Building a Christian Fundamentalist Army
Harry Hope
From The Christian Science Monitor, 10/4/07:
http://www.csmonitor.com/2007/1004/p13s02-lire.html
Are U.S. troops being force-fed Christianity?
A watchdog group alleges that improper evangelizing is occurring
within the ranks.
By Jane Lampman | Staff writer of The Christian Science Monitor
At Speicher base in Iraq, US Army Spec. Jeremy Hall got permission
from a chaplain in August to post fliers announcing a meeting for
atheists and other nonbelievers.
When the group gathered, Specialist Hall alleges, his Army major
supervisor disrupted the meeting and threatened to retaliate against
him, including blocking his reenlistment in the Army.
Months earlier, Hall charges, he had been publicly berated by a staff
sergeant for not agreeing to join in a Thanksgiving Day prayer.
On Sept. 17, the soldier and the Military Religious Freedom Foundation
(MRFF) filed suit against Army Maj. Freddy Welborn and US Secretary of
Defense Robert Gates, charging violations of Hall's constitutional
rights, including being forced to submit to a religious test to
qualify as a soldier.
The MRFF plans more lawsuits in coming weeks, says Michael "Mikey"
Weinstein, who founded the military watchdog group in 2005.
The aim is "to show there is a pattern and practice of
constitutionally impermissible promotions of religious beliefs within
the Department of Defense."
For Mr. Weinstein – a former Air Force judge advocate and assistant
counsel in the Reagan White House – more is involved than isolated
cases of discrimination.
He charges that several incidents in recent years – and more than
5,000 complaints his group has received from active-duty and retired
military personnel – point to a growing willingness inside the
military to support a particular brand of Christianity and to permit
improper evangelizing in the ranks.
More than 95 percent of those complaints come from other Christians,
he says.
Others agree on the need for the watchdog group, but question the
conspiratorial view and some of its tactics.
They say dealing with religious issues is a complex matter, and the
military is trying to address them appropriately.
At the Defense Department, spokeswoman Cynthia Smith says the DOD
doesn't comment on litigation, but "places a high value on the rights
of members of the Armed Forces to observe the tenets of their
respective religions."
Since the Revolutionary War, the armed services have tried to ensure
that soldiers can practice their faiths, and that chaplains serve not
only those of their own sect but all who may need pastoral care.
The services have also sought to adhere to the First Amendment
prohibition of any government "establishment of religion."
In the 1990s, for instance, the Air Force's Little Blue Book of core
values highlighted religious tolerance, emphasizing that military
professionals "must not take it upon themselves to change or
coercively influence the religious views of subordinates."
Weinstein insists, however, that there are improper actions at high
levels that not only infringe on soldiers' rights but, at a very
dangerous time, also send the wrong message to people in the Middle
East that those in the US military see themselves engaged in Christian
warfare.
For example, he says, Lt. Gen. William Boykin, who gave speeches at
churches while in uniform that disparaged Islam and defined the war on
terror in fundamentalist, "end times" terms, was not fired but
promoted.
(Speaking of a Muslim warlord he had pursued, Lt. Gen. Boykin said, "I
knew my God was a real God and his was an idol." And our enemies "will
only be defeated if we come against them in the name of Jesus.")
"There's an eschatologically obsessed version of Christianity that ...
is trying to make American foreign and domestic policy conterminous
with their biblical worldview," Weinstein charges.
And "there's improper pressure within the military command structure
to make members join them."
The most serious allegations from the field cannot be corroborated for
this article.
A few will be raised in the lawsuits, but some incidents have been
documented.
Perhaps the most visible situation – and the one that set Weinstein
off on his mission – involved the evangelizing of cadets on the part
of some faculty and staff at the Air Force Academy (AFA) in Colorado
Springs, Colo., which came to light in 2004.
Congress held hearings, DOD conducted an investigation, and the head
of the academy acknowledged significant problems.
Weinstein's cadet son experienced the pressures as a Jew.
Col. David Antoon (ret.), another alumnus of the AFA and now a 747
commercial pilot, says his heart was broken when he took his son,
Ryan, to an orientation at the academy in the spring of 2004.
