Petrelis Files

Taxpayer-subsidized US House Chaplain Promotes Homo-hater Rev. Dobson

Our nation's political and legal doctrine of maintaining a strict separation of church and state should, in my opinion, mean that both the Senate and the House should not open every day with a prayer or sermon from a religious figure, but that's a somewhat naive expectation. Both chambers begin the people's business, when the politicians are actually working, with a few words from their respective chaplains.

The most recent challenge to end the Congressional chaplain offices was in 2004, but US District Court for Washington, DC, rejected the lawsuit. Hence, the taxpayers continue to subsidize two religious figures, and their agendas. Click here for a concise summary and history of these offices.

The Rev. Barry C. Black, a Navy vet and Seventh-day Adventist minister, is the Senate's chaplain, and his annual salary is $143,000. Black is the first African American to hold this position. His web page is basic, with no archive of his opening prayers, list of activities or names of any guest preachers starting the Senate's day.

His House counterpart, the Rev. Daniel P. Coughlin, a Roman Catholic, and he maintains a comprehensive site, complete with an archive of opening prayers, roster of guest chaplains, local places of worship and a dose of promotion for upcoming religious events. Coughlin's yearly pay is $163,700.
To put those salaries in perspective, the Sunlight Foundation notes that the base pay for members of the Senate and House is $168,000.

What's got me irked is that Coughlin is using public dollars to publicize a National Prayer Day event at the Capitol next week, and notorious homo-hater Dr. James Dobson, founder of Focus on the Family, along with his equally bigoted wife, Mrs. Shirley Dobson.

From the House chaplain's taxpayer-supported web site:

Come celebrate America's 56th annual National Day of Prayer. The National Observance will take place Thursday, May 3rd, from 12:00 noon to 3:00 p.m. at the Cannon House Office Building on Capitol Hill.

Featured speakers include: Honorary Chairman Dr. Charles Swindoll, NDP Chairman Mrs. Shirley Dobson, Focus on the Family Founder Dr. James Dobson, Admiral Timothy Keating, Mississippi Supreme Court Chief Justice James W. Smith, Worship Leader Charles Billingsley, Musical Guest Ernie Haase & Signature Sound.

Admission is free and open to the general public. Doors open at 11:30 a.m. Seating is limited so it is recommended that you arrive early.

Here's a bit of interesting cultural trivia about invited speaker Mr. Smith that I picked up from his Wikipedia entry:

Smith had a minor appearance in the 2006 comedy mocumentary Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan when he was present at the same revival meeting that Borat attended, where he was depicted stating that "The bottom line is, we are a Christian nation now, we were a Christian nation in the beginning, and we'll gonna always be a Christian nation until the good Lord returns". It is unknown what effect this had, if any, on his public image.

Oh, what I would give to have Borat return to the USA, cover this prayer event next week and ask why gay American tax dollars, or any American's taxes, are being used to promote the bigoted Dobson's and their political agenda.

Not only that, but I think it's time for renewed scrutiny of the two Congressional chaplains, their salaries, money for staffs and offices and other expenses, role in guiding lawmakers and their speeches on the Senate and House floors.

If we can't rid our national legislative chambers of this religious incursion into the state's business, let's at least have as much sunshine beaming in on the chaplains.