the U.S. Air Force. This article originally appeared on LewRockwell.com