An overt evangelistic approach during part of the orientation so upset
them, he says, that they decided his son would reject the treasured
appointment and instead go to Ohio State University.
"My son had dreamed of doing what I had done, but it was no longer the
institution I went to," Colonel Antoon says, his voice cracking with
emotion.
The Air Force set about reaffirming basic principles in religion
guidelines, as a basis for widespread training, but a pushback by
Evangelicals later led to Congress setting them aside until hearings
could be held.
The hearings have not taken place.
In 2006, MRFF learned of a video produced by Christian Embassy, a
group that conducts Bible studies at the Pentagon and seeks to
evangelize within the armed services.
Aimed at fundraising for the group, the video was improperly taped in
the Pentagon and involved endorsements by Army and Air Force generals
in uniform.
MRFF's public alert spurred a DOD investigation.
In a report critical of the senior officers, the Inspector General
said they gave the appearance of speaking for the military.
One general defended his role by saying "Christian Embassy had become
a quasi-federal entity."
The report noted that Maj. Gen. Paul Sutton participated while he
served as chief of the US Office of Defense Cooperation in Turkey, a
largely Muslim nation whose military takes pride in protecting the
country's secular status.
After a Turkish newspaper wrote about the video as promoting a
"fundamentalist sect," General Sutton was called in and questioned by
members of the Turkish General Staff.
"They had to give him a lesson in the separation of church and state,"
Weinstein says.
"Imagine the propaganda bonanza! And how this upset Muslims."
The DOD report on the video recommended "appropriate corrective
action" be taken against the officers.
According to Army spokesman Paul Boyce, "The Army has not yet
completed any planned actions associated with the Christian Embassy
review."
MRFF claims a victory in the case of the evangelical group Operation
Stand Up.
Earlier this year, OSU was preparing to send "freedom packages" to
soldiers in Iraq as part of an Army program.
Along with socks and snacks, the packages included proselytizing
materials in English and Arabic, and the apocalyptic video game, "Left
Behind: Eternal Forces."
In it, Christians carry on warfare against people of other faiths.
After the plans were made public, the Pentagon announced in August
that the materials would not be mailed.
OSU did not respond to a request for comment.
Weinstein – an intense, voluble attorney who prizes blunt,
no-holds-barred language – has struck more than one nerve with his
bird-dogging.
He says numerous threats have been made on his life.
Last week, the front window of his house was shot out for the second
time.
After the lawsuit was filed, talk of "fragging" (killing) Specialist
Hall surfaced on some military blogs.
The Army is investigating.
Others sympathetic to Weinstein's concerns say some tactics undermine
his efforts, and they question aims.
"He's uncovered some very disturbing stuff that shouldn't be going on
in the armed forces," says Marc Stern, a religious liberty expert at
American Jewish Congress.
"But it's important that you not go too far."
Mr. Stern disagrees, for instance, with Weinstein's stance on the Air
Force guidelines, such as preventing military supervisors from ever
speaking of religion to people under their command.
"He did a disservice to his and our cause by taking a position beyond
what the law requires, and in fact may intrude on people's rights,"
Stern adds.
Several conservative Christian ministries publicly proclaim an
evangelistic aim "to transform the nations of the world through the
militaries of the world," and they are active at US military
installations in many countries.
(See www.militaryministry.org or militarymissionsnetwork.org.)
MRFF sees that as a harbinger of a volunteer military falling under
the sway of increasing numbers of Christian soldiers.
Others see a military leadership, with the exception of a few generals
here or there, well aware of its constitutional responsibilities, but
challenged by the demands of training on these issues in a military of
millions.
A group such as MRFF can provide a crucial service, they say, if it is
willing to work with the military.
Right now, Weinstein is counting on a set of lawsuits to bring serious
issues to the fore.
The question is whether those suits will go beyond individual cases of
discrimination to prove an unconstitutional pattern within the armed
forces.
_________________________________________________
Enjoy your freedom while you still can.
Harry
JFK: the original neocon.
Who can tell the difference anymore?
Go Fred!!
