Southern Baptist website blocked on military bases

Friday, April 19, 2013, Vol. 37, No. 16

NASHVILLE (AP) - The website for the Southern Baptist Convention is blocked on some military installations.

Defense Department spokesman Lt. Col. Damien Pickart said Thursday in an email that the department is investigating what is causing the access issue and working diligently to correct it.

Pickart said the department strongly supports the rights of service members, including their ability to access religious websites.

SBC spokesman Sing Oldham called the blockage "deeply disturbing."

In a statement to the media, Oldham said, "If the government has blocked any part of the sbc.net website for any purpose that would be an unconscionable breach of trust with the American public."

The Nashville-based Southern Baptist Convention is the nation's largest Protestant denomination, with 16 million members.