Americans entering the military often receive Bibles, courtesy of the Gideons International. But the Gideons have been told that while they can leave complimentary Bibles at most military induction stations, they cannot stay there to proselytize or preach to the recruits.Daniel Trew, public information officer for the Military Entrance Processing Command, says the policy was recently established after concerns were raised by the American Civil Liberties Union.
"Our legal person went with a representative from the ACLU to one of our stations, and we actually found where the Gideons' individual at that station was getting up and talking to applicants who had just enlisted," he explains. "We could not allow that to go on because the applicants could perceive that this talk was given under the auspices of the Department of Defense." Trew says the Gideons have agreed to abide by the policy.
[Associated Press]
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