Fred.
Fred.
Fred.
Fred.
Fred.
-
Democrat party platform:
"WE MAY COMPLAIN A LOT, BUT WE'RE FOR SALE"
-
On Oct 4, 6:39 am, Harry Hope <riv...@ix.netcom.com> wrote:
> From The Christian Science Monitor, 10/4/07:http://www.csmonitor.com/2007/1004/p13s02-lire.html
>
> Are U.S. troops being force-fed Christianity?
>
> A watchdog group alleges that improper evangelizing is occurring
> within the ranks.
>
> By Jane Lampman | Staff writer of The Christian Science Monitor
>
> At Speicher base in Iraq, US Army Spec. Jeremy Hall got permission
> from a chaplain in August to post fliers announcing a meeting for
> atheists and other nonbelievers.
>
> When the group gathered, Specialist Hall alleges, his Army major
> supervisor disrupted the meeting and threatened to retaliate against
> him, including blocking his reenlistment in the Army.
>
> Months earlier, Hall charges, he had been publicly berated by a staff
> sergeant for not agreeing to join in a Thanksgiving Day prayer.
>
> On Sept. 17, the soldier and the Military Religious Freedom Foundation
> (MRFF) filed suit against Army Maj. Freddy Welborn and US Secretary of
> Defense Robert Gates, charging violations of Hall's constitutional
> rights, including being forced to submit to a religious test to
> qualify as a soldier.
>
> The MRFF plans more lawsuits in coming weeks, says Michael "Mikey"
> Weinstein, who founded the military watchdog group in 2005.
>
> The aim is "to show there is a pattern and practice of
> constitutionally impermissible promotions of religious beliefs within
> the Department of Defense."
>
> For Mr. Weinstein - a former Air Force judge advocate and assistant
> counsel in the Reagan White House - more is involved than isolated
> cases of discrimination.
>
> He charges that several incidents in recent years - and more than
> 5,000 complaints his group has received from active-duty and retired
> military personnel - point to a growing willingness inside the
> Perhaps the most visible situation - and the one that set Weinstein
> off on his mission - involved the evangelizing of cadets on the part
> Weinstein - an intense, voluble attorney who prizes blunt,
> no-holds-barred language - has struck more than one nerve with his
> bird-dogging.
>
> He says numerous threats have been made on his life.
>
> Last week, the front window of his house was shot out for the second
> time.
>
> After the lawsuit was filed, talk of "fragging" (killing) Specialist
> Hall surfaced on some military blogs.
>
> The Army is investigating.
>
> Others sympathetic to Weinstein's concerns say some tactics undermine
> his efforts, and they question aims.
>
> "He's uncovered some very disturbing stuff that shouldn't be going on
> in the armed forces," says Marc Stern, a religious liberty expert at
> American Jewish Congress.
>
> "But it's important that you not go too far."
>
> Mr. Stern disagrees, for instance, with Weinstein's stance on the Air
> Force guidelines, such as preventing military supervisors from ever
> speaking of religion to people under their command.
>
> "He did a disservice to his and our cause by taking a position beyond
> what the law requires, and in fact may intrude on people's rights,"
> Stern adds.
>
> Several conservative Christian ministries publicly proclaim an
> evangelistic aim "to transform the nations of the world through the
> militaries of the world," and they are active at US military
> installations in many countries.
>
> (Seewww.militaryministry.orgor militarymissionsnetwork.org.)
Tops...@aol.com
lora...@cs.com
>
> Are U.S. troops being force-fed Christianity?
>
> A watchdog group alleges that improper evangelizing is occurring
> within the ranks.
Sure sure.. no doubt they will soon be shouting 'Deus de Vult!' as
they charge into battle with the infidels.
Make ya nervous, huh?
Relax.. it's all in your atheist head.
ffr...@mailandnews.com
>
> Are U.S. troops being force-fed Christianity?
>
> A watchdog group alleges that improper evangelizing is occurring
> within the ranks.
>
> By Jane Lampman | Staff writer of The Christian Science Monitor
>
> At Speicher base in Iraq, US Army Spec. Jeremy Hall got permission
> from a chaplain in August to post fliers announcing a meeting for
> atheists and other nonbelievers.
>
> When the group gathered, Specialist Hall alleges, his Army major
> supervisor disrupted the meeting and threatened to retaliate against
> him, including blocking his reenlistment in the Army.
>
> Months earlier, Hall charges, he had been publicly berated by a staff
> sergeant for not agreeing to join in a Thanksgiving Day prayer.
>
> On Sept. 17, the soldier and the Military Religious Freedom Foundation
> (MRFF) filed suit against Army Maj. Freddy Welborn and US Secretary of
> Defense Robert Gates, charging violations of Hall's constitutional
> rights, including being forced to submit to a religious test to
> qualify as a soldier.
>
> The MRFF plans more lawsuits in coming weeks, says Michael "Mikey"
> Weinstein, who founded the military watchdog group in 2005.
>
> The aim is "to show there is a pattern and practice of
> constitutionally impermissible promotions of religious beliefs within
> the Department of Defense."
>
> counsel in the Reagan White House - more is involved than isolated
> cases of discrimination.
>
> He charges that several incidents in recent years - and more than
> 5,000 complaints his group has received from active-duty and retired
> off on his mission - involved the evangelizing of cadets on the part
> no-holds-barred language - has struck more than one nerve with his
> bird-dogging.
>
> He says numerous threats have been made on his life.
>
> Last week, the front window of his house was shot out for the second
> time.
>
> After the lawsuit was filed, talk of "fragging" (killing) Specialist
> Hall surfaced on some military blogs.
>
> The Army is investigating.
>
> Others sympathetic to Weinstein's concerns say some tactics undermine
> his efforts, and they question aims.
>
> "He's uncovered some very disturbing stuff that shouldn't be going on
> in the armed forces," says Marc Stern, a religious liberty expert at
> American Jewish Congress.
>
> "But it's important that you not go too far."
>
> Mr. Stern disagrees, for instance, with Weinstein's stance on the Air
> Force guidelines, such as preventing military supervisors from ever
> speaking of religion to people under their command.
>
> "He did a disservice to his and our cause by taking a position beyond
> what the law requires, and in fact may intrude on people's rights,"
> Stern adds.
>
> Several conservative Christian ministries publicly proclaim an
> evangelistic aim "to transform the nations of the world through the
> militaries of the world," and they are active at US military
> installations in many countries.
>
>
> MRFF sees that as a harbinger of a volunteer military falling under
> the sway of increasing numbers of Christian soldiers.
>
> Others see a military leadership, with the exception of a few generals
> here or there, well aware of its constitutional responsibilities, but
> challenged by the demands of training on these issues in a military of
> millions.
>
> A group such as MRFF can provide a crucial service, they say, if it is
> willing to work with the military.
>
> Right now, Weinstein is counting on a set of lawsuits to bring serious
> issues to the fore.
>
> The question is whether those suits will go beyond individual cases of
> discrimination to prove an unconstitutional pattern within the armed
> forces.
>
> _________________________________________________
>
> Enjoy your freedom while you still can.
>
> Harry
Onward Christian soldiers!
Topaz
Judeo Christians think it is the "end times" even though it has been
the "end times" for over two thousand years so far. They think the one
and only hope is for Jesus to return and straighten everything out.
And a big part of the plan is the destroy the world. They think wars
and everything being blown up is a great thing because it means Jesus
will return soon.
Marxists were murderous lowlifes but they said religion is the opium
of the people. There obviously is some truth to that. Enemies often
have some truth in their arguments. On top of the opium there is the
Jewish propaganda started by Scofield.
Christians are great for telling what some of the problems are, such
as homosexual perversion, feminism etc. But to actually solve these
problems one should look elsewhere. Who do Christians hate the most,
first Hitler and then the Muslims. These are the two who actually
solved the problems that Christians are famous for speaking against.
Maybe the Muslims go a little overboard but they are the opposite of
liberalism. There is no way that "Brokeback Mountain" would be shown
in a Muslim country.
http://www.ihr.org/ http://www.natvan.com