By Thomas Klocek, CDR, USN, Ret

Georgia Senate Democrat candidate Raphael Warnock insists that Americans can’t serve God and serve in our military forces at the same time.

“America, nobody can serve God and the military,” Warnock declared in a sermon at the Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta. “You can’t serve God and money. You cannot serve God and Mammon at the same time.”

Warnock, who hopes to unseat Sen. Kelly Loeffler (R-GA) in the January Senate runoff, is now attempting to spin his leftist assertion.

So, we have another so-called Christian pastor who hates the U.S. and the military, which secures the religious freedom promised in our constitution. I have to wonder if he’s related to Obama’s pastor Jeremiah Wright, who damned America. And this man wants to serve in the United States Senate. I don’t care if someone is a Republican or a Democrat — such obvious animosity toward the organization that preserves our freedom does NOT deserve to serve in Congress. It would seem that he doesn’t recognize the sacrifice that our military members make just by their service, not to mention the extreme sacrifice that thousands of them have given for millions around the world to fight tyranny and injustice.

Military members serve God AND country. “For God and Country” is the motto of the American Legion, the nation’s largest veterans organization. Military service and sacrifice embody Christ’s teachings to care for our neighbor and our neighbor’s needs. Think of the number of times that the U.S. military responded to catastrophes around the world, helping with medical treatment, providing evacuation of refugees, and defending against oppression. The most recent COVID-19 crisis provides a perfect example with the deployment of field hospitals and hospital ships to make additional medical facilities available, if needed. Christ never admonished those serving in the military and it was a centurion’s servant that he healed (Mt 8:5-13, Lk 7:2-10). Also, it was a Roman centurion witnessing Christ’s crucifixion who recognized His divinity (Mt 27:54).

Most military members I know recognize that they are making a sacrifice for the nation and its people by their service and possibly even the ultimate sacrifice of their lives. Even Jesus acknowledged how rare offering one’s life for another is (Jn 15:13). Military service is inherently a dangerous occupation, whether you are in actual combat or just in training. Just take a look at the movie “Top Gun” and think about the hazards of being on that flight deck. I can tell you from experience that someone who gets blown or washed overboard (e.g., from a smaller ship like a destroyer) has a low probability of survival, especially if not found in the first half hour.

The Democrats in general have always had a lot of negative views toward the military and under the recent Democrat administrations military modernization and readiness has always suffered. It has been Republican administrations that have taken a more positive attitude toward the troops, their support, and their families. Again, witness the decline of Veterans Administration services during the Obama/Biden administration against the vast improvements under Trump. When Teddy Roosevelt said “speak softly and carry a big stick,” the big stick he was referring to was the U.S. military. I seriously doubt if Iran would have gotten away with its mistreatment of our sailors had Trump been president rather than Obama.

I never understood why some senior officers supported Democrats, but then, just as in religious organizations, there are Pharisees everywhere.

My brother, a Marine, recently sent me the following which puts into perspective the service our servicemen and women do for our country:

“It is the soldier, not the reporter, who has given us freedom of the press. It is the soldier, not the poet, who has given us freedom of speech. It is the soldier, not the campus organizer, who has given us the freedom to demonstrate. It is the soldier, who salutes the flag, who serves beneath the flag, and whose coffin is draped by the flag, who allows the protester to burn the flag.” —Father Dennis Edward O'Brien, USMC