I Tried!

I really did try to find any ‘mainstream media’ outlet covering this little tidbit.  What the graphic from Walter Reed (WRNMMC) home page says is:

We are in the process of rewriting our policy and would like to offer the following statement:
Bibles and other religious materials have always been and will remain available for patient use at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center. The visitation policy as written was incorrect and should have been more thoroughly reviewed before its release. It has been rescinded. We apologize for any confusion the policy may have caused.

I tried a search on Google – lots of ‘right wing’ publications (including Fox News) turned up covering the error and the apology.  Tried specifically on MSNBC and CNN (assuredly left wing, correct?) – no reference to this story or the original policy that had to be rescinded.

Why is it important to me?  It is an indication that the United States Government has agencies denying citizens access to the religion of their choice. The offending memo, issued by the hospital’s Chief of Staff, C.W. Callahan, was blunt and to the point:

“No religious items (i.e. Bibles, reading material, and/or artifacts) are allowed to be given away or used during a visit.”

It would be totally inappropriate for me – or any other person – to bring a Bible to a total stranger.  However, that is not what the memo covered.  As written, I could not bring my husband his own Bible. Politically correct overkill.  Unnoticed by two of the nation’s highest rated news organizations.  Is this not news?

I am saddened by this situation.  According to the memo, I should not carry my own Bible into the facility, as it might be used during a visit to someone I knew was a Christian. I do find it odd that the word Bible is used in the memo, not Koran, not Torah, not Tanakh, not Tipitaka, not Gita, nor any other holy book reference.

I would hope that any person of faith would reach out to support the change made to restore the right to carry one’s holy book into Walter Reed Medical Center. We should be able to do so anywhere in these United States.

Why must it be construed that to respect religious and/or cultural practices of an individual, it’s necessary to ban that which is sacred to another?  A Muslim co-worker offered me a copy of a Koran.  A Mormon offered a copy of the Book of Mormon.  It was simple for me to say whether I would or would not accept.  I did because I was willing to learn, to share, to discuss.  Had I not been, I was free to decline, both the book and the discussion.

Must we be protected from learning? Once again I turn to a verse that must now be familiar to my readers. 

Learn, question, find answers to see if these things are so.

These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so. (Acts 17:11 KJV)