Who wants a former US Navy SEAL for a pastor? Apparently, lots of people!

[DavidFilmer]

I was reading a blog which summarized an article in the Harrisburg Patriot News (I can’t link to the actual article because you have to pay $2 to read it).

The story is about the Rev. Jim Moats of the Christian Bible Fellowship Church in Newville, Pa. He got caught in a web of lies he had told about being a former SEAL (but his stories were from the movie, Under Seige). OK, so the guy is a bit unbalanced. I’m sure this is an isolated incident.

But the article also quotes a (actual) former SEAL, Don Shipley, who maintains a database of SEALS and has discovered and discredited many phonies. Mr. Shipley said:

We deal with these guys all the time, especially the clergy… t’s amazing how many of the clergy are involved in those lies to build that flock up.

Waitaminute - I GREATLY respect SEALs, but they don’t generally strike me as the pastoring type.

I doubt that many Catholic clergy have been exposed by Mr. Shipley. But what’s the deal with a pastor saying he is a former SEAL? Why would that help build a flock?

I don’t understand why a pastor claiming to be an elite combat commando would attract people to a church. Why would this be considered a desirable thing for a pastor to have on his resume (so desirable he would lie about it)?

 

[Corki]

I think some of the small churches are built on a cult of personality. Anything that helps to build a person’s public image might make him more successful in attracting a flock.

 

[BornAgain2010]

I think some of the small churches are built on a cult of personality. Anything that helps to build a person’s public image might make him more successful in attracting a flock.

haha, yeah. look at evangelicals and their mega-churches.

 

[DavidFilmer]

I think some of the small churches are built on a cult of personality. Anything that helps to build a person’s public image might make him more successful in attracting a flock.

Yeah, I get that - but I’m not so sure that an elite military commando is the best thing to boost a pastor’s cult of personality.

If they are gonna lie, why don’t they claim to have been a Navy (or Marine) Chaplin (maybe under fire), or part of the Peace Corps instead? (or substitute any difficult sort of actual ministry - SEALS are generally not regarded as ministers of the Gospel).

Why would a pastor lie about being a SEAL, as opposed to some other honorable (and more pastoral) role? SEALs know about a hundred ways to kill someone without using a weapon. Why is this a good thing for a pastor to know? If you give a SEAL a weapon, he knows about a thousand ways to kill you. Why is this a good thing for a pastor to know? If you give a SEAL a kitchen, he might be able to construct a bomb (OK, I also got that from Under Seige, but I have no reason to doubt that it’s true). Why are these good things for a pastor to know?

SEALs are trained to kill and destroy. Why is this a good thing for a pastor to know?

 

[Soldier_Of_God]

I’m not sure if I would want to confess my sins to an ex-Navy SEAL.

 

[Prophesy]

I was reading a blog which summarized an article in the Harrisburg Patriot News (I can’t link to the actual article because you have to pay $2 to read it).

The story is about the Rev. Jim Moats of the Christian Bible Fellowship Church in Newville, Pa. He got caught in a web of lies he had told about being a former SEAL (but his stories were from the movie, Under Seige). OK, so the guy is a bit unbalanced. I’m sure this is an isolated incident.

But the article also quotes a (actual) former SEAL, Don Shipley, who maintains a database of SEALS and has discovered and discredited many phonies. Mr. Shipley said:

Waitaminute - I GREATLY respect SEALs, but they don’t generally strike me as the pastoring type.

I doubt that many Catholic clergy have been exposed by Mr. Shipley. But what’s the deal with a pastor saying he is a former SEAL? Why would that help build a flock?

I don’t understand why a pastor claiming to be an elite combat commando would attract people to a church. Why would this be considered a desirable thing for a pastor to have on his resume (so desirable he would lie about it)?

It could be for many reasons. He may have an awesome story of conversion. Like you’ve asked, how does one go from SEAL to priest (I doubt he’d lie, it wouldn’t be too hard to find out and neither is full of people you wouldn’t want to lie to).

That said we have a former Navy officer in my diocese, he’s popular for other reasons, mainly his homilies and the hard work he does for his parish.

And there may be a few people who think it’s awesome. Perhaps you may want to go and see what the hooblah is about, but keep in mind that every Catholic Church, no matter the priest (provided licit Mass) celebrate the same Eucharist.

-Prophesy

 

[JoshuaNY]

He got caught in a web of lies he had told about being a former SEAL (but his stories were from the movie, Under Seige).

How did no one catch the similarities between him and Casey Ryback. Both making bombs in a microwave and both single handedly taking back a battle ship that was taken over by a singer from the Captian’s birthday party!!!

I think the moral of the story is people need to watch more movies. I would have been all over that!

DavidFilmer:

SEALs are trained to kill and destroy. Why is this a good thing for a pastor to know?

I think you are simplifying it too much, SEALs are not trained to kill and destroy. SEALs are trained to fight in terrible circumstances to defend freedom. They may have to kill and destroy to keep those freedoms and fight against the terrors of the world but that is not the sole purpose of their training. Just to be clear.

 

[Prophesy]

It could be for many reasons. He may have an awesome story of conversion. Like you’ve asked, how does one go from SEAL to priest (I doubt he’d lie, it wouldn’t be too hard to find out and neither is full of people you wouldn’t want to lie to).

That said we have a former Navy officer in my diocese, he’s popular for other reasons, mainly his homilies and the hard work he does for his parish.

And there may be a few people who think it’s awesome. Perhaps you may want to go and see what the hooblah is about, but keep in mind that every Catholic Church, no matter the priest (provided licit Mass) celebrate the same Eucharist.

-Prophesy

I skimmed the first post and jumped the line about him lying. Well, I suppose that’s pretty bad, but I should hope that he created an amazing story of conversion to at least make his lies relevant to the ministry that he was supposed to be working for honestly (I’m pretty sure that most parishes love new priests for the fact that they are new priests anyways).

-Prophesy

 

[Corki]

Yeah, I get that - but I’m not so sure that an elite military commando is the best thing to boost a pastor’s cult of personality.

If they are gonna lie, why don’t they claim to have been a Navy (or Marine) Chaplin (maybe under fire), or part of the Peace Corps instead? (or substitute any difficult sort of actual ministry - SEALS are generally not regarded as ministers of the Gospel).

Why would a pastor lie about being a SEAL, as opposed to some other honorable (and more pastoral) role? SEALs know about a hundred ways to kill someone without using a weapon. Why is this a good thing for a pastor to know? If you give a SEAL a weapon, he knows about a thousand ways to kill you. Why is this a good thing for a pastor to know? If you give a SEAL a kitchen, he might be able to construct a bomb (OK, I also got that from Under Seige, but I have no reason to doubt that it’s true). Why are these good things for a pastor to know?

SEALs are trained to kill and destroy. Why is this a good thing for a pastor to know?

I think being an elite military commando is a good way to boost a person’s standing in almost any venue. It would certainly get you noticed in “corporate America,” in politics and even if you were looking for a spouse. These are the “best of the best” and Americans love to be around heros.

Why would a pastor lie about being a SEAL, as opposed to some other honorable (and more pastoral) role?

Because being a SEAL is not “opposed” to another honorable role. It IS a more honorable role. Yes, they have combat skills but they also have excellent problem solving skills, communication skills, leadership skills, perserverance, patience, loyalty, honor. And they can keep secrets. All the kinds of things a pastor should have.

 

[Corki]

haha, yeah. look at evangelicals and their mega-churches.

Yes, the big churches have this too. I didn’t mean to exclude